Maybe because this one calls attention to things they cannot allow into their brains”

well your a dumb shit. if you actually did some research, youd learn that christain scholars have done research and had debates of every intricate detail of the bible.
so go ahead, talk about how im not a “good” christain because i cuss, or i cut you down, OH NO. see if i give a damn. but your the ones who are too stupid to relize that your posting dumb little commments on topics you dont know shit about.

Extra biblical evidence, (from Roman, non-Christian observation)
witnesses to Nero’s frustration that Christians would help any destitute poor person they could. They fed, clothed, and housed people who could not repay them, people who didn’t all become Christians, people (many of them slaves) even the Roman Empoerer admitted were marganilized (putting it nicely) by Roman society. The money for this came not from the helped, but the helpers, a few of whom had been former wealthy slave owners (along with people of all societal positions) who now sold out to the idea of sacrificing for community.

Yes the other scriptures are hard to deal with, especially looking back at a far gone culture, written to Israelites (the Apostles put only 3 OT constraints on Gentiles, and mostly to help them get along with Jewish believers; OT law is to be fulfilled in the New Covenant by the graceful expression of Jesus within, life by the Spirit in which there is no law), and based on OT law and not NT grace; their is not a person in leadership in my church who is afraid to preach on these. Maybe you have experienced churches who don’t go there, but I have not seen this fear from any preacher I know personally.

Remeber there is a danger in picking apart scriptures without looking at the whole. Both exegetical work and systematic theology must be employed with balance to understand the doctrine that appears. You must look at the trees and you must look at the forest. I could easliy misrepresent your views by picking out lines that embolden my cause, but in maturity I must take you at your whole, and not disect you into fragments.

By the way, the scripture in Matthew is not hard to understand. If it was literal, all of disciples would have been without arms and eyes, for the Bible declares “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It also goes on to offer us all hope (which betrays your assault as you skip the verses even the most unbelieving agree about; such as treating others the way you want to be treated). Anyway, James doesn’t imply we try to sail with our mouths when he compares the tongue to a rudder that is small but steers the whole ship. Yet Paul most likely literally wants his cloak when he’s imprisoned in the cold season and asks Timothy to bring it to him. When, the Bible syas that “Jesus wept,” I’m thinking it was literal. There is no concrete literal, or metaphorical stamp that can be placed on the Bible.

If you call your friend “dog” he is still human, and if he wears size 12 shoes it dosen’t mean an 8 might fit. Life is full of different things balancing together, the unbalanced approach is what leads to lunacy, in any viewpoint. I’m gonna do my best to be aware of my blindspots, it would be cool if you did the same.

On your response – I am an Aussie, so your definition is a bit too egocentric. However, even in your U.S. definition the distinctions are apparant. Thanks for the back up!

mur·der /ˈmɜrdər/ –noun 1. Law. the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law. In the U.S., special statutory definitions include murder committed with malice aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or occurring during the commission of another serious crime, as robbery or arson (first-degree murder), and murder by intent but without deliberation or premeditation (second-degree murder).

kill /kɪl/ –verb (used with object) 1. to deprive of life in any manner; cause the death of; slay.
(both from http://www.dictionary.com)

As you can see from reading the above two definitions murder and killing are pretty much the same thing. Murder is simply a more specific definition.

I thought you americans were in to capital punishment?

On the matter of God saying don’t kill and then kill, I guess he was targeting people with a higher IQ, that could tell the difference between murdering and killing. There are a plethora of scenarios where killing is justified and a multitude where it is not. If you need to argue semantics do you really have a point to make?

1. Deuteronomy 21:18-21. You’ve missed the point. The age of the child is irrelevant. We’re still looking at a bible verse that instructs a parent when it’s alright to murder their own child. It does not matter if you’re child is 5, 15, or 25. When is it alright to stone another human being to death?

2. Deuteronomy 21:13-21. Again, you’re missing the point. The question posed is: If god commands us not to kill, why does he command us to kill under certain circumstances? I’m disturbed by your assertion that murder is necessary to keep the population in check. Hitler and Stalin felt the same way. Be careful.

3. Colossians 3:22-24. Are you reading the same bible as the rest of us? If so, please educate us on the matter of slavery in the near east. Again, you continue to interpret these verses in the light that best suits you. Read it literally. It literally states that slaves are to obey their masters as if working for god. In other words: not only is god okay with slavery, he is commanding slaves to work even harder. What planet are you from?

4. 1st Corinthians 14:33-35. Yeah, learning in silence can be a really good thing…if you’re not at all into freedom and equality. This is a dicating that women are not to speak freely, nor can they hold a position of authority because they are inferior to men.

Intelligence, apply DIRECTLY to the forehead
Intelligence, apply DIRECTLY to the forehead….

I understand your cynicism but it defeatist. Some people will hate and ignore us, and rationalize their delusion, and some people will view this site with an open mind.

As greater numbers of people recover from religious delusion, the stalwarts will have a better chance of recovering someday too.

For that very reason, passages such as the ones you pointed out are very likely to be shrugged off, much like the domain name of this site.

- cappA