(Ian 4/13) His act IS part of his devotion!
> > RALPH
> > So morality is just a matter of cultural differences, Dave? Maybe you would
> > like to tell us just who it was that told Abraham to kill his little son
> > Isaac.
> >
> > DAVE
> > > I'm not sure the connection you all of sudden made to Abraham and being a
> > >Christian - can you explain it?
> >
> > RALPH
> > For starters, Dave, read Matthew 1:1; 22:32; Mark 12:26; John 1:1-4;
> > Galatians 3:6-9; etc. I was always taught that God was the same, yesterday,
> > today, and forever. Now you come along and tell us that what God says and
> > does depends on the cultural setting.
>
> (Ian 4/12) Dave, did I miss that second request to argue devotion?
> Please, if you would read the entire story of Abraham, the only logical
> conclusion one could come up with is that the guy was bonkers. Let me
> explain. This story was handed down by word of mouth from Abe through
> who knows how many people to Moses. Assuming that all the people who
> handed this story down through the ages told the truth and didn't
> embellish on it (Hardy Har Har), Abraham allegedly pimped his wife when
> she was 65 years old and again when she was 89 years old to two
> different heads of state. She was so old and dried up that even Abe and
> Sarah laughed at god when he told her she was going to have a son.
> Granted, every where that Abram went, the altar was sure to go up. The
> rest of the story is on my other post. What I'd like to know is what has
> devotion got to do with a person who isn't in his right mind? I hate to
> use the term because it seems to mean different things to you than it
> does to me, but what is so good about his devotion?
>
> (DAVE 4/13) Ian: I agree with you here - devotion can be a "good" thing,
> or a "bad" thing - certainly the manifestations and results of "devotion"
> can swing either way. I retract that "devotion"is an example of a "good"
> thing - Applegate's followers were devoted to the cause, and I don't think
> the results were particularly "good".
> What I believe was a "good" thing about Abraham's devotion to God was his
> conviction that God was sovereign, and his desire to both please God, and
> seek pleasure from God, in any way. No, of course I neither understand nor
> condone the "sacrifice" of his son (or his willingness to do it) - but I
> consider this account to exemplify the sheer devotion that Abraham felt
> towards his God - a devotion I believe to be a proper one.
>
> Regards.
>
> Dave.
>
> "The complexity of life requires an explanation."
> - Dan Barker
(Ian 4/13) David, I do not consider the devotion of a religious fanatic, a
person who is obviously insane, to be proper. Perhaps I'm wrong but I think
you accept the story of Abraham & Sarah as it is told in the bible as being
the truth. I don't. If indeed Abraham ever existed, I'm afraid it was he or
some nut that made the preposturous stories about him.
If you want to be a christian, that's fine but why be a stupid christian and
accept the bible as inerrant in spite of all the evidence presented on this
list.