I did see a PBS TV series some years back that assembled various religious and historical eminences to discuss why the first 2-3 books of the Bible are so hard-nosed. They talked a lot about the ambiguities and difficulties of worshipping a god who would, e.g., play chicken on an instance of human sacrifice. The program was really worthwhile.
Other religions I have studied some offer instances of incredibly petty and lame gods, but in those cases there are several gods, and they duke it out occasionally, and gods' fighting like a bunch of rowdies in a bar is a pretty good explanation for why bad things happen to good people. I mean, maybe not much comfort for Hecuba, but a story that makes sense out of the experienced world.
But if such a God does exist, wouldn't the moral choice of every person be to fight against his power, no matter how hopeless such a fight would be?
This sounds like a 5-volume science fiction epic in the making.
Grandma E is more the type to hang out with the sinners and help the poor and sick because Jesus did that and she wants her life to emulate his.
She's making everybody else look bad. God bless her.
This sounds like a 5-volume science fiction epic in the making. (20 volumes if Robert Jordon was writing it).
I wonder if I should say, "Neither Heaven and Hell exists, so neither of us will be going anywhere", If I run across someone who is worried that I'm a non-believer.
I guess you could. Rachel, however, wasn't worried. She was sad, and there was no changing that, but not worried. She knew I thought there was neither Heaven nor Hell -- she was Christian, not stupid.
Eh. My kid will probably grow up believing in the lineage of Slayers.
Hmm.
Self-Sacrifice for the good of others.
Protecting the helpless (even the ones you don't like)
Standing up for yourself.
Doing what you believe is right and accepting the consequences of your actions.
Pretty good things to grow up believing in from where I'm standing.
I know people who go to a liberal church, work for liberal causes, live in liberal neighborhoods, only have liberal friends.
Boulder, Colorado can get like this. I have friends (dyke folksingers ferchrissakes) that couldn't deal with the practically intolerant level of "tolerance" there.
Pretty good things to grow up believing in from where I'm standing.
And necrophilia. Don't forget sleeping with the dead.
Pretty good things to grow up believing in from where I'm standing.
Plus lots of "Faith" puns.
Plus lots of "Faith" puns.
And GVSP as its holy scripture.
couldn't deal with the practically intolerant level of tolerance there.
My college could get like this. There were occasions I mused out loud that I'd like to stand in the middle of campus in a girly suit, leather spike heels, full metal makeup, chewing on a bloody steak. Armed. With a gas-guzzling SUV running in the background.
Sometimes it got a bit shrill.
