Original Sin?

I was unfair about the taste of your bowl. Atheism might not be bland to you, I recognize that. It might excite you or taste really good to you. I think it is nothing but poison, but maybe that is what you like or maybe you've built up a taste for it. Nevertheless, maybe we can then agree that what you think is poison might not be for others. Maybe all these bowls of soup have the same basic ingredients and none of them are poisonous. Maybe these bowls of soup are just the first course of a glorious meal we will all share in Heaven when the truth is revealed. You'll probable be sitting at the kiddie table ;)

Quote: FrGamble

Ace, that tired dragon argument is the one that holds no weight in this case. Myth is an established literary genre with specific characteristics recognized by Biblical scholars and secular linguists.

Bob, I am getting to point where I can no longer enjoy this intellectual exercise.

Can you please reply to the padre on this...

Quote: FrGamble

Atheism might not be bland to you, )

Not bland at all, it's religion that's bland. Because
you're trapped in it, that's all you see. You're
concentration is forced on the 'life' following
this one, Christianity is a death worshiping
religion. It's all about Jesus death, Jesus
rising from the dead, where you go after you
die. Christians are obsessed with death. Very
depressing.

I didn't realize this till I studied Wicca 20 years
ago. They're obsessed with life and living, not
death and dying. Much easier people to deal
with than Christians. You have no idea.

This is such a sad misunderstanding of Christianity. You have no idea. Let it suffice to quote St. Paul, "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all." (1Cor. 15:13-19)

We celebrate and worship the one who has conquered death. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the LIFE. It is only depressing if death has the last word, which it does not.

Quote: FrGamble

We celebrate and worship the one who has conquered death. .

People who truly celebrate life do not talk
about death much, if at all. You go to church
and you're surrounded by death worship.
There's Jesus still hanging on the cross, right
in front of you. There's are depictions of
martyrs dying, Jesus rising from death, it's
everywhere you look. Very depressing.

It's probably an irreverent analogy but here in Baltimore we talk a lot about the Steelers. It's not because we worship them or like them, they are the arch nemesis to our beloved Ravens. We love to talk about and relive the great victories we have had over them. We revel in their defeats. We love to show pictures of Ray Lewis sacking Big Ben and standing over him.



The cross is the ultimate victory over death. The stories of the martyrs are our playoff victories. These are the opposite of depression, they are exciting and inspiring.

Quote: FrGamble

It's probably an irreverent analogy but here in Baltimore we talk a lot about the Steelers. It's not because we worship them or like them, they are the arch nemesis to our beloved Ravens. We love to talk about and relive the great victories we have had over them. We revel in their defeats. We love to show pictures of Ray Lewis sacking Big Ben and standing over him.



The cross is the ultimate victory over death. The stories of the martyrs are our playoff victories. These are the opposite of depression, they are exciting and inspiring.

Ray Lewis padre..........Ray Lewis?

Quote: FrGamble

The cross is the ultimate victory over death.
]

No, the cross is a symbol for death. Over 100,000
people were crucified over a 300 year period,
Jesus was one of many. The cross is a symbol
of death and suffering, just like the electric chair
or the guillotine. Glorifying a mass murder device
is not something an intelligent sensitive person
would do. If it's done to terrify the ignorant
masses (which it was), that's a different story.

Quote: Evenbob

No, the cross is a symbol for death. Over 100,000
people were crucified over a 300 year period,
Jesus was one of many. The cross is a symbol
of death and suffering, just like the electric chair
or the guillotine. Glorifying a mass murder device
is not something an intelligent sensitive person
would do. If it's done to terrify the ignorant
masses (which it was), that's a different story.

This is evidence for just how much about Christianity you don't understand. If you can tell me your empty or bland bowl of atheism speaks to you some deeper truth that fills you up can you not understand that the cross for Christians is the sign of the greatest act of love and indeed a true victory over death. Maybe you should focus more on the man on the cross than the cross itself. This one special act of Jesus transforms for those who believe, an instrument of death into a life giving tree of hope and love.

I know you don't understand that or see it, but believe me I do. I guarantee you will understand it more if you listen to this song: