[clue-talk] How do CLUEbies vote?

[Michael Fierro]

On Fri, Sep 28, 2007 at 10:20:58PM -0600, Kevin Cullis wrote:

> >To paraphrase Marvin the Paranoid Android: "I've read it; it's rubbish."
> >I am not a big believer in the Bible, and that is doubly-so for the  
> >wilder books. The book of Revelations reads like a pretty cool psychedelic
 
> The real question is: if you were to read Revelation in the Bible and  
> let's just suppose that it were 100% true and accurate and going to  
> happen, what would you do with these facts? How would it affect you  
> and your life?

I doubt it. But that's the intellectual equivalent of twiddling one's thumbs.
Why would I sit back and spend time pretending that Revelations is 100% true,
when it would be a lot more fun and edifying to imagine what it would be like
if Douglas Adams Hitchhiker's Guide were true? I'd so try to make an
electronic thumb...  
 
> What's the reason for not believing in the Bible? If you consider  

Because it is obviously a deftly crafted mix of historical fact, tons of
fiction, fables and parables. And bits of it are horribly dated. The whole
"god created the world in 7 days" bit comes straight from the fact that
people 2,000 years ago had no idea about the planet, the solar system, nor
anything beyond that.

Of course, the whole creation thing might've also been a parable. The Adam &
Eve thing definitely is: the moral of the story is: don't think you know more
than you actually do, or you can get your ass kicked out of paradise. Which
is a pretty good moral, actually.

> what I believe, but to point out that we all will die one day. As I  
> said before, we will pay for our beliefs whether we're right or  
> wrong, I just to make sure I'm right, and so are you.

I am choosing to spend my time living this life. If there's an afterlife,
then it'll be a surprise. If there is, I'll join the 99.999% of all human
beings who have ever lived that chose the wrong religion to get into heaven.

I don't agree with the "we will pay for our beliefs" bit. If the atheists are
right, there'll be nothing to pay. Once a person dies, they are dead, that's
it.
 
> >respect that. But you can't expect people with different beliefs to  
> >accept the Bible as factual.
 
> What I am expecting is people to examine the Bible for it's  
> Truthfulness and compare their beliefs with what the Bible states, or  

Well, you can't really expect someone to do that. If I gave you a copy of the
Dao De Ching, would you examine it for Truthfulness and compare your beliefs
against it? Or would you say, "ah, I'm okay with being Christian, that book
won't teach me anything?"

Or worse: "that is a book from another religion, therefore it is evil."

I have been around people who say that last bit, pretty much word-for-word.

> beliefs, the real question is: what if those that are not Christians  
> are wrong? Put my shoes on for a minute Michael, what would you do in  
> my case? Are you saying that you have no compassion for your fellow  
> man and would let them die if their beliefs were wrong? Would you do  

Everyone dies, no matter their beliefs. We are mortal, our bodies will
perish.

> the same for someone with the potential of getting AIDS, just let  
> them die? Or would you try and help educate others? Too often those  

There is a huge difference between helping out someone that is going to
physically die, and helping someone into a theoretical afterlife. 

> that use the argument of "leave them/me alone" is a cop out for not  
> getting involved or caring.

No, it is a statement saying, "please respect my right to have different
beliefs than you do."
 
> >>comes, he is still coming and the things that are happening are too
> >>close to ignore, which should spur Christians to be ever more
> >>diligent to let people know that things are going to heat up.
> >
> >My question is: Why should Christians try to force their beliefs on  
> >others?
> >Why not respect the fact that other people will have separate  
> >beliefs, and
> >leave it at that.
> 
> their ego, most and I do not. I will not hold a gun to your head like  
> extremist Muslims to force you to convert or be killed because you  
> don't or subjugate you to second class citizenship while in most  
> cases Americans have equal citizenship, while economic situations are  

"Hiro walks away, the same way he walks away from psychotic street people
who follow him down the street.."

- Neal Stephenson, "Snowcrash"


-- 
Michael Fierro                                  miguelito at biffster.org
Y! Messenger: miguelito_fierro                           AIM: mfierro1
http://biffster.org                           http://weightjournal.com
--
"But you ain't got no legs, Lt. Dan"
- Forrest Gump
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