Ring of Fire: He's from Portugal down South America way.

uh, portugal is in europe. or are you referring to brazil, where they speak portugese?

Hail Ragnar!

He's like a Vorlon... he appears as whatever the person looking at him wants to see.

Also, I never read that John the Baptist was a  Rastafarian and I didn't realize that people in the Middle East sported English accents.

wtf is the "history" channel running this mythology shiat, anyway?

Nnnnyyesss - as the country club application clearly states, Jews are NOT consider wh-
*gets handed a summons for a discrimination lawsuit*
Oh bollocks.

FlashHarry: wtf is the "history" channel running this mythology shiat, anyway?

Troll all you want, and I am sure you will, but if you don't have to believe in God or Jesus or anything contained in the Bible to appreciate that the contents of that book and the stories it tells have been of paramount historical and cultural significance.  I think you are smart enough to know that.  In fact, I know you are smart enough to know that which leads me to believe that the fact that you constantly say things like that on this subject is rooted in nothing more than a desire to insult people of faith.

FlashHarry: wtf is the "history" channel running this mythology shiat, anyway?

Piles and piles of money.

Nabb1: FlashHarry: wtf is the "history" channel running this mythology shiat, anyway?

Troll all you want, and I am sure you will, but if you don't have to believe in God or Jesus or anything contained in the Bible to appreciate that the contents of that book and the stories it tells have been of paramount historical and cultural significance.  I think you are smart enough to know that.  In fact, I know you are smart enough to know that which leads me to believe that the fact that you constantly say things like that on this subject is rooted in nothing more than a desire to insult people of faith.

not trolling at all. i agree that the historical significance of the bible is incalculable. however, in this series, the bible is being presented as if it were fact, which is bullshiat. not only that, but it is also being presented through the lens of 21st century american protestant christianity.

btw - i have studied the bible, i keep a bible on my iphone, and i have long been fascinated by the bible and its historical impact. i have no desire to insult anyone except the knuckle-dragging mouthbreathers at the "history" channel who produced this show.

History channel. Now with 0% actual history

FlashHarry: Nabb1: FlashHarry: wtf is the "history" channel running this mythology shiat, anyway?

Troll all you want, and I am sure you will, but if you don't have to believe in God or Jesus or anything contained in the Bible to appreciate that the contents of that book and the stories it tells have been of paramount historical and cultural significance.  I think you are smart enough to know that.  In fact, I know you are smart enough to know that which leads me to believe that the fact that you constantly say things like that on this subject is rooted in nothing more than a desire to insult people of faith.

not trolling at all. i agree that the historical significance of the bible is incalculable. however, in this series, the bible is being presented as if it were fact, which is bullshiat. not only that, but it is also being presented through the lens of 21st century american protestant christianity.

btw - i have studied the bible, i keep a bible on my iphone, and i have long been fascinated by the bible and its historical impact. i have no desire to insult anyone except the knuckle-dragging mouthbreathers at the "history" channel who produced this show.

It is not being presented as fact.  They say it's basically a combination of many different versions of the Bible right there at the beginning of each episode.  I watched some of it the other night with my wife.  It wasn't too bad.

Yeah, Satan really did look like Obama.  I'm not gonna lie. I didn't think so, but then we watched it and we both laughed and said that probably had some people pretty irritated.

This is now a creepy Jesus thread.

EasyWind: Also, I never read that John the Baptist was a  Rastafarian and I didn't realize that people in the Middle East sported English accents.
[images.christianpost.com image 800x409]

Whoa!  Watch the nipple dude!

Nabb1: a desire to insult people of faith.

Okay, I know this isn't FlashHarry's point...but, why aren't people of faith worthy of insult?

Faith is delusional thinking.  Sure, it's popular delusional thinking -- which is why some people are taken aback when it's classed together with belief in Bigfoot or fairies, but, it's essentially the same thing.

People of faith are people who believe in something, without evidence, simply because they want it to be true.

Ring of Fire: FlashHarry: Ring of Fire: He's from Portugal down South America way.

uh, portugal is in europe. or are you referring to brazil, where they speak portugese?

I know it's from Arrested Devlopment.
Although (I think not sure) Portugal is the only European country to be governed from the Americas.

If you are referring to when the Portuguese court was in Brazil, you are correct. It's no longer governed from the Americas though.

If you're going to Portugal, it's due south.

eraser8: Nabb1: a desire to insult people of faith.

Okay, I know this isn't FlashHarry's point...but, why aren't people of faith worthy of insult?

Faith is delusional thinking.  Sure, it's popular delusional thinking -- which is why some people are taken aback when it's classed together with belief in Bigfoot or fairies, but, it's essentially the same thing.

People of faith are people who believe in something, without evidence, simply because they want it to be true.

Well, there are elements of faith that require more of a suspension of disbelief than others. Part of the problem is that "faith" means both "to accept even without evidence" (a synonym of "belief") and "a system of beliefs" (a synonym for "religion").

There are elements of religious faith that seek to answer morally ambiguous questions or produce moral lessons (like Aesop's fables) - things like "how much to repay someone who injures you". There are others that dictate what is and is not moral - things like "eating shellfish". The former has many answers, any one of which may bring relief to the injured party; the latter establishes morality where previously there might have been none, and for what appear as capricious reasons (sure, it's possible the dietary laws were born because "eating this stuff made some people sick that one time", but we don't really know for sure, do we?).

One may accept the philosophy (the former) without accepting the latter ("matters of faith"; the relationship between you/mankind and god).

// a question of philosophy needs AN answer, even "do nothing"
// a question of faith presupposes god

Dr Dreidel: Part of the problem is that "faith" means both "to accept even without evidence" (a synonym of "belief") and "a system of beliefs" (a synonym for "religion").

I was using the Biblical definition of faith.

Jesus was white and Satan was black. That's specifically what the the viewers of this tripe insisted on seeing.

Mikey1969: FlashHarry: wtf is the "history" channel running this mythology shiat, anyway?

Because there is a good chance that there was an influential philosopher around at the time, and he changed a lot in the world. Even if you do't believe in religion, it doesn't mean that the guy who was walking the walk 2,000 years ago isn't of important historical significance.

This.

I may not like religion and I don't believe in Jesus' divinity but I recognize him as a historical figure. There is so much from his life that we do not know, anything that promotes interest in his life is good with me.

Although, it would be cool if the History channel had some actual academic standards for it's History.

I saw much of the Bible and enjoyed it for being just absolutely ridiculous.

The scene where the angels are trying to find honorable men in Sodom is farking hysterical.  The men of the city attack them and one of them, an Asian angel, slowly pulls two shortswords from scabbards on his back and goes at them 300 style, slicing and stabbing in slow motion.   I was howling.

I also like that Samson was a 300 lb. guy with dreadlocks.  He did a whole lot of 300 style melee with the jawbone of an ass.   But if people want to complain about white Jesus that's cool.   I was rather gobsmacked that they actually lightened the actor's hair to play Jesus.  That was just over the top.

Sweet, hot Jesus!

eraser8: Dr Dreidel: Part of the problem is that "faith" means both "to accept even without evidence" (a synonym of "belief") and "a system of beliefs" (a synonym for "religion").

I was using the Biblical definition of faith.

...which has both definitions. I've read my Bible, sir, and the word "faith" does not appear once (the Hebrew for it probably does...).

Did you mean by "why aren't people of faith worthy of insult?" to say "Why aren't people who believe the literal words in the Bible are incontrovertible facts worthy of insult?", my response is that Jewish scholars for a thousand years have very much been ridiculing that position (even though others, to one degree or another, support it - the Talmudic-era Saducee tradition died off [since restarted] and most traditions apply some degree of interpretation to the texts).

It may be a popular position now, but it's been worthy of ridicule for a long damned time.

// there is a reason the Oral Tradition is so important to Judaism (even if Reform/Conservative Jews don't believe in its divinity, they likely adhere to several of its rulings/rules, even without realizing it) - to provide explanations (sometimes conflicting ones) for these stories, and to provide the morals where they might have been unclear

Ring of Fire: Lego_Addict: Ring of Fire: Although (I think not sure) Portugal is the only European country to be governed from the Americas.

If you are referring to when the Portuguese court was in Brazil, you are correct. It's no longer governed from the Americas though.

If you're going to Portugal, it's due south.

Touche, guess I meant to say "to have been.."

I didn't mean it to come off like that. Have you studied Portuguese or Brazilian history?

Mikey1969: Lego_Addict: If you're going to Portugal, it's due south.

Due south of where?

It's from arrested development.

What?  History Channel isn't accurate?

But, there really are alien ghost yetis, right?  RIGHT?

Dr Dreidel: ...which has both definitions. I've read my Bible, sir, and the word "faith" does not appear once (the Hebrew for it probably does...).

Hebrews 11:1:  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Or, if you prefer KJV:  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

How about RSV:  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

NCV:  Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.

Heck, let's go all Jehovah's Witness up in this biatch and check out the New World Translation:  Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld

So, I have to ask: which Bible are you using?

I'm particularly struck by how "The Bible" really goes over the top to portray the Romans as unwilling partner's in the execution of Jesus. They really want to make it all the Jew's fault. Even Mel Gibson, a known anti-Semite, showed the Jews more favorably.

eraser8: So, I have to ask: which Bible are you using?

Dude...you missed the joke. Read the rest for my actual point.

This really burns my chittlins, History channel. Casual mentions of "the historical Jesus" makes people think that there is documentation outside the Bible. Lots of people assume there are records in Roman and Jewish archives that support the story of a renegade religious leader in that place at that time.

There aren't. Period.

We might as well be discussing the hair color of the Seven Dwarves and what kind of hat Dopey really wore.