When Saddam Hangs

[Rob]

The disciples in the context of Matthew 19:24 understood Jesus to be mentioning the impossible because they "were astonished and asked (v. 25), 'Then who can be saved?'" Furthermore Jesus responded by saying "With men this is impossible . . . . " For these two reasons I do not think that Jesus is speaking with hyperbole in this context (Mt. 19:24-26).

I don't follow your logic. The two things you mention both support my position that Jesus was using hyerbole, and further, that he was talking about a camel and not a fat rope.

[Karel]

The key is to understanding the mechanisms by which the human ascertains the truth. I know that the truth is what it is, what is going to happen is going to happen, though we have free will. So we have to ask the critical question, how do we find truth? If we find it, are we ready? This is my current focus in life, finding the truth about why we are all here and the true construction of the universe.

Well, I have perhaps a different perspective about what is critical. I think it is critical to find ways to be a blessing to other people, and to recognize it when they are a blessing to you. But truth doesn't sound too bad either

Regards,

Karel

[Rob]

This is my current focus in life, finding the truth about why we are all here and the true construction of the universe.

I could tell you, but this is not the place for it. I'll tell you this much: in your quest, let the first three chapters in the book of Proverbs be your guide, and do not deviate from it in the slightest detail.

[New-born baby]

I don't follow your logic. The two things you mention both support my position that Jesus was using hyerbole, and further, that he was talking about a camel and not a fat rope.

Rob,
Yes, I agree, He was talking about a camel and not a fat rope.

When you said "hyperbole," I understood you to be saying that Jesus did not mean it literally. A hyperbole is an exaggeration. I disagree with with notion that Jesus was exaggerating. I am saying that He literally meant that it would be easier for a literal camel to go through a literal eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved. That's impossible, but that would be easier than for a man to save himself.

[New-born baby]

Oomph. I am sorry I caught up with this thread. NBB has shown himself a pretty typical fundamentalist Christian as I was afraid he was. No problem, we all have our quirks. All Christians started as fundamentalists, until that position became untenable by more and more Bible study. Therefore the need for "Higher criticism". Something like the fact that all earth science started with the Genesis account, and now only people in deep denial still do so with regard to science. (Genesis is still fine in religion, though).

I don't want to bash the fundamentalist position too much, because I think it also may help you to lead a Christian life, but you are almost bound to pick up some warped ideas there, especially about the Bible and other Christian denominations. Other denominations have their faults too, I suppose. I know mine has; I am RC.

Regards,

Karel

Karel,
I don't think you need to be sorry. Yes, if by Fundamentalist Christian you mean a Bible-believer, you are very correct. I don't think the position is untenable; I think it is bullet-proof.

Example: the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics states that all things are running down. Your house, your car, everything is subject to decay. This is a law of the universe. So then how can evolution be true? I would think that evolution is the untenable position.

God bless you, Karel

[Karel]

Karel,
I don't think you need to be sorry. Yes, if by Fundamentalist Christian you mean a Bible-believer, you are very correct. I don't think the position is untenable; I think it is bullet-proof.

Actually, you should know better. Bible-believer is not the meaning of fundamentalist, although it is true that fundamentalists generally consider themselves to be the only Bible-believers, a rather unfunny practice. You could try this for the meaning of fundamentalist, the way I used the word.

Example: the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics states that all things are running down. Your house, your car, everything is subject to decay. This is a law of the universe. So then how can evolution be true? I would think that evolution is the untenable position.

God bless you, Karel

This is indeed strange, that you start out with this easily refutable strawman argument. You misstate the 2nd law. The impossibility of the law as you state it is easy to see: all around us, we see natural processes going in both directions: water freezes and ice thaws, clouds condense and evaporize. One of those directions always is towards more order, the other towards less. In your formulation, one half of those two pairs of processes would be impossible. Trust scientists to formulate better laws than that. And of course I didn't need to go into this kind of detail, for who would take a "natural law" seriously that uses colloquial expressions like "running down"?

Regards,

Karel

[Websman]

What's a "RC" Karel?

Of course, not that it would matter. I'd like you even if you were a Klingon. jejejeje

Has anyone ever considered the possibilty that humans were genetically engineered by a highly advanced civilization. Could it be that the "Gods" as we know them are actually our anscestors? Could we be hybrids?? Where there Ancient Astronauts???

Zecharia Sitchin thinks so......You have now entered the Twilight Zone....

http://www.crystalinks.com/sitchen.html

[Karel]

What's a "RC" Karel?

RC can mean a lot of things, but in this case it is supposed to mean Roman catholic

Regards,

Karel

[Websman]

RC can mean a lot of things, but in this case it is supposed to mean Roman catholic

Regards,

Karel

I've never been to a Catholic service, but I've been thinking about it. I love the Catholic faith.

The way I look at it, we're all shooting for the same goal.

[lemonjello]

the great game

I vote to move this thread back to global realpolitik in the middle east and how the US elite is simply attempting to manipulate the entire region for it's own special interests while using Madison Ave spin to deceptively influence public opinion at the great cost to the blood and treasure of the citizenry.

Um, ok, maybe that wasn't the original topic.

[studentofthemarket]

I usually lean to the right, politically. However these two guys really leave me scratching my head. What boggles my mind is how Cheney had the audacity to assign Halliburton to a no bid contract to cover all of the "services" in Iraq. I thought that Halliburton was in the oil drilling business?

Wouldn't one think that just the appearance of impropriety of assigning Halliburton as a contractor would have been enough to make them use a different contractor? It's just the "tough shit, we're in power, we can do whatever we want" attitude that makes me wonder about what REALLY is going on in Washington these days.

By the way, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Gerald Ford. He was one of the good guys.

Haliburton has a subsidiary: KBR(Kellog Brown & Root) if memory serves. They are a HUGE player in the logistics business. A guy here at work was all tuned up about that stuff until I pointed out a few things.

Like...

Who was a major contractor for support for the troops during the Clinton admin? Haliburton/KBR. They built all the facilities in Yugoslavia(the place we were only supposed to be for a year, but are there to this day). No bid contracts then as well. ARe you going to contract with a french company to do this work?

what company is large enough and has the required expertise? KBR

it just goes on and on. The military moved to more soldiers using weapons and and fewer soldiers driving trucks and forklifts. But supplies still have to be trucked, buildings have to be built etc. (i'm not talking about combat engineering, this is mess hall construction/barracks stuff) who do they have doing that? KBR.

at any rate. Once Eric read about what they do, he calmed down quite a bit.
he had nearly hyperventilated over the evil haliburton company.

student.

[peanuts]

RC can mean a lot of things, but in this case it is supposed to mean Roman catholic

Regards,

Karel

Are you sure that you not a racecar?

Another mode of transportation palindrome is kayak. Can you think of more?

[Websman]

I vote to move this thread back to global realpolitik in the middle east and how the US elite is simply attempting to manipulate the entire region for it's own special interests while using Madison Ave spin to deceptively influence public opinion at the great cost to the blood and treasure of the citizenry.

Um, ok, maybe that wasn't the original topic.

It's close enough...

Did I mention the fact that Florida has a new Governor? and he's single? and gay? and has voted against gay marriage? Not that I'm gay, of course, but isn't that kind of hypocritical?

[lemonjello]

The Bush dynasty is getting a pruning.

It's close enough...

Did I mention the fact that Florida has a new Governor? and he's single? and gay? and has voted against gay marriage? Not that I'm gay, of course, but isn't that kind of hypocritical?

[Websman]

The Bush dynasty is getting a pruning.

Jeb has left Tallahassee... I've been to his office on business and was not really impressed much by him.