StroppyChops wrote:

Rain Dog wrote:

Soi Dog wrote:Doesn't The Golden Rule pretty much sum up all society's concerns about how best to live? That one simple sentence covers practically every situation. That's why JC is okay by me.

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/inde ... 647AAihvnw

Actually the Golden Rule predates Jesus Considerably.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule

That's true. However I think the significance of Jesus using it is in the context, not that it may have been new and novel. The Jewish scholars were trying to trap him using the law and asked him what was the greatest commandment of Judaic Law. He gave the expected answer, "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul" and it was expected that this was the complete answer. However he then went on to say the famous bit, "The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbour like yourself" - this may have been used elsewhere in history, but the next bit is significant. He said, "All of the Law and Prophecy (that is, the Old Testament scriptures that people like to quote in isolation as "the Bible") hang on these two commandments" - Literally that when you're applying the laws of the OT, now you are commanded to do it in love, and as you would want others to apply it to you. That is, grace, mercy, compassion, etc. that had no place in interpreting the laws of the Jews in the OT.

Reference: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... w+22:36-40

I do not have any particular problem with the point you are making -- In fact there is much wisdom in the words of Jesus here. None of this disproves my my point that the "Golden Rule" is neither uniquely nor originally Christian.

If you take the more secular view that Jesus was simply a Jewish reformer, who wound up paying the "ultimate price" for his criticisms, the citation you give also makes a lot of sense. ALL religions go through cycles of idolatry - sometimes even through idolatry of "literalizing" their own texts, dogma, and traditions.

As Muslim reformer Muhammad Asad once said:

"The great mistake (of the fundamentalists),is that most of these leaders start with the criminal punishment. This is the end result of Islamic Law, not the beginning. The beginning is the rights of the people. There is no punishment in Islam which has no corresponding right."

He was totally correct. "Fundamentalists" of all creeds forget or marginalize the spiritual aspects (Love, mercy, justice, compassion) of their faith.

Great post, RD. Fully agree about fundamentalists in any aspect of life. I guess the point is that radicals are on the extreme edges of the bell curve, and this is typically used to write off the whole 'bell' population when it suits a critic's ends.

StroppyChops wrote:Great post, RD. Fully agree about fundamentalists in any aspect of life. I guess the point is that radicals are on the extreme edges of the bell curve, and this is typically used to write off the whole 'bell' population when it suits a critic's ends.

Great Reaction SC. I threw a bit of "red meat" out there as a lot of Christians I have met online fly into sputtering rages when I compare the words of Jesus to a Muslim Reformer. Appreciate that you can take the high road on that. Some Karma your way for this plus your PM.

At the risk of preaching, the Good Book describes two types of Christians. The baby ones that whine for (theological) milk and get pathetic when they're not being pandered to, and the adult ones that like a bit of red meat. Me, I love to chew a good bit of religious 'beef' with anyone who believes something, even if it's that there is nothing to believe in, and can have a reasoned discussion about it.

StroppyChops wrote:Great post, RD. Fully agree about fundamentalists in any aspect of life. I guess the point is that radicals are on the extreme edges of the bell curve, and this is typically used to write off the whole 'bell' population when it suits a critic's ends.

The "Church of Christ" is fundamentalist by definition - their very own definition of their singular view of the bible's "facts". Again, there are many others online that use the "f" word when talking about that cult.

And, all you gullible forum members taken in by SC's "Aw shucks, I'm a good 'ol beer drinkin' boy" pose - shame on youse. I must admit as a "fallen angel" myself, replete with horns on my head - his methods appear to work well. He's thoroughly hoodwinked OD and G-Mack completely, who both seem to think that he's solely here to hang out with expats, have some brews and shoot the shit, after "teaching". They, in fact, have no idea what he is actually doing here. Only what he "says" that he is doing here. Just like when the used-car dealer "says" it's a great price, "pardner".

By the way, I took a break to huddle with "my" sponsor - Satan - for strategic analysis. SC's sponsor is the "CofC" which unequivocally states that they are completely tolerant of all other belief systems and that there is no hell awaiting all the hapless sinful non-believers. Not. In fact, I have been to hell many time and it aint that bad at all - better looking broads, higher quality booze, less ambient noise and great for those fearful of heights.

Wake up, ya'll! He is a self-declared missionary for a suspect cult and he is now overtly using the forum for "religious discussion" citing scripture as "fact" (i.e. "Jesus said", etc.). How can anyone with widely differing views "discuss" issues with a person who, not only believes that he has found the one and only way to salvation, but...insists on flying to another country (a very poor one at that), specifically to try to convert others? Don't you understand that he has a ready answer directly from his god's lips for each and every question of yours? That's his job.

Amazing that you don't see his cape of clear clingy film...'Nuff said...Brothers...

StroppyChops wrote:I saw this on FB today, thought it was a great discussion starter.

The irony is that it uses the American spelling, who, as we know, do not have a good recent track record in many of those areas.

<--------- Pagan

GMJS-CEO wrote:the Christian fucks that approach me while I am eating need to be taught a lesson. When I replied that I was not interested the fucker kept on about it "Some people may not want to accept the gifts Jesus is giving to them." FFS I am eating my delicious Lucky Burger.

If you seriously think Lucky Burgers are delicious then you deserve the shpiel from missionaries as you need prayer.

StroppyChops wrote:even if it's that there is nothing to believe in, and can have a reasoned discussion about it.

You didn't think about that sentence very well, did you?