Freethought & Rationalism Archive

spin · 12-24-2003, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gjgaudia
Hi J.D.
What you say about myths is true. My purpose in all of this talk about the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible is that I have lost good friends and a few relatives over my militant atheism. They want to save me, and we have argued hotly over their beliefs and my lack of them. I am (even at my age of 74) unable to just walk away from the fight,...

They ain't going to change you and you ain't going to change them, right? Do you really want to argue with good friends? Why not take the diplomatic approach and ignore their leads? You know, two things you should never talk about at a party, religion and politics. They talk about religion and you talk about the flight of birds you saw this morning. Treat the religious stuff as water off a duck's back rather than getting het up and losing friends. I got my 80 year old mother to respond to people looking for an argument, "you could be right" and similar put offs to kill the particular conversation. Of course, if you want to get into the fray, why don't you do so here? Or argue about fifferent things with your friends?

Quote:

...especially after reading Dennison's "Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy". I feel that I want to be more well-informed in order to "hoist them on their own petars." Hence my inquiry about the scholarly status of these alleged evidences of Christianity's validity.

They have no direct connection to xianity, but then, they'll spew up some ratbag author's moneymaking potboiler on the remarkable connections with xianity and you get into the mire. But then I can see you have the desire to get in there with sword blazing. Don't do it on the scrolls. Everybody has a beginner's guide to the scrolls based on outdated opinions and their authority (the writer of their book) is better than anyone else's. At least Harrington tries to tell it like it is: much is not clear.

spin

gjgaudia · 12-24-2003, 10:42 AM

Thanks for the info and the psychotherapy. I guess after reading Dennison's conclusion in which he advocates going out and crusading against the theists--he even recommends inviting the door-to-door evangelists in for a chat and then asking them questions based upon his book--because it is a very serious issue. Theism is encroaching on our schools, our businesses, our media and worst of all, our government. We have to be more assertive in pushing rationality. That's why I asked my original question about the Dead Sea Scrolls. That's why I wrote my novel--to push the atheist viewpoint instead of huddling in the closet. That's why the "Bright" movement (I'm not sure I like the name) got started.
Anyway . . .thanks again.
Gil

Toto · 12-24-2003, 11:14 AM

So this is you? (from your profile)

Outside, Looking In

gjgaudia · 12-24-2003, 11:37 AM

It's me (or I). I never knew which was grammatially correct. But being from the Bronx, where we never worried too much about that one, I say "it's me.
Gil

12-24-2003, 10:42 AM	#12
gjgaudia Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Eugene, OR in the beautiful Willamette Valley Posts: 24	Scrolls Thanks for the info and the psychotherapy. I guess after reading Dennison's conclusion in which he advocates going out and crusading against the theists--he even recommends inviting the door-to-door evangelists in for a chat and then asking them questions based upon his book--because it is a very serious issue. Theism is encroaching on our schools, our businesses, our media and worst of all, our government. We have to be more assertive in pushing rationality. That's why I asked my original question about the Dead Sea Scrolls. That's why I wrote my novel--to push the atheist viewpoint instead of huddling in the closet. That's why the "Bright" movement (I'm not sure I like the name) got started. Anyway . . .thanks again. Gil

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12-24-2003, 11:14 AM	#13
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	So this is you? (from your profile) Outside, Looking In

12-24-2003, 11:37 AM	#14
gjgaudia Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Eugene, OR in the beautiful Willamette Valley Posts: 24	It's me (or I). I never knew which was grammatially correct. But being from the Bronx, where we never worried too much about that one, I say "it's me. Gil

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