Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Bill Clinton Scandal - SANITY CHECK -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bob Lao-Tse who wrote (50478)	5/29/1999 10:08:00 PM
From: Neocon	Respond to of 67261

"I came not to bring peace, but the sword"...Read again...<g>...

To: Bob Lao-Tse who wrote (50478)	5/30/1999 9:14:00 AM
From: Johannes Pilch	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 67261

>I am an agnostic. I am not afraid to say "I don't know." I don't want to live my life at the mercy of those who claim, erroneously, that they do know.< Your lack of knowledge here is not necessarily the ultimate reality of the thing. (grin) >In my quest for understanding, and because of my belief in the usefulness and correctness of Jesus' philosophy, I have read the Bible cover to cover twice plus more.< Well now, you here appeal to your authority. Many of us have read the Scriptures repeatedly for years, and we read them in their original languages as well as in modern translations. We study the cultural backdrop extant at the time preceding and during their development. Yet while this study causes us to come into remarkable agreement with one another, we have found it has caused us to together differ markedly with folk like you. >He preached humility. He preached tolerance. He preached kindness and respect toward our fellow man.< This is a common view, and it is unfortunate that many ignorant people parrot it back as if themselves understanding it to be true. But did Jesus really preach these things? Did He really preach tolerance, as you know it today? Did He preach humility, kindness and respect, as you know them? I think the thing far richer than you may know. This same Jesus understood that his teachings would actually divide men (even families of men), that His followers would be rejected and scorned for holding to His views and for being unwilling to tolerate the things those views disallowed. This same Jesus claimed those outside His views would be destroyed. He taught kindness and humility, yes. But we must view these teachings in context of the overall Jesus to best understand them. >When I see people throw these things aside, ostensibly to honor he who proposed them in the first place, I feel I should point out that hypocrisy.< Well now, when they see people who have read the Bible only twice plus more, and who yet think themselves capable of definitively judging whether Christians can reject oppression and whatnot, then they think they should point out that ignorance, at the least continue doing what they can to live unhindered. >If Christians actually practiced their faith as Jesus directed them to (humbly, selflessly, with respect for others...), we wouldn't be having this argument.< You merely say here that if Christians would just shut up, pay their taxes and allow you to run roughshod over them, we would not be having this argument. But of course. Nevertheless once again the thing is a bit richer than this. Christians can live humbly, selflessly, with respect for others, and yet use their rights as citizens to defend their interests against oppressive atheism. St. Paul did similarly, and so it is no new thing. The people in Maryland simply exercised their existing right to do what they had always done. The imposition came from the others, Bob. Americans from the beginning have publicly referenced the Judeo-Christian God with no problem. Go to downtown Washington, D.C. and walk around a bit. If they have not yet sandblasted Him completely away, you will find Him there easily. The imposition came from others. These others today simply love to speak about humbleness and selflessness and respect. But they will never ever themselves show any of these virtues. Perhaps you might encourage them to show a bit more humility, selflessness and respect, since you are so in love with these qualities. Perhaps you might excoriate them for arrogantly trying to bar thousands of people from their tradition, trying to break up an entire community by imposing a meaningless and empty religious will upon it, this, merely because of the silly whims of one spike-headed atheistic twerp. Of course the trend is toward godlessness, Bill Clinton and Columbine, and so inevitably these poor Marylanders will be forced to just shut up, pay their taxes and allow empty atheism (you call this “agnosticism”) to run roughshod over them. But at least they did not allow this today. (grin)