Topics (was Re: H2O versus AB Negative)

ChasKlu@aol.com ChasKlu@aol.com
Tue, 3 Nov 1998 17:41:51 EST (00910154511, 6b4e5f48.363f86af@aol.com) 

In a message dated 11/3/98 1:50:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, JAlw@aol.com
writes:

<< Charlie:
  Taking a look at your site, I see you do have an entry for the cornerstone
  errancy of all time: 
  
  Jesus' predicted second coming within the lifetimes of some of his
listeners.
  
  I see you have something about Bethlehem, but mostly focus on whether
  bethlehem is a place or a person.  This just takes the prophecy fulfillment
  out of a Bethlehem birth. I don't see reference to the consideration that
 even
  if Bethlehem is taken to be a place,
  
  Matthew and Luke have two different ways of placing the birth in Bethlehem,
  disagreeing as to wether the family originally came from there (Matthew) or
  started out in Nazareth (Luke).  It just sounds like they were desperate to
  place the birth at Bethlehem somehow, no matter how.
  ==================
 Joe Alward:
 
 I address Luke's story about the tax census in the "Absurdities" section
under
 the title "Bethlehem".

Charlie (in response):
OK, but it could use a mention that Matthew has the family start out in
Bethlehem to begin with, only later moving to Nazareth, in contradiction to
Luke's version.
 ===================
 Charlie:
 
  The reference to Herod's slaughter ought to include the fact that outside
the
  Bible, Herod's many enemies mentioned no such "slaughter of the innocents".
 ===================
 Joe Alward:
 
 I do so in another section, "Absurdities"; the essay is called "Herod
 Unreported".
Charlie (in response):
OK, I was looking in Herod's Murders and Murdered Babes; possibly Herod
Unreported could have a reference to Slaughter in it; the html file name does,
but not the print on the index page.
 ================ 
 Charlie:
  
 Jesus' sayings can be expanded to include the opposites:
  
  Honor your father and mother (Matt 19:19 for example)
  Luke 14:26   "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife
     and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be
     my disciple."
  Mat 12:48   But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my
     mother, and who are my brothers?"
  John 2:3-4  When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They
     have no wine."   And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to
 you
  and
     to me? My hour has not yet come."
  Mat 8:21-22   Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, first let me go
 and
     bury my father."   But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead
 bury
  their
     own dead."
  
  or
  
  Mat 5:22   But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,
     you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister,
     you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will
     be liable to the hell of fire.
  Mat 23:17   You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the
     sanctuary that has made the gold sacred?
  
  or 
  
  Mat 5:44   But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who
     persecute you,
  John 2:15   Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple,
     both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money
     changers and overturned their tables.
  ====================
 Joe Alward:
 
 I will add these to the section soon.  Thanks.
 ======================
 Charlie:
 
  
  Your "Excluding Gentiles" is certainly a big contradiction, no doubt about
  that.  Why do you list it under "doubtful"?  The contradictions are supposed
  quotations of Jesus, so don't they go under "Jesus Said"?
  
  How about the Sunday Sabbath?  Nowhere in the Bible is this authorized, yet
  Christians continue to violate the commandment to keep the Sabbath (7th day
 of
  the week), while holding everyone to the other nine commandments.
 =================
 Joe Award:
 
 "Excluding Gentiles" expressed views I wasn't 100% sure of; maybe that's why
I
 put the essay in the "Doubtful" column--because I have doubts.
 
 My feelings about the sabbath are not settled.  When I learn more about it,
 perhaps I will include an essay on that topic. 
  =================
 Charlie:
 
  These are the biggies--not the plagues or the sizes of swimming pools.
  (though the plague stories somehow allow for non-divinely-backed magicians
to
  perform miracles--itself a clue as to the magical, rather than historical,
  mind-set of the authors.)
 =================
 Joe Alward:
 
 Excellent point about the magicians, as I told you before.  I need to say
 something about that somewhere, but definitely NOT in the Blood Plague essay;
 it would distract from my main points. 
 
 Thanks for the great comments. 
  
   >>