fatherphil

paul seems clear that regardless of how we may have been benifited in this life by our faith, we are to be pitied if it is not true.

so as mister t would say "pity the fool"

Godless Dave

The people I pity the most are those early followers of Jesus. I mean the people who listened to him teach while he was still alive (if he was a real person, which I think he probably was). Here comes a guy teaching some basic stuff about loving one another, being considerate, allowing yourself to listen to your conscience as much as you listen to your instinct for self-preservation. He rescued morality from arbitrary laws and customs to a simple principle: treat others as you would wish to be treated. Don't worry about following a bunch of rules, just don't cause harm to people. Sure, Greek (and Indian) philosophers had already done it but I doubt many poor Jews living in Roman Judea were reading Pittacus. So, this teacher comes with a great philosophy of living, presented in a Jewish context for easy digestibility by the locals. Then he gets killed by the Man. It must have been devastating to see a peaceful man get executed like a criminal. Their only hope would be their God rescuing Jesus or sending him back from death. But that didn't happen. I can see how it would be comforting to convince oneself that someone had gone to his tomb and found it empty.

Rhea

It seems he is saying that if they believed and all they got was this life, then they wasted something.

(I think we are saying ther same thing?)

And that's why I pity him. Because to him this life is absolutely without redeeming qualities and nothing matters but the afterlife so he has defined himself as wasting this life completely whether there is a payback or not.

He defines himself as having completely wasted his time if all he did was love people and do good things and make others happy and safe.

And if that's a waste of time to him, then I pity him mightily. It must have sucked to not have the capacity to appreciate beauty, goodness, comapssion, love or a good skip down the sidewalk. Always looking to the green on the other side of the fence. What a sucky way to live.

as you say.

I pity the fool.

(Although the bible says I will go straight to hell with no chance of redemption for calling someone a fool. See you there, I guess.)

fatherphil

when i see you there rhea, i think i'll be kind of glad that you, & others, didn't miss out on anything so wonderful as heaven by your disbelief. in a way it could be a relief, that and we'll get to hang with mr. t as well.

Biff the unclean

Is smugness a venial sin or a mortal one?

Rhea

I think that was playful, not smug.

That's my take.

(Since I made the joke aboput "seeing him there [in hell]" in that tone, I'm assuming that's the tone of the reply)

fatherphil

right rhea. cmon biff, cut me a break. i even used the smily winky face and everything.

ManM

Fr,
If Mr. T is in heaven, who will he have to pity?

beth

The fool says there is no god....