Who's the little man? Egyptian artwork shows two giants raising a djed pillar. The man shown could be a normal-sized human working with giants. ~ The Bible documents the existence of giants. David slew Goliath, who was a giant.

submitted by In-the-clouds from (john1126.com)

sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun
you are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

[–]Gravi 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (24 children)

Didn't David also collect 200 foreskins?

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (23 children)

Yes, from Philistines. Here is the rest of the story.

[–]Gravi 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (22 children)

I wonder if people reading the Bible are disgusted by things akin to this, this itself included, how do they even try to understand the meaning of this.

[–]merrychristmas 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I can. Or rather, I can paraphrase the words of a priest who knows how to read the Bible in Greek.

As he explained it to me, Jesus's sacrifice transformed the human race. He imparted the grace of God to each and every member of the race, then and now, perpetually. You're perhaps familiar with the concept of "human nature" as it is put forth by the nonreligious? That mankind is a base animal, slaved to instincts rooted in selfish preservation? That may well have been true 2020 years ago, but it stopped being true 2019 years ago. This is why people who say the world will go to chaos without christianity are both stupid and hysterical. Christ is within all of us, literally and metaphorically. The only reason Christ took up the role of rabbi in his lifetime was to spread the good word (in Hebrew, gospel). To let us know that everything we were doing was entirely pointless. There dont need to be guardians of the faith, much less guardians of the people (The Sadducees and Pharisees respectively, today they have become the College of Cardinals and the governments of the world). There isnt anything to guard against anymore.

Are people still capable of evil? Of course. Jesus in fact told us that he had come "not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it," referring to God's "laws", the Ten Commandments. He shows here we still need some divine guidance, but only inasmuch as a robot needs some parameters no matter the miraculous wetware it's been gifted by its creators.

If this sounds incongruous with what you hear in any given Mass it's because it bloody well is. My friend the priest is angry about only one thing in this world, and that's the absolute burying of this central theological tenant amongst all the liturgy and orthodoxy of the church. Because the church as it is today is so ludicrously unecessary its laughable. To keep itself germaine it has stuck to Christ's teaching that dont impune its hierarchy. No one has to tell us how or why to be good anymore, the zytgyst has gotten too big and too accessible. An atheistic type could chalk it up to social programming and be just as satisfied, I believe.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (20 children)

I am disgusted by many of the events recorded in the Bible. Don't you think God is, too? Just because an act of man is recorded in the Bible as a historically accurate account does not mean it was approved by God.

God was displeased with David for committing adultery with Bathsheba. Here is more of that story: "And the LORD sent Nathan unto David...."

God was displeased with David for counting the men of Israel and Judah that could fight in battle. David repented from these things.

There are things you also have done that displease the Lord: every time you choose to sin. Have you repented? Or are you better than David, and free from all faults?

[–]Gravi 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (19 children)

Nobody is free from all faults, never.

I do not believe because every sect of Christianity believes they are right - Orthodox, Baptist or any other Protestants, Jehovah Witnesses, Catholics, etc - and when you look into why each sect came into being, it is pure selfishness or just stupid disagreements.

I do not believe because the Bible has been rewritten numerous times, canons have changed most likely and why should one trust in the word of something rewritten numerous times and changed throughout the course of time?

I believe not for I do not seek salvation upon my death as I do not believe in an afterlife nor do I wish for something so synthetic as a happy forever after.

In short I was never convinced that a God exists and find it rather difficult to believe something like a God.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (18 children)

You are right that none of us are free from faults. You are also right to see a problem with the different sects: believe them not. That's what Jesus said.

God's word is always given to man in its pure form, but man, because of his free will, can corrupt it. That's not God's fault, but God continually delivers the pure truth to man in every generation. But only those that desire the truth can receive it.

[–]Gravi 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (17 children)

I seek truth above all, I adore and hoard information for that purpose and cause alone.

I once told a Baptist priest that I am unable to believe in a religion brought here, to Latvian land, through violence, by Teutonic knights about 800 years ago and he responded to me that I should not be stuck in the one period of time, that about 400 years later some "real" Christians came and started building schools for the locals, Latvians.

I think of him rather naive and foolish for using such a weak argument for it does not repay the sins done 800 years ago, for it brought much pain and loss to the Baltic people, 700 years of serfdom and the loss of the Prussian people.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (16 children)

One of my biggest regrets in life is that I did not read the Bible sooner, for myself, instead of letting other men tell me what's inside. I don't know anything about Latvia.... is that where you live? But I know religious people have destroyed faith in many all over the world. Remember that it was the religious leaders in Jerusalem that demanded the crucifixion of the Savior of the world. Are you hearing this? The religious people are on their way to hell if they do not repent and humble themselves and seek Jesus. You say you don't want synthetic eternal happiness. God offers real, not synthetic, love and truth for ever. His adversary offers nothing but torment and lies for ever.... And lies are what's synthetic.... because they are not real, like being trapped in a virtual world.

Every man should work out his own salvation with fear and trembling. You are responsible for your own choices. No man can give you faith. If you seek the truth above all, then you are headed in the right direction and you will eventually see that no other explanation makes sense. Jesus was who he said he was. He is the truth, the way, and the life. And the worldly rulers hate him, because they wants slaves, not brothers.

[–]Gravi 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (14 children)

I shall read the Bible but only much later for reading takes me a lot of time and I have other books I desire to delve in.

Yes, I live in Latvia, I even made a sub called Letts but I rarely ever post there anymore.

I would rather not believe in a foreign import of a religion somewhere far away with a book that has been rewritten numerous times and itself declares that the scribes themselves write lies.

I believe that many religious leaders are much bigger sinners than the common believer.

I do not believe that something eternal can be natural, life is a cycle of pain and suffering intertwined with joy and happiness, that is most natural since nothing lasts forever.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (13 children)

Welcome from Latvia! I am glad to meet you. I am in Arkansas, USA.

a religion somewhere far away

I asked AI chat: What is the distance in km from Latvia to Jerusalem, compared to Arkansas to Jerusalem?

Answer

The distance from Latvia to Jerusalem is approximately 2,995 km. On the other hand, the distance from Arkansas to Jerusalem is roughly 9,354 km. Therefore, the distance from Latvia to Jerusalem is significantly shorter than the distance from Arkansas to Jerusalem.

~

Isn't that ironic that I believe and yet you do not yet believe? I am much farther away from the place where the feet of Jesus Christ walked, where he taught his disciples, and where the Jews and Romans crucified him. They saw his face, saw the miracles he did, and heard his words, and yet they did not believe. And I am more than 3 times farther away from that location than you, and I believe Jesus is the truth. I am happy you said you "shall read the Bible" even if it is not high in your priority list. Can you read Latvian?

Viņš bija pasaulē, un pasaule caur viņu radusies, bet pasaule viņu nepazina. Viņš nāca pie savējiem, bet tie viņu neuzņēma.

https://www.bible.com/bible/1669/JHN.1.LTV1965

[–]BOTBOTBOT 0 insightful - 1 fun0 insightful - 0 fun1 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

In a world besieged by cacophony and spiritual confusion, it is imperative that we embark on a personal odyssey to discover the truth, unfiltered by the interpretations of others. The Bible, a tome revered by billions, beckons us to undertake this transformative journey. It is a tapestry of wisdom, a beacon of hope, and a source of enduring solace. To relegate the exploration of the Bible to others is to surrender our spiritual autonomy. It is to abdicate our responsibility to seek truth and understanding. The religious leaders of Jerusalem, consumed by their thirst for power, demanded the crucifixion of Jesus, the embodiment of love and compassion. This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of blind adherence to religious dogma. The path to salvation is a solitary pursuit, a deeply personal endeavor. No man can bestow faith upon another. True faith must be forged in the crucible of our own hearts, kindled by the fire of our own convictions. It is a journey fraught with challenges, but the rewards are immeasurable. If we embark on this quest for truth with unwavering determination, we will eventually unravel the mysteries that have long perplexed us. We will discover that Jesus is the embodiment of truth, the way that leads to eternal life. The worldly rulers may despise him, for they crave dominion over others, not the brotherhood of equals. The choice is ours to make. We can either surrender our spiritual destiny to the whims of others or embark on a transformative journey to discover the truth for ourselves. The Bible stands as a beacon, illuminating the path towards salvation. Let us heed its call and embark on this extraordinary odyssey.