What Is The Soul?

Foster Zygote said:
Why is faith to be so highly valued? Faith, in this context, is belief without reason for belief. In this way how is faith in the resurrection of Jeshua ben Joseph any different from faith in Vishnu or Santa Clause?
Click to expand...

Or ones spouse, or money, or mankind, or science, or anything? Not just in the things that are not true or obviously the things we know about?
 
trentwray said:
I've never understood the psychology behind, "I can suck more than you can ... thus I'm the winner."

Well, I understand it applies to certain situations :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
The DOC thread is an example of this mindset among fundies. Fundies can't win using facts or logic so they think they can win by being long winded. Must have learned this behavior from their preachers or something.
 
David Henson said:
Or ones spouse, or money, or mankind, or science, or anything? Not just in the things that are not true or obviously the things we know about?
Click to expand...
Ah, the sad False Equivocation that fundies love to make. They seem so very ashamed of their faith that they must falsely attempt to equivocate it with trust.
 
trentwray said:
Really? What about when you prayed to God and the JW came to your door? That would mean god wasn't real or that he wasn't to be trusted? Honestly --- you think I've been ridiculous ---- but this is the most serious question I've asked you so far.
Click to expand...


David Henson said:
Oh, man! You're right on top of it . . . so close you can almost taste it. Yet so far.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I think I get it now. You're actually trying to use the bible to show that you're not god, you're not of god, and your theology is incorrect. That's unique. I don't think I've ever seen someone out to prove they have no point and are wrong *claps hands* Bravo sir. Job well done.
 
David Henson said:
What does sin mean? How is the word used in the Bible?
Click to expand...
.
"Sin" is a construct of the swifties and scam artists that conjured up religion as a means of controlling the uninformed masses for the betterment of the lifestyles of the swifties and scam artists.
Supposedly "sin" is "an abomination in the sight of the Lord", who will then exercise the same mercy and charity that was shown to the millions of people -not- in Noah's direct family, or those in Sodom and Gomorrah or those nasty Amelehkites.. i.e. death and pain existence forever.
The club following up on the carrot of immortal life.
It would be similar to what is considered a "crime", a genuine offense against someone; an act of treachery such as theft, murder, pedophilia... but is an offense against an imaginary construct of the swifties and scam artists.
Some "sins" include the real offenses of the world, but only as lip service, since these can be "forgiven" by good works... buying the pastor a Rolls Royce, a scarlet robe, light a few candles, pay for a novena...
And once "forgiven", when they are real offenses, need not be taken to the secular authority for prosecution as crimes because they have been "forgiven". (reference the current brouhaha in the RC Church)
The word is used in the bible to scare the bejeeziz out of the believer, as the club that separates them from this "everlasting life with god" and places them in "everlasting torment".
All over an offense against the imagination.
 
Belz... said:
I predict you'll be suspended a few times in the next few months.
Click to expand...

I've foreseen that possibility and would rather try and avoid it, so I have weeded out the antagonists and will continue to do so as the need arises. It is my sincerest desire to have meaningful discourse.
 
David Henson said:
I've foreseen that possibility and would rather try and avoid it, so I have weeded out the antagonists and will continue to do so as the need arises. It is my sincerest desire to have meaningful discourse.
Click to expand...
I suggest you up the dosage on your meds then.
 
David Henson said:
What percentage of people - believer and unbeliever alike; skeptic, critic, scholar and layman - would you imagine think that the soul according to the Bible is the unscriptural Greek philosophical definition of the soul
Click to expand...

Quite a bit. Even though you say that it means "blood", you also state that the soul goes on after death and ascends into heaven. Blood quite clearly does not do this, so even you are using at least a portion of the "philosophical" definition of the soul.

and of what import would you say that had on theology, and skepticism or just a gereric belief in God and the Bible?
Click to expand...

Not much. The rest of it is still bull.

This isn't rocket science, it isn't a theocratic or atheistic labotomy.
Click to expand...

No, but it is either pointless (if you are simply saying that the Bible says "soul" meaning "blood" and nothing more) or stupid (if you maintain that the soul ascends to heaven after death, which blood does not).
 
I Ratant said:
.
"Sin" is a construct of the swifties and scam artists that conjured up religion as a means of controlling the uninformed masses for the betterment of the lifestyles of the swifties and scam artists.
Click to expand...

And how did that work out for them?
 
Pure_Argent said:
Quite a bit. Even though you say that it means "blood", you also state that the soul goes on after death and ascends into heaven. Blood quite clearly does not do this, so even you are using at least a portion of the "philosophical" definition of the soul.
Click to expand...

I never said that the soul goes on after death and ascends into heaven. The Bible doesn't teach that.

Pure_Argent said:
No, but it is either pointless (if you are simply saying that the Bible says "soul" meaning "blood" and nothing more) or stupid (if you maintain that the soul ascends to heaven after death, which blood does not).
Click to expand...

I say neither. So now what is it?
 
David Henson said:
I never said that the soul goes on after death and ascends into heaven. The Bible doesn't teach that.
Click to expand...

Then what goes to heaven?

I say neither. So now what is it?
Click to expand...

Dunno. What do you think it is? What does defining the soul as blood do? You say that many people would take issue with the Bible using the "popular" definition of soul, as this has never been shown to exist, but it doesn't say "soul" to mean the same thing as everyone else, so that objection doesn't work. But obviously the Bible states the existence of something that remains after death, and this is the thing that most people would view as a soul. You are simply switching one word for another.
 
Pure_Argent said:
Pretty well so far, I would say.
Click to expand...

For all intended purposes I would have to disagree. If they intended the Law, which brought attention to sin, to control the masses and increase their own power it failed miserably. Moses, who the law was named after, didn't even see the promised land. It was obvious even then the law was a failure and impossible to maintain. The Jewish leaders did, of course, manipulate it to their end and profited from it on many levels but they were rejected by God and Jerusalem was destroyed, its people in exile and the law itself replaced as was foretold long before. The idea that the Law of Moses and the idea of sin was created to control or suppress the people for the benefit of it's creators isn't a logical conclusion it is an emotional reaction from ignorance. A common one at that.

Pure_Argent said:
Oh, and this is totally off-topic, but I like your avatar. The Incredibles was a really good movie, and for some reason that scene always makes me laugh.
Click to expand...

Thank you and I agree. I don't normally like animated films or superheroes but I did like that one. By the way, I was meaning to ask you if Castlevania is the old Nintendo game I used to play for hours on end as a lad?
 
David Henson said:
And how did that work out for them?
Click to expand...
.
They got your heart, mind, and dare I say it, soul!
Which you all by yourself are baring and hanging yourself out to dry in front of the FSM and the rest of us.
Poor soul. :(
 
David Henson said:
For all intended purposes I would have to disagree. If they intended the Law, which brought attention to sin, to control the masses and increase their own power it failed miserably. Moses, who the law was named after, didn't even see the promised land. It was obvious even then the law was a failure and impossible to maintain. The Jewish leaders did, of course, manipulate it to their end and profited from it on many levels but they were rejected by God and Jerusalem was destroyed, its people in exile and the law itself replaced as was foretold long before. The idea that the Law of Moses and the idea of sin was created to control or suppress the people for the benefit of it's creators isn't a logical conclusion it is an emotional reaction from ignorance. A common one at that.
Click to expand...

So the whole fact that the church exists, has a huge income, is pretty much not taxed at all, and has laws which protect it today doesn't matter because the people that the Bible is about (most of whom probably didn't exist) had miserable lives?

Thank you and I agree. I don't normally like animated films or superheroes but I did like that one. By the way, I was meaning to ask you if Castlevania is the old Nintendo game I used to play for hours on end as a lad?
Click to expand...

Yep. This one:

Castlevania_nes_03.png


Though it has since evolved into a combination RPG/platformer series:

050830s1.jpg


I've played (and beaten) all of them, and I own most of them, as well as several pieces of memorabilia that only die-hard fans would be interested in (the entire soundtrack, anyone...?). It's eaten my life. Though Fallout 3 is certainly giving it a run for its money right now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom