Surely it’s time we stopped trying to drag medieval mumbo jumbo into the modern world?

For those of us who were around two thousand years ago, we predicted this would all end in tears.

As a believer in reincarnation I well remember the discussions we had when the Roman Empire collapsed. Some said we would move to a secular society, others followed Judaism and Christianity as the Sun Gods took a back seat. With the advent of Islam it was clear that if you don’t like the religious rules, start a new religion.

As at 2010 there are 34,000 registered religions on our planet and of course, they are all correct.

If there is a benign creator it certainly did not pass the message on to “its” followers as they wouldn’t understand “benign” if it bit them on the bum. Sorry, that’s not very benign is it?

If all the Gods to which you variously subscribe had a single message for all of you it would be “Get a Life”.

Can’t you find something a little more productive to do with your “God given brains”?

'Can’t you find something a little more productive to do with your “God given brains”? '

Well lets see Spindoc we could 'get a life ' by

we could close our eyes to the obvious, turn off our brains and swallow the something from nothing myth

we could ignore our conscience, create our own morality and kill all the unborn and oldies. who is to tell us we are wrong.

of course we could continue to enjoy the miseries of the current Government or enjoy our football team winning and stick our heads in the sand and secularism continues to lead multitudes to suicide and depression.

then again we could just eat drink and be merry and then spend eternity in hell.

you see as the good book says only fools say their is no god.

Given that JC was the original story-teller via the parables, there is nothing new about post-modernism for christianity, its just the secular world running to catch up.

In narrative theory, reality is created by the stories that we tell about ourselves and that others tell about us.

However just because someone adds to the original/earlier story, it doesn't make the addition true and accurate. Simply an add-on for consideration and the bible that we have is a conglomeration created for the satisfaction of a politician who wanted to use it to his own ends; Constantine.

My views are fundamental in that Christ was a Passover entity and not easter, which is more accurately Ishtar the pagan god, which my Christ would perceive as an anathema and abhorrent. But then is the church you deify a god-head or satanic by nature? Saul was a political animal who claimed his revelation along the Damascus road whilst in the company of his friends and my reading of scripture seems to indicate that it was Saul/Paul who set up the Roman church, perhaps to get the troublesome Christians out of Israel for the leaders of the Temple?

My point is; Christ is the focus of Christianity, not a church and certainly not a person and his group who taught contrary to Christ. In my opinion, many today who claim to be christians are in fact leading people away from Christ and where are they leading who knows?

Sorry runner, I know you have strong religious values. The problem you have is that they are your values.

Runner <<we could close our eyes to the obvious, turn off our brains and swallow the something from nothing myth>>

No, we could open our eyes to reality, switch ON our brains and ignore medieval myths.

The current government, killing old people and babies, enjoying football, eating and drinking are SYMPTOMS of religion and not the causes.

You can continue to threaten humanity with Hell, and the teachings of the “good book”, but in the end it is your good book and your teachings.

Stop examining your own insecurity in public, stick to what you believe in and stop ramming your faith down everyone else’s throat.

I believe in reincarnation, I have been around for thousands of years and my greatest fear is that I might come back as YOU

spindoc

'I believe in reincarnation, I have been around for thousands of years and my greatest fear is that I might come back as YOU '

thank God we have the free will to believe even deceptions like reincarnation. btw you don't display the wisdom of someone who has been around 10 years let alone a thousand or more.

Peter,
While I agree with you on the importance of narrative theology I am in some doubt of the way you oppose it to systematic theology. Surely systematics is the result of narrative. New Testament narrative makes no sense without the doctrine of the Trinity. Rather than an exclusive focus I would rather see narrative and systematics (or dogmatics) working hand in glove. Narrative alone is not enough, and dogmatics alone is not enough.
Peter Sellick