--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "tertonzeno" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- > Cherry-picking statements as well as looking at the whole can be of > value, depending upon one's intentions. For example, if one > says: "The Bible is the Inerrant Word of God", cherry-picking even a > single obviously errant (misguided, a-dharmic) statement can disprove > the premise. If we collect a few hundred statements unbecoming of a > God-like Entity, then something's fishy, is it not? >
Yes. We are so far beyond these ancient myths. These writings only value is cultural historic. We can look back at the past and see how hunter-gatherers moved into monarchistic societies. For the life of me I don't see how anyone can open up these old books and find anything of spiritual value. This tribal patriarchal thinking is the surest way towards hatred and death. The last 2K years of "civilization" attests to this. Is it Chris Hitchens who says religion poisons everything it touches? If we are looking to the ancients for ethical/moral guidance we are far better off looking to the Ancient Greeks who put a price on rationality rather than visions and magic. May I suggest Aristotle's Ethics for your reading pleasure. It was a huge hit for Christian, Jewish and Islamic scholars in the eleventh century. Changed the way we interpreted the concept of soul and what it means to be human. Took enlightenment authors like Spinoza to really see the error in sinking one's faith in dogma. Barry said: Stu, you've got an evil sense of humor on you. If you were to join Curtis and Geez in Fairfield for their party-down I might have to show up just to be able to share a few beers with the bunch of you. Dang Barry, I would love to hang with you and the gang sometime. s.
