As true as it gets! (Page 2): The trouble is, at many centuries' remove, we can't really be certain what that meaning was. There have been too many exegeses, often by the faithful with...

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

rpavich wrote:

What he was referring to was an ancient document, written in a specific cultural context that had a specific meaning.

The trouble is, at many centuries' remove, we can't really be certain what that meaning was. There have been too many exegeses, often by the faithful with their own agendas, and, until comparatively recently, often a limited number of scruples about editing or even rewriting the sacred texts.

Cheers,

R.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Roger Hicks wrote:

rpavich wrote:

What he was referring to was an ancient document, written in a specific cultural context that had a specific meaning.

The trouble is, at many centuries' remove, we can't really be certain what that meaning was. There have been too many exegeses, often by the faithful with their own agendas, and, until comparatively recently, often a limited number of scruples about editing or even rewriting the sacred texts.

Cheers,

R.

Roger,
I agree that there have been many unscruplous people who do things based on their agenda, but in this case (the bible) we have MUCH textual data to study and so we aren't limited to "the telephone game" scenario.

The fact is...the biblical text is the most well attested ancient document we have 10X over.

richnash46 Loc: Texas

Frank T wrote:

I'll never understand people who live in this Coun... (show quote)

If someone would rather be a lamppost in New York than the King of France, they would obviously not be a very bright lamppost!

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

richnash46 wrote:

quote=Frank T I'll never understand people who li... (show quote)

Now that's just plain funny!

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

Robert Graybeal wrote:

Best description I have read.

what happened is that "we the people" fell asleep. We stopped being active participants in our government in our republic. We started caring more about prices at the pump and building equity in our homes, we stopped paying attention to the things politicians say unless it happened to be about sex. We stopped keeping ourselves informed because it's easier and more convenient to just turn on the news and to stop thinking critically. We paid more attention to super bowl adds than what was happening at our state capitals.......We, the people stopped paying attention and things like what your letter writter commented on became the rule of the land.

Question now is: How will you become involved - or will you?

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

ngc1514 wrote:

Everything is born, matures, ages and dies. Plants, animals, nations, peoples, empires, planets, stars, galaxies and the universe itself.

Expecting one nation not to follow the same pattern is a bit unrealistic.

yep

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

Frank T wrote:

I'll never understand people who live in this Coun... (show quote)

OK I guess I am going to be the only one that points out how wrong this post is/was:

Quote:

still the greatest country in the world.

this is open for debate. I live in the US and it is NOT the greatest country in the world, one of but not the greatest.

Quote:

America, where everyone, even the poor have food, shelter, televisions and refrigerators.

ummm really? You think everyone in the US has shelter? Have you been downtown to any large city in the US, do you not see the homeless? Not all of them are homelss by choice. Refrigerators and Televisions? WHAT world do you live in? Where is this prefect America? I live in a small, small town and rest assured we have people in our community that do not have these luxury items. I know because I drive my butt to their homes to make sure they are getting at least getting something to eat once a week.

Quote:

America where the average worker can spend $4.00 for a Latte at Starbucks.

I really want to know where you live? I need to move there.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

rpavich wrote:

quote=Roger Hicks quote=rpavich What he was refe... (show quote)

the bible and it's interpretations and meanings is the most contested book of its kind - here in the west - in the east that honor probably goes to the koran. Personally, Harry Potter trumps them all in terms of movie making potential

stonecherub Loc: Tucson, AZ

WOW! Two whole pages and no trolls. Will wonders never cease.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

MWAC: Hey MWAC I respectfully disagree, I not only believe the USA is the best country in the world I also believe it's the best country that the world has ever seen. Now that may change but to date it's USA all the way! We have our problems and we're certainly not perfect but there's no better country on the planet. There are some good ones as I'm sure Roger will jump in and proclaim the virtues of the French but my vote goes to the good old USA.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

MWAC wrote:

quote=Frank T I'll never understand people who li... (show quote)

the "news" comes from Fox and the story line goes like this: hey there ain't no poverty here cuz people got TV's and cars and stuff which just goes to show how rich the poor here really are."

The underlying message is: be afraid be very afraid - and the model for this kind of thinking / messaging goes back to Reagan's "welfare queens."

i like you mwac you got spunk!

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

Pepper wrote:

MWAC: Hey MWAC I respectfully disagree, I not only believe the USA is the best country in the world I also believe it's the best country that the world has ever seen. Now that may change but to date it's USA all the way! We have our problems and we're certainly not perfect but there's no better country on the planet. There are some good ones as I'm sure Roger will jump in and proclaim the virtues of the French but my vote goes to the good old USA.

Rah Rah Rah

Jerry1940 Loc: Born in OH live in CA

Liberals Conservatives
Nikon fans Canon fans
We all have our opinion.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Jerry1940 wrote:

Liberals Conservatives
Nikon fans Canon fans
We all have our opinion.

Yepper, kinda like bellybuttons huh Jerry. LOL

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

Pepper wrote:

MWAC: Hey MWAC I respectfully disagree, I not only believe the USA is the best country in the world . . . there's no better country on the planet. There are some good ones as I'm sure Roger will jump in and proclaim the virtues of the French but my vote goes to the good old USA.

Yes, and a Frenchman's vote goes to France, an Englishman's vote goes to England...

How much experience do you have of living (for years at a time) in different countries? Above all, how are you defining 'best'?

Cheers,

R.