Pagans also believed their stories. That fact is, people need something to believe in.
On Sep 13, 8:04 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > You actually believe all those stories? > > It is a book alan, paper and pen, stories, allegory and metaphor. > > On Sep 13, 4:55 pm, Alan Wostenberg <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > "By what means did the christian faith corner the market on knowing > > what > > is good for man?". By Christ the Lord, who said some pretty startling > > things on the topic, such as "I am the way and the truth and the life. > > No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 8:6). > > > And of course in John Chapter 6 v. 48, we learn from the Inventor of > > food about Real Food: > > > "I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, > > but they died;this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that > > one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from > > heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that > > I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." > > > The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us > > (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, > > unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do > > not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood > > has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day." > > > On Sep 13, 1:21 pm, DarkwaterBlight <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > As much as I can agree with much of what you say, and am a non- > > > christian believer in Christ... I am having a hard time digesting the > > > 'meat' of you statement which is contained in the last sentance. By > > > what means did the christian faith corner the market on knowing what > > > is good for man? You must be reffering to the 'Pauline' brand of > > > modern soothesayers that claim to follow Christ. The likes of wich > > > would say to the starving man; "God bless you in the name of Jesus, > > > I'll pray for you!" and not help the man's hunger or his condition. > > > > On Sep 13, 1:39 pm, Alan Wostenberg <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Yes, you "can have a feeling of responsibility towards society and > > > > consider it your duty towards it and do what is good for you and the > > > > others". But what have feelings to do with doing good? > > > > > A man comes upon a starving man, knowing little about human nature, > > > > offers him a good thick steak and a glass of wine. But the starving > > > > man cannot digest the food. The first man had a sincere "feeling of > > > > responsibility", and really wanted to "do what is good for the other", > > > > but utterly botched it, because he is ignorant of what is really good > > > > for the other man. > > > > > No doubt those with a "humanitarian mindset" mean well, and act in > > > > accord with what they believe is good for fellow humans, just like the > > > > Jihadist, or the mercy killer who euthanizes the sick patient, or the > > > > abortionist, or Hitler. Everybody does what he /believes/ to be good > > > > for his fellow man. But only those who /know/ what is good for their > > > > neighbor can consistently deliver. > > > > > On the Christian view, if we do not know Christ, we do not know what > > > > man is, so it is quite impossible to do good for man, except by > > > > accident. > > > > > On Sep 13, 10:30 am, RP Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > A person can have a humanitarian mindset regardless of religion. You > > > > > don't > > > > > have to believe in God to be good , you can have a feeling of > > > > > responsibility > > > > > towards society and consider it your duty towards it and do what is > > > > > good > > > > > for you and the others. Patriots need not be religious , yet they > > > > > feel a > > > > > great responsibility towards their country. There are so many motives > > > > > for a > > > > > man to do good to others irrespective of religion. On the other hand > > > > > people > > > > > are known to indulge in vice and ask God's forgiveness later. > > > > > > On Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 9:00 PM, Alan Wostenberg <[email protected]> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > Sure, "helping is primal". But the Jihadist, having a different > > > > > > theology than the Christian, believes he is helping you by > > > > > > converting > > > > > > you to Islam by the sword. Not so the Christian, for whom religion > > > > > > is > > > > > > the "The voluntary subjection of oneself to God". > > > > > > > The island of atheists? Sure, they'd "help others" for some > > > > > > definition > > > > > > of "help" and "others". I know something about the Christian command > > > > > > to love my neighbor but don't know the official atheist dogma on > > > > > > helping others. If one acted like there were no God why would he > > > > > > think he has any duty to help others? > > > > > > > On Sep 12, 8:28 am, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > AW; > > > > > > > Yes there is............. > > > > > > > I'll refer you to rigsy's sept. 6 10:15 am post as to my > > > > > > > "theistic > > > > > > > religiosity" comment. > > > > > > > > Also, people use therapy and AA like a religion- in fact, they > > > > > > > "use" a > > > > > > > lot of things in lieu of religion. What about jingoism? <<<rigsy > > > > > > > > Do you think no one would help anyone else on an island of > > > > > > > atheists > > > > > > > because they didn't have a religion to tell them to do so? > > > > > > > Helping > > > > > > > is primal and innate as nurturing; religion and faith is human > > > > > > > construct and not necessity.- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
