budaatum:

It is a book read by many around me. Only a fool or one who has no interest in understanding their fellow human being would not read it. They would then fabricate lies to justify hating their neighbours. I refuse to be ignorant.

Fair enough.

budaatum:

Very distinct that I confess to making a complete hash of it. For instance, I am not focusing on the mysticism in it, yet, and might not do so in this thread.

However, and hopefully, this reading still serves a purpose.

I've nothing to add to this thread because my critique of it is worst than yours and I believe in God.

So make I Park jejeli, because it's not yet time for me explode.

budaatum:
John 1

Let There Be Enlightenment!

The chapter begins by stating the importance of the word. At the time, the written word itself was deemed of great importance amongst the Jews, to whom this was most relevant. It was even deemed holy amongst some and not meant for those who were considered unholy so this would have been like Prometheus who defies the gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity thereby enabling progress and civilization.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us".

Behold, the Tree of Life!




A correction was necessary in light of conversation with MuttleyLaff. See posts below. I had previously written,
[s]Behold, the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil![/s]

It would interest you to know that the word translated to " Word" in that chapter is the Greek word "logos" which in actuality means "Knowledge"

Thus changes the very meaning that chapter is taught to have in conventional christian religion

johnydon22:

It would interest you to know that the word translated to " Word" in that chapter is the Greek word "logos" which in actuality means "Knowledge"

Thus changes the very meaning that chapter is taught to have in conventional christian religion

'Word' is indeed how it is translated in the Vulgate, but it has been known to mean much more than that, even amongst Christians. Different Greek schools seemed to choose the meaning that best suits. "Ground", "plea", "opinion", "expectation", "speech", "account", "reason", "proportion", and "discourse, are a few synonyms, and even " rhetoric". It seems to have been given a proselytising meaning in John, and reminds me of "Sophia" calling out in the wilderness in Proverbs.

In fact, the entire prologue comes from a separate Greek text that goes on a bit further than that appended to John. Unfortunately I'm still looking for where I found it.

John 6

“I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

"What a load of rubbish!" says the atheist. Is there a bakery in heaven now? And what the heck do you mean by "whoever feeds on this bread will live forever”? As if it were being claimed that all those five thousand who were fed in the beginning of the chapter would never die!

Assuming to know better, the Christian will redefine what death means to prove their point, but then go on and perform funerals for their dead whom they bury six feet underground. While completely ignoring the fact that “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

So they say, "believe", for that is why "God so loved the world"! Sounding much like the Queen, I daresay. "You haven't had much practice". Do it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes believe "as many as six impossible things before breakfast. There goes the shawl again!"

And there went the shawl indeed laughed Alice who can't believe impossible things. I share her position. One can indeed not believe impossible things. Not unless one switches off ones senses at least, or if one has not yet abandoned the ways of a child. Yet, it is insisted, and I claim, rightly so at that, that, “I am the bread that came down from heaven". And "Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever”!

So, there's the conundrum. Indeed, it can be claimed that "In beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind". But, "believe"? And despite it being written, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent”? It just sounds way too simple to me. And I just don't see the virtue in that, myself. If anything, 'believers' can't have eaten anything from anywhere close to heaven. Besides, does the devil not believe too? How can it then be a virtue? Or shall they, and their devils, not surely die?

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? “I am the bread that came down from heaven” is indeed a hard teaching. But that's no excuse for your simplicity. "Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever”. For, "I am the bread of life!"