Boaz: "You need to look at standard methods of interpreting literary documents and you will find help there :)"

I think our resident expert in Islamic hermeneutics needs to seek help outside the texts with which he is evidently obsessed :)

CJ I spent 3 years learning the principles of hermeneutics and Biblical interpretation and a solid semester or 2 on Inductive study of documents, I do have a few clues about these things.

I hereby declare you last post a 'boomerang' and watch as is whizzes its way back toward you... *clunk*..there.. now follow ur own advice.

cheers mate

So, Boaz...

>>I spent 3 years learning the principles of hermeneutics and Biblical interpretation and a solid semester or 2 on Inductive study of documents, I do have a few clues about these things<<

Pray tell, who were your teachers on this journey of enlightenment?

I am prepared to take a boomerang on this if it turns out to be a religiously non-aligned body, but I suspect we are back in the closed-loop game again.

Learn all the defences (those murderers in Northern Ireland weren't really Christians) as well as all the attacks (it's all in the Koran, they are forced to kill all unbelievers).

Sadly, after such brainwashing it appears impossible to approach any vaguely spiritual topic without donning the tunnel-vision glasses.

Same thing happens, I'm sure, in the anti-Christian extremist equivalent of our Christian evangelist in other fanatical religions.

Pericles,
Pray tell me which parts of the teachings of Jesus Christ were the terrorists of Northern Ireland following? Quote text from his teachings that they held to support their actions.

BD.
Hermeneutics: I know that theologicians have claimed that word as their own, but all it means is 'making excuses for all the contradictions, violence and evil that are in the Bible so as to fool yourself that they really are not evil.'

The world would be more peaceful without religions at all; aren't you religious people getting sick and tired of attacking each other's religions and promoting your own? Killings, holy wars, inquisitions, vilifications, torture, it seems like a never-ending tragedy all because of something imaginary: a God.
Put the effort and money in something worthwhile, like saving the environment, or something. Sigh.

Philo, perhaps:
”And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him.” ?Leviticus 24:16

Isn't the bible, like the Koran, full of injunctions to kill? Here's more:

"Now therefore kill every male among the little ones."
--- Numbers 31:17

"Slay both man and woman, infant and suckling."
--- 1 Samuel 15:3

"Dash their children, and rip up their women with child."
--- 2 Kings 8:12

"Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished."
--- Isaiah 13:16

"They shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children."
--- Isaiah 13:18

"Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children."
--- Ezekiel 9:6

"Their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up."
--- Hosea 13:16

I'm aware that I've been cherry-picking but I'm sure some 'hermeneuticians' have the perfect explanation for anti-life statements so their religion remains to be seen as 'pro-life'.

Philo, a stunningly irrelevant question, if I may say so.

>>Pray tell me which parts of the teachings of Jesus Christ were the terrorists of Northern Ireland following? Quote text from his teachings that they held to support their actions.<<

Maybe it had escaped your attention that both the Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland defined themselves by their religion. Both sides described themselves as Christian.

Now, there is no point in asking me such a fatuous question, is there? Much better that you take it upon yourself to go over there and ask them yourself.

In fact, I'd particularly like to be a fly on the wall when you put it to, say, the Reverend Ian Paisley. Now there's a professional God-fearing Christian man for you. Make sure he doesn't cheat with the supporting texts, won't you?

The fact remains that Christianity was their banner. Both sides. It has consistently been described as "sectarian violence", the sects involved being different flavours of Christianity.

In much the same way that a number of our terrorists-de-jour identify themselves as Muslim, the terrorists of Northern Ireland freely declared themselves to be Christians.

And in much the same way as you and Boaz so frequently do, I have tarred them all with the same brush.

I am aware that you both hold a degree in double-standards. One day, I hope you will be aware of it too.