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On March 15 2011 07:36 Meta wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2011 07:18 GeneralissimoNero wrote:
Lets address the Bible thing first. THE BIBLE states that THE BIBLE is written by God. It has no merit but its own. Therefore, if I don't believe that the letter written by Paul in which he says "All scripture is god breathed", is of God, then it immediately negates the idea that all scripture is God breathed. Interesting point. If the bible has no merit but it's own, and if you (or I, for that matter) believe one part of it is false, what legitimizes the rest of it? Why is it worth believing or studying if you get to pick which parts are true and which parts aren't? And with regard to your previous question, yes I do think paying tithing to the Catholic church is hard to justify. They are already one of the wealthiest organization in the history of mankind, and they've been proven dozens and dozens of times to financially support pedophiles. But that's not a point I feel worth discussing in this topic or in general on this website. I'm much more interested in your interpretation of the bible and how/why you believe it to be true.
I would like to point out that your tax money goes to a government that funds healthcare for pedophiles. I tithe to my church, which goes to my diocese, and funds my local churches. I love my priest. Also, he is not a pedophile.
Secondly, I don't necessarily pick and choose which parts are God breathed. One of my favorite books is the Confessions by St. Augustine. I do believe that his writing was inspired by God and God breathed, but no it is not scripture. Just because I don't believe that Paul's letters are the inerrant word of God doesn't mean that he doesn't contain very accurate first hand accounts of Jesus, and that he is not passing on teachings from Jesus himself.
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How do you feel about religion? Do you believe in a God?
I don't believe in any god, and I believe religion is a plague of the mind, and completely unnecessary in all instances.
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On March 15 2011 06:53 DoctorHelvetica wrote:
Are you actually a theologian? Do you study religion academically?
Kind of an ambiguous answer to your question. I'm a senior in high school. I'm quite young, as I said before. However, I attend a private high school where I do have a theology class. I have a very close acquaintance with the teacher though. He had me teach the class last week. So, while I don't take a formal collegiate Theology class, I have a great passion for it and spend much of my time studying it. I will be attending a college next year with a major in theology. I hope this doesn't do damage to my merit. I believe my responses show sufficient knowledge. I am a theologian by definition, but not by profession. Yet. Till then, I work at subway 
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Norway28877 Posts
On March 15 2011 06:46 happyft wrote:
I'm rather shocked. You don't believe in Hell nor that the Word is completely true? So where do people who don't believe in Jesus go? And if the Bible is God's word, then what do you think of the verse that goes, "all scripture is god breathed", and that God cannot lie? Very confused, please elaborate.
even the pope has disbanded the view of a literal "hell". rather, "hell" is merely the absense of being connected with god, which is a hellish experience compared to being connected.
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I thought I knew a lot about philosophy and theology too, but after seriously studying I realized how much of a dumbass I was. When I got back to the head of the department a few weeks ago I told him that I now realized when I first spoke to him last year about my desire to get into the master's program, I had no idea how ignorant I was about things and he answered, "that's normal, I'm glad you understand now."
You probably don't know anything right now, and I mean this. Don't go calling yourself a theologian; something like this is as unbearable as hearing a first year philosophy student calling himself a philosopher. You might understand some basic themes and be knowledgeable of some things more than other students, but just remember that this alone doesn't mean much.
If you're majoring in theology it seems like you're planning on entering a religious seminary, rather than a secular department.
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On March 15 2011 07:52 GeneralissimoNero wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2011 06:53 DoctorHelvetica wrote:
Are you actually a theologian? Do you study religion academically? Kind of an ambiguous answer to your question. I'm a senior in high school. I'm quite young, as I said before. However, I attend a private high school where I do have a theology class. I have a very close acquaintance with the teacher though. He had me teach the class last week. So, while I don't take a formal collegiate Theology class, I have a great passion for it and spend much of my time studying it. I will be attending a college next year with a major in theology. I hope this doesn't do damage to my merit. I believe my responses show sufficient knowledge. I am a theologian by definition, but not by profession. Yet. Till then, I work at subway
I really have no idea at the level you're being taught at your private high school but there's a huge gap between an education from just high school and university. A gap to the point where self study I don't think can cover. Also
On March 15 2011 07:18 GeneralissimoNero wrote:
Secondly, I don't think you need to believe in Jesus to go to Heaven. Not knowing or believing does not mean rejecting.
this line of yours makes me wonder. Can you clarify on this line. I'm not a christian but I have a lot
of friends who are devout Christians who tell me the whole basis of being a Christian was in believing that Jesus is the son of God and that he was crucified on the cross for everyone's sin. It says in John 3:16 the only way to go to heaven is to believe in Jesus so what you said really contradicts that.
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There's some streams of theology where the divinity of Christ is swept away though. Schleiermacher, for example, pretty much didn't think Christ was God, or that he was born perfect amongst other humans. Pretty much since Schleiermacher there have always been some thinkers, particularly in liberal Protestantism, that eschew the belief in a divine Christ and only look at the wholly human Christ.
But Catholics don't follow this. In fact, my prof has told me an amusing story about how when he was young, he once had a Catholic lecturer, who was an ordained priest, go on a rather shocking yet interesting speech on the very first class about how the traditional Christian doctrine about Christ's essence being both wholly God and wholly man in one body with no separation is just completely illogical and nonsense. There was a disgruntled Catholic student in the class however, who secretly recorded the priest's lecture and gave it to the local Catholic diocese. The priest was never seen again.
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Why did you choose to believe in the bible and not the scriptures of some other religion? Isn't it primarily a product of where you were born and how your parents raised you? This always kinda bothered me about religion. If there were only one religion in the world I'd probably be more inclined to believe its teachings.
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On March 15 2011 08:03 koreasilver wrote:
I thought I knew a lot about philosophy and theology too, but after seriously studying I realized how much of a dumbass I was. When I got back to the head of the department a few weeks ago I told him that I now realized when I first spoke to him last year about my desire to get into the master's program, I had no idea how ignorant I was about things and he answered, "that's normal, I'm glad you understand now."
You probably don't know anything right now, and I mean this. Don't go calling yourself a theologian; something like this is as unbearable as hearing a first year philosophy student calling himself a philosopher. You might understand some basic themes and be knowledgeable of some things more than other students, but just remember that this alone doesn't mean much.
If you're majoring in theology it seems like you're planning on entering a religious seminary, rather than a secular department.
I am, by definition a Theologian. No, I have yet to attend college for it, but I'm answering the most basic of questions right now. People asked me why I believe in the Christian God. It doesn't take eight years of teaching to understand something that basic. Besides, I am quite prepared for a theology course. I do self studying, yes, but I've listened to plenty of lectures by college profs. Its not complicated stuff. I out debated a coworker on the existence of God and he has a masters degree in philosophy. I'm no amateur. I understand far more than basic themes.
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Oh man, your hubris is going to bite you in the future one day.
Also: your coworker at subway has a master's in philosophy. That means he failed to make it academically; he's not a bright shining example of success. Arguments about the existence of God is probably the most useless argument you could ever engage in about religion as well. You really haven't proven anything.
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Papal infallibility: yes or no?
edit: Ah, it's highly inappropriate for you to call yourself a theologian lol.
A first year biochemist isn't going to go around saying he's a biochemist, regardless of how well he did in a high school exam or how books he'd read.
Someone who just passed the written FSOT isn't going to call himself a diplomat, either.
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On March 15 2011 08:25 koreasilver wrote:
Oh man, your hubris is going to bite you in the future one day.
I'm not arrogant. You said I don't know anything. I defended myself.
If you want to help me answer the questions that the people give me, then thats awesome. You seem really well versed in German protestant theologians. I have to say, I am not.
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On March 15 2011 08:26 Elegy wrote:
Papal infallibility: yes or no?
Oh man. Ya know, to be honest, I don't really buy it. Thats a tough one though. I guess It would go back to that whole "merit" thing. The Pope has no merit for this but his own. But I am very open to the idea. The encyclicals by Benedict and John Paul II are sooooo good. I respect the Popes so much.
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On March 15 2011 08:19 GeneralissimoNero wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2011 08:03 koreasilver wrote:
I thought I knew a lot about philosophy and theology too, but after seriously studying I realized how much of a dumbass I was. When I got back to the head of the department a few weeks ago I told him that I now realized when I first spoke to him last year about my desire to get into the master's program, I had no idea how ignorant I was about things and he answered, "that's normal, I'm glad you understand now."
You probably don't know anything right now, and I mean this. Don't go calling yourself a theologian; something like this is as unbearable as hearing a first year philosophy student calling himself a philosopher. You might understand some basic themes and be knowledgeable of some things more than other students, but just remember that this alone doesn't mean much.
If you're majoring in theology it seems like you're planning on entering a religious seminary, rather than a secular department. I am, by definition a Theologian. No, I have yet to attend college for it, but I'm answering the most basic of questions right now. People asked me why I believe in the Christian God. It doesn't take eight years of teaching to understand something that basic. Besides, I am quite prepared for a theology course. I do self studying, yes, but I've listened to plenty of lectures by college profs. Its not complicated stuff. I out debated a coworker on the existence of God and he has a masters degree in philosophy. I'm no amateur. I understand far more than basic themes.
A PhD in philosophy and 1 dollar will get you a coffee at starbucks.
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As it bothers you guys so much that I called myself a theologian, I will from henceforth refer to myself with the honorary title of "That Guy".
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The thing is, you and I, we are amateurs. We have to understand this and always remember that we are only students. I might always be at the top of my religion classes despite only seriously considering a future in religious studies a year ago but that by itself doesn't mean anything in the academic world. Its pretty rough, and the sheer amount of information and understanding you face once you open the doors is just absolutely overwhelming. In the face of all this we really don't know anything. The problem with calling yourself a theologian comes from this: an amateur should not and cannot call himself by a title that is given to a professional. You don't call a med school student a doctor, nor do you call a law school student a lawyer. By the same means, a philosophy student should never be called a philosopher nor should a student at a seminary be called a theologian.
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On March 15 2011 08:44 koreasilver wrote:
The thing is, you and I, we are amateurs. We have to understand this and always remember that we are only students. I might always be at the top of my religion classes despite only seriously considering a future in religious studies a year ago but that by itself doesn't mean anything in the academic world. Its pretty rough, and the sheer amount of information and understanding you face once you open the doors is just absolutely overwhelming. In the face of all this we really don't know anything. The problem with calling yourself a theologian comes from this: an amateur should not and cannot call himself by a title that is given to a professional. You don't call a med school student a doctor, nor do you call a law school student a lawyer. By the same means, a philosophy student should never be called a philosopher nor should a student at a seminary be called a theologian.
Ah hell. You're right. Now I don't know what to call my blog though...
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On March 15 2011 08:47 GeneralissimoNero wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2011 08:44 koreasilver wrote:
The thing is, you and I, we are amateurs. We have to understand this and always remember that we are only students. I might always be at the top of my religion classes despite only seriously considering a future in religious studies a year ago but that by itself doesn't mean anything in the academic world. Its pretty rough, and the sheer amount of information and understanding you face once you open the doors is just absolutely overwhelming. In the face of all this we really don't know anything. The problem with calling yourself a theologian comes from this: an amateur should not and cannot call himself by a title that is given to a professional. You don't call a med school student a doctor, nor do you call a law school student a lawyer. By the same means, a philosophy student should never be called a philosopher nor should a student at a seminary be called a theologian. Ah hell. You're right. Now I don't know what to call my blog though...
add "aspiring" in the title!
Or maybe someone can make a sweet pun to make it even more interesting...can't think of any, though
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Australia326 Posts
On March 15 2011 05:12 GeneralissimoNero wrote:I've read the Bible, for instance (What a shot!). I'll tell you first hand that it isn't all its cracked up to be. Do I believe its the Word of God? Yeah. I guess. Maybe. I'm not an Evangelical. I'm not the crazy Southern Baptist guy down the street. In the most surprising of circumstances, I'm not Republican. Yes, thats right. A non Republican Christian? I bet you're reeling right now. Your world is shattered. Well thats what I'm here for.  I believe in three core values of Christianity. I'm pretty much all over the board doctrinally for everything else. I do not believe in the conscious eternal torment of Hell for instance. The idea is preposterous to be frank. I do not believe that all scripture is timeless, inerrant truth. This confuses me. If you do not believe all scripture is truth, then do you only pick bits here and there which fit your world view?
Also, please elaborate about the aforementioned 'three core values', I'm curious.
Many thanks.
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On March 15 2011 08:49 Elegy wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2011 08:47 GeneralissimoNero wrote:On March 15 2011 08:44 koreasilver wrote:
The thing is, you and I, we are amateurs. We have to understand this and always remember that we are only students. I might always be at the top of my religion classes despite only seriously considering a future in religious studies a year ago but that by itself doesn't mean anything in the academic world. Its pretty rough, and the sheer amount of information and understanding you face once you open the doors is just absolutely overwhelming. In the face of all this we really don't know anything. The problem with calling yourself a theologian comes from this: an amateur should not and cannot call himself by a title that is given to a professional. You don't call a med school student a doctor, nor do you call a law school student a lawyer. By the same means, a philosophy student should never be called a philosopher nor should a student at a seminary be called a theologian. Ah hell. You're right. Now I don't know what to call my blog though... add "aspiring" in the title! Or maybe someone can make a sweet pun to make it even more interesting...can't think of any, though
I think that'll work.
![[image loading]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kDoyvibiZag/R2kfOv6rdpI/AAAAAAAABNw/l8YqAjfeIEU/s320/BurnsExcellentSticker.jpg)
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EPT
