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Open Conversation Part 1

So I’ve decided to bring the “Kathy” series to an end. However, we’ve had some fun in those threads when the conversation has gone off into interesting tangents, so I’d like to keep that part of it going for anyone who’s interested. These new threads will no longer focus on Kathy or the things we were discussing with her. So thanks for your time, Kathy! Take care.

There are no real rules for these threads. But to kick off the conversation, I’ll go back to the discussion on Paul that a few of us were having. Laurie views Deut 13 as a prophecy about Paul, so why don’t we take a quick look at it?

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

6 “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, 8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. 9 But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. 10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 11 And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to dwell there, 13 that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, 14 then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you, 15 you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 17 None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers, 18 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.

I can see how one could apply this to Paul. However, I can also see how Jews could have applied it to Jesus as well, especially if he was claiming divinity for himself. And I’m sure this could have applied to lots of people during Israel’s history. Why should we think it’s pointing to Paul specifically, and why wouldn’t it also apply to Jesus?

1,090 thoughts on “Open Conversation Part 1”

  1. if there really are gods that exist there are probably a few of them who are sitting around having beer and laughing it up at how they’ve been messing with our minds with all the different religions they’ve helped create.

    Slap a label on that puppy and you’ve got yourself a brand new religion! How about “thegodsaredrunkism”? or perhaps “wearescrewedism”. lol

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  2. “if there really are gods that exist there are probably a few of them who are sitting around having beer and laughing it up at how they’ve been messing with our minds with all the different religions they’ve helped create.”

    Howie, that reminded me of a movie I saw several years back. Can’t remember the name, but the gods were all hanging out together, looking down at humans through a round window, laughing it up.

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  3. N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ: “plus you put up with me. 😀

    — and I can tell you, Laurie – that’s no easy task!

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  4. Slap a label on that puppy and you’ve got yourself a brand new religion! How about “thegodsaredrunkism”? or perhaps “wearescrewedism”.

    That’s a great idea! Any converts want to sign up right now? Since the gods drink beer, this religion is totally cool with beer. 😉

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  5. That’s a great idea! Any converts want to sign up right now? Since the gods drink beer, this religion is totally cool with beer. 😉

    I’m down with that! I personally think, though, that mass produced beers are heresy. The beerology has to be correct. Craft beers only!

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  6. Speaking of anti-Semitism, Martin Luther was extremely anti-Semitic – not the best choice, Howie, for an argument from authority. Just sayin’ —

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  7. Oh yes, wine is absolutely part of the whole thing – of course there are goddesses as well, it’s just too long to type, and I thought it was a given that they are in there too. 🙂

    And you better believe it’s Craft beers only – how could you even think otherwise!

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  8. Howie, I can envision a t-shirt for your religion looking like one of those stick figures with a question mark head looking at all the different religious symbols, the tagline could read: “Life is so clear, thank the gods!”

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  9. This is getting better all the time. Maybe we could have a annual convention of the … whatever we decide to call it … and drink to the gods!

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  10. Re: Luther – Oh you are absolutely right Arch, he was one nasty cat. My reference to him wasn’t endearing at all though. It just noted that he saw the contradiction, and a lot of people see him as quite the evangelical.

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  11. Thanks Howie, you get me!” – Girl, would you get away from the computer and back to the kitchen?! You know that when that last ray hits your eye, you can’t turn a tap for the next 24!

    Cliff Klaven here – it’s a little-known fact, that by the time you “see” the sun set, it has already been down for at least two minutes? An optical illusion, involving the bending of light rays and the curvature of the earth, makes it appear that the sun is still above the horizon, when in actuality, it is not.

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  12. If the female version drinks wine, I’ll sign up!

    Now I have the funniest most funny most comical visual in my head of your little avitar dog drunk on wine!

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  13. Speaking of parenting, politics and religion…

    Teaching the Children: Sharp Ideological Differences, Some Common Ground

    Wide Gaps over Teaching Faith, Tolerance, Obedience

    As the public grows more politically polarized, differences between conservatives and liberals extend their long reach even to opinions about which qualities are important to teach children, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

    People who express consistently conservative political attitudes across a range of issues are more likely than other ideological groups to rate teaching religious faith as especially important – and the least likely to say the same about teaching tolerance.

    By contrast, people with consistent liberal opinions stand out for the high priority they give to teaching tolerance – and the low priority they attach to teaching religious faith and obedience.

    Related: Families may differ, but they share common values on parenting

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  14. Arch, I already apologized. No need to bring it up again.” – I did not READ your apology until I had already said what I did!

    See what I mean, Laurie? No easy task —

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