Obvious disgreements ....
Until you are certain about hell, you cannot establish that God lied.
Until
I am certain about Hell? Well, it's tough to assess the efficacy of a religion that hasn't settled such a vital question for itself. What I could determine from, say,
your vision of Hell would have different implications in my assessment of Christian faith than, say,
Tony1, or
Deadwood, or anyone else. It isn't necesarily the full diversity of opinions that bothers me about how Chrisitans perceive the One Way to the Father. What is more disturbing is how the most visible effects of that diversity manifest it as a negative value on society. Part of what this tells me is that Christians need to put their heads together and decide what faith means and what it describes. Obviously, the efforts of the Catholics failed miserably; the diversity of what has come since justifies that assessment. But what about that produce, and the intense divisiveness it creates in pursuit of a godly society? If, perhaps, irresponsible religion weren't the primary trend of Christianity in the culture nearest me, I would perceive the relation of the faithful to the precepts in a much more positive light. But I just don't see it.
Secondly, the Timothy verse is positive towards women, because unlike many pagan religions, it holds men responsible for original sin, and not women.
I disagree:
11 A woman must receive instruction silently and under complete control.
12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be quiet.
13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14 Further, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.
15 But she will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. (1 Timothy 2.11-15)
As I read it,
Adam was not deceived by the Serpent, but Eve was, and thus transgressed. Barefoot and pregnant, sir ... this is where that stupid idea comes from. I think it would be fair to say that you're reading the verse against the grain of history. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but what is it that makes people advocating Christianity so determinated to view Christianity as if their own interpretation was the only one applicable? And you
can't turn that one back onto me, because if one thing tells me that my interpretation is
either right or wrong (big help there, eh?) is that nobody seems to give it any credibility. No amount of consensus can make an interpretation right, unless
everyone agrees. However, a certain amount of understanding would tell me I'm actually on the wrong track. A certain
type of agreement would tell me that I'm not necessarily perceiving it wrong. But nothing will tell me I have it right until what I say is reflected in society and proving itself beneficial to the human race in practice. And, frankly, there are better ways to have that effect than Christianity. And
most of 'em are honest, to boot, so there's a plus Christianity has never possessed in my experience.
God did not control Adam and Eve's actions. In principle Adam at least should have been able to recongize that the fruit Eve gave to him was what God said not to eat, and therefore would not have eaten it. However, Adam chose not only to eat the fruit, but blame the woman later--which would be the first act of mysogyny. This act was what got us thrown out of Eden, if Adam had owned up to it, we wouldn't have been in this mess.
And
yadda and
yadda and ... oh, sorry. Look, what you're ignoring is that
God knew that this was the way things would occur and still chose to go through with it.
Consider this: if you think a movie is out of focus but everyone else in the theater thinks it's just fine, are you still so confident in your perception? I understand the explanations you've given of Genesis, but this is not how God's message has communicated itself to the majority of the faithful. Otherwise, you wouldn't have to make such explanations. Thus, while you think you understand the standard, you are still the minority saying it's out of focus.
thanx,
Tiassa
