On Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:22:57 -0800, Darren New wrote:

> Warp wrote:
>>   Yes. Take one single verse, remove it from the rest of the book, and
>> state that single verse, all by itself, is absolute, without even
>> understanding the context in which it has been written.
> 
> Well, I think I'm pretty familiar with the context around the ten
> commandments, for example. They *still* seem pretty absolute.

I will probably regret saying this, even as a non-Christian, but in 
debates I've had with others on this exact topic, the typical response is 
"God can make exceptions - for example, if God commands you to kill, then 
you aren't in violation of the 5th commandment, because God said to do 
it."

That's not entirely unlike the exception in death-penalty state laws that 
makes the person not pulling the switch not guilty of committing murder 
when they pull the switch.

So, while I disagree with the fundamental idea of organized religion 
itself, I can understand the idea that the context is larger than just 
that section of Exodus where the 10 commandments are spelled out.

Jim

Post a reply to this message