Lightning Burns Down Church, But FOX News Focuses on Preserved Jesus Painting

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Someone clearly didn't get the memo banning idolatry.

Whose memo? BTW, there's difference between worshiping an object and worshiping a spiritual idea represented as by an object. Consider the "burning the flag" debate. The flag represents the US but isn't the US. Burning it is considered free speech since it doesn't harm the US at all. It just makes it easier to identify US enemies.

The folks having orgasms over the Jesus painting surviving are the same ones who DO think the flag IS the US, and would like to imprison anyone who burns it.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Burning it is considered free speech since it doesn't harm the US at all. It just makes it easier to identify US enemies.

I've burned a couple of US flags. And refused to mount one on my car right after 9/11.
Would you identify me as a US enemy?

Jokingly or otherwise?

 

[DrZoidberg]

 

[phands]

Whose memo?

Gawd's memo...you know the one in the evil bible and the decalogue....

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
— Exodus 20:4-6 (KJV)

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Whose memo?

Gawd's memo...you know the one in the evil bible and the decalogue....

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
— Exodus 20:4-6 (KJV)

You might want to look up the definition of "graven image". Here, let me help you:
grav·en im·age noun
a carved idol or representation of a god used as an object of worship.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Burning it is considered free speech since it doesn't harm the US at all. It just makes it easier to identify US enemies.

I've burned a couple of US flags. And refused to mount one on my car right after 9/11.
Would you identify me as a US enemy?

Jokingly or otherwise?

Nope. If you were under 25, then I'd write it off as youthful idealism and immaturity. If you were older, then just a misguided fool. If you were sending money to Jihadists and helping them burn flags and scream "Death to America!", then, yes, I'd consider you to be an enemy. Have you ever worked to attack Americans or overthrow the Constitution?

 

[Max Rockatansky]

View attachment 18445

Do you think it also applies to this place?:

 

[Keith&Co.]

Nope. If you were under 25, then I'd write it off as youthful idealism and immaturity.

Ah. Well, once when I was about 14.

If you were older, then just a misguided fool.

And a fire of about five flags when I was in my late 30's.

If you were sending money to Jihadists and helping them burn flags and scream "Death to America!", then, yes, I'd consider you to be an enemy.

Nah. I did send Yoga Joe Army Figures to those guys that took over the national park in Oregon a while back. That count?

Have you ever worked to attack Americans or overthrow the Constitution?

I spent 20 years 3 months and 3 days in the US Navy, actually.
1980 to 2000.
In 1976, I was in a ceremony to burn some flags that were old and worn, too decrepit to repair.
In 2001, it wasn't really a ceremony. Right after 9/11, a bunch of morons mounted flags on their cars in an effort to appear patriotic. I collected a few at the end of October. Faded, frayed, weather-worn, laying in the gutter. Burned those.
I found it amusing at the time, that the people who were burning flags in protest attached more importance to the item than the knee-jerk patriots who let them rot on their radio antenna...

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

What makes religious behavior fascinating to me is how it is able to invent meaningless words and phrases which are then used to assign meaning.

You might want to look up the definition of "graven image". Here, let me help you:
grav·en im·age noun
a carved idol or representation of a god used as an object of worship.

Graven image, idol, god, worship, etc are like the names of characters and places in a magical children's tale. Great stuff if you're five years old, no longer relevant at fifteen.

I suppose that if fire ravaged my bedroom at age five and all that survived was my security blanket, I might think it had magical significance. It might make it easier to deal with the loss of all the other things by pretending that magic still works.

So maybe as adults we're constantly looking for ways to relieve the stress and demands of life, so we hold onto these magical thoughts and expressions that were so pleasant when experienced as a safe, happy unaware child.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Ah. Well, once when I was about 14. And a fire of about five flags when I was in my late 30's.

If you were sending money to Jihadists and helping them burn flags and scream "Death to America!", then, yes, I'd consider you to be an enemy.

Nah. I did send Yoga Joe Army Figures to those guys that took over the national park in Oregon a while back. That count?

Have you ever worked to attack Americans or overthrow the Constitution?

I spent 20 years 3 months and 3 days in the US Navy, actually.
1980 to 2000.
In 1976, I was in a ceremony to burn some flags that were old and worn, too decrepit to repair.
In 2001, it wasn't really a ceremony. Right after 9/11, a bunch of morons mounted flags on their cars in an effort to appear patriotic. I collected a few at the end of October. Faded, frayed, weather-worn, laying in the gutter. Burned those.
I found it amusing at the time, that the people who were burning flags in protest attached more importance to the item than the knee-jerk patriots who let them rot on their radio antenna...

Retired Navy, still a Marine myself: 1975-1998. Burning a flag in accordance with the Flag code is fine. Burning it as a symbol of burning the Constitution or "death to America" is not.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Burning a flag in accordance with the Flag code is fine. Burning it as a symbol of burning the Constitution or "death to America" is not.

Well, if it was 'okay' it wouldn't be much of a protest, would it?

But we both took the oath to protect that Constitution. Including the 1th Amendment.


ETA: Love the Marines. They were invented so sailors wouldn't get hurt. Thanx.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

What makes religious behavior fascinating to me is how it is able to invent meaningless words and phrases which are then used to assign meaning.

You might want to look up the definition of "graven image". Here, let me help you:
grav·en im·age noun
a carved idol or representation of a god used as an object of worship.

Graven image, idol, god, worship, etc are like the names of characters and places in a magical children's tale. Great stuff if you're five years old, no longer relevant at fifteen.

I suppose that if fire ravaged my bedroom at age five and all that survived was my security blanket, I might think it had magical significance. It might make it easier to deal with the loss of all the other things by pretending that magic still works.

So maybe as adults we're constantly looking for ways to relieve the stress and demands of life, so we hold onto these magical thoughts and expressions that were so pleasant when experienced as a safe, happy unaware child.

One of the many reasons why dogmatic religions are falling out of favor while people seeking spiritual fulfillment/enlightenment is not.

Note that the 11 dead at the Tree of Life synagogue shooting were mostly over 70 with the youngest 54. I'm certain many militant atheists are chuckling on that one.

As for life and death, it is what it is. Over 250M dead in the 2004 Tsunami, I buried over 30 friends in the military. I'm not a "religious" person, but I certainly believe there is more to existence than being an ambulatory meat computer which only responds to biochemical programming and is of no more value than its component parts.

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Burning a flag in accordance with the Flag code is fine. Burning it as a symbol of burning the Constitution or "death to America" is not.

Well, if it was 'okay' it wouldn't be much of a protest, would it?

But we both took the oath to protect that Constitution. Including the 1th Amendment.

Correct and more than a few times. Although not legally enforced, I consider an oath to be forever. Do you?

 

[skepticalbip]

Burning a flag in accordance with the Flag code is fine. Burning it as a symbol of burning the Constitution or "death to America" is not.

Well, if it was 'okay' it wouldn't be much of a protest, would it?

But we both took the oath to protect that Constitution. Including the 1th Amendment.


ETA: Love the Marines. They were invented so sailors wouldn't get hurt. Thanx.

And here I have always heard that Marines are on ships so the sailors will have someone to dance with.

A little time in the army myself.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Burning a flag in accordance with the Flag code is fine. Burning it as a symbol of burning the Constitution or "death to America" is not.

Well, if it was 'okay' it wouldn't be much of a protest, would it?

But we both took the oath to protect that Constitution. Including the 1th Amendment.


ETA: Love the Marines. They were invented so sailors wouldn't get hurt. Thanx.

And here I have always heard that Marines are on ships so the sailors will have someone to dance with.

A little time in the army myself.

Why do sailors have tattoos on their backs? So Marines have something to read in the shower.

Mine is an Army family, dad's a two-time Vietnam vet and retired in the 70s. Brother is still in (1 Iraq, 2 Afghan tours) and will retire in a couple years. Even my ex was Army and deployed for Desert Shield/Storm but was medical and spent six months in Germany.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

One of the many reasons why dogmatic religions are falling out of favor while people seeking spiritual fulfillment/enlightenment is not.

Note that the 11 dead at the Tree of Life synagogue shooting were mostly over 70 with the youngest 54. I'm certain many militant atheists are chuckling on that one.

As for life and death, it is what it is. Over 250M dead in the 2004 Tsunami, I buried over 30 friends in the military. I'm not a "religious" person, but I certainly believe there is more to existence than being an ambulatory meat computer which only responds to biochemical programming and is of no more value than its component parts.

Well, I'm 65 so that age group has meaning for me.

What exactly do you mean when you say, "more to existence"? Are you just being emotional?

And I don't think there's any need for that military bravado and chest pounding. I'm former R.A., big deal. I find it interesting when people "thank me for my service." They never thank me for being a journeyman machinist.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

One of the many reasons why dogmatic religions are falling out of favor while people seeking spiritual fulfillment/enlightenment is not.

Note that the 11 dead at the Tree of Life synagogue shooting were mostly over 70 with the youngest 54. I'm certain many militant atheists are chuckling on that one.

As for life and death, it is what it is. Over 250M dead in the 2004 Tsunami, I buried over 30 friends in the military. I'm not a "religious" person, but I certainly believe there is more to existence than being an ambulatory meat computer which only responds to biochemical programming and is of no more value than its component parts.

Well, I'm 65 so that age group has meaning for me.

What exactly do you mean when you say, "more to existence"? Are you just being emotional?

And I don't think there's any need for that military bravado and chest pounding. I'm former R.A., big deal. I find it interesting when people "thank me for my service." They never thank me for being a journeyman machinist.

Great.

Exactly what it says. There's the physical, the psychological and the spiritual. You are conflating the last two.

Who, besides you, is crowing military bravado and chest pounding?

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

There's the physical, the psychological and the spiritual. You are conflating the last two.

How exactly am I doing that?

 

[Max Rockatansky]

There's the physical, the psychological and the spiritual. You are conflating the last two.

How exactly am I doing that?

By claiming spirituality is emotional.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

There's the physical, the psychological and the spiritual. You are conflating the last two.

How exactly am I doing that?

By claiming spirituality is emotional.

So what exactly was your motivation for posting pictures of the tragedy in Pittsburgh if not emotional/spiritual? What does that have to do with the topic in the OP? To me that is just someone's emotions going off. That's not necessarily always a bad thing, just not rational. Maybe you can explain your purpose to someone as dense as me.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

By claiming spirituality is emotional.

So what exactly was your motivation for posting pictures of the tragedy in Pittsburgh if not emotional/spiritual? What does that have to do with the topic in the OP? To me that is just someone's emotions going off. That's not necessarily always a bad thing, just not rational. Maybe you can explain your purpose to someone as dense as me.

Again, you conflate "emotional/spiritual". Interesting. Why do you believe they are the same? As for the Synagogue picture, try to contrast it with the picture I responded to with it and read the question I asked. It goes directly to the OP; it's a common meme among militant atheists that death, especially by "evil" people are proof that 1) God doesn't exist or 2) if God does exist then God is evil. I find the differences between militant atheists and evangelical Bible-thumpers to be one of polarity, not a difference of quality since both, IMO, are authoritarian assholes. You are free to believe that mass murder is purely emotional, but I think it's a form of insanity. Obviously such people aren't well-adjusted and don't play well with others. Same goes for those who continually ridicule the beliefs of others while holding their own beliefs to be pure and righteous. Agreed it isn't rational.