The difference between you and me is you don't want to understand where the writers of the Old Testament are coming from. You just dismiss it all as made up fantasy and lies. Take the story of Noah. You would dismiss it out of hand. Someone like Brownflush may believe that two of every creature showed up at the Ark. Perhaps there's an underlying historical event that is the basis for the story. A lot of evidence suggests that the narrow isthmus separating what is now Turkey and Greece broke through spilling the Mediterranean into what is now the Black Sea. The Sumerians had a myth known as the Epic of Gilgamesh. He dealt with a huge flood. The father of the Hebrew nation, Abraham, lived in the Sumerian city of Ur. Noah's flood has a lot in common with the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Certainly the archeological record rules out men and dinosaurs living at the same time, minus today's crocodiles and alligators. Also if you look at mankind around the world every group had/has its mythology and origin stories. Every Native American tribe had its own origin story. Why did the mythology of the Hebrews catch on? Imo it was due to they were one of the first groups with a written language. And Jesus came from the Hebrews/Jews. Two aspects of the Old Testament are very important to Christians. His lineage and prophesies of the Messiah. Beyond that we're completely under the New Testament, not the Old. The Old Testament has homosexuals, for example, put to death. Under the New Testament we are to recognize that we all sin, must try not to, and warn others who are caught up in sin that they're endangering their soul. They are free to reject or accept that. But we aren't to harm them. The state has an obligation to enforce laws, including, if the state requires it, taking someone's life as punishment for murdering others. But we as Christians must not murder. So I may know that you're a homosexual but beyond insisting that your sex life should be kept private if you aren't willing to stop, I would face punishment myself if I harmed you over it. As much as you hate Christianity I hope you realize that this country used to be much more Christian and our basis of do no harm has led to an opening up of society that allows you to be openly gay without fear of harm. You may disagree but when you have a gay pride parade you aren't seeing Christians rioting over it. We believe ultimately we'll all be judged by the lives we live(some don't) and it's up to God. I realize that the fact that we believe homosexuality is a sin(some don't) infuriates you but the Bible lists quite a few sins. We're all dealing with our own lives. Where homosexuality is concerned what I don't want to see are books in school libraries depicting sex acts, straight or gay. And I don't want to see open displays of sexual behavior, gay or straight, as is often exhibited in gay pride parades. Two grown adults are free to do as they please behind closed doors. But if you're going to stick your finger in the eye of Christians publicly expect pushback. Thanks for reading.
ing well, but please tell me more about your wonderful empire building book.
