It's old jokes that are always re hashed, they refer to certain members that have been caught making comments about animals, sorry for the confusion.Originally posted by Fezek:
<STRONG>What is it with you with bottoms and animals etc. Funny nonetheless.</STRONG>
</STRONG>You forgot aquaducts, sanitation, effective policing, irrigation etc.Originally posted by EMINEM:
[QB
The pros and cons of Christianity, the reliability of the Wod of God, the good, bad, and ugly repercussions Christianity has had on history, redaction criticism, the classical heresies, modern day relevance, the splintering of denominations, the attempts at ecumenicalism... Not to mention the strong and weak points of the other religions to which I would be comparing Christianity!
Do you have any sources for this beyond the obviously prejudicidal biblical accounts of some people who considered everybody else's gods as demons? If we're to accept that, what's to prevent us from accepting the Christian books and pamphlets of the MIddle Ages that accused Jews of the ritual sacrifice of children on their High Holy Days?Eminem writes:
In the Old Testament, there is a Canaanite deity by the name of Bhaal. Represented by a bull, symbol of strength and fertility, Bhaal was the god of rain and harvest whose adherants practiced bestiality, ritual prostitution, and child sacrifices.
Originally posted by fable:
[QB]Do you have any sources for this beyond the obviously prejudicidal biblical accounts of some people who considered everybody else's gods as demons?
There is strong archaelogical evidence supporting the kind of worship I described above. The manner in which the Canaanites worshipped Bhaal apparently elicited no shame on their part, judging by the number of statuettes and figurines depicting various forms of animal and human intercourse, in addition to the excavated bronze idols with cupped hands into which naked infants were placed for burning.
I would concur with your "prejudicial" comment if the Biblical accounts were inconsistent in its condemnation of idolatry, reserving heavenly fire and brimstone for Israel's enemies alone. The fact is, the OT prophets were equally unsparing in their condemnation of the Israelites whenever they strayed from God to worship idols. If anything, the prophetic rebukes against Israel were harsher, precisely because they were the Chosen nation, had received the Law, and should have known better. The Biblical "prejudice" is not against a particular people or culture per se, but against the immorality and injustice for which that people or culture were responsible, Israel not excluded.
I've been studying the Bible for five years, and not once have I come across a passage in the OT where idols are considered to be demons. On the contrary, the prophets (notably Jeremiah and Isaiah) take pains to denude the idols of Bhaal, Marduk, Ashtoreth et al of the supposed power and sentience their devotees ascribed to them, making it clear that these replicas are nothing but mundane pieces of wood and metal that can neither hear nor speak nor understand, much less answer prayers. Consider this famous passage from Isaiah 44:18
"No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, "Half of it [an idol of wood] I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"
If we're to accept that, what's to prevent us from accepting the Christian books and pamphlets of the MIddle Ages that accused Jews of the ritual sacrifice of children on their High Holy Days?
(I trust that everybody here knows I'm not suggesting the latter is accurate. My point is that just because a book states something is so doesn't make it so.
Let me just say fable that the Bible in no ordinary book, and leave it at that.
[QB]
But with respect, you haven't stated any of it, here. Let me restate your remarks, from above:Eminem writes:
There is strong archaelogical evidence supporting the kind of worship I described above.
It's not skepticism. I criticize no one's subjective beliefs in their own god or gods. But when subjective beliefs are confused with objective facts--who worshipped what, where--then I try to arrive at some sense of the truth. Which, at least in terms of actual hard data, shouldn't be difficult to find.Originally posted by EMINEM:
<STRONG>fable, I don't know whether to praise you or throttle you for your skepticism...</STRONG>
