[Smiler74]

*sigh*

I've read half this thread and while I've seen it before, it never fails to astonish me how the born-agains will absolutely take over any conversation or debate given the chance. This thread is a flimsy excuse to begin a religious debate and 100% inappropriate and I'm so irritated that noone has pointed this out.

Someone wake me up when we get to the part about how the earth was created in 6 days and how gays and jews and the pope are going to hell. All this crap about how one particular version out of literally hundreds of books is the all defining law for how to live with god's favor is putting me to sleep.

I read something before about "simply studying" the text of the bible and how simple it all is. What crap. It's a historical document, written by dozens of groups of people over a period of hundreds of years. Parts were clipped out, others added in, changes were made, it was translated, revised and then translated back and edited to reflect current political ideas, power structures and the whims of kings throughout the last couple thousand years. If you are so keen on an honest academic study of the text, then don't stick your head in the sand and ignore the literal way thing thing actually came to be. Don't tell me that your version (well worn from vigorous thumping, I'm sure) is THE one to go with. Don't ignore the myriad contradictions and mixed messages it conveys and don't twist what it does contain to suit your own purposes and advance a conservative agenda. And don't try to tell me some of you here and the others like you aren't trying to do this very thing.

It's an interesting book, full of good and inspirational insight, but it's a historical document and I will never accept the unbearable arrogance that one version is more rightous than another.

Supposedly, god made my brain and gave me common sense. Boith are totally offended by this. I guess the "devil" is causing that. I suppose I'm going to hell now for using my head.

Good grief. Think for yourselves. Treat people the way you want to be treated, live a good life, be tolerent, live and learn and use the gifts god gave you and keep an open mind. I don't care what you believe in, but come down from the high horse already.

Otherwise, please shut the hell up with this hypocrisy. I'm sure god is smiling at your gambling now that jesus sacrificed himself. *eye roll* COME ON.

I can't believe thsi thread, I really can't. Your pal is worried about disrespecting his wife by looking at passing women? What does he do with his TV? Does he read any other books? Does he listen to the radio or go to movies? Does he dream?

What's the saying? "Use the sense god gave you?" Is life really this hard? Are people really so lost and weak that they need this kind of pablum to guide them? Don't cheat. Done. Over.

So aggravating. I would never be found creating a thread here for an excuse to spout my own beliefs. What a ridiculous question. And of course it worked and I'm responding to it like an idiot.

I guess I better go save my soul and life the Biblical life. Maybe I'll tell my wife to "obey" me and quit her job and then go shoot some craps. What a disgrace.

I'm certain god loves you, but I'm also certain that he shakes his head sometimes at stuff like this.