Book Review: 101 Myths of the Bible

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 12:42 am

Now, if you convince me to donate to the LDS, does that constitute commercial use of this board?
How many are familair with the explanation for suffering held to by Gnostics and other Dualists: that the world was created by a flawed being, the Demiurge. It'd be a much more popular outlook these days, I think, if people weren't firmly in their camps as it is.
For myself, I will go on believing in the universe, which has rather firm evidence in actually exisiting. And all evidence points to its being uncannily suited for the creation of life; in fact, the most minor adjustments to countless parameters would result in a dead universe. If you haven't read up on this subject already, you should by all means familiarize yourself with these findings, say at http://www.christianstudycenter.com/mod ... le&sid=119, this from a Christian perspective at that. Science and religion can almost reconcile themselves on these findings; it even lead a staunch atheist like Stephen Hawking to semi spiritual conclusions.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:07 am

Kevin L. Rietmann wrote: Science and religion can almost reconcile themselves on these findings; it even lead a staunch atheist like Stephen Hawking to semi spiritual conclusions.

If coming to the view that you are, yourself, God counts as reaching a semi spiritual conclusion, then Stephen Hawking certainly at least came close.

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:28 am

You know the funny thing about evolution... I can see how it could take bacteria and turn them into ponies through a billion years of natural selection, but it doesn't explain how you got the bacteria to begin with. I don't believe the primordial soup crap anymore than I believe you can take a box of puzzle pieces, shake it up, and dump it on the floor expecting to get a completed picture. Even a bacterial cell is a very complex set of molecules, I don't see how zapping a bowl of chemicals with lightning will give you a prokaryotic cell. Scientists have managed to zap a few amino acids into existance, but amino acids are lightyears away from a complete functional organism...

I forget the exact quote, but I remember reading one from some biologist claiming that evolution really was absurd but they must accept it because the "alternative was unthinkable" or somesuch. I wish I could find it again...

Celtoid · Post by **Celtoid** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:47 am

The Universe in all its amazing beauty and complexity is enough to strike anyone dumb with wonder...and yet how human is it to look at such marvels and ask..."who made it?"

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 6:45 am

I am with Sunnywindo. I was raised in another denomination and had many problems with the teachings of that group. As a result I searched for a religious body that taught things that I could accept. I spent a lot of time trying, rejecting and searching again. When I was 30 I first discovered the LDS. I spent about 9 months studying and trying the things taught by them. I joined the church and remain happy in the faith to this day. For some of you, maybe you haven't searched enough.

Ron

totst · Post by **totst** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 6:58 am

I got pizza..anyone wanna slice?

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:13 am

The entire Bible is a myth, written by men.

~Larry

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:34 am

madguy - prove it.

Dana · Post by **Dana** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:54 am

The Scottish writer George MacDonald often remarked that no, he couldn't prove there was a God. He did, however ask this question of unbelievers: Can you prove to me that there is no God? Have you searched the entire universe? What if it should happen that God exists, but you do not see him?

Dana

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:03 am

I never met a penguin I didn't kind of hanker after
in a kinky sort of way.

There, I got sex in; bestiality too!

Don't worry.
It's true only because I never met any penguins.

There is no penguin such that I met her and didn't kind of hanker
in her direction. As there is no penguin such that
I met her, this follows innocently. Whew!

Hiro Ringo · Post by **Hiro Ringo** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:07 am

Haven't read all the comments here but if even the New Testament is entirely from myth,I have to find another positive way to have fun on "St. Metthew Passion" by Bach.

At any rate, I gladly welcome historical revisionism. This is lots of fun.

..... unless it is crazy and illogical.

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:19 am

actually old roman records show that jesus did at least *exist* and was executed, though little else.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:22 am

TelegramSam wrote:madguy - prove it.

Actually, it's not up to Madguy to prove it.

If you say that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then it's you that is making the phenomenal claim. You prove it.

Also remember that phenomenal claims require phenomenal proof.

--James

antstastegood · Post by **antstastegood** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:27 am

TelegramSam wrote:actually old roman records show that jesus did at least *exist* and was executed, though little else.

There's also some basic info in the writings of Flavius Josephus. <a href="http://www.soton.ac.uk/~josephus/joseph ... tm">Follow this link</a> and search for the word Jesus.

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:37 am

I do not deny that Jesus, Saint Peter, and many others did exist. I just dispute the stories recounted in the Bible, written long after their lives. That's all.

~Larry