In decline.
August 9th, 2015 at 10:40:13 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
You have to say that, it's your job. But saying something is true, when you have no proof, doesn't make it true. You hope it's true, you believe it's true, but you can't know it's true. My point about Santa was, Christians always point to all the other Christians in the world and say, how can they all be wrong. They can easily all be wrong, and they are wrong. How can all the dopey Muslims be wrong. Easily. 10 people or a million people believing something isn't proof of anything except gullibility. Which humans have always had an abundance of.. Since we started this conversation months ago I have searched for many things related to this subject. All it's done is bolster my argument that there isn't one shred of evidence that sin is real or Jesus died for anything except being a misguided rabbi. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
August 9th, 2015 at 3:49:25 PM permalink | |
Face Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 61 Posts: 3941 |
Wait, huh? Santa is real. Dude was a saint and a Christian, I would've thought you knew. In fact, Christ and Claus always struck me as being very similar. Claus, or Saint Nicolas, was a real dude who really gave gifts. He was cool enough he was turned into legend, and stuff gets added, as legends are wont to do. Other beliefs were assimilated into the story. His depiction as old and bearded comes from the depiction of the Norse god Odin, who was also said to ride around the solstice. The reindeer likewise come from this, as Odin rode a flying, six legged horse, Slepnir. Even all the way to recent history he's been molded. His current depiction of a jolly, white faced fat man is largely attributed to books and drawings of the 1800's, and also Coke's depiction in the early 1900's. Christ was a real dude, too. I don't doubt that at all. All the stuff they say about mortal Christ, I believe it. I'm sure he cared for the sick and poor, I'm sure he was a hell of a philosopher and philanthropist. But legends. Add a bit of water into wine, a touch of laying of hands, and tie it all up with a resurrection. Now you have a story! Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it. |
August 9th, 2015 at 4:10:06 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
I find Paul Bunyun and his blue ox Babe to be more believable. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
August 9th, 2015 at 4:51:33 PM permalink | |
Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | Good News: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/uncucumbered/christian_seminary_with_a_sense_of_humor_hands_out_second_coming_condoms Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
August 9th, 2015 at 5:03:13 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
"Jesus Christ’s return is infinitely more important and incomparable to a joke printed on a condom package." Scolds Ms. Blankley. "Genuine Christians, who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, joyfully and anxiously await his return." Joyfully waiting for 2000 years, with no end in sight. Waiting for a myth to be true does take an awfully long time. Eternity, usually. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
August 9th, 2015 at 5:15:12 PM permalink | |
Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | BTW, my belief is that celibacy in the church is testament to the effect Jesus couldn't come even once. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
August 9th, 2015 at 5:19:15 PM permalink | |
Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | I don't know if what people believe really matters... take a look at elections, it seems to make no difference if you believe in the guy talking about lowering taxes. santa clause? sugar fairy? tooth fairy? Heck in Norway santa appears with two Nubian clowns and they all travel the world in one night. Ofcourse the pycho term for this is "secondary gain". children belief in the tooth fairy for the money they get. church members believe in christianity because of the support they get: and stop believing if they stop getting support. People believe in multiple personality disorder because it is fun for them. Homer was not too concerned with absolute accuracy but his works depict the local and distant geography as might be recited around a campfire or on ship board. belief and suspension of belief are skills we maniplate. |
August 9th, 2015 at 6:53:49 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
People don't realize just how true this is. That's why we can have a rabid Christian, a rabid Muslim, and a rabid Mormon all in the same room screaming at each other. And none of what they believe is true. This is our clue that all religions, by their very nature, are wrong. The truth of anything is obvious to everybody. We all know to build shelter, stay warm, and find food to eat. It was obvious to Native Americans to thank the animals they were killing for giving their lives. It was not obvious to take it any further than that. To over think it and build churches and temples to worship animals. The intellectuals of the past are the ones we need to blame for the crap we have to put up today from organized religions. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
August 9th, 2015 at 7:18:27 PM permalink | |
petroglyph Member since: Aug 3, 2014 Threads: 25 Posts: 6227 |
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." Upton Sinclair The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW |
August 9th, 2015 at 8:20:24 PM permalink | |
FrGamble Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 67 Posts: 7596 | Face, I think you may be conflating Santa Claus as we known him in popular culture with the awesome Saint Nick who was indeed a real dude and a great saint. He is famous for punching heretics in the face and anonymously throwing gold coins into needy families homes through the windows. He is not legend but an early centuries saint from the East. When you lost me is the Norse god Odin, the solstice, reindeer, and the jolly fat man because none of that has anything at all to do with Saint Nicholas whose feast day is December 6th. “It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” ( |