cultural documentsIt's not garbage.
It's a valuable historical document full of facts and records of the ancient tribe and nation of Israel, its religion, its culture, its customs, its ethics.
Do I believe in miracles?
No.
Do I believe in all-knowing, all-powerful invisible entities who play favorites, respond personally to prayers, annihilate enemies, and contravene natural laws to aid their favorites?
No.
Do I think every statement in the Bible is true?
No.
It contains both truth and falsehood, fact and fiction. Its authors are sincere but sometimes, even often, also ethnocentric, biased, and in error.
We have to think when we read it and use our minds.
I know you disagree but I consider it obvious to the point of self-evident that any good "god" we can imagine would not eternally torture nonbelievers, kind, good people of other faiths, for their thought crimes.
For having the wrong beliefs?
No.
If most human beings would never ever commit nor even condone such a punishment, why would a supremely intelligent deity do so?
It wouldn't.
To me it seems obvious that such hells are the invention of priests intent on maintaining their power and position by intimidating dissidents and rivals.
Sound familiar?
I think the Bible is one important part of the history of our evolving understanding of what "god" means.
Jesus risked his life to improve upon his given religion and I think we also can improve upon the religion founded upon his life and teaching and, yes, I believe that is exactly what he would want us to do.
The biggest step we can take in that direction is to abandon the principle of exclusivity and embrace the universality of the mystic magic of remorse, apology, forgiveness, reconciliation, commitment, generosity, sacrifice, selflessness, nonviolence, honesty, courage, compassion, mercy, kindness, and love.
This is all I write about, this is all I teach, it's all I've taught, one way or another, for my entire adult life.
Is it falsehood?
Lies? Sin? Heresy? Blasphemy? Idolatry? Hatred of God? Denial of truth? Rejection of Christ? Devil worship? My ticket to Hell? Delusion? Error? Satanism?
These are all things I've been told by Christians in response to my teaching.
It's a valuable historical document full of facts and records of the ancient tribe and nation of Israel, its religion, its culture, its customs, its ethics.
Do I believe in miracles?
No.
Do I believe in all-knowing, all-powerful invisible entities who play favorites, respond personally to prayers, annihilate enemies, and contravene natural laws to aid their favorites?
No.
Do I think every statement in the Bible is true?
No.
It contains both truth and falsehood, fact and fiction. Its authors are sincere but sometimes, even often, also ethnocentric, biased, and in error.
We have to think when we read it and use our minds.
I know you disagree but I consider it obvious to the point of self-evident that any good "god" we can imagine would not eternally torture nonbelievers, kind, good people of other faiths, for their thought crimes.
For having the wrong beliefs?
No.
If most human beings would never ever commit nor even condone such a punishment, why would a supremely intelligent deity do so?
It wouldn't.
To me it seems obvious that such hells are the invention of priests intent on maintaining their power and position by intimidating dissidents and rivals.
Sound familiar?
I think the Bible is one important part of the history of our evolving understanding of what "god" means.
Jesus risked his life to improve upon his given religion and I think we also can improve upon the religion founded upon his life and teaching and, yes, I believe that is exactly what he would want us to do.
The biggest step we can take in that direction is to abandon the principle of exclusivity and embrace the universality of the mystic magic of remorse, apology, forgiveness, reconciliation, commitment, generosity, sacrifice, selflessness, nonviolence, honesty, courage, compassion, mercy, kindness, and love.
This is all I write about, this is all I teach, it's all I've taught, one way or another, for my entire adult life.
Is it falsehood?
Lies? Sin? Heresy? Blasphemy? Idolatry? Hatred of God? Denial of truth? Rejection of Christ? Devil worship? My ticket to Hell? Delusion? Error? Satanism?
These are all things I've been told by Christians in response to my teaching.
