im done with christianity.

That was a claim on research, not direction.

 

hey thanks for the list; i'm making note.... i've seriously got like 15 books on the go at the moment, but it's good to have recommendations nonetheless.

i own telford's short introduction to the new testament and found it very well organized and intelligible, good for student reading; ryu, if you really are going to look into textual analysis of the NT and some background info on christianity's roots, then i'll recommend this one.

peace,
sophia

 

I know. Hitler started when he was 17...Dosen't mean it was the right direction.*Hitler started thinking he was the Messiah when he was 17*

 

what is the "right path"? ..51 years of varied study certainly makes for a good amount of knowledge upon which to base opinions. i think that the real point is that one must research a very diverse lot of ideas. someone who only reads atheistic books can't claim to have insight into the christian faith, or any other religion. likewise, someone who never strays from their collection of bibles and christian fiction is also guilty of ignorance. i think that everyone should open up their minds a little and try studying something new for a change - i'll read a chapter of russell's why i am not a christian one day and a chapter of rabbi blech's if god is good, why is the world so bad?, and a chapter of one of my friend's christian evidence books another day.
anyone with a good, diverse base of knowledge and study behind them is deserves for their opinions to be respected.

 

Anyone whose aim is to draw someone away from their faith isn't on the right path. Everyone must do it own their own.

 

i disagree. the wisest among us must be the people who say, "open your eyes and look around; see all the thousands of years of knowledge mankind has gathered, millions of ideas, go and examine them!"

just like no one can look at one flower and call themselves a botanist, and no one can solely study christian literature and say they've made an informed decision.

 

i can roudly say that i did go on a bit of a religious search [and used to be quite multi faith] up until a month or so ago....but i mean, i was never brought up that christain, just like the values and holidays, but i mean, they whole time i was canting hare krsna and singing A is for Allah, i found myself almost soley praying to Jesus, so i mean, yeah...

 

Simply because you presume that there is an underlying aim is to draw someone away from their faith doesn't mean that it is just so. You obviously have no ability to consider that the search for truth is motivation enough for people such as myself. Those disinterested in truth will accept any fallacious myth, as evidenced by religions per se and cults especially.
Seems that "neverland" is a place where truth is not a consideration.

 

Either you're really egonistic or paranoid. Did I say YOUR aim was to draw them away from their path? The search for truth is theirs to seek not yours to seek for you to find for them. Truth is a personal thing your truth and my truth are two diffrent truths. So get over youself and realize that I'm not talking about you.

Never Land. Notice there was a space there. Next time your trying to be clever at least get it right

 

How can anyone seek truth on their own? We would all have a pretty warped idea of truth if we all made it up on our own. Truth is based in reality. We can't just make it up to be what we want.

 

We did it with relgion, We've done it with ploitics, we've done it with love, weve done it with peace, we've done it with war. Truth was created by man therefor each induval man can creat their own truth. IMO

 

hey kris,

well, i was thinking over this "truth is a personal thing" thing..... you're still saying that it's nobody's business to throw new ideas into another person's cage for fear of offending them or getting them to change their mind.

i'm going to paste on here a bit from our PM conversation if you don't mind, , something that i wrote you a couple days back...

i see how truth is a personal thing, but if one cannot defend their truth against new and more reasonable ideas, then they're just displaying ignorance and self-delusion. there is nothing wrong with a fair questioning of others.

ps: it is spelled "Neverland", and it looks suspicious when the only closing argument a person has is a jab at the opponent's spelling ability.

...for you to suggest that a person's right to critizice and question others is not, actually, a fair privelege, is shameful.

peace,
sophia

 

I'm not talking about criticism.. All i'm saying is that there is not "great truth" the "one answer". Nobody has the right answer. This being in spritual terms. So galieo dosen't count. So for someone to push their idea on someone else as "correct way to belive" is what i think is wrong. Not sharing their idea. But shearing it as the "right" one. Share it with them. But do it in a manner where their idea is just as right as yours. I mean come on...Do you know yoru truth is 100% Correct for me? Or mine for you? You can share ideas...But keep it at that Ideas Theory..Not Fact.

Ps, Never Land as in Never Landed, Never touching the ground, Never stop flying not a place from peter pan or MJ's Ranch... Never *won't* Land

 

I probely worded what i was trying to say wrong. I'll admit that. and i'm sorry if i did. But all i'm trying to say is your truth isn't my truth so don't present it as my truth.

 

So if no one has the right answer, talking and questioning and moulding our thoughts is a healthy way to keep moving FORWARD and prevent ourselves from being caught up and stagnant in a false "truth". I don't know about your use of the word "push" when you say that people should not push their ideas on others; I'm certainly not defending people who can't stand a fair debate and are constantly convinced of their own perfection of truth - I'm talking about everyone's right to question others' ideas.

This started with your comment,

, and that's what i'm referring to. people can't just be relied upon to change their minds on their own, at least not in any decent amount of time - humanity changes through exchange of ideas, that's why there's been so much overwhelming change in the past century; the "global village" is able to communicate enormously more effectively than any previous time.

 

We're talking about two diffrent things. Your talking about questiong others ideas. What i'm saying don't make others question their ideas becaues you think you are right. Talk about it share...


By push I mean what the Catholics did in the Crusades "convert or die" i belive that goes the same for speech "Your going to belive this becaues i say i'm right so it must be"

Talk, Share, Communcaite, and Question... Just don't push people into your beliefs....Let them walk themselves to it.

 

yeah, i think this subject has been flogged to death. i do agree that it's ridiculous and an insult to one's maturity when a person is unable to at the same time respect anothers "truth view" while proposing a new view. however, when a person has become so monotonous and stagnant in their old, worn-out religion that they are unable to defend themselves against new and intelligent views.... YET STILL remain stubborn, their imminent downfall should not be attributed to the bringer of new knowledge. maybe people shouldn't have "my truth"s and "his truth"s at all, since that indicates a phobia of change.

peace,
sophia

 

*Sticks out his hand* You had alot of good points Made me think

 

likewise!

 

Your method is called "shooting the messenger." Don't expect niceties when you take your pot-shots.

There is no "his truth" "her truth" "my truth" ~ they are ego driven self-righteousness ideations.
Truth is the basis of all existence. It underpins and permeates all of creation. Because you have no concept of it doesn't mean it isn't there. Refer to nmhg's flat earth reference.