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You are passing judgement on the ways of nomadic people from 4000 or more years ago, or as recent as today in some parts of the world.
God never said it was wrong - it is not a commandment that ancient people should never own anyone. All the tribes of Israel were once enslaved to Ramses. Did God not become angry and help set the tribes of Israel free?
Anyone, including the Queen, was basically a slave to any King in more modern times in history.
Let's look at this from another light. I am poor. The only thing I have to barter with is my labor. Is it wrong for me to sell myself into indentured servitude in the hope of possibly bettering myself in seven years time when I am released from my obligation - as Levitical Law says I should be?
Is it wrong for the losing tribe to accept their slavery rather than to demand death? Maybe later we can run away. There will be no later if we demand death.
Yes, seriously. Do you really believe you can compare society today to ancient society? SERIOUSLY?
Compare and contrast? Yup. Very easy. No problem at all.
I claimed no such thing. Perhaps you skim read? I don't know. Im talking about tribal people and the reality of how tribes interact with one another. Shoving words to the contrary down my throat for me does not make me any more likely to want resay all I have already said. No worries. Not everyone is able to open their mind to what they don't want to hear anyway. Its no big deal.
Drop the snark.
You portray yourself as being a person with a very open mind. You're wrong. It's open to your own little echo chamber.
Im not going to repeat everything I have said over several pages Petunia. Im sorry you arrived late for the discussion and therefore don't understand it beyond what you know to understand.
Perhaps we can chat some other time.
You didn't SAY anything to the point of changes in "rules" or perceptions in this thread. While you may not have indicated that God-given rules don't change over time, an honest answer to the conflict between what You DID say about the changes in social perceptions and the idea that what God said should have universal application would have addressed that little problem.
So, you see at least some of the truth of a life beyond the one you know being possible? Death might be just a transition into another form of existence, similar, but not literally like, that caterpillar goes on as a butterfly.
You might want to consider that you have always existed and will continue to exist. Afterall, you can't prove that you haven't.
A caterpillar morphs into another physical form - it doesn't die and become a spirit being or something.
I don't consider that we always existed but I might consider that our consciousness could continue to exist although science so far has shown that it doesn't or at least, NDE's are a product of a living brain, not a temporary trip into the afterlife. NDE's can be produced in the lab without the subject being near death.
While we cannot prove that we haven't always existed, neither can we prove that we did so that leaves us nowhere.
Im sorry Elyn, but that makes no sense to me. You had to forget the 10 commandments to learn the basics?
The 10 commandments are pretty basic, but let's say I accept what you say. Where did you then learn that you shouldn't lie, steal or kill, or take your neighbors property? Or where did you learn whatever you consider the basics to be?
I will give you that Christianity is not the source of the 10 commandments. They are old testament, and written by a vengeful and jealous god.
Hello again.
Where did I learn basics? From authority figures in my life. That was not the issue. What was confusing was why people were not practicing the very thing they believed. Christians say it is because we are sinful by nature and not perfect.That was an unsatisfactory answer.
So the first step was to stop being a Christian, mostly because forgiveness needed to stop and walking away from unhealthy relationships needed to begin. It had nothing to do with wanting to live an immoral life. Walking away was difficult because it meant not trusting in God and having no resources. I actually asked for forgiveness for just trying to protect myself. That is pretty messed up.
When a satisfactory answer appeared, forgiveness was possible. What made this possible? The ability to self-protect against a controlling being and the ability to protect others by recognizing my own controlling nature. When I learned this, I realized that believing or disbelieving in a god would have no impact on my life. However, I do hope a god exists.
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Originally Posted by TroutDude
Every time I think of the first four commandments I am put in mind of South Park's Cartman demanding that others "respect MAH AUTHORITAH!!"
Such a petulant, demanding, narcissistic, little god-thing.
Yes!
When you grow up thinking that only Catholics and Baptists exist, the "no other gods before me" is a little odd for a kid. I mean we learn plurality in grade school for a reason. What other gods are there? "None!" was always the answer. LOL.
Sigh. Yet another one of 10,000 ugly posts about why Christianity is the arbiter of morality.
Whether you are Christian, Muslim, or Hindu, it doesn't matter what your god(s) tell you. Morality is about being kind to one another. It is about helping your friend or a stranger. It is about being open to someone you do not know. It is about being empathetic. It is about being sympathetic.
Your emotions do not require any sort of "god." They do not require a "moral code." They do not require a rule book. They do not require any sort of "religion."
Your require kindness. You require being your own best person. You require the love of another living creature.
If you need a rule book, a set of laws or a religious doctrine to be "moral" then you are truly lost.
Last edited by Astron1000; 09-15-2018 at 09:22 PM..
So, you see at least some of the truth of a life beyond the one you know being possible? Death might be just a transition into another form of existence, similar, but not literally like, that caterpillar goes on as a butterfly.
You might want to consider that you have always existed and will continue to exist. Afterall, you cant prove that you haven't.
I can't "prove" that reindeer can't fly either. But I can make a pretty good argument.
My brother is six years younger than me. I experienced a time before he existed. My father died ten years ago. I have experienced a time since he existed. That is simply direct observation.
The quantum bits that make up my body existed before I was conceived, and will continue on after I die. I can't prove that quanta is not living, but I would enjoy seeing you try.
All the tribes of Israel were once enslaved to Ramses.
So the Bible says, yet there is not a scrap of verifiable historical evidence that Egypt ever enslaved the tribes of Israel.
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Yes, seriously. Do you really believe you can compare society today to ancient society? SERIOUSLY?
Then why does Christianity do it's utmost to apply what was written 4000 years ago to today?
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