Planetguy wrote:Starfish Scott wrote:
And I don't need a bible to know the difference between right and wrong at this late date, although I suppose some do if they can't remember the basics.
^ that
Maybe you need the manual, but some of us remember the lessons because there was some pain involved and "PAIN is the greatest teacher".
^ and that.
it's insulting to everyone who doesn't follow "THE MANUAL" to believe that w/o it......we're hopelessly going thru life bumping into things.
that just too easily comes off as smug and superior.
THAT'S EXACTLY MY POINT.
If you know a little about the subject in general, you get the drift.
It's only a guide and the lessons within can be learned anywhere if you look hard enough.
The bible is a testament about how to behave, but you combine that with a little common sense and you have all you need to do the job at hand.
(No one is bumping around in the night without it, although it might take a little more work to uncover what it's trying to teach.)
I learned most lessons early on in Church on Sundays and the ones I didn't get, I felt pain over and was forcefully corrected by life or other.
(The more pain you feel over it, the better you learn. imo)
But the last thing I am trying to do is teach/preach or instruct.
Let the world figure it out for themselves. They think they know, let the cards fall where they may.
If I came off as smug or superior, I apologize. I am neither. I am a sinner. I am a work in progress. I don't doubt that I will always be a work in progress, but that's me. I make no excuses, but some of this seems fairly obvious if you've been around the proverbial city block already a few times.
Anyone that quotes scripture is just looking to reinforce the idea(s) they are trying to promote. Most of us have heard them before and repetition does not breed anything but familiarity and certainly not obedience.
If you want to be a professional preacher or TV evangelist, quoting scripture is fine. But most of us are far past this point and know the difference between right and wrong without the scripture.
And some get downright upset when they hear it, thus the term "bible thumper".
You can know god well and not have to quote the bible, that's just trite and reeking of platitude(s).
Don't think you know me well enough to think I am "on the fence".
That would just devalue your evaluation processes in general.
What I think is basically irrelevant. I encourage people to "think for themselves" and ignore the rest.