Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-16 Thread Stacy Smith
That's the very conclusion I've come to.

Stacy.

At 11:37 PM 11/13/2002 -0700, you wrote:




Steven Montgomery wrote:

 I agree with you regarding the basis for materialism. Marxist scientists
 have for decades attempted to establish a material basis for spiritual
 experiences, that is nothing new. However, that is not what Pratt was
 driving at. Pratt clearly states that there is a relationship between the
 brain and spiritual experiences but that we need to be careful not to draw
 conclusions without taking both the spiritual and material elements into
 consideration. Imo, the brain acts as sort of an interface, if you will,
 between body and spirit.


//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^




Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-15 Thread Steven Montgomery
Ok, I'll take another weeks vacation at Moose Jaw then. Btw, is my vacation 
there fully transferable? ;-)

--
Steven Montgomery

At 08:36 PM 11/14/2002, you wrote:
You are right and I am wrong (except on one minor point)-- on re-reading 
it, I see
he bases his calculation on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian 
calendar, which
is what I assumed (since his conclusions are expressed in terms of the 
Gregorian
calendar.:

Here's a link that explains this in much more detail:
http://www.stjohndc.org/what/9609ca1.htm

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^




Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-15 Thread Marc A. Schindler


Steven Montgomery wrote:

 Ok, I'll take another weeks vacation at Moose Jaw then. Btw, is my vacation
 there fully transferable? ;-)

Sure. To Bawlf, Alberta, in the middle of the Palliser Triangle (a semi-desert).
I'd stick with Moose Jaw if I were you...



 --
 Steven Montgomery

 At 08:36 PM 11/14/2002, you wrote:
 You are right and I am wrong (except on one minor point)-- on re-reading
 it, I see
 he bases his calculation on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian
 calendar, which
 is what I assumed (since his conclusions are expressed in terms of the
 Gregorian
 calendar.:
 
 Here's a link that explains this in much more detail:
 http://www.stjohndc.org/what/9609ca1.htm

 //
 ///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
 ///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
 /


--
Marc A. Schindler
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland

“Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick
himself up and continue on” – Winston Churchill

Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author
solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer,
nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated.

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^^===
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^^===





Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-15 Thread Steven Montgomery
At 01:27 PM 11/15/2002, you wrote:



Steven Montgomery wrote:

 Ok, I'll take another weeks vacation at Moose Jaw then. Btw, is my vacation
 there fully transferable? ;-)

Sure. To Bawlf, Alberta, in the middle of the Palliser Triangle (a 
semi-desert).
I'd stick with Moose Jaw if I were you...

Shucks. I was hoping to unload it on our local tradio.



--
Steven Montgomery
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Nations are defined by their founders. George Washington set a standard of
selfless public service and heroic private virtue against which American
politicians continue to be measured - and found wanting - even today. 
--Steven W. Mosher 

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^



Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-14 Thread Steven Montgomery
At 11:37 PM 11/13/2002, Marc wrote:


Speaking of the star of Bethlehem, I'm sure you have heard most of the 
theories as
to what it might have been. What would be your reaction if you learned that it
might actually be an astrological phenomenon, and that it didn't happen in 
1 A.D.?

--
Marc A. Schindler

Actually Pratt discussed this possibility in an article which appears on 
the Griffith Observatory website (as well as other places, including 
Pratt's own website):
http://www.griffithobs.org/IPSPlanPlatt.html

The most likely date he gives is during Passover, 1 BC. I should mention 
that to the Jews (at least those not in apostasy) astrology as a method of 
predicting the future was blasphemous. However, they did believe that stars 
(and other celestial events) were signs of God's works. Genesis 1:14, for 
starters, states that these celestial objects and events are signs--to make 
known his will and purposes.

A good overview of the different celestial (astrological) events regarding 
what might have been the Star of Bethlehem is available here:
http://sciastro.net/portia/articles/thestar.htm


--
Steven Montgomery
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Recall the new star that announced the birth at Bethlehem? It was in its 
precise orbit long before it so shone. We are likewise placed in human 
orbits to illuminate. Divine correlation functions not only in the cosmos 
but on this planet, too. After all, the Book of Mormon plates were not 
buried in Belgium, only to have Joseph Smith born centuries later in 
distant Bombay. (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Conference Report, Saturday 
Morning, Oct 2002)

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^



Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-14 Thread Steven Montgomery
Mazzaroth. Job 38:32.

--
Steven Montgomery

At 12:11 PM 11/14/2002, Marc wrote:

Actually ancients did not make a distinction between astrology and 
astronomy as we
do -- the prohibition against astrology is being read back into the OT, 
which is
anachronistic. Zodiac mosaics have been found on the floors of 1st century BC
synagogues in Israel, and the zodiac (as in the Babylonian system of 12 
houses)
actually appears at one point in Job, although they don't use the English 
word.
Anyone know what it's called?

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^




RE: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-14 Thread Jim Cobabe

Marc A. Schindler wrote:
---
 Actually ancients did not make a distinction between astrology and 
 astronomy as we
 do -- the prohibition against astrology is being read back into the OT, 
 which is
 anachronistic. Zodiac mosaics have been found on the floors of 1st 
 century BC
 synagogues in Israel, and the zodiac (as in the Babylonian system of 
 12 houses)
 actually appears at one point in Job, although they don't use the 
 English word.
 Anyone know what it's called?

---

Revisionist history?

---
Mij Ebaboc

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^




Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-14 Thread Marc A. Schindler
Very good!  You'll have to start looking for a job at the base you'll be in Moose
Jaw so long

Steven Montgomery wrote:

 Mazzaroth. Job 38:32.

 --
 Steven Montgomery

 At 12:11 PM 11/14/2002, Marc wrote:
 Actually ancients did not make a distinction between astrology and
 astronomy as we
 do -- the prohibition against astrology is being read back into the OT,
 which is
 anachronistic. Zodiac mosaics have been found on the floors of 1st century BC
 synagogues in Israel, and the zodiac (as in the Babylonian system of 12
 houses)
 actually appears at one point in Job, although they don't use the English
 word.
 Anyone know what it's called?

 //
 ///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
 ///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
 /


--
Marc A. Schindler
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland

“Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick
himself up and continue on” – Winston Churchill

Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author
solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer,
nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated.

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^^===
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^^===





Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-14 Thread Marc A. Schindler
You are right and I am wrong (except on one minor point)-- on re-reading it, I see
he bases his calculation on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian calendar, which
is what I assumed (since his conclusions are expressed in terms of the Gregorian
calendar.:

Here's a link that explains this in much more detail:
http://www.stjohndc.org/what/9609ca1.htm
Another one that explains the history, but note that they *did* use a different
calendar, so their January 6th was not our January 6th.

Here's an excerpt: The fact that we follow a different calendar (almost all
Orthodox still follow the Traditional Paschalion), from that followed by the world
around us is good. It marks us out as a distinct and peculiar people, that kept
the ways that are hard (Psalm ?). We have a practical advantage in keeping the Old
Calendar in that we can avoid the noisy and crass commercialism that is secular
Christmas, and usually, also that surrounding secular Easter. 

What I learned that was helpful was that while Augustine makes references to 25/12
as being Christmas, and he lived moe than 500 years before the split between the
western and eastern churches. But it seems that the eastern churches had developed
their liturgy differently than the western churches anyway, so both dates could
have existed simultaneously, with 25/12 in the west in the Julian calendar at
first, but before too long the Gregorian calendar, and 06/01 in the east on the
Julian Calendar. The change in Russia, when it occurred, subtracted almost 2 weeks,
which means Julian 06/01 was the same as Gregorian 25/12 -- and that was the
assumption I was going on. But as I said, I see that he accounts for this
difference.

Steven Montgomery wrote:

 At 12:11 PM 11/14/2002, Marc wrote:

  
 
 The June 12, 2 BC conjunction in Virgo, moving into Leo, was the one I was
 thinking
 about, in fact, and I see that Pratt discusses this approvingly.
 
 His reading of why Eastern churches celebrate 06 January as the day of
 Christ's
 birth is laughable and shows an extreme ignorance of history. It was
 December 25th
 under the pre-Gregorian calendar by the time of the Renaissance, and
 Russia did not
 adopt the Gregorian calendar until after the Russian Revolution. The Glorious
 October Revolution actually happened in November, for instance.

 Guess you'll have to take that up with Jack Finegan, author of, _Handbook
 of Biblical Chronology_, as that's who Pratt uses as a footnote. Besides,
 it appears that you are wrong. Epiphany which means manifestation (as in
 God being made manifest through his birth into mortality), is celebrated by
 many churches but began with the Eastern Church on January 6th of the
 Julian Calendar. http://www.kencollins.com/holy-03.htm

 I wonder who's extremely ignorant of history now. ;-)

 --
 Steven Montgomery
 [EMAIL PROTECTED]

 Recall the new star that announced the birth at Bethlehem? It was in its
 precise orbit long before it so shone. We are likewise placed in human
 orbits to illuminate. Divine correlation functions not only in the cosmos
 but on this planet, too. After all, the Book of Mormon plates were not
 buried in Belgium, only to have Joseph Smith born centuries later in
 distant Bombay. (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Conference Report, Saturday
 Morning, Oct 2002)

 //
 ///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
 ///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
 /


--
Marc A. Schindler
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland

“Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick
himself up and continue on” – Winston Churchill

Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author
solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor
those of any organization with which the author may be associated.

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^^===
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^^===





Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-14 Thread Marc A. Schindler


Jim Cobabe wrote:

 Marc A. Schindler wrote:
 ---
  Actually ancients did not make a distinction between astrology and
  astronomy as we
  do -- the prohibition against astrology is being read back into the OT,
  which is
  anachronistic. Zodiac mosaics have been found on the floors of 1st
  century BC
  synagogues in Israel, and the zodiac (as in the Babylonian system of
  12 houses)
  actually appears at one point in Job, although they don't use the
  English word.
  Anyone know what it's called?
 
 ---

 Revisionist history?


Sorry, Steven already won yet another week to his growing holiday in Moose Jaw.

--
Marc A. Schindler
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland

“Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick
himself up and continue on” – Winston Churchill

Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author
solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer,
nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated.

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^^===
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^^===




Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-13 Thread Steven Montgomery
At 06:41 PM 11/13/2002, Marc wrote:

I read that. Be careful with John Pratt -- he's into some pretty scary stuff
involving signs and tokens in his own semi-public ceremonies involving what he
calls the Enoch calendar. Details available upon request. But more to the 
point,
and staying away from personal attacks, he discusses a book that's making 
quite a
splash (Why God Won't Go Away) but fails to note that while this book is 
popular
-- it was mentioned on Indigo.ca's main page the last time I was there 
(Indigo is
Canada's largest book chain) -- it has received poor reviews from 
scientists for
its poor science. It's one thing to criticize a book for its conclusions, 
but if
it misrepresents itself, that's a problem, and the poor reviews are, in my
opinion, well-founded. Why? I won't get into the science per se, but the 
two guys
who wrote it, while they have scientific bona fides, are a little out of their
field when it comes to philosophy. They ironically try to show that there is a
spiritual plane which exists in the physical world, a view that's known as
reductionism, or rationalist materialism, and a philosophy we LDS would have a
hard time with. It's the basis for atheism: that all so-called 
spirituality has a
physical basis. My worry on behalf of Meridian is blow back when some of the
nonsense Pratt's into backfire onto a very nice couple (the Proctors, who 
put out
Meridian).

Well, Pratt did say that none of the books he looked at, one of them being, 
_Why God Won't Go Away_, were worth the money he was going to spend on 
them. Besides, his article was not a book review.

I agree with you regarding the basis for materialism. Marxist scientists 
have for decades attempted to establish a material basis for spiritual 
experiences, that is nothing new. However, that is not what Pratt was 
driving at. Pratt clearly states that there is a relationship between the 
brain and spiritual experiences but that we need to be careful not to draw 
conclusions without taking both the spiritual and material elements into 
consideration. Imo, the brain acts as sort of an interface, if you will, 
between body and spirit.

Imo, Pratt is very much into the doctrine behind Moses 6: 63, that all 
things bear record of Christ. If it is true that all things bear record 
of Christ then it should not be surprising that astronomical and 
calendrical events might also bear testimony in some majestic way of the 
Savior of all mankind (See my sig file below). I look at Pratt's research 
in much the same manner as I do Avraham Gileadi's. Gileadi was a 
pathbreaker by exposing lay members of the Church to the learning of the 
Jews and how that learning can broaden and deepen ones understanding of 
scripture. Pratt does much the same thing in a different manner by exposing 
members of the Church to celestial and date events and how those can indeed 
bear record of Christ. I don't agree with all the conclusions that Gileadi 
makes and neither do I with Pratt, but I also don't throw out all of their 
good and valuable research as crackpot just because I have disagreements 
with various areas of their work. Besides, I don't base my testimony or 
doctrinal understanding on personalities, and you can be assured that If 
and when somebodies actions does become pretty scary, aside from 
Samuelson's wrong headed opinion of a harmless skit, that I'll distance 
myself completely from that particular personality.



--
Steven Montgomery
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Recall the new star that announced the birth at Bethlehem? It was in its 
precise orbit long before it so shone. We are likewise placed in human 
orbits to illuminate. Divine correlation functions not only in the cosmos 
but on this planet, too. After all, the Book of Mormon plates were not 
buried in Belgium, only to have Joseph Smith born centuries later in 
distant Bombay. (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Conference Report, Saturday 
Morning, Oct 2002)

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^



Re: [ZION] Hardwired for God?

2002-11-13 Thread Marc A. Schindler


Steven Montgomery wrote:

 I agree with you regarding the basis for materialism. Marxist scientists
 have for decades attempted to establish a material basis for spiritual
 experiences, that is nothing new. However, that is not what Pratt was
 driving at. Pratt clearly states that there is a relationship between the
 brain and spiritual experiences but that we need to be careful not to draw
 conclusions without taking both the spiritual and material elements into
 consideration. Imo, the brain acts as sort of an interface, if you will,
 between body and spirit.


That's fair enough. Perhaps I was quick to judge, but I just got the impression
that he was trying to materialize the spirit somehow, sort of like those
experiments where scientists have tried to weigh a soul by euthenizing animals
on a scale. Er, results are, well, inconclusive. Can't get the durned things to sit
still long enough...


 Imo, Pratt is very much into the doctrine behind Moses 6: 63, that all
 things bear record of Christ.

Ah, yes, but only to the believer who has the witness of the Holy Ghost.

 If it is true that all things bear record
 of Christ then it should not be surprising that astronomical and
 calendrical events might also bear testimony in some majestic way of the
 Savior of all mankind (See my sig file below). I look at Pratt's research
 in much the same manner as I do Avraham Gileadi's. Gileadi was a
 pathbreaker by exposing lay members of the Church to the learning of the
 Jews and how that learning can broaden and deepen ones understanding of
 scripture. Pratt does much the same thing in a different manner by exposing
 members of the Church to celestial and date events and how those can indeed
 bear record of Christ. I don't agree with all the conclusions that Gileadi
 makes and neither do I with Pratt, but I also don't throw out all of their
 good and valuable research as crackpot just because I have disagreements
 with various areas of their work. Besides, I don't base my testimony or
 doctrinal understanding on personalities, and you can be assured that If
 and when somebodies actions does become pretty scary, aside from
 Samuelson's wrong headed opinion of a harmless skit, that I'll distance
 myself completely from that particular personality.


Well, I still find his skit business (and Samuelson wasn't the only source for my
skepticism) spooky. Making signs and tokens outside the public is going too far (if
this is what indeed happened, and I'm not saying it did -- Samuelson and my other
source both claimed to have seen something you would normally only see in the
temple).

Speaking of the star of Bethlehem, I'm sure you have heard most of the theories as
to what it might have been. What would be your reaction if you learned that it
might actually be an astrological phenomenon, and that it didn't happen in 1 A.D.?

--
Marc A. Schindler
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland

“Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick
himself up and continue on” – Winston Churchill

Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author
solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor
those of any organization with which the author may be associated.

//
///  ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at  ///
///  http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html  ///
/

==^^===
This email was sent to: archive@jab.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2
Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^^===