SergeantLynch

Yes, as freedom of speech and thought become restricted, acronyms will be the way forwards.

HTFWAIKTATTQOE...IATAIWTS...IGTTWPOEITRAPOEAF.

Debby wrote:

I thought religion started when early man looked around him and began to wonder how it came about.

That is true, he wondered about everything, including his rotting leg and his dead kid.

Debby wrote:

How will you know if you don’t trust anyone?

Based upon probability, one nonetheless gambles.

Nope, Christians believe, whereas Bart researches and comes to conclusions...He neither concludes that a creator GOD exists, nor that Jesus was exalted to an actual god, but rather was exalted to a god like status by believers...And like I stated previously, I guess that most agnostics/atheists like Bart and myself come to a similar conclusion.

And clearly there are no original manuscripts only old folktales, which as you correctly point out were not written down and elucidated with a great deal of accuracy, but concocted and embellished in accordance with the demands of emerging theo-political empires.

Yes we hope that most people are imbued with the same survival instinct as ourselves.

Most folk outside of the US won't be interested in Lindsay Clancy...And most men inside the US won't give either Lindsay Clancy or women's rights much of a second thought...You are the one obsessed by such things Remy...Other people have other things to occupy their time with.

Beyond academia I don't suppose that many people have ever heard of Bart the agnostic atheist and his interpretations of Christian folklore.

And just to put the question to you again...What, where, which are the "original manuscripts".

Like I said Bart interprets Christian folklare, within the context of human social and intellectual evolution...Which led him to conclude that there wasn't a GOD and that Jesus was just an ordinary bloke, who lived and died approximately 2000 years ago.

Bart is a "scholar" but not a Christian one...Just as most Christians are not Christian scholars, but rather just conditioned adherents.

True, all for one and one for all...Wouldn't that be great...But has that ever been a working mantra and isn't it competition that drives progress...Maybe all for one and one for all will be AI's mantra...A universal matrix of cooperation.

E.P.C. 1. Trust no one.

Written by Mr Proverb.

Sure, a safety harness for now...We could actually stop now, but that is not progress, and anyway, requires sincere cooperation between human superpowers.

As for killing us, I think that we are more likely to kill each other...But certainly, if progress means slimming down unnecessary human overuse of resources, then that will be essential to progress.

And all this, essentially lies at the heart of the bigger question...What is the purpose of everything?

I think that most folk here fail to address the bigger longer term picture.

The bubble or box of their meagre existence tends to be the limit of their consideration...Whereas Planet Earth has several billion years of development before it's final destruction...AI will be the key to the salvation of intellectual development and it's universal expansion...And clever people will be essential whilst the rest of us continue to fight over the crumbs of the Earth.

No one needs a billion dollars...A billion dollars is just a power trip.

Yes, that is his area of expertise...An expert in early Christian history doesn't need to be a Christian devotee...And Bart is not a Christian devotee.

Yes, in a 15th century book of myths and legends.

Ok...So still don't see the significance of the trees and wood message.

And abortion doesn't kill babies, babies are young post natal children...You are applying incorrect terminology for dramatic effect.

Killing babies is unacceptable, whereas abortion terminates early stage cellular development of a zygote or embryo.

Yes, he thought that there was a character relative to the biblical Jesus who was just an ordinary bloke. Though he doesn't believe in a god, and any layman will tell you that said character was latterly exalted to the status of a god after he was executed...So yes Christians obviously share this view and I also share this view...But like Bart I don't share a belief of GOD and Jesus's resurrection with Christians.

He will self destruct soon.

True, there will always be someone out there keen to deny the obvious.

And as for reality...Well, I am therefore it is...Even though logically and reasonably I shouldn't be and nor should it be.

Nonetheless, relative to the demand, scientific theory does not require a leap of faith....Though I will leave you and Kermos to wrestle with that one, because you do it for the exercise...Which in fact, is the reason why I do it.

And if you don't respond to this, then we can both be sure that we are not arguing with stupid people.

What about Tom?

And Bethany.

No, don't mention necrophilia.

Hey, just to remind you guys...Big Bang Theory, no leap of faith...So 15 pages of tit for tat getting nowhere, never to get anywhere...Unless of course in the meantime, some genius comes up with an undeniable explanation of creation and existence.

"The Bible" is a second millennium book with multiple later editions and therefore it's position on a shelf gathering dust does not require belief.

Though Bart doesn't believe the GOD tale, but does accept that there was once probably a prominent Middle Eastern character who is latterly and widely referred to as Jesus.

And would you describe yourself as an above, average or below Christian.

Debby wrote:

Lazarus was dead and in the Tom for 4 days by the time Jesus arrived in Bethany.

Sounds like an orgy.

You really must check and edit Debs.

I doubt that will make a whole lot of difference either.

Why not copy my opinion Remy.

And what's with the trees and woods thing Remy...Where did you get that information from?

Hmmmm...Men and women get women pregnant.

You were thinking of that old Middle Eastern folk tale.

Well done for being vegan Remy.

But one couldn't really say that the rest of you post was particularly cohesive.

But:

Not everyone gets the right to live.

Yep that is generally how it goes...Which is why it is acceptable for the USA to blow up Iranian schools and for women to choose early term abortion.

And nature itself regularly aborts zygotes and embryos, so in the bigger scheme of things, it's therefore no big deal.

And in terms of species survival, we're currently at 8.2 billion, so therefore abortions once again are no big deal.

So it simply boils down to the fact that when it comes to abortion, Remy and I have varying opinions...Which is also generally how it goes in the wider populace.

Hi Stephen.

Well thanks, but the housing market is slow.

And Debby insists that the gospels are the words of the disciples...But like I always say to her, it was all written later by someone else...And I'm just guessing that highways and hedges is definitely a much later turn of phrase.

Well, there's a distinct difference between strangling three children and preventing a zygote from developing...Obviously strict limits need applying to abortion...But like I said, others will take another point of view...So who is able to make an unbiased decision?

Though if the taking of life is so abhorrent to you, you will also necessarily be opposed to capital punishment, shoot to kill policing and military action, won't you?...

or are you typically selectively moral...Like most folk.

And I'm guessing that you are also vegetarian.

Abortion is a practical solution to a perceived problem...Though some people will inevitably get hung up about it, because some people will feel the need to do so.

What we need is a greater authority to provide a definitive answer.