I guess I don't understand. What you believe, you believe now, so the question of why you believe something is a present question so how can it be "long ago"?
So I still don't understand why you believe that the theme of the bible and the way it hangs together makes you believe its claims historically? On Oct 1, 9:33 pm, Adam <[email protected]> wrote: > I don't know. It's too long ago. > Adam > > On Oct 1, 9:10 pm,Justintruth<[email protected]> wrote: > > > So why does the fact that that book has that theme convince you that > > it is true historically? > > > On Sep 30, 3:12 pm, Adam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Just > > > The theme is the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham. > > > As you wrote, 'we are all a little selfish'. The whole purpose of God > > > is to persuade people to rise above that selfishness and treat their > > > neighbours fairly. > > > Some do, some don't. > > > Adam > > > > On Sep 30, 11:29 pm,Justintruth<[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Thanks Adam, > > > > > I have one important question and one irrelevant comment if you have > > > > the time to indulge me. You wrote: > > > > > >... I believe it (the bible) to be true because it all hangs > > > > >together.... You also wrote: > I found a consistent theme running > > > > >through the whole book. This > convinced me that it was true. > > > > > Can you explain more about that? What theme and what does "hangs > > > > together" mean and why does that convince you that what is in it is > > > > true? Is it that the stories are related or the theme is always there > > > > or ??? If there were two books that hung together and had consistent > > > > themes but told different contradictory stories how would you know > > > > which was true? > > > > > Second question is more of a comment. You wrote > > > > > > That (meaning assuming that selfishness was passed down culturally > > > > > instead of genetically) would assume that all cultures teach the same > > > > > thing. > > > > > I don't see why you say that. It seems that all cultures could teach > > > > all kinds of very different things as long as they all teach > > > > selfishness. So I think you must establish 1) That we are in fact > > > > universally selfish and 2) That that trait is genetically based. > > > > > I have trouble believing 1) completely. Ok, we are all a little > > > > selfish but there is a lot of generosity. One day a man even jumped on > > > > someone who had fallen on a railroad subway track and held him as the > > > > cars passed over them in order to save his life. That man risked > > > > everything for a stranger. I am also reminded of the man from... can't > > > > remember the name of the town but it is in the bible..ahh I remember ! > > > > the good Samaritan, I think he was from Samaria or something. He was > > > > from a different place and was the only one to stop and help. So it > > > > seems to me that at least sometimes we are not selfish. (Or perhaps it > > > > was a wise selfish gene that he had and he was trying to preserve all > > > > of humanity as most of our genes are common? Either way he did not > > > > seem selfish. Nor does it seem that... was it Peter who wanted to be > > > > crucified upside down? .... was that selfish?) > > > > > As an aside I do not think the selfish gene means a gene that makes > > > > someone selfish. I think it means that all genes seem selfish because > > > > only by creating traits that cause themselves to survive do they in > > > > fact survive. In fact there are many "unselfish" genes. Many mutations > > > > cause harmful effects and are therefore self sacrificial. Those > > > > "unselfish" genes do not survive. So if you had a mutation that caused > > > > you to be a terribly selfish person but that made you sterile then no > > > > matter how selfish you were, from a genetic point of view, the gene > > > > would have been completely unselfish, self sacrificial, and not > > > > competitive. It would die. > > > > > But this is just an aside and it is unimportant compared to the > > > > question above so fee free not to respond except to the question if > > > > you don't have time. > > > > > Thanks- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
