Newsgroup poster:

Homosexual acts were part of pagan worship. God was very precise in telling us that He wanted no part of pagan rituals in his church…this included sacrifice.

Mark responds:

Pagan practices also included wearing white for a wedding and the wedding ring …but the church condones these pagan practices.

Please explain.

NP:

This had very little to do with worshipping other gods.The problems was that the Israelites were incorperating the rituals into their own worship.

Mark:

f rom John Bright “A History of Israel” (SCM Press, 3rd Ed.)

“Early Judaism … frequently borrowing for their purpose concepts of Greek or Iranian origin – or, in the case of groups with eschatological leanings, concepts derived from Phoenician or Aramaic literature – certainly beliefs previously unknow gained a place in Jewish theology.” p. 446

“Personified Wisdom …stems ultimately from Canaaniote-Aramean paganism, being attested to in the proverbs of Ahiqar (about the suxth century). the text of Proverbs chs 8, 9 must go to a cannanite original of about the seventh century with roots in still earlier Cannanite lore; personified Wisdom has taken the place of what was originally a goddess of wisdom. This gave no offense to orthodox Jews, since they interpreted the concept quite symbolically and by no means regarded Wisdom as a subordinate deity. …… in the parallel concept of the Divine Word (again of very ancient Semitic, not Hellenic, origin), which plays a lesser part in Jewish thought but which is attested somewhat after our period (Wisdom of Solomon 18:15f.), we possibly see a part of the background of the Christin Logos.” p.448

It should be noted that rewards and punishments after death were borrowed from Iranian concepts. (This is just the tip of the iceberg!)

All the above borrowings are now part of the bible and considered by some to be God’s words.

Please explain.

NP:

He even told us not to have ANY graven image..that included one of Himself.

Mark:

Mmmm …maybe the Sistine chapel should be whitewashed. No more Christmas cards with pictures of baby Jesus …. if Jesus is God then no more pictures of Jesus ANYWHERE!!!!

Please explain.

Fundamentalists are SO inconsistent!

… a wise man will make better use of an idle pamphlet than a fool will do of sacred Scripture. ( John Milton) I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. (Mahatma Gandhi)

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