God to You

John does not warrent red in the Jesus Seminar (probably not his words)

Well, using that logic, which NT words do you believe to be exact quotes of Jesus given that the NT was written well after his death?

The local newspaper here can't quote me correctly the day after an interview!
 
Qualia and experience are of the mind without the senses. More importantly my knowledge of G!d (limited as it is) is not of the senses.
I think the functioning of the mind has been shaped by the senses. Where do you get your knowledge of God from?

The imaginary does trump the real in many many cases ...
But not for long, although I agree we can delude ourselves our whole lives.

Can we really understand that relativity ...
The fact that we even consider it is because of the data our senses transmit to us. The universe was there before we were, and we learn of it through the senses ...

I pray therefore I am?
I would rather say I am, therefore I pray.

God bless,

Thomas
 
IowaGuy said:
do you think your "God" and the pantheist or panentheist "Gods" of the Native Americans (Great Spirit, Wankan Tanka, etc) are one and the same; or are they different "Gods"; or were the Native Americans paganists and worshiping the wrong "God"?
the only pagans i have a problem with are idolatrous pagans and i've got *strict* tests for idolatry, based principally on the 7 noahide laws. i am not aware that native americans really qualify - at least not if you're talking about, say, the sioux. on the other hand, the native *central* americans like the aztec and maya would definitely be considered idolatrous; human sacrifice is a bit of a giveaway. basically, idolatry ain't about the theology and the statues, but about the behaviour; so, for example, ethiopian christians who eat raw beef cut from a live cow (this certainly used to happen) are in breach.

But so many religions preach that their path/God is the only true one, do they not?
ours says that G!D Is the only *real* G!D. the other things are "masks". as far as isaiah is concerned, however, the issue is with the particular idolatrous cults that those statements implicitly refer to, not to all non-Jewish religion; if you're not a ba'al-worshipper, you don't need to worry.

it's not panentheism exactly, but then again, perhaps it is.

b'shalom

bananabrain
 
Well, using that logic, which NT words do you believe to be exact quotes of Jesus given that the NT was written well after his death?

The local newspaper here can't quote me correctly the day after an interview!


I take them one set at a time... In general (being born to a Jewess) I really discount John as a source (too many polemics, but he could be best witness to the Crucifixion and has a very mystical flavor) I likewise discount Revelations (not that Jesus is quoted there). I count Thomas (seems like the sources of the other Gospels and he share something).

I really rely on the Jesus Seminar (with planty of outside reading). I do not believe in either the literalcy or inerrency of any of the Bible but believe it is good spiritual guidance and Divinely inspired (the mistakes are the mistakes of men). I am both a skeptic and a Friend in this reading.

Pax et amore omnia vincunt
 
I think the functioning of the mind has been shaped by the senses. Where do you get your knowledge of God from?


But not for long, although I agree we can delude ourselves our whole lives.


The fact that we even consider it is because of the data our senses transmit to us. The universe was there before we were, and we learn of it through the senses ...


I would rather say I am, therefore I pray.

I do not believe we must be slaves to our senses. We understand what proportion is in art and seeing, but we can abstract from that the fact that the coin is really roundish with a tickness, and not the oblong we percieve. We know that the universe is much much bigger than what see can percieve in any way with any sense or any extension of our senses (we know that the metric is expanding so quickly the majority of stars and mass are receding from us at over the spped of light). This goes back to "The Cave"-- what we sense is not really reality. My knowledge of G!d is experiential, existential mentally an abstraction from what physically is by my senses. Neither strict empiricism nor strict idealism is my path... the universe is made up of actual events, things that are both physical and mental, non-static things that are not beings but becomings.

Forgive me if it seems I am speaking Martian, keep prodding if I am not clear.
 
God is an Old Man with a beard ---this is what one of the oldest opinions . . . probably propagated by Barbers.

What is wrong with this classical notion?

We must take that data . . . and extend it to surmise all it's ramifications; ie:
Start with this bench-mark and examine the ramifications of such.


Ageless old man;
Celestial hairstylists to God the Man;
Grandchildren with aristocratic bearings;
Landed gentry;
Entourage and blue-blood exclusivism;
Gourmet chefs;
Young bevy of Wives;
Wide brim Cowby hat and chaufered swan transport;

Ask your self if God is an Old Man with a beard ---what would be his eternal personal preferences.
 
human sacrifice is a bit of a giveaway. basically, idolatry ain't about the theology and the statues, but about the behaviour

so,

human sacrifice = bad (I agree)

animal sacrifice = acceptable?

Another thought: given that much human sacrifice of Mesoamierica was the killing of war enemies that had been captured, is there much difference between cutting out the heart of a war enemy and cutting off their head, burying them alive, killing of firstborns, etc, which we read about in the OT? (Numbers 25:3-4), (1 Chronicles 20:3), (Numbers 16:32-35), (Exodus 12:29), (1 Samuel 6:19), (1 Samuel 15:2-3), (II Samuel 12:31), (Judges 4:21), (Isiah 13:15-16)

I'm not sure who I would rather have as my enemy: an opposing Mesoamerica tribe or the God of the Old Testament...
 
human sacrifice = bad (I agree)
m'kay.

animal sacrifice = acceptable?
er, yes. animals aren't human, you see. the bits that aren't burnt get eaten.

Another thought: given that much human sacrifice of Mesoamierica was the killing of war enemies that had been captured
captured, you'll note. so, prisoners.

is there much difference between cutting out the heart of a war enemy and cutting off their head, burying them alive, killing of firstborns, etc, which we read about in the OT? (Numbers 25:3-4), (1 Chronicles 20:3), (Numbers 16:32-35), (Exodus 12:29), (1 Samuel 6:19), (1 Samuel 15:2-3), (II Samuel 12:31), (Judges 4:21), (Isiah 13:15-16)
if you are neither an amalekite, canaanite, jebusite, girgashite, hivite, hittite, amorite, moabite, perizite, nor a ba'al or asherah worshipper, nor are you a rebellious cohen laying down a challenge moses using the Divine Name right in front of the Tabernacle, you have nothing to worry about. as you are none of these, the situation is unlikely to arise.

I'm not sure who I would rather have as my enemy: an opposing Mesoamerica tribe or the God of the Old Testament...
well, seeing as G!D doesn't have cause to Act in such a way these days, you can probably relax.

b'shalom

bananabrain
 
The notion of sacrifice originates with Yogic-mysticism ---at that time real effects were wrought . . . yet, animals and living creatures were not employed ---and any event that can be cite to the contrary was indeed a special occurance that such citation of Vedic pre-history would be difined as to such usage of animals etc in a sacrificial rite.

The sacrifice of Ancient Vedic times was a public performance of mystic prowess by a Great-King's (Maha-raja's) retinue of Brahmins ---to affect a specific reaction that would be witnessed by the common public.

After the demise of Vedic culture ---it's migrating masses tried to imitate these pastimes of yore based on hearsay that eventually degenerated to remnents of the Vedic injunctions the Royal court Brahmins were in charge of.
 
Seattlegal - have you ever thought about the biological/evolutionary source of this?
Yes, and have investigated it. Pheromones seem to be the culprits--hang around females, and the female pheromones will cause cycles to synchronize. Hang around males, and it will help to regulate your hormones.

I always joke about my PMS--citing scientific studies that suggest that I could just go hang out at the gym and lick the sweaty guys armpits to balance out my hormones. But, they'd prolly kick me out for doing so. :p
 
Why do you think female pheromones cause cycles to synchronize?
 
Why do you think female pheromones cause cycles to synchronize?
It might not be female pheromones. The scientific studies on it are kinda fuzzy, as compared to the studies with male pheromones. It might be women who live together will get sick together, which can delay your cycle.
 
I could just go hang out at the gym and lick the sweaty guys armpits to balance out my hormones. But, they'd prolly kick me out for doing so. :p
I'd kick you out for eating crackers in bed, and for bringing me a pizza with anchovies....but that? Never...

And why would one want three wives if their cycles synchronized....and is synchronized cycling going to be an olympic sport like synchronized swimming and diving...

and is this G!d to anyone?
 
I'd kick you out for eating crackers in bed, and for bringing me a pizza with anchovies....but that? Never...

And why would one want three wives if their cycles synchronized....and is synchronized cycling going to be an olympic sport like synchronized swimming and diving...
lol

and is this G!d to anyone?
order vs chaos, instead of both order and chaos. ;)
 
The Egyptian concept of Kheperu is that all of existence is in a perpetual flux of Apep/Chaos - Khepri/Transformation - Maat/Order - Apep/Chaos etc.
 
Hi Bhaktajan —

The oldest notion, perhaps, but the idea of sacrifice seems universal?

God bless,

Thomas

Actually I need to here Christians explaain to me why this Pastime of Sacrifices occurs.

What is the origin & scritural basis for such ritualistic rites?

I know it as efforts to mimic Brahminical prowess yet without the authority of possessing Brahminical prowess nor Brahminical knowledge ---it's like Hillbilly moonshining.
 
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