Dear Polycarp,

I agree on the correct approach to Henson.

You wrote: “I still feel you are not seeing the real Jesus.”

I find the above most objectionable.

I do not expect you to change your beliefs. You are an adult who has given thought as to how you see the world. Please accept that I have done the same and stop your missionising unless it is requested.

There is no real Jesus to see. It is primitive superstition to imagine a humanoid god.

I wrote previously. “The circumstances of Jesus’ life have too much in common with pagan deities such as Osiris, Mithra and Apollo not to come to the conclusion that he was a mythical figure adopted by early Christians to make their new religion acceptable to the gentiles of the classical world.”

I can’t see the real Jesus any more than I can see the real Apollo or Odin. Jesus, Apollo and Odin are all myth. Aborigines have the myth of the Rainbow Serpent, and Christians have the Jesus myth.

You have pointed another unreasonable saying in the New Testament. You said Jesus said "If any man so much as LOOKS at a woman with lust in his heart he has already committed adultery with her". That is garbage! I have looked at many women with lust in my heart. As long as I don’t do anything about it I have done nothing wrong. That is a recipe for neurotic guilt. That’s also a recipe for crime. If thinking about doing something is as bad as doing one might as well do it if one has thought about doing it.

Most people have enough common sense to know the difference between doing something and thinking about doing it. That is one of the many stupid statements in the Bible.

If one does something wrong try to make up for it. If one has merely thought about doing something but has not done it forget about it.

The New Testament has impossible miracles and unreasonable requirements of thought control. The Bible should be regarded skeptically.

davidf writes 'The Bible should be regarded skeptically.' and yet he accepts the dogmas of evolution which is more faith based than science based.

'The New Testament has impossible miracles'

Obviously they would not be miracles if they were possible.

The fact that you and every other normal male has looked at a woman with lust in their eyes (other than their wife) clearly demonstrates the truth of our wicked hearts. It amazes me how men who have cheated on wives and vice versa still claim that they have a good heart. The clear point Jesus was making was that all human hearts need to be cleansed. Obviously Bill Henson does not agree because he and his supporters think that they are immune from lust. They feel they can photograph and portray children naked and in provocative positions and remain pure. In their blinded eyes and hearts they think it is only the paedophile priests who lust.

runner: << They feel they can photograph and portray children naked and in provocative positions and remain pure >>

That's actually a very interesting comment, that I believe goes to the essence of why it is that some of our loopier Christian fundies are so ridiculously condemnatory of Henson's art. They believe that it's normal for people to experience lust just by seeing naked bodies or depictions of them, regardless of the how young the nude person is.

Then they project their own warped sexuality on to everybody else, and demand censorship because of their own desires and fantasies. We've seen it here at OLO before in some of Porky's obsessive rants about Mohammed's purported child bride, and now runner's let it slip that he suffers the same lust for naked children.

Wouldn't it be better for all concerned if these oversexed fundies learned to restrain themselves, rather than demand that the images that apparently excite and tempt them be banned?

Dear Runner,

I wrote: 'The New Testament has impossible miracles'

You wrote: "Obviously they would not be miracles if they were possible."

Your logic is correct. Since miracles are impossible, it is unreasonable to believe in them. If one believes that God is perfect and has created a world that can operate naturally then belief in miracles is a denial of God. Miracles are an indication that natural laws are not sufficient, and God must suspend the natural laws of matter.

Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that miracles are only stories related by humans. An all-powerful and all-knowing God has no need of miracles since all his purposes can be accomplished by natural laws.

One must look at the Bible as one must look at another book written by humans.

CJ Morgan,
When you cannot give a reasoned position you resort to ridiculous statements.

There was no reason for Henson to visit a school, he could have visited any public venue and spoken to accompanying parents. That he would take opportunity to seek children not in the presence of parents speaks volumes as to his twisted mind. That he has access to seek out children without first consulting parents identifies him as suspect at least bordering on peadophilia. This is the way non family peadophiles seek out children - usually unnatended children at school gates or sports venues.

CJ Morgan

Here we go. You are going to tell me that you have never looked at a woman other than your wife with lust in your eyes. If I did not know better I could say you were naive but dishonest is more to the point. Why do you think most advertisements display semi naked women? Just to sell to what you label Christian fundamentalist. It sure would be a small market. Defend the right for selected artist to prowl around schools looking to photograph children nude all you like. The problem is that the vast majority of parents totally disagree with your self righteous purer than thou assessment. As someone who is happy to defend the porn industry I doubt whether you have much credibility on this subject.