How are we to believe in the accuracy of events from 2000 years ago...

[waterman]

when we can't even get answers to these things that happen right in our face?

[DarkPhenyx]

1. We have a book that tells us what happened...

...and the book absolutely cannot be wrong. It is the word of God after all.

[Drifter]

9. Did God have ...

good handwriting. I think that is important.

This book was written by humans who were interested in quelling their enemies by making them believe that they working in the name of an all-knowing diety.

If God was real there would be no need for Religion.

Cheers
Drifter

[DarkPhenyx]

12. Blasphemer! Heretic!

Get thee hence! How dare you question the word of God, as transcribed and edited, by his very own, self proclaimed, representatives on Earth?

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Well, not all Christians believe in inerrancy.

[Snow]

22. You mean Homer? but that's more than 2,000 years ago...

Oh, wait - not that book, you mean Confucius' Analects, right? Not too exciting, but at least you get an idea what was going on....

[LynneSin]

2. It's called faith

and I have more faith in what happened 2000 years ago than with what is happening with the current administration

[Az]

3. And I have more faith in a shadow

On the moon. Sorry, had to ref that one. Don't worry if you don't know the quote.

[On the Road]

6. Didn't Know That One:

"The Church says that the earth is flat, but I know that it is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in a shadow than in the Church. " Ferdinand Magellan

Too bad there are no 200-year-old shadows.

[Shoedogg]

7. Faith

"Faith is what allows you to believe what you otherwise couldn't believe if you was in your right mind."

-- Archie Bunker

[einniv]

15. Unfortunately it doesn't get us very far.

Why should I not have faith in Allah or the teachings of Buddah.
How about Vishnu and Osiris and Zeus?
That is one brick wall I have never been able to get past regarding "faith"

[supernova]

4. Good analogy

and you're right.

That movie is no more accurate than a movie, book, or play, I would write about it. The only thing Mel can accurately say is that "Passion" is his interrpretation, his understanding of what he's studied. That's all.

[Romel]

5. lets see....the Dead Sea Scrolls perhaps? The Septuagint?

read about them. That is, if you really want to know.

[DarkPhenyx]

13. How do you know those references are accurate and true?

How do you know the person writting them wasn't doing so with personal purposes afore thought. Or even that he wasn't drafting an action adventure novel?

[RebelOne]

17. My daddy always said that the bible was a collection

of contemporary novels of those times.

[Az]

21. There is a theory

That the earliest gospel (Mark) was actually a reworking of Homer's stories (Illiad & Odysseus) reworking the long suffering protagonist as a pacifist instead of an aggressor.

[DarkPhenyx]

23. There is actually very little to nothing...

...in the Bible that is original. This includes the death and resurrection of Christ. The Celtic tribes had a similar story, as did the Greeks, and the Egyptians.

Had a fundie once argue with me that there was no other religion that had a God who had died and been resurrected. He was stunned when I started going into great detail on examples proving his statement false.

[Serenades]

8. . . .

Doesn't accuracy depend on perspective? We both could go to a concert and have totally different opinions of what happened. I could think it was great, the crowd was into it, and the beautiful people flashing us were heavenly. However, you could think that it was violent, loud, obnoxious, and crazy where people with low morals go to indulge in their stupidity.

But I understand what you're trying to say. We can't get an accurate account of what's going on in Iraq in 2004.

[Az]

10. We would both agree

That concert did occur. Details may vary but the basic experience would be similar.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. We don't have to believe in the absolute accuracy...

of every event in order to gain understanding.

Rationalism has its limits, too.

[F.Gordon]

14. God sent Mel Gibson back in time

Mel videotaped the whole thing. Think there's a movie about it. Not sure....

[tobius]

16. Scorcese had his interpretation:

"The Last Temptation of Christ"- in it he portrayed a sex scene with Mary Magdalane,
there didn't seem to be the same uproar from the left as with the latest movie. At that time the right was up in arms.

Objectively looking at reponses to common culture can be quite revealing.

[einniv]

18. Thats because he captured the message of Christ

not just a series of beatings.

Here is my review where I make some comparisons of the 2 films.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x807380

[zbdent]

19. I want to know the Administrative Assistant's name who transcribed

the exchange between God and Adam.

You never hear about him. (Remember, Woman wasn't created yet).