What did the animals on noahs ark eat for 40 days and 40 nights...animals eat other animals you know?

Why didnt anyone elses boat work during the great flood?? lol, what noah was the only person in the world with a boat?

If you believe in the christian god, then you go straight to allah hell. What the fuck, you cant win!?

The bible says its a sin to have long hair, and if you do you should be stoned to death. Umm...wtf Jesus had long hair...

Why did this all loving and caring god KILL the first born child of the farroh? Kinda fucked up if you ask me, couldent he have just kicked his ass or something?

Did GOD Intend for there to be EVIL in the world? If he did, then he is NOT all good and loving. If he didnt, then he isnt all powerful and cannot control shit. Either way, he is not worth worshipping lol.

Fuck religion dudes, its all bullshit.

It's all of God's mysteries. Only until you can realize that you are in a bigger world, can you accept God for who he is.

answer the questions you fucking penis face

answer the questions you fucking penis face

I told you, you must accept these confusing events in order to accept God. Jesus can save your life. I beg of you, read some Bible passages. It will change you.

your right, reading the biible made me an atheist. maybe YOUR the one who needs to read it.

your right, reading the biible made me an atheist. maybe YOUR the one who needs to read it.

I have read it. It revolutionized me. Changed my perspectives. Jesus is an amazing force.

http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/3/3e/Not_Your_Buddy_Jesus.jpg

so the OP is a 13-year-old who's just discovered that the Bible is full of contradictions and believes that all religion is bunk because of that.

Never seen that here before :rolleyes:

What did the animals on noahs ark eat for 40 days and 40 nights...animals eat other animals you know?

God used his powers to keep their stomachs full.

Why didnt anyone elses boat work during the great flood?? lol, what noah was the only person in the world with a boat?

Yes, it was the first ever boat.

If you believe in the christian god, then you go straight to allah hell. What the fuck, you cant win!?

But if you don't believe in Allah hell, who cares?

The bible says its a sin to have long hair, and if you do you should be stoned to death. Umm...wtf Jesus had long hair...

At no point in the bible does it say Jesus had long hair. Just because there are a load of paintings and shit drawn over a thousand years after he died portraying him with long hair, doesn't mean he actually had it.

Why did this all loving and caring god KILL the first born child of the farroh? Kinda fucked up if you ask me, couldent he have just kicked his ass or something?

God's allowed to be harsh. The ten commandments state that we can't kill, he's not covered.

Did GOD Intend for there to be EVIL in the world? If he did, then he is NOT all good and loving. If he didnt, then he isnt all powerful and cannot control shit. Either way, he is not worth worshipping lol.

We worship lots of things that aren't worth it.

Fuck religion dudes, its all bullshit.

I agree, but chose to argue against what you said anyway.

1. What did the animals on noahs ark eat for 40 days and 40 nights...animals eat other animals you know?

2. Why didnt anyone elses boat work during the great flood?? lol, what noah was the only person in the world with a boat?

3. If you believe in the christian god, then you go straight to allah hell. What the fuck, you cant win!?

4. The bible says its a sin to have long hair, and if you do you should be stoned to death. Umm...wtf Jesus had long hair...

5. Why did this all loving and caring god KILL the first born child of the farroh? Kinda fucked up if you ask me, couldent he have just kicked his ass or something?

6. Did GOD Intend for there to be EVIL in the world? If he did, then he is NOT all good and loving. If he didnt, then he isnt all powerful and cannot control shit. Either way, he is not worth worshipping lol.

Fuck religion dudes, its all bullshit.

These questions make me wonder: What perspective should I answer them from? An nontheistic one? A Christian one?

1. The Bible (specifically the Old Testament) doesn't explicitly mention what the animals ate. Accept that you don't know how Noah/God fed those animals; nor do you know the full/true story. You have a textual source written from the perspective of an unknown author/authors, thousands of years old, that has been transliterated, additions have been made etc. This textual source is known as the Bible. As a rule of thumb: the older a written document is, the more it gets distorted. Accept that you don't know how they fed those animals. Although it would be a reasonable assumption to say that the story is total bullshit.

2. Perhaps everyone else's boats did 'work' and some of the people used them to survive the flood, but the author/authors of the Noah story didn't realize it - or even chose not to say so. Perhaps the story of Noah started off as an intentional myth, a fairy tale. I'm no scholar, who knows?

3. I'm not too familiar with the history behind Islam. Some speculate that the whole 'Allah' thing originated from the worship a pagan moon God in earlier times. The concept of "Allah" changed over time, and Allah came to be known as the same God as the God of the Jews and the Christians - the God we know today. This is why Islam, Christianity and Judaism are known as the "Abrahamic" religions. They all believe in the same God, the God of Abraham. Believers of this persuasion are known as the "people of the book". However, many differences between the faiths lie in their conception of this God. Each of the three religions have different beliefs about this God. "Allah hell", would be the hell of the same God as Judaism and Christianity. The problem is that each religion (and even denomination/individual) has different beliefs about what hell is, and what happens in hell. How do we know whether one account is any more reliable than the other? We don't. Were you to study history or sociology, you might find that the most plausible conclusion is that all three Abrahamic religions are both right and wrong to some degree, and that the whole concept of a heaven and hell is nonsense.

4. There are far too many perspectives for me to cover this issue in its entireity, + a lack of knowledge on my part. Google something like "Christianity long hair". Here are two links relating to this issue:

http://www.metalforjesus.org/longhair.html
http://www.gotquestions.org/hair-length.html

5. Moral and cultural relativism. The actions of the God of the Isrealites is a reflection of those times, and the values of the Israelite people (which differ from our own today). Another answer is that God needn't follow the morality of man [although according to the Bible, I think he would]. I actually had a long-winded debate about this once involving many other related things I don't care to mention...

6. Congratulations, you've just stated the Problem of Evil. Read up. Theodicy is the attempt to 'solve' this problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil


"Fuck religion dudes, its all bullshit." - Don't rule it out so soon. Religion does a lot of good for people [and STFU atheists I know about all the bad shit too]. You can get a lot out of religion even without believing in it. Specifically Buddhism and the New Testament. What Jesus said/did was gold, and Buddhism is full of great ideas + things like meditation. But you don't seem ready for it all yet.

I would encourage you to research religion for yourself. Start with the internet. Though if that's not your perogative; cool.


EDIT: I can't stay and answer more questions, haven't slept for ages. If you have more, ask away and I'll get back to you.

I have some questions about number six.

If 'good' is defined in Judaic-Christian systems as 'the will of God', wouldn't that articulate that anything that goes against God's will is evil, even if it is giving someone food and shelter? Does that not also articulate that anything in line with God's will is good, even if it is slaughtering children?

Say for example, God knows you're a stubborn fuck, so he has someone rape you so that you use it as an excuse to live a particular way for some 17 years until you've so entirely crushed yourself with self-imposed problems that you then seek God and find Him, completely revolutionizing your entire being?

Is it evil that you were raped, that you used one tragedy to justify 17 years of self-destruction, that you then sought God, found Him, and found a life better than anything you ever dreamed of?

This here is the issue of pride, once again: What business is it of yours to judge the happenings of the world as good and evil with the complete lack of ignorance as to where it comes from and where it leads? What business do you have saying something is evil because it leads to distress? What makes you the judicator in the trials of this world?

I say this in earnest: A man can have only one master; with every last fiber of my being I assure you that humanity is the least and weakest of masters.

God can not be questioned!

lawl.

Serious though, you are going quite out of the way to attack xtians, take it easy :D Let them come to you ;P

They will play the 'zOMG j00 r h8ful' card if you confront them as such. Reel them in with curiosity, then when they are hooked on converting you, whip out the truth card and own them :D

There are so many answers to teh questions you stated, most are as simply as 'it was god's will' and 'because jesus said so'.

Also, try not to hate them for being christian, most are just brought up in it and seldom amke a concious choice of it. Hate the organized institution of God's love (hate) that codnems others for something as simple as who they have sex with and whether or not they are the same religion as them.

Also, brush up on your skillz dawg. With your current level, you can not go raiding against bosses like priests and their xtian mobs. You need to be atleast lvl 58 with all the buffs you can cast. Go forth and train grasshopper, and no botting!

God can not be questioned!

lawl.

Also, brush up on your skillz dawg. With your current level, you can not go raiding against bosses like priests and their xtian mobs. You need to be atleast lvl 58 with all the buffs you can cast. Go forth and train grasshopper, and no botting!


Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding
-Proverbs 3:5

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." - Luke 18:17

It seems to me that the Bible tells us to be extremely naive and unskeptical. Very cult-like...

Why would anyone thinking rationally be unskeptical and naively trusting of one thing (the Bible) and then not of another? (the Quran)
What reason is there to adopt such an attitude?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Indeed, go and 'train' if your goal is to pwn theists. It's never too late to expand your knowledge pool, I'm 16 and I know plenty (relatively speaking, of course) which shows you can pick up on this sort of thing whether youre 13 or 65, if you just put some effort into it. You seem to have a mild interest in theology, which means you're way ahead of so many people already!

I have some questions about number six.

If 'good' is defined in Judaic-Christian systems as 'the will of God', wouldn't that articulate that anything that goes against God's will is evil, even if it is giving someone food and shelter? Does that not also articulate that anything in line with God's will is good, even if it is slaughtering children?



Sounds like Divine Command Theory to me, which has long been shown to phail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_command_theory

And yes, I suppose if you took that view then slaughtering children becomes a morally good act if God were to order it so.

Oh wait, looks like He already tried this once!

"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths." - 2 Kings 2:23-24.


This here is the issue of pride, once again: What business is it of yours to judge the happenings of the world as good and evil with the complete lack of ignorance as to where it comes from and where it leads? What business do you have saying something is evil because it leads to distress? What makes you the judicator in the trials of this world?

The "where it comes from and where it leads" thing is a mainstay criticism of utilitarianism. I'm going to speak more about evolutionary reasons behind the emergence of 'morality'.

To me, evil is anything that a person percieves as evil, and it's only subjectively evil to them. Evil is merely part of our internal judgement system, nothing is intrinsically good or evil. These are labels, (or value judgements) we give to things we do or don't like, based on our feelings about them. To be able to tell what's good and what's bad is an important survival mechanism.

It's my business because natural selection instilled in me the ability to make these value judgements, along with every other human. It's natural for us to do so, making the distinction between good and evil is a part of life. It's as natural as thinking or eating. Even if we get our judgements of good and evil wrong sometimes, or can't see the bigger picture - it doesn't matter to my argument. ie. Lions evolved to be able to stalk and kill their prey. That doesn't mean every hunt will be successful. The capacity for morality is a mechanism which is advantageous to the spread of our genetic material. The morals themselves are shaped by environmental influences, such as human culture.

To turn your own argument back on you: What business is it of yours to be able to judge whose business is whose? What business is it of yours to define what rights I do and don't have? What business is it of yours to know whether or not God even exists? You had some dreams and saw God. Means nothing, there are a myriad of possible explanations for everything. You JUDGED that the most plausible explanation must be God. I don't even know whether the ground below me is ultimately real. What business is it of yours to believe in God, and assume you understand the character/nature of thsi God, whether he is the judge of the trials in this world or whether or not he left us to make judgements about it ourselves?

If God didn't intend for us to judge things, why would he have created us with such an ability? Man was created in God's image, this suggests a similarity between man and God. Does that include us both having the ability to make judgements?

Say for example, God knows you're a stubborn fuck, so he has someone rape you so that you use it as an excuse to live a particular way for some 17 years until you've so entirely crushed yourself with self-imposed problems that you then seek God and find Him, completely revolutionizing your entire being?

Is it evil that you were raped, that you used one tragedy to justify 17 years of self-destruction, that you then sought God, found Him, and found a life better than anything you ever dreamed of?

I say this in earnest: A man can have only one master; with every last fiber of my being I assure you that humanity is the least and weakest of masters.

It's only evil if you feel that it's evil. ;) Everyone has a different (although often similar) internal judgement system. What's evil to you may not be evil to somoene else. As I said, evil is not an intrinsic quality of an object or action. 'Evil' is the internal value judgement/labelling we make about an object or action. For example: in Ancient Greek society, fucking young boys was considered normal; not evil in the least. Today, we regard it as evil and lump pedastry under the general category of pedophilia. An example of cultural and moral relativism.

I don't know how to answer the last paragraph here. I don't know what you mean by 'master'. Could our 'master' be causal factors influencing us throughout our lives and limiting our free will? Could it be our minds? Could it be our pleasures and vices? So I have no comment on it.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding
-Proverbs 3:5

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." - Luke 18:17

It seems to me that the Bible tells us to be extremely naive and unskeptical. Very cult-like...


Personally I think that they are saying that you should always ask question and test the truth of everything. The forst quote means to me only that you should always have a bit of doubt for your own understanding, it is possible that you are wrong, so accept it.

Don't children ask a lot of questions?

Noah's Ark is not a factual event, obviously, but the story itself is common-place for Semitic mythology. There are stories and folklore before the Old Testament, primarily the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh with Noah's counterpart, Utnapishtim. Flooding on the Euphrates river, or the Black Sea, was likey the source for such stories.

Personally I think that they are saying that you should always ask question and test the truth of everything. The forst quote means to me only that you should always have a bit of doubt for your own understanding, it is possible that you are wrong, so accept it.

Don't children ask a lot of questions?

Yeah, there's definetly more than one way to interpret it.

To sum up my view in a quote I stumbled upon regarding the matter,

"It is possible that Jesus’ words are meant to further encourage his followers to be receptive to powerlessness rather than seeking power — that would be consistent with earlier passages."

Yet again the fundamentalist literalist atheist asking questions that do not uncover the truth, any biblical tale that sounds to extravagant is not real in the world but in the mind, divinity lies not in outside appearances but inner experiences, thus any extravagant biblical tale is a Myth designed by the Holy Spirit to convey certain truths that cannot be explained in logical ways but creative ways (myths).

Atheism stems from Protestantism, Protestants read The Bible literally... Deny the very basis of the Bible which is its creative truths, but many have forgotten that...

Yet again the fundamentalist literalist atheist asking questions that do not uncover the truth, any biblical tale that sounds to extravagant is not real in the world but in the mind, divinity lies not in outside appearances but inner experiences, thus any extravagant biblical tale is a Myth designed by the Holy Spirit to convey certain truths that cannot be explained in logical ways but creative ways (myths).

Atheism stems from Protestantism, Protestants read The Bible literally... Deny the very basis of the Bible which is its creative truths, but many have forgotten that...

Atheism stems from many things, you can't just pinpoint it on a rejection of Protestant literalism. Though not an atheist, I'd reject your metaphorical interpretation of the Bible as well (and i imagine many atheists would), simply because the only thing you have to back it up is your intuitive reasoning.

You can't argue against religion and hope to persuade people to think like you. The whole thing is based on faith. A person has to either choose to believe or not to believe...but they have to make that choice on their own, from their own realizations.

You can't argue against religion and hope to persuade people to think like you. The whole thing is based on faith. A person has to either choose to believe or not to believe...but they have to make that choice on their own, from their own realizations.

Correct; for the most part theists cannot be persuaded via. direct argument. They will see things in black & white; us vs. them, and it will only strengthen their faith in God.

If you're truly looking to change the average theist (or anyone, for that matter) use gentle techniques. Slowly nudge them in the right direction. When they mention something regarding religion, offer alternate explanations - but never outright deny their own. Focus on things you mutually agree on so that they don't instinctually percieve you as the enemy.

The more a religion is attacked by people like Richard Dawkins or communists like Stalin, the more it tends to grow. The faith of its followers only strengthens. Look at the Christians in "communist" China. Or how Christianity grew even under Roman persecution, and eventually became the state religion!

Try and find something that they would personally find abhorrent about their religion. For example, perhaps a Christian has a gay relative. Mainstream Christianity opposes homosexuality. Play on this to weaken their faith.

So remember: If your goal is to weaken the faith or a theist, use subtle methods of persuasion.

I don't personally agree with using these techniques to convert people to any particular ideology. Only to open their mind. However; it can be used for said purposes.

Atheism stems from many things, you can't just pinpoint it on a rejection of Protestant literalism. Though not an atheist, I'd reject your metaphorical interpretation of the Bible as well (and i imagine many atheists would), simply because the only thing you have to back it up is your intuitive reasoning.

Well there is a shred of evidence from a few places:

"And who is so silly as to imagine that God, like a husbandman, planted a garden in Eden eastward, and put in it a tree of life, which could be seen and felt, so that whoever tasted of the fruit with his bodily teeth received the gift of life, and further that any one as he masticated the fruit of this tree partook of good and evil? And if God is also said to walk in the garden in the evening, and Adam to hide himself under the tree, I do not suppose that any one will doubt that these passages by means of seeming history, though the incidents never occurred, figuratively reveal certain mysteries." - Philokalia of Origen

"The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." - Matthew 13:10-11

"This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand." - Matthew 13:13

"Names given to the worldly are very deceptive, for they divert our thoughts from what is correct to what is incorrect. Thus one who hears the word "God" does not perceive what is correct, but perceives what is incorrect." - Gospel of Phillip

So its not just sheer intuition, theres words both canonical and non-canonical and not even from the Bible but religious people who said these things. Protestantism rejects metaphor and holds literal truth to whatever is said... The Puritans were Protestant, they were literal now you understand were I am coming from. Protestantism encourages and fights against atheism, oh its funny to watch...

You can't argue against religion and hope to persuade people to think like you.

The whole thing is based on faith. A person has to either choose to believe or not to believe...but they have to make that choice on their own, from their own realizations.

Is this to me? Because, if so both statements I would agree... Just replace realizations with experiences.

Oh, you mean like that... well, yes I believe Genesis to be metaphorical in nature, though it wouldn't surprise me if the culture that created it took the creation myth seriously.

To me, some parts of the Bible are metaphorical and some aren't - but without having scholarly knowledge regarding the sum of its books, I can't always discern which is which.

Unlike you, I don't have faith in the Bible though I do interpret parts of it metaphorically. Atheism doesn't just stem from a rejection of Protestant literalism, I still reject faith in the Bible even though I see much of it as being metaphorical or allegorical in nature.

Oh, you mean like that... well, yes I believe Genesis to be metaphorical in nature, though it wouldn't surprise me if the culture that created it took the creation myth seriously.

To me, some parts of the Bible are metaphorical and some aren't - but without having scholarly knowledge regarding the sum of its books, I can't always discern which is which.

Unlike you, I don't have faith in the Bible though I do interpret parts of it metaphorically. Atheism doesn't just stem from a rejection of Protestant literalism, I still reject faith in the Bible even though I see much of it as being metaphorical or allegorical in nature.

I wouldnt be surprised either... But at least you understand where I am coming from, thats good.

Most of the bible is metaphor even those literal word for word things have underlying truths, that should be meditated upon. They can be true in a variety of ways as well. The meditation (a gnostic one stolen by the orthodoxy) called Lectio Divina is what the meditation is called.

Um, lets say you read the line where Jesus says he brought war and the sword... Yet Jesus says to love one another! Now, you person may say "Contradiction" but under Lectio Divina I arrived to a different conclusion, that what he was alluding to was that he intended to stir up controversy, under controversy thats when truth has the greatest potential to be discovered. Again, you may say: "Why does Jesus speak in parables all the time?" I tell you He wants you to think, unlike the Christ were presented with by "Funda-gelical" Christians who do not praise the idea of knowing but rather a blind faith.

I dont base my entire faith on bible scripture either, theres a saying in the Gospel of Thomas were Jesus says "There will be days you will try to look for me but will not be there." Now to a Gnostic it has a different meaning than to a orthodox christian reading this. What this means is that there are other spiritual teachers out there and I do not need to be exclusive to him.

To the Gnostic it was not about (trying to...) just follow Jesus and all will be well, rather it was about becoming Christ like in your own way, becoming his twin (not physically but spiritually). This is why John Lennon said "I believe the Gnostics are the Real Christians."

This is why John Lennon said "I believe the Gnostics are the Real Christians."

LOL

I don't doubt that.

Ask a die-hard Christian any of these questions and he'll respond with "God works in mysterious ways." I guarantee it.

You have to remember, Christianity can't be mixed with logic because apparently God can do fucking anything.

The answer to your first question could be anywhere from 'God kept their bellies full' to 'God build a Taco Bell on the ship for him'.

The reasons Christians believe the bible is because they take all of these illogical questions and give them one neat little answer: God did it.

so the OP is a 13-year-old who's just discovered that the Bible is full of contradictions and believes that all religion is bunk because of that.

Never seen that here before :rolleyes:

We don't know his or her age, since OP could not be bothered to give any accurate info on his profile.

He does claim to be a professional dumbass, which seems right on the mark.

Ask a die-hard Christian any of these questions and he'll respond with "God works in mysterious ways." I guarantee it.

You have to remember, Christianity can't be mixed with logic because apparently God can do fucking anything.

The answer to your first question could be anywhere from 'God kept their bellies full' to 'God build a Taco Bell on the ship for him'.

The reasons Christians believe the bible is because they take all of these illogical questions and give them one neat little answer: God did it.

Of course, however, God is Mind and Mind ponders on a lot of things if it can be conceived in the mind (even as a potential) it can be done by God.

Its easy to give one answer to everything, however, personally I believe the questioning seems to be aimed in the wrong direction. It should be introspective asking how the myths connect to you in a personal way and NOT questioning the storyline of the plot. This is of course not the entire fault of the questioner because, we are told these biblical accounts are on a historical time line, "This really happened at one time in the past!" I am sorry folks but most did not happen in this book, rather it was designed to lead to inner mysteries that can be revealed to you.


LOL

I don't doubt that.

I am curious was it my response that made you not doubt why John Lennon said what he said?

I wouldnt be surprised either... But at least you understand where I am coming from, thats good.

Most of the bible is metaphor even those literal word for word things have underlying truths, that should be meditated upon. They can be true in a variety of ways as well. The meditation (a gnostic one stolen by the orthodoxy) called Lectio Divina is what the meditation is called.

Um, lets say you read the line where Jesus says he brought war and the sword... Yet Jesus says to love one another! Now, you person may say "Contradiction" but under Lectio Divina I arrived to a different conclusion, that what he was alluding to was that he intended to stir up controversy, under controversy thats when truth has the greatest potential to be discovered. Again, you may say: "Why does Jesus speak in parables all the time?" I tell you He wants you to think, unlike the Christ were presented with by "Funda-gelical" Christians who do not praise the idea of knowing but rather a blind faith.

I dont base my entire faith on bible scripture either, theres a saying in the Gospel of Thomas were Jesus says "There will be days you will try to look for me but will not be there." Now to a Gnostic it has a different meaning than to a orthodox christian reading this. What this means is that there are other spiritual teachers out there and I do not need to be exclusive to him.

To the Gnostic it was not about (trying to...) just follow Jesus and all will be well, rather it was about becoming Christ like in your own way, becoming his twin (not physically but spiritually). This is why John Lennon said "I believe the Gnostics are the Real Christians."

Good answer. What are your beliefs regarding heaven and hell?

I am sorry folks but most did not happen in this book, rather it was designed to lead to inner mysteries that can be revealed to you.


I suppose this is the tipping point for gnosticism. Anything in particular that pushed you over the edge, ie. led you to believe that the Bible was designed to lead to inner mysteries through metaphor etc.

Good answer. What are your beliefs regarding heaven and hell?

My understanding of these concepts are superficial to say the least... Dont take what I say in this instance of afterlife as a solid, they maybe subject to change:

1. There states of Mind... You can "see" both right in front of you.
2. The True Heaven is Home, it is fullness it is where you once came from and where you return.
3. Hell is rebirth into this world, from what I currently understand hell is the belief you are separate from God and what better place to appear separate from an Omni-Being than the physical realm? However, since the Gnostics believed physicality is an illusion than Hell is as well, then the idea of divine retribution is one as well. Rather than God throwing you into a lack of fire, you are responsible for yourself and you will simply be reborn again into this illusion called "the world."

I suppose this is the tipping point for gnosticism. Anything in particular that pushed you over the edge, ie. led you to believe that the Bible was designed to lead to inner mysteries through metaphor etc.

Intially an intuitive nudge... The existence of esotericism itself and its many misunderstandings by the exoteric. The fact that "Christianity has existed in other "forms" before it" as one Catholic Bishop or Priest said in the early days of Roman Catholicism, yet I am sure was once a gnostic before turning to orthodoxy. From this idea of "forms" we arrive to the fact it was intended to convey largely myths and allegory not literal truths... Personally, I believe that the literal words are phrase uttered to help us remember their underlying meaning.

3. Hell is rebirth into this world, from what I currently understand hell is the belief you are separate from God and what better place to appear separate from an Omni-Being than the physical realm? However, since the Gnostics believed physicality is an illusion than Hell is as well, then the idea of divine retribution is one as well. Rather than God throwing you into a lack of fire, you are responsible for yourself and you will simply be reborn again into this illusion called "the world."


One problem with the "hell is being seperated from God" notion: I thought God was omnipresent. but of course being seperated from a relationship with 'him' makes sense. ok thanks

The bible says its a sin to have long hair, and if you do you should be stoned to death. Umm...wtf Jesus had long hair.

WTF, I'm growing my hair out now and it's pretty long.So this means that God wants me dead right now.God wants me to be stoned to death? What a loving guy.

WTF, I'm growing my hair out now and it's pretty long.So this means that God wants me dead right now.God wants me to be stoned to death? What a loving guy.

Well it's moreso Paul who said that; your average Christian believes what Paul said carried some authority.

As for the issue itself... it's all down to a matter of interpretation. I think what Paul was trying to convey was for christians to follow social norms respective to gender. there are a multitude of views on it, dont just take a shallow look and think "God hates long hair". The Nazarites (some sort of jewish holy people) were infact commanded to grow their hair long!

Whatever,I don't think God really cares about our hair length anyway.

One problem with the "hell is being seperated from God" notion: I thought God was omnipresent. but of course being seperated from a relationship with 'him' makes sense. ok thanks

There is a saying somewhere in the Nag Hammadi Library that talks about darkness as being outside of God... In my mind I imagine a ball of light (Thats the fullness[heaven]) and in my belief the darkness or "the great poverty" as the Gnostic Jesus says in the Gospel of Thomas is both physicality and the abode of the demiurge aka Hell.

Again Like I said afterlife stuff from my standpoint I am still learning... Its not 100% Solid.

NP though...