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Author Topic:   Atheist Frendly Q&A
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 106 of 110 (192202)
03-17-2005 9:10 PM
Reply to: Message 104 by Taqless
03-17-2005 6:11 PM


Re: Spirit and Spirituality.
Okay, I think I know what you're asking now. I'll try an answer and if I'm totally off base, then please let me know.
It gets tough at times since many words like 'Spirit' get used in so many different ways and often without seeing it in the proper context you can't tell which meaning is implied.
In the OT you often see Spirit used as a 'gift or enabling' from GOD. God uses Spirit to enable Moses and Aaron. It's usually a direct link from GOD to a Heroic Figure and almost always for a particular period or purpose.
The NT is slightly different. There is the significant moment in the NT, and reflected in the Christian Calendar that is related. It's the final season of the year, a year that begins with Advent and ends with Pentecost.
Pentecost is the moment when the Gift of Spirit descends on the Apostles. The different gifts vary from individual to individual, but it's unique in that it's a mass gift. It's the idea that the Gift of Spirit can be passed down to everyone and we celebrate the season with the idea of acceptance of the gift.
The big difference is that in the OT, the Gift of Spirit was the exception. It was GOD giving some extraordinary power, motivation or purpose to a heroic individual and for a specific purpose. In the NT is becomes more personal, more a continuation of a conversation between GOD and the individual.
I hope this helps. If I missed what you were asking, bop me over the head and we'll try again.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
 Message 104 by Taqless, posted 03-17-2005 6:11 PM Taqless has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 107 by Taqless, posted 03-18-2005 12:08 PM jar has replied

  
Taqless
Member (Idle past 5913 days)
Posts: 285
From: AZ
Joined: 12-18-2003


Message 107 of 110 (192321)
03-18-2005 12:08 PM
Reply to: Message 106 by jar
03-17-2005 9:10 PM


Re: Spirit and Spirituality.
Naw, I think you hit the nail on the head. Thanks.
So, another question. If one takes a step back and looks at the times historically it seems that the Mediterranean region was not the only group going through this change in thinking at or around that time (Confucius/Buddha). So, do you/have you entertained the possibility that JC was the Mediterranean region's Confucius/Buddha with it's own region-tailored details?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 106 by jar, posted 03-17-2005 9:10 PM jar has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 108 by jar, posted 03-18-2005 9:16 PM Taqless has replied

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 108 of 110 (192381)
03-18-2005 9:16 PM
Reply to: Message 107 by Taqless
03-18-2005 12:08 PM


Re: Spirit and Spirituality.
So, another question. If one takes a step back and looks at the times historically it seems that the Mediterranean region was not the only group going through this change in thinking at or around that time (Confucius/Buddha). So, do you/have you entertained the possibility that JC was the Mediterranean region's Confucius/Buddha with it's own region-tailored details?
Don't you have any easy questions? LOL!!!!
That's yet another great, great question.
It also ties in well with several other threads currently active here at EvC such as the one on John 3:16 and sideline's thread. IMHO it's one of the most important questions that could be asked and one that is a major divide within the Christian community, the divide between the exclusionists and the inclusionists.
Let's examine the two points of view.
The Exclusionist says that salvation is only through Jesus and if you're not a card carrying Christian you're damned.
What does that say about GOD?
First, it says that GOD hates humans. Yup, it says that he hates them root and stock. He creates humans and then damns 99.99999999999% of all of them. "No!", the Exclusionist says, "All they had to do was accept Jesus."
If you stop and look at that argument it makes GOD out to be either a liar or a fool. Until about 200 years ago the fastest way to get somewhere was a horse, the second fastest and most common, was to walk. So for 1800 of the 2000 years since Jesus birth, just about everyone alive got damned simply because they didn't have access to even hearing about Jesus.
Now this is supposedly the same GOD that created the Universe, that Intuitively understands the relationship between gravity and the other forces, the GOD that contains time but is not bound by it, and the only way he can get his message out is the same as used by the Grand Poobah of the Order of Platypus.
Give me a break!
If there is a GOD that created the Universe, that Intuitively understands the relationship between gravity and the other forces, the GOD that contains time but is not bound by it, he is not limited in how he can reach out to folk. Even if you look only within the Judaic-Christian-Muslim faiths there are numerous examples of GOD using different people, different methods, different techniques to get the word out. How can anyone belive that such a GOD could not use Buddah, Confucius, Mencius, Mao Tsu, Huang-po or Lao Zi?
Now there is a second part to your question and that is related to the coincidence of Jesus, Buddha and Confucius all living at about the same time. I think that is closely related to the argument that the earth was designed for humans. I think it's more likely that the three are realted based on technology of the time (a rapid expansion of written documentation) than anything else. IMHO they are but a few examples of the many voices of GOD.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
 Message 107 by Taqless, posted 03-18-2005 12:08 PM Taqless has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 109 by Taqless, posted 03-21-2005 2:13 PM jar has not replied

  
Taqless
Member (Idle past 5913 days)
Posts: 285
From: AZ
Joined: 12-18-2003


Message 109 of 110 (193074)
03-21-2005 2:13 PM
Reply to: Message 108 by jar
03-18-2005 9:16 PM


Re: Spirit and Spirituality.
Jar, thanks for your insight and willingness to answer my questions. I'll check out the other threads you mentioned.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 108 by jar, posted 03-18-2005 9:16 PM jar has not replied

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 110 of 110 (193413)
03-22-2005 1:13 PM
Reply to: Message 51 by Thor
03-11-2005 10:27 PM


Re: Serious question
I've been waiting but no one has answered your question. Although I do not fit your stated criteria, if you want I would be happy to try to discuss the issue with you since I believe it's an important one.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
 Message 51 by Thor, posted 03-11-2005 10:27 PM Thor has not replied

  
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