You are obviously not a Catholic then......

OK Philo, you win.

My last question was:

"...will you use the same standards of truth/fiction literal/metaphorical on all holy books, or just the ones you find convenient?"

to which you replied

"Pericles,
Belief in spirits independent of a body and as literal beings is fantacy. The ancient world believed in them especially the Greco-Roman and was saturated by such superstition. Visit any primitive culture today, like Africa or Indonesia, and you will find they still believe in independent spirits that control physical events..." etc. etc. ad naus.

There is a limit to the number of times I can ask a straightforward question and get unintelligible gibberish in response, and that limit has just been reached.

Have a great day

Philo,

I think what Pericles is asking is, why does a Christian believe God did not communicate with Mohammed, that Hermes did not come down to Earth as a messenger in human form; yet, a Christian posits God communicated with Moses and Jesus is God incarnated as Man?

[hope my comment is okay, Pericles.]

Ok Philo then it is agreed and the obvious answers to the questions you are avoiding is that 'Bruce Almighty' is an equally relevant scripture to the Bible. With our thoughts we create our gods and with our thoughts we create our gods wills.

That is a good summary of one aspect of the question Oliver, thanks for that.

But on a broader front we have the (to me) utterly ridiculous situation where we are asked to cherry-pick interpretations of the various scriptures, guided only by people who have an absolute and overt interest in their particular individual interpretation.

Once we question the basis of that interpretation, the opportunity is taken to i) ignore the question entirely and ii) fish around in the ever-handy grab-bag of pseudo-religious nonsense sound-bites, and simply splodge a couple of them together and publish.

I see it as blatant hypocrisy, as well as an insult to normal, thinking human beings.

And just to rub it in, another of the clan will wander by and chide us for spending so much time arguing with them.

D'oh.

Christians hold that the ultimate revelation of the character, attitudes and actions that communicate God to all men is expressed in the life of Jesus Christ and through the devoted followers who emulate those character, attitudes and actions as Jesus lived. The word Christian is derived from "Christ in", meaning that person is living the same life as if Christ is living in them. Anyone not upholding that character, attitudes, actions and wisdom cannot claim Christ is living in them.

Forgive others sin who offend you (do not hold hurts)even if they despise you.
Heal the infirmed and care for the social outcast
Bless one's enemy and give them water if thirsty, do not take up the sword in revenge
Bless and do not curse an enemy as love is the ultimate goal

Are some of Jesus teachings that changed pagan culture who believed that power over others is right - which is the basis of much pseudo religious belief. Jesus taught servanthood not acting as an over Lord of others. He who is greatest in his kingdom will be the servant of all men.