Freethought & Rationalism Archive

sakrilege · 12-07-2002, 10:24 AM

In this thread in the Science & Skepticism forum, <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=57&t=000746" target="_blank">Query of Homosexuality</a>, this exchange started and I am continuing it here ...

Quote:

Originally posted by JusticeMachine:
For if I have no free will (even partially free}, then how can a person be judged by GOD to be righteous or unrighteous, and punished or rewarded for something they had no ability/power/will to decide.

It would be like being anger with a tree because it is grew too tall, and punishing that tree by burning it down, because it had the odasity to follow its true nature.

My response:
According to the myth, jesus got mad at a fig tree for not bearing fruit in season and caused it to die.

Quote:

Originally posted by JusticeMachine:
If you could, please reference the scripture you found that in.

Mark 11:12-14 Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.

11:20-21 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered."

Sakpo · 12-07-2002, 10:43 AM

Quote:

And here it is in Matthew, without the bit about the season:

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he was hungry.

And when he saw a fig tree by the road, he came to it, and found nothing on it, but leaves only, and said to it, Let no fruit grow on you henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon has the fig tree withered away!

(Matthew 21:18-20)

Crazy, crazy Jesus.

[ December 07, 2002: Message edited by: Sakpo ]

Grad Student Humanist · 12-07-2002, 12:09 PM

The whole fig tree incident has always been for me one of those few moments in the Gospels where Jesus does or says something I don't agree with (not that I'm a Christian since I don't believe in God, but in general I find much wisdom in the sayings attributed to Christ as I do in the sayings attributed to Socrates and the Buddha); actually this little divine hissy fit makes him look petty, silly and certainly not wise. I have no idea why it's in there.

The only other thing I think is as bad is when Jesus says that having impure thoughts about a married woman is the same as adultery. Sorry Jesus, my mind is my own. Judge people only on their actions.

Of course, after the Gospels is where the entire NT goes swiftly and uncontrollably downhill with Paul and his issues. If Jesus is God, and there is a Hell, then I fully expect to find Paul there when I arrive since he did more to turn Jesus' message into the bullshit religion it is today than anyone else.

Speechless · 12-07-2002, 07:12 PM

Don't forget about when he tells his followers not to worry about the future, because god will take of them. That little piece of advice is so absurd that even hardcore fundies ignore it.

Grad Student Humanist · 12-08-2002, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Speechless:
Don't forget about when he tells his followers not to worry about the future, because god will take of them. That little piece of advice is so absurd that even hardcore fundies ignore it.

Good point, although in reality all Christians basically ignore 90% of Jesus' teachings because they don't like what it would entail to truely follow Christ. I don't know of any Christians who actually follow Jesus' teachings as presented in the Gospels. They more usually follow their own whims and desires and the teachings of their religion which long ago perverted the orignial message and intent of its founder.

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12-07-2002, 12:09 PM	#3
Grad Student Humanist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melrose, MA Posts: 961	The whole fig tree incident has always been for me one of those few moments in the Gospels where Jesus does or says something I don't agree with (not that I'm a Christian since I don't believe in God, but in general I find much wisdom in the sayings attributed to Christ as I do in the sayings attributed to Socrates and the Buddha); actually this little divine hissy fit makes him look petty, silly and certainly not wise. I have no idea why it's in there. The only other thing I think is as bad is when Jesus says that having impure thoughts about a married woman is the same as adultery. Sorry Jesus, my mind is my own. Judge people only on their actions. Of course, after the Gospels is where the entire NT goes swiftly and uncontrollably downhill with Paul and his issues. If Jesus is God, and there is a Hell, then I fully expect to find Paul there when I arrive since he did more to turn Jesus' message into the bullshit religion it is today than anyone else.

12-07-2002, 07:12 PM	#4
Speechless Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 111	Don't forget about when he tells his followers not to worry about the future, because god will take of them. That little piece of advice is so absurd that even hardcore fundies ignore it.

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