Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – a great example of how christianity is simply made in the image of the christian

A fellow, Gabriel, has protested that how I dare I consider his bible by what it says.

Unsurprisngly, like most christians he makes up his christianity in his own image.

“Shade:

“²⁶ “I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.”’” Luke 19

That is pretty harsh language.  This is similar (or the same?) as the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).  I took that parable to mean that someone should do what good they can with the gifts given to them (their “talents”) or the “master” would be upset with them.  The use of that intense language in the parable may have been a storytelling technique.  An online Yale class doesn’t make me an expert on every word of the Bible.  My point in the original article was that the Bible clearly says I should give a hungry person food if I have it.

Shade:

“¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders—flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great.’ ¹⁹” Revelation 19

There’s a Dallas Willard quote that I will specifically cite with a later update.  It reads something like, “Jesus isn’t part of how we ‘do’ Christianity in America.”  He was lamenting that folks focus entirely on personal salvation (“consumer Christianity”) and not on trying to follow Jesus’ teachings and implement them into their real lives.  I bring that up because, although I’ve reviewed all of the Book of Revelation from ole’ exiled Paul, it doesn’t add much to how I live my life.  I’ll have to withhold judgement on how I feel about the angel devouring those people until I see it for myself.  That’s mostly a joke.  The point is, I don’t have much to do with Revelation because I find very little practical value to it.

Shade:

I’ve read the bible, Gabriel. Do you think you can really make false claims about what it says to me?

I like to think that I have cited things adequately.  I don’t have much to add here.

In any case, your feedback has been informative for me, and I appreciate the direct citations.  As I wrote above, I don’t think that there is much room left for meaningful engagement, so I will wish you the best and farewell.

Sincerely,

Gabriel“

Yep, the typical dishonesty, and of course I can’t comment on this on his blog.

it’s notable how you run from honest discussion, Gabriel. Like all christians, you try to claim that only your version is the right one, and you try to claim that any part you don’t like is just “metaphor” or “storytelling”. It literally has jesus saying to bring anyonewho doesn’t agree with him before him and slaughter them.

Like all christians, you make up your religion in your own image. You have nothing but a religion has hate, fear and ignorance, and you choose to keep it when you could find the few humane things in christianity somewhere else without the baggage.