patrick.net

curious2 says

Religions and cults are self-replicating memeplexes; over time they can attach themselves to a moral code and thus perpetuate themselves longer, but they are passengers on a much older train that they did not build.

No argument at all.

Regards
DL

Quigley says

"The first principle or morality is Harm/care of children. It is highlighted by the trait of compassion."
Historically this moral principle has wavered from one side to the other. At around 800 BC the inhabitants of Canaan and Persia mostly worshiped gods that demanded child sacrifice in return for blessings. Parents were strongly encouraged to make the sacrifice of one child in the temple to ensure fertility of land and people. This was considered a moral choice.

Well put.

http://www.Ne1wIEGnPWo

If you try to put yourself in the shoes of the King/God of the city this scholar sees, it is easy to see that in an area of finite resources, the population would have to be controlled fairly stringently and that if a baby was born out of sync with the finite resources, it or an older member of the city would have to die. It was a tough life in that day and place and many city states would have been in the same position. Perhaps that is why sacrifice happened all over the world.

Regards
DL

curious2 says

but violence is only one of the reasons why Islam spreads; it also plays on the same strings that other religions played on previously.

Bingo.

That is exactly how the West became Christian with their God of war.

http://www.WD0eSqFJ7J4

http://www.xA_SSpQDpl4&feature=related

It was all about political power and not a moral God at all.

The God with the biggest dick for cruelty and inducing fear was what the West chose.

Regards
DL

Raw says

How about "Freedom" Freedom is pleasurable.

I am working on something that speaks to this notion.
I will have to split it to get it in.

Please opine as to whether it is worth putting up.

Only I can judge God. I, is you, if you choose to be.

Using the term --- I am here means you. I do not mean me unless I am referring to myself and all I say applies to all of us. You are ( I ) to you as I am I to me. Only you then can judge the God construct that you see as you evaluate what you know of God.

Jesus said that at the end of days he would return. He meant in spirit only. Not a physical manifestation. He also said that the time of the end was at hand and that the temple of God was within each of us. The tern spirit represents, the spirit of the law, what is written in the hearts, ---- God in other words, ---- is defined as laws and rules and such as they are the only thing you can follow at all times, ---- and these are set by you and you are in effect ruling yourself in terms of following the God construct you have developed.

Jesus is telling you that you and your heart are the only things of importance in terms of leadership as it is the rules you have accepted as worthy of following. Jesus warned that at end times there would be a number of Jesus’ to choose from and morality is what you will have to choose from.

That is why I think it important to evaluate what Jesus said and determine if it is worthy and moral or not.

Jesus Christ. Madman or something worse.
http://www.j4QXOgVfY9k&feature=player_embedded

Below, Bishop Spong speaks of basically redefining Christianity. Going from a church or religious thinking, to a more spiritual or heart felt thinking. I also urge Christianity to change because it is now too immoral to ignore with today’s mentality. It’s overall policies are immoral in my view. The God of war must die and Jesus declared the full and only God that is required and that the noble lie of politics should be revoked to let all know that the God you likely know was always a myth. This may be a good time for you to contemplate such a move as many Christians haves rejected the O.T. God and only focus on Jesus and loving policies.

http://www.6AfFcAmx-Ro&feature=relmfu

Apotheosis means just recognizing that you are on a journey of being your own God. Some few will have help from God on this through a real apotheosis but only the very few it seems. You cannot get away from that fact so you may as well forget about fantasy, miracles and magic. They were never real and you are the strongest force you will ever know. After all, who but you can make you want to do anything voluntarily? There is no other force that can do this and therefore you are God in the real sense of being master of yourself. If that does not compute with you then remember that A & E became as Gods, God’s own words, and yours is the same birth rite. Throw it away if you wish. You cannot reject the knowledge of good and evil so I cannot fathom why you would throw away the fact that you as well can become as Gods.

The moral of Jesus and his sacrifice is that we should accept being God, and ruling ourselves even against a government if needs be. Become archetypal Moses and face government and declare that it faces one as great as itself. That is what being a free man is all about.

The time of the end is when Jesus becomes your God on earth, ---- again this is you, --- who takes the place of the mythical heavenly God of war. Jesus/you, as the way, the man’s way of judging first, not some absentee God’s unknown standard. Your covenant with yourself is to be the new covenant. Man answering to man and himself. Not to some unknown God.

This clip from J. Haidt shows that we instinctively share God’s morals. In this we are truly Gods and children of God.

http://blog.ted.com/2008/09/17/the_real_differ/

I am God because I am the only one who is capable of judging the God I know.

You are a God in your own rite as you are the only one who is capable of judging the God you know.

The noble lie is firmly in place and manipulating your thinking. Discard it. In this day and age we do not need it the way we may have in the past.

The Noble Lie.
http://www.kDNHM84lBA0

As a Gnostic Christian, this theology/philosophy is quite natural to me and can be for all people.

Try thinking as the God that you are. Stop being a sheep and rise to your true inheritance as a shepherd. That is the message Jesus wants you to recognize.

Regards
DL

P.S.
Listen to Jesus and hear for the first time in your life.
Ps 82:6 I said, "You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High.
Hosea 1:10 Ye are the sons of the living God.
Do you think that sons of God are destined to be sheep or shepherds?
Jesus was here to empower us. Not enslave us. Do not waste what he gave.

Quigley says

Sarah conceives at like 80 years old

Genesis says she was 90, and that Noah was 600 years old when he built the Ark.

Quigley says

So, [Abraham] decided to test this god.

Interesting take on it -- that Abraham was testing God and not the other way around. Had not considered that one.

Maybe the reason people don't consider that is because Genesis says precisely the opposite:

"Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son."

Genesis does not say Abraham took the knife to test God. Moreover, it wouldn't be possible to fool an omnipotent deity. Such reinterpretations illustrate how people who want to believe the story re-write selectively the parts they dislike in order to rationalize believing what they like.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

curious2 says

Genesis does not say Abraham took the knife to test God. Moreover, it wouldn't be possible to fool an omnipotent deity. Such reinterpretations illustrate how people who want to believe the story re-write selectively the parts they dislike in order to rationalize believing what they like.

Yep. And to understand these books, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of the people who wrote them, not with a 21st Century mindset.

The purpose of the Abraham story is probably just Priests under King Josiah trying to communicate that obedience to God (whose Captains on Earth are the Priests and King) is paramount. But the Good King/Priesthood, while demanding obedience, is doing it all for your benefit.

Just hand over those 3 unclean drachmas and we'll give you one holy, purified schekel at the temple, you know what I mean?

You're right, it's a reinterpretation of events, based on a deeper look into psychology. Abraham must have entertained the fear that this new god would be like the old ones, and god was both testing him and providing a resolution to his doubt about God's nature. Abraham must have been heartbroken in many ways when he received the message to do this thing. But in some way he also must have expected it. To have devoted his life to such a cruel god that would require human sacrifice would be devastating to him.

This is all speculation of course, but the book isn't exactly overflowing with details, so to fully understand, you need to overlay culture and humanity on top of what is actually written.