Fawzo

Are we forgetting the Tower of Babel story here. United causes are a No No!

I wonder what effect if any drugs that are contained and ingested in such things as coffee beans have played in the evolution of man. It amuses me to think that the reason some of our common ancestors evolved a bit farther along then the Neanderthals was because of an addiction. Maybe a small group of hominds lived near some field of coffee beans or some hallucinogens and their addictions led to the genetic changes that led to we humans.

Hope you have a great B-Day my friend!!!!

Shouldn't her joy now be of some import seeing as she is a bit older. I think I will pray that Susan makes the best choice which brings herself and others the most joy and least suffering. Yet from the original post I get the sense that even if staying in her present situation brought her agony her friends would be quite happy.

Thanks BroMSky and RevAl I like the latter version a lot better than what I was taught. Even though what most of us were taught woks pretty good as well. I had an ineteresting event occur while praying the Lord's Prayer for two friends of mine this past Saturday. While meditating and praying the Lord's Prayer for them I saw two streaks of white light leave my body on slightly different paths. When I opened my eyes after I finished the prayer I noticed I was facing North and it just so happened that both parties were North relative to my position. One was in Pennsylvania and the other in a hospital nearby north of me. I felt assured both would be fine and I actually got the pleasure of taking the one home the next day.

Coffee actually revs me up to good in the morning. I have to go with a Coca~Cola. Happy Coffee Day everyone!!! I think my favorite use to be the Starbuck's Italian Dark Roast.

I keep seeing and hearing about "facts" and I'm not sure whether your article is mentioning facts about the exegetical annalysis or in the statements of Paul. In either case I'm not seeing any facts. Death existed before sin came into the world as it is a vital part of creation itself. The statements that the writings we have are copies of the original autographs seem a bit misleading as well, as what I have read most often is that what we have are considered copies of copies at best and many have been editted. Work buzzzer going off in 5 minutes will have to stop short here.

I think in essence what I am saying is that what you hold in your hand isn't an apple at all, but rather a 2-D colored crayon rendition of one. It lacks the texture, smell and taste of an actual apple altogether. It may be useful in helping you to recognize an actual apple when you finally encounter one, but. once you find the apple and feel its texture, smell it and taste its sweetness what value does Paul's crayon markings have. Thats the way I see it.

From my viewpoint no. Paul making such statements that SIn entered the world through Adam and that all sentient beings suffer and die for justice to be served in the eyes of the Divine, tells me he has never personally encountered the Love and compassion of a sophisticated God unbiasedly without projecting his own preconditioned Pharisee concepts onto it. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees and so he was enculturenated even more than most before he had his encounter. It is odd though that in Corithians he could write that agape love bears all, endures all and never fail and yet make statements that everyone suffers and dies because of the disodbedience of one. The comparison of experiencing orgasm and God's love was used in answer to your question of what I meant by my use of the word ineffectual. Every bit of Paul's writings were most likely influenced by his Zealous nature as well, He even had others killed becuase he was so fanatical about things. How much do you feel his writings were influenced by the blood sacrificial system for appeasement that he was immersed in. Would Buddah have conveyed his personal experiences with the Divine Love of God in the same manner having not been indoctrinated in the bloody barbaric system of Levitical Law? Methinks not. For me most of Paul's writings except the mentioned vesres in Corithians are ineffectual at conveying God's Love and compassion. We may have had other opposed viepoints such as that of the Martry Stephen if Paul hadn't eliminated him first before he began his campaign. Did Yeshua die for my sins or merely because he and the Baptists were foolish enough to challenge temple authority at a sensitive time and when tensions were at their highest. Those who caused problems were crucified by the thousands in those days and many of those suffered worse fates, what made his death any different than that of a trouble maker. If someone were going to pay for the sins of all mankind how could he suffer less than anyone else . Wouldn't those that suffered on both sides of him have paid for their own sins if suffering and pain and death was the solution. So it would seem that death and suffering are not part of the retribution process at all. So if suffering, pain and agony and death are not the key to forgiveness of sins what is? Sorry for going off on a tangent. I just feel as if an exegetical annalysis of the Movie Avatar would be more beneficial for mankind.

I definitely could have used a better word. What I meant was that most scriptures of all faiths fall far short at attempting to define what God and his Love is like. It must be experienced just as an orgasm must be experienced. Someone telling you about their orgasm is about as helpful at conveying the experience as someone telling you about the experience of God.

After one reads a book before their first sexual experience what good is the book after one has the experience? Same way with the Bible after one experiences the Agape Love of God firsthand the Bible can rest on the shelf alongside the sex book. I do understand the enjoyment of rereading publications for enjoyment and inspiration. I don't need to reread other peoples perceptions about God's personality, I've met him and can make my own assessments. My views aren't tainted by an environmnet where blood scarifice is an everyday perception to appease a God set in a barbaric late Bronze Age and early Iron Age constant war zone. The Gospel of Thomas and Gilgamesh epic have been "unchanged" as well for the same period. What is that any type of proof of, though I think many would challenge your claim of unchanged. How many versions are there? If Codex Sinaiticus is any semblemce of the original autograph it would seem as with most things in this life change is constant.

That whole exercise made me realize how ineffectual written language and scripture is at all when compared to direct experience of God himself. Just like a child reading a medical book on sex pales in comparison to the actual experience. RevRainbow I think I would say though that The illumination of the Holy Spirit makes scripture seem like one of those dust covered sexual medical books in comparison.

I wouldn't want anyone behaving in ways similar to the Old Testament God. Love one another now thats the way to go no matter what deity one serves, or even if one serves no deity at all. Love one another and treat all sentient beings with respect, kindness and compassion. Can I get an Amen?

Nice thought but I feel your prayers would have been more effective and likely to occur if you prayed to hit the Powerball and to see a Zebra with pink stripes. I totally agree with this last request "May we all bless and love one another as Jesus commanded us to and as He did." , but we don't need to pray to some external force for it to happen, we need to JUST DO IT ! BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!

What about those who do not believe in God? Welcome to the forum!!!!

What purpose and effect do the ignoramuses who are going to burn the Koran hope to achieve? They are just feeding the fires of fear, hate and negativity that led to the problems which led to problems which justified the fears of those who flew into the Twin Towers. Jesus would be so ashamed of such behaviour. I think Barack was givien a large pile of crap from the previous regime when he took over office and everyone expected miracles. I personally feel he has done an fair job trying to make something out of a humungous pile of fecal matter that Bush and Cheney left behind.

Whatever happened to letting One's Yea be Yea and their Nay be Nay and leading by example and damn the proselytizers!

I like Pete's post in comparison to posts that use terms such as Arminianism, Pelagianism, and Traducianism. I do understand their use though when discussing myths sometimes it is best to try and overwhelm your audience when facts aren't an ally to one's arguments.

Brightest Blessings for all on Bhagavan Krishna Janmashtami day!!! I will have to pay extra attention to the Divine within everyone this day. I will not only try to watch for it more closely but I will listen for its music so that my soul can dance inside to the beautiful music within us all and that the notes I may produce this day may be on cord and not out of tune with the symphony of love which vibrates throughout the Universe. Om!

I'm very glad to hear your daughter seems to be on her way to recovery. Maybe trying to see God as a friend and companion instead of some type of strict disciplinarian.