From: pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey)
Subject: Re: Jesus Would Gag
Organization: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA USA
	<sbuckley.713172647@sfu.ca> <3b!nywb.gordons@netcom.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 18:25:26 GMT

In article <3b!nywb.gordons@netcom.com> 
gordons@netcom.com (Gordon Storga) writes:
>Why does an omnipotent being need worship?

Doesn't, of course.

>Why does god get to be a jealous, vengeful being while we don't?

All due to misinterpretation of dogma, the written word of ... HUMANS!

>Why is it ok for god to slaughter millions of people?

It is us who do the slaughtering. OT is just dogma, a test of the individual.

>Why doesn't god speak to me?

Perhaps this has already happened? What did you want to hear?

>Why doesn't god speak to everyone and stop all the suffering and killing?

Suffering and killing, some is our doing, some is the reality of the field of
opposites. Joyful participation in the sorrows of the world. That is a way
through that which we call reality.

>What did Jesus sacrifice, and why was it a big deal?

Just a prophet? Maybe. All prophets die, many become martyrs. A personification
of the transcendent? Maybe. All personifications must die. This is what it
means to be a human being. The human being is born and the human being will
die, so that the cycles can continue, new human beings are always being born.
One could say Jesus died to show that Roma is not the way, that the way is
Amor, but all individuals draw there own conclusions from death. And there
will be many salesmen ready to make a buck from death. A common grift is that
Jesus committed suicide because you are a sinner, does that make you feel
guilty? Knowing that it is your sin that killed Him? Guilty enough to perhaps 
make a purchase? Or donation? Or join the flock?

>Why is it so easy to kill a god?

Because they are so easy to create? Created by whom?

>How do we know the bible is divinely inspired?

It makes no difference. It is the written word of HUMANS. The question of
divine inspiration will be judged by the judge. If you believe a human's belief
that it is divine inspiration, you may be falling from the way of you. Just
remember that all humans are humans, all subject to error and misinterpretation.
It is you who must be the judge, only for yourself.

>If the bible is so clear and Christianity the *one truth*, then why are
>there so many sects?

It's not so clear, once you read it, is it? This idea of so clear and answering
all questions is a gimick of grifters. If you must have all your questions
answered, you can find the answers anywhere, even in a rock. If you use your
mind, you find that the answers to many questions are just more questions. Do
not fear this, this is the way of the intellectual. If you expect answers,
they will be provided, for a fee of course and from grifters.

>Why does god allow Satan to make a fool of him?

More misinterpretation of dogma. The creator is the creator of all. The
creator freed you FROM slavery. If you feel shackled, you should question
where those shackles come from.

>How do you populate an entire world from two people in 6000 years?

This is metaphor, not fact. We know scientifically that Homo sapiens sapiens
is about 100,000 years old. This is scientific fact measured in scientific
years.

>How come the bible doesn't mention dinosaurs?

Because it is dogma, myth and metaphor. Not to even mention 2000 years old.

>Why does god demand so many people kill each other with rocks for such
>tiny transgressions (such as not observing the sabbath) while Jesus
>claims to forgive *anyone* (including rapists and murderers) who believes
>in him?

These discrepancies have been placed in the dogma so that intellectuals can
see the dogma for what it is, dogma. Those who do not wish to think as free
thinking intellectuals will not see these discrepancies. It is they who rest
at a level, probably too long. It is the climbers, the seekers of truth and
life who recognize these comfortable rest spots for what they are, and go on.
The tests are not easy, one must use one's brain for what it was intended. If
one tires, one may rest. If one chooses to seek no more, one may stop forever
at a level of dogma. Most do not choose the way of the free thinking
intellectual, it is too easy to watch MTV or CBN instead. The teacher must
teach for the audience, an audience mostly populated by authentic individuals
living inauthentic lives, even today. In this respect, Jesus' message of
2000 years ago does still apply today. However, the good teacher also teaches
for the free thinkers. The good teacher does this by providing statements
that intellectuals can understand where other's eyes are too glossy. Luke
14:26 is one such.

>Why is it so many people are willing to take this all on faith but
>*demand* that I provide _proof_ that there is no god?

The world is populated by white sheep. The black sheep are a small minority.
It is they who realize that all sheep are actually tigers, only they don't
know it, but they who know that they are tigers must live with the majority 
Who still think they are sheep. This is the challenge for the free thinkers:
How to be true to the nature of tiger and still live in a world of sheep?

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