A couple different issue seem to be mixed up in those two tirades.
There are some basics though that I think you need to try to understand.
First is the concept that what the Bible stories actually say are what they actually say and NOT what people add by way of interpretation. In the story found in Genesis 2&3 it is the Serpent that actually tells the truth and the God character that lies.
To try to get around that seeming conflict a lot of Christians tried creating ways to explain that fact away, ways like 'spiritual death' or 'separation from God' even though there is nothing in the actual story or the continuing saga of Adam and Eve that supports either.
Phat writes:
You say you have read the Bible. You treat it like a story when it suits you, and then claim marketing when you dont understand it. The text speaks for itself.
Stop and read what you just wrote. If the text speaks for itself then in the story found in Genesis 2&3 the serpent told the truth and the God character did not.
Phat writes:
Does the Nicene Creed suggest that Jesus is alive today?
No. The Nicene Creed does not suggest that Jesus is alive today any more than it suggest God is alive today. The term alive doesn't have much meaning when it comes to supernatural critters.
Would a ghost be alive? How about a zombie?
You also need to learn to read what is written in other places than the Bible.
I have not said that Jesus is not the Messiah, rather that Jesus is not the Old Testament Messiah.
And of course, I am no better than the authors of the Bible (or the totally unknown editors, redactors, committees of Canon). But that has absolutely nothing to do with what is actually written in the Bible.
What is written in Matthew has nothing to do with what is written in Genesis 2&3.
Again, learn to read.
In the Genesis 2&3 story there is a serpent.
It is not identified as Satan.
In the Old Testament Satan is NOT evil, Satan is a servant of God and only does what God wants Satan to do. Satan is an assayer, a tester, proofing.
We know for a fact that much of the Bible is fiction and fiction is often a great mechanism to market a product. Other examples from the Bible would be the genealogies that established relationships between disparate tribes in the area or the Exodus saga that marketed the concept of a chosen people.
Of course the new product Christianity conflicted with the old product Judaism. It still does. You even mention some of the conflicts. The Jewish Messiah will be human, a War Lord, a Prince and establish a Hebrew Nation on Earth.
Jesus didn't do that.
Jesus did not even come back and establish some new kingdom or end the world. And that was a real crisis for early Christians because the idea of the end times are upon us was rampant and almost universally accepted in Christianity. The idea of some indefinite future event had to be created and then marketed in perhaps the first major challenge to the new faith.
Also, why do you think Christianity makes no sense to me. After all, I am a Christian.
Again, if you believe that the text speaks for itself then go read the text. See what it actually says.
Edited by jar, : add missing wo to two.
Anyone so limited that they can only spell a word one way is severely handicapped!
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