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Well i just believe the Bush duo and Reagan were people of some faith, as twisted as it may have been at times.
How can you have some faith? That's more like fraud or self-delusion. If you think that a god is watching you and judging you, it would be improbable that you could order people to their deaths or many of the other things they do for money and power. God isn't a part-time concept. Particularly a well defined, heavily chronicled god like the major religions offer in modern times. Some of the very early gods were more specialized or more flexible. At best, they might be agnostics.
Maybe.
How can you have some faith? That's more like fraud or self-delusion. If you think that a god is watching you and judging you, it would be improbable that you could order people to their deaths or many of the other things they do for money and power. God isn't a part-time concept. Particularly a well defined, heavily chronicled god like the major religions offer in modern times. Some of the very early gods were more specialized or more flexible. At best, they might be agnostics.
Maybe.
You assume that God would necessarily have to be perceived as a deity that likes good. That Old Testament God was a pretty kick ass, take no prisoners kind of God.
An Atheist President?
You can't really take that as your model if you're Christian. The god of the Old Testament was the god of the covenant. Jesus, to Christians, replaced that with a new covenant.
You can't really take that as your model if you're Christian. The god of the Old Testament was the god of the covenant. Jesus, to Christians, replaced that with a new covenant.
But we were not discussing Christianity--just people of faith. Atheist does not mean "all non-Christians".
The vast majority of American politicians who make public their religious affiliation profess Christianity.
Except for the Jews........
Not so sure about that. Politicians, by and large, are professional liars. Aside from that, human beings are well-equipped to both deceive and allow themselves to be deceived. Telling yourself the same lie over and over is just as effective as telling others the same lie over and over.
You assume that God would necessarily have to be perceived as a deity that likes good. That Old Testament God was a pretty kick ass, take no prisoners kind of God.
I'll be the first to admit that I have no idea what I'm babbling about.
Certainly, you can convince yourself of all sorts of things so yes, maybe they are, maybe not.
My impression of the biblical god was that you had to follow the rules or he would smack your ass big-time. OTOH, if you followed the rules, everything would be soft and fluffy. But there were plenty of rules that got overlooked out of convenience.
Depends on what half of the Bible you're following.
The vast majority of American politicians who make public their religious affiliation profess Christianity.
which half is which?
Please explain more. My Biblical expertise is pretty limited. So which half is which?
A vast majority politicians of American may "profess christianity",but knowing American politics,I have sneaky suspicion that a vast majority of that vast majority ended up (or will end up) in "The Other Place".I've catered many political events throughout the years (Republican,Democrat,even a couple of Libertarian),gotten to know quite a few politicians myself,and if there is anything I've learned about them,is that if they are around you,keep a close watch on your wallet,your wife ,and your freedoms.
Sorry to let the cat out the bag,my fellow GOP-ers,but Republican politicians are just as sleazy's the Democrat Politicians.Libertarian Politicians are no exception..
Jesus replaced the covenant between man and god in the Old, and made it abundantly clear through his public acts that he was replacing the law.
Nevertheless, the Old is often cited by those with a political agenda, especially where homosexuality is concerned.
And just as clear, through his public speaking, that he was not:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.” (Matthew 5:17)
It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid.” (Luke 16:17)
But the New Testament is no less "anti-gay".
"...the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity" (Romans 1:27)
"Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire" (Jude 1:7)
Wouldn't an atheist president be the ideal choice to lead the country? In fact, shouldn't we require our elected officials to forsake religion in order to better serve us and uphold the separation of Church and State?
faith in Christ took the place of perfect obedience to a long and complicated legal code.
It spread mostly among the peoples that had no idea about the code in the first place. Jews are still busy elongating and complicating the Law (the Halakha includes rabbinical decrees and tradition).
Actual moral codes of real-life Christians had varied greatly, depending on time and place, and never could reduced to the Bible, whichever part.
But it would be very odd to deny the formative influence of the Old Testament: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the Christian (and Muslim) God, there's no other. Pertaining to morality, it means that whatever God ordered or advised His Chosen People to do in the OT is "right", "good". Which creates huge problems, if we read the texts literally. The Son (avatar, projection, whatever) of the same God talking about love and forgiveness of our sins does nothing to alleviate those problems.
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