It is mystifying

[steve_bank]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

 

[Politesse]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

Most popular debates stem back to historical events that occurred when the world was much smaller.

 

[steve_bank]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

Most popular debates stem back to historical events that occurred when the world was much smaller.

They stem from endless spin and personal interpretation of scripture and 'what god wants'. Very little actually relates to anything explicitly stated. Aquinas trying to reconcile Greeks with Catholic theology. How many angels can fit on the head of a pin. The centuries of European theological debates. The multiplicity of sects.

 

[skepticalbip]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

People like belonging to clubs that make them feel special. That is why fraternities and sororities thrive, why people cheer on "their" sports team, etc. How much more special could someone feel than being a member of "the only group that will be rewarded with heaven"?

 

[Lion IRC]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

You shouldn't be surprised that other people's attention paid to writings which you find incoherent is a mystery to you.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

Geography. An overwhelmingly resource rich region confers an enormous survival advantage on the organisms that populated and evolved there. It's location on the planet further multiplied that advantage enormously. So there really isn't any mystery involved.

Humans also have this thing called emotions that works against all their rational inclinations. The mystery to me is that despite that glaring deficiency in our constitution we have managed to survive. When one considers all the squandered potential humans have brought upon and to continue to bring upon themselves and their environment the mystery only deepens. It's as if we're living in a nightmarish half-reality and cannot wake ourselves up.

 

[ideologyhunter]

I like that last sentence, Moog. It's like a similar thought that was posted an age ago, that talked about the weirdness of a humanity that invents a god to be afraid of offending.
Other parts of the OP mystery: that the Christian community by and large doesn't even read the scripture that it takes to be the VERY WORDS OF AN ALL-POWERFUL DEITY...try to find a Christian you know who's read the entire Bible that he or she pretends to venerate. Or the complete dismissal by countless Xters of key teachings of the Son o' God, whose Word includes the injunctions to give absolutely anything away that is begged of you; to never try to get back stuff that is stolen from you (both of these are in Luke 6, in case you think it's too strange to be true); to accept physical assault without fighting back; to keep prayer private; to never swear an oath; to consider those who marry a divorced woman as an adulterer; to expect that whatever you ask in Jesus' name will be done for you. Christianity -- it's a cray-cray joint, huh?

 

[Politesse]

I like that last sentence, Moog. It's like a similar thought that was posted an age ago, that talked about the weirdness of a humanity that invents a god to be afraid of offending.
Other parts of the OP mystery: that the Christian community by and large doesn't even read the scripture that it takes to be the VERY WORDS OF AN ALL-POWERFUL DEITY...try to find a Christian you know who's read the entire Bible that he or she pretends to venerate. Or the complete dismissal by countless Xters of key teachings of the Son o' God, whose Word includes the injunctions to give absolutely anything away that is begged of you; to never try to get back stuff that is stolen from you (both of these are in Luke 6, in case you think it's too strange to be true); to accept physical assault without fighting back; to keep prayer private; to never swear an oath; to consider those who marry a divorced woman as an adulterer; to expect that whatever you ask in Jesus' name will be done for you. Christianity -- it's a cray-cray joint, huh?

And never to call anyone a "fool".

 

[Learner]

With the last line. I'm sorry to hear that, living in a nightmarish half-reality, all because Christians - above everything else out there (it seems you are saying) - are in your community.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

With the last line. I'm sorry to hear that, living in a nightmarish half-reality, all because Christians - above everything else out there (it seems you are saying) - are in your community.

Biblical woo is just one example of the woo that affects us all. Biblical woo just had a geographical advantage.

Think of a 1000 piece puzzle and one piece says "bible." But when the puzzle is complete it spells out "Woo." One nation, under Woo...

 

[steve_bank]

With the last line. I'm sorry to hear that, living in a nightmarish half-reality, all because Christians - above everything else out there (it seems you are saying) - are in your community.

You are effectively making my point. On the forum you and others endlessly spin responses that really have nothing to do with what is written in scripture.

It is the talking about it that makes you feel good, am I right?

 

[Learner]

I feel good talking about all sorts of things of interest. What do you feel good talking about? The topics you make threads about, in "reverse spin"?

All's good.

 

[Learner]

With the last line. I'm sorry to hear that, living in a nightmarish half-reality, all because Christians - above everything else out there (it seems you are saying) - are in your community.

Biblical woo is just one example of the woo that affects us all. Biblical woo just had a geographical advantage.

Think of a 1000 piece puzzle and one piece says "bible." But when the puzzle is complete it spells out "Woo." One nation, under Woo...

Hmmm

If the puzzle is complete then its ... Wow!?

 

[bilby]

It is mystifying how the incoherent records of an ancient small ethnic group who numbers maybe 20 million today is the focus of so much attention and debate.

Geography. An overwhelmingly resource rich region confers an enormous survival advantage on the organisms that populated and evolved there. It's location on the planet further multiplied that advantage enormously. So there really isn't any mystery involved.

Humans also have this thing called emotions that works against all their rational inclinations. The mystery to me is that despite that glaring deficiency in our constitution we have managed to survive. When one considers all the squandered potential humans have brought upon and to continue to bring upon themselves and their environment the mystery only deepens. It's as if we're living in a nightmarish half-reality and cannot wake ourselves up.

We evolved in an environment very different from the one we have produced. It's hardly surprising that our evolved tendencies, including our emotional responses, are a poor fit for the modern world. It's only been a handful of generations since we have had cities of more than a few hundred thousand people, or the ability to convert fossil fuels into useful work, or global communications at reasonable speeds, or long lives, or the ability to manage family sizes, or surplus wealth, or reasonable security of our property without constant vigilance, or exposure to large numbers of different cultures, or a whole host of other things.

Our extended phenotype has completely changed the environment in which we live, and continues to do so at an accelerating rate. Whether our genetics can keep up, and evolve to survive this new environment; or whether we will either become extinct, or revert to a palaeolithic existence to which we are arguably more suited (with a far lower population) remains to be seen.