--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > <snip> > > It does interest me that Yogananda's book is a > > > fantastic example of how spiritual people use the appearance of > > > science when it suits them. The New Testament does the same thing. > > > It appears to follow scientific standards and gives the impression of > > > a method, but it does not conform to the proper procedures. It is a > > > great "proof" for people who do not understand or value a more > > > reliable application of the method. > > > > Just for the record, the scientific method didn't exist > > in biblical times. They weren't trying to even appear > > to follow "scientific standards" because they hadn't > > been established yet and wouldn't be for many centuries. > > They were using the standards of their culture. > > > > It's one thing to point out that they used different > > standards that don't conform to modern ones; it's > > quite another to suggest that they were trying to > > make people think they were conforming to standards > > that nobody knew anything about, including the folks > > who wrote the Bible. > > > > > Good point, I am glad you got back to it. The scientific method > evolved as a result from human's figuring out methods of procedures to > minimize errors. The author's of the bible, and the people who chose > which authors to include in the bible, were using and ,I claim > manipulating, the standards of credibility of their era. So Jesus > healing the sick gets in, but making a bird out of clay as a young boy > and it flying away did not. Are you saying that they had no concept > of being credible back then?
Well, no, of course I'm not saying that. They had different *standards* for credibility. I don't think they even clear the bar of > their own day's standards. The sensory based evidence is > contradictory in the different gospels. Even back then they > understood that problem didn't they? Not in the same way we do. As far as paranormal- type abilities were concerned, it wasn't so much a question of whether they existed, but of who had them, and where he or she got them from (God or demons). The Gospel stories were passed along orally for decades before they were ever written down, and of course they'd get embellished, and different people would recall, or invent, different bits that they particularly liked when they were doing the telling (and not just with regard to the miracle stories). The Gospels are therefore a record of what people were saying about Jesus at the time they were put on paper; and the miracle stories were more a way of saying that he had extraordinary abilities that came from God, rather than that he did A, B, and C. And even this was simply a way of giving more authority to his teaching about salvation, which was the main point. So the contradictions didn't bother anybody. That said, there was also a great deal of redaction, including after the Gospels were written down, but those changes were more for political purposes--for the Roman rulers in particular. They weren't an attempt to manipulate folks into thinking he did miracles when he didn't (even if he didn't!). That just wasn't the point. We get fixated on the miracle stories exactly because in this scientific age, we tend not to believe in miracles. Back then, there was a lot less resistance, so the miracle stories weren't nearly as big a deal (except for the Resurrection story, of course). > But your point is well taken. We have learned a lot since then about > standards of credibility and that standard should not be applied. > Have you seen the book Misquoting Jesus : The Story Behind Who Changed > the Bible and Why? > > It lays out a pretty compelling case for my claim. I haven't read that one specifically, but I've read quite a bit about the various changes that were made and why. I'll see if I can get ahold of the one you cite, thanks. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get to your groups with one click. Know instantly when new email arrives http://us.click.yahoo.com/.7bhrC/MGxNAA/yQLSAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
