Both Marduk and Yahweh were pretty bad dudes who would smite you just for spite. My questions is, what the hell happened to those guys? Did they start taking pills to calm themselves down? It wasn't until the 8th century BC that Yahwah quit his role as the national war god, and started showing his "softer side". He was still quick to flip out when people forgot his laws and started worshipping "false" gods.
By 500 BC, the religion of Yahwah had undergone a transformation that allowed it to survive as a "world" religion. 500 years later, he again made a major turnaround. No longer was he the "god of war". Now he was the "God of love".
So 'splain it to me Lucy. How did this happen? Was the "old" Yahweh just the "evil twin" of the new Yahweh, or is it just possible that mankind just needed to do a "makeover" of it's image of god? Is it possible that as mankind becomes more civilized, his god must become more civilized also?
.
Please don't cut my head off.

Dude, you're puttin' WAY more thought into this crap than it's worth.

Good stuff.

Buy the "Little Zen Companion" and come on over to a non-theistic religion. Not that there's anything wrong with theistic religion, etc, etc.

BT
.

Good stuff.

Buy the "Little Zen Companion" and come on over to a non-theistic religion. Not that there's anything wrong with theistic religion, etc, etc.

BT
.I'm going cheap tonight myownself.... 2004 Yellow Tail Reserve Shiraz. $11.

(burp)

I'm going cheap tonight myownself.... 2004 Yellow Tail Reserve Shiraz. $11.

(burp)

Now that's funny! I didn't even know they have a reserve. Any good?

I'm workin' on a bottle 20 yr tawny tonight.

You're all bunch of winos aren't you?

Now that's funny! I didn't even know they have a reserve. Any good?

I'm workin' on a bottle 20 yr tawny tonight.


Ooooooooooooooh, tawny port. *smackin' lips* hmm hmmm hmmmm. Share?

Actually, I have an alternative theory about the evolving appearance of Yahweh in scripture... maybe it is a good time for Biblical inerrantists to acknowlege that just maybe the content and storytelling of scripture is metaphorical and influenced by the politics and vision of the authors.

Heading to a wine and cheese party tonight. I don't know a damn thing about wine, and I'm not too big a fan of it, so I'm bringing beer. I asked first. It was cool ;) Apparently 'm not the only one.




joe

Now that's funny! I didn't even know they have a reserve. Any good?

I'm workin' on a bottle 20 yr tawny tonight.
Well, for an $11 bottle, it drinks like.... an $11 bottle. :D Fake cork and all.


Actually, it's not bad. It's all about properly set expectations. I had none and so I was pleasantly surprised.

I've also discovered another cheap but not bad: Three Blind Moose Cab.


/take all of this with a grain of salt -- I have the palate of a 3 y/o. ;)

/take all of this with a grain of salt -- I have the palate of a 3 y/o. ;)

Your 3 y/o palatte might also like Rex Goliath - I've hade the cab, pinot, and merlot. Not bad for an under $10 bottle of wine.

http://www2.ibgcheckout.com/rexgoliath/

snap /palette of a 2 y/o /dragen

Actually, I have an alternative theory about the evolving appearance of Yahweh in scripture... maybe it is a good time for Biblical inerrantists to acknowlege that just maybe the content and storytelling of scripture is metaphorical and influenced by the politics and vision of the authors.

Good post!

Your 3 y/o palatte might also like Rex Goliath - I've hade the cab, pinot, and merlot. Not bad for an under $10 bottle of wine.

http://www2.ibgcheckout.com/rexgoliat (http://www2.ibgcheckout.com/rexgoliath/)

snap /palette of a 2 y/o /dragen
Ooooh... thanks for the tip! I love good cheap wine.

I haven't had merlot in... well, I haven't had it since before I started drinking wine regularly.

Heading to a wine and cheese party tonight. I don't know a damn thing about wine, and I'm not too big a fan of it, so I'm bringing beer. I asked first. It was cool ;) Apparently 'm not the only one.




joeKeep trying. Hopefully one day someone will turn you on to a glass of wine that will be the turning point for you. I was the same way until I had a glass of a rather good zin a few years ago.

A perfect, omniscient creator would be incapable of creating anything that was not also perfect - at least not as the result of an error. The concept of perfection removes the possibility of error.

Considering the state of the world in general, and each of us in particular, it's easy to see that perfection isn't a reasonable adjective.

The only conclusion one can draw is that either we're stuck worshipping one less than perfect and omniscient (creates a bit of trouble in the inerrancy department), or a creator with a particularly sick sense of humor, the cosmic equivalent of the kid pulling the legs off of spiders. Which may be worth fearing, but worshipping? Dunno.

The remaining possibility is that the world is perfect as is, and is functioning exactly as it should. But that eliminates the necessity (and indeed the possibility) of a god, as well as making a mockery of free will.


Then there's a theory that the Earth was created by a species of hyperintelligent beings who's projestion into this layer of reality is that of lab mice. The Earth is in fact a massively parallel organic computer whose sole purpose is to work out the question that goes with the ultimate answer. That might make the most sense of all. :)

However you conceptualize the bigger questions, I wish you all well.

You're all bunch of winos aren't you?I'm actually only a wino in training. Cheap wino in training at that.

A perfect, omniscient creator would be incapable of creating anything that was not also perfect - at least not as the result of an error. The concept of perfection removes the possibility of error.

Considering the state of the world in general, and each of us in particular, it's easy to see that perfection isn't a reasonable adjective.

The only conclusion one can draw is that either we're stuck worshipping one less than perfect and omniscient (creates a bit of trouble in the inerrancy department), or a creator with a particularly sick sense of humor, the cosmic equivalent of the kid pulling the legs off of spiders. Which may be worth fearing, but worshipping? Dunno.

The remaining possibility is that the world is perfect as is, and is functioning exactly as it should. But that eliminates the necessity (and indeed the possibility) of a god, as well as making a mockery of free will.


Then there's a theory that the Earth was created by a species of hyperintelligent beings who's projestion into this layer of reality is that of lab mice. The Earth is in fact a massively parallel organic computer whose sole purpose is to work out the question that goes with the ultimate answer. That might make the most sense of all. :)

However you conceptualize the bigger questions, I wish you all well.
Man.... I need more wine.

Ya gotta find some Los Vascos Cab from Chile. Owned by the Domaines de Barones Lafite Rothschild, first rate cheep hooch.

Man.... I need more wine.Quick B4 he pulls out the Vogon poetry:eek:

"It feels rather unpleasantly like being drunk."
"Really? What's so unpleasant about that?"
"Go ask a glass of water."////grabs towel


Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz[/i]] Oh freddled gruntbuggly thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee.
Groop I implore thee my foonting turlingdromes.
And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles,
Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglecruncheon,
see if I don't!

Quick B4 he pulls out the Vogon poetry:eek:

"It feels rather unpleasantly like being drunk."
"Really? What's so unpleasant about that?"
"Go ask a glass of water."

Both Marduk and Yahweh were pretty bad dudes who would smite you just for spite. My questions is, what the hell happened to those guys? Did they start taking pills to calm themselves down? It wasn't until the 8th century BC that Yahwah quit his role as the national war god, and started showing his "softer side". He was still quick to flip out when people forgot his laws and started worshipping "false" gods.
By 500 BC, the religion of Yahwah had undergone a transformation that allowed it to survive as a "world" religion. 500 years later, he again made a major turnaround. No longer was he the "god of war". Now he was the "God of love".
So 'splain it to me Lucy. How did this happen? Was the "old" Yahweh just the "evil twin" of the new Yahweh, or is it just possible that mankind just needed to do a "makeover" of it's image of god? Is it possible that as mankind becomes more civilized, his god must become more civilized also?
.
Please don't cut my head off.


The answer seems obvious to me.

Now it is such a bizarrely impossible coincidence that anything so mind-bogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the nonexistence of God. The arguement goes something like this:


"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."

"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."

"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't though of that" and promply vanishes in a puff of logic.



THE UNIVERSE:
4. Population


It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.

So, does this mean that you think that god is on Valium?
If that is so, who prescribed them, and who filled them........I know......WallMart.

Now it is such a bizarrely impossible coincidence that anything so mind-bogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the nonexistence of God. The arguement goes something like this:


"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."

"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."

"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't though of that" and promply vanishes in a puff of logic.



THE UNIVERSE:
4. Population


It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.

Ha ha ha ha! I'm wined up enough now.... I'm immune to your attempts at seriousness.

So, does this mean that you think that god is on Valium?
If that is so, who prescribed them, and who filled them........I know......WallMart.NO! Walmart stocks the morning after pill now by law. Did God get laid while we weren't looking?

Don't you know.......there is no Mrs. God..................well except that time a few thousand years ago.

Don't you know.......there is no Mrs. God..................well except that time a few thousand years ago.So He's just whoring around then. I get it now.

Well, for an $11 bottle, it drinks like.... an $11 bottle. :D Fake cork and all.


Actually, it's not bad. It's all about properly set expectations. I had none and so I was pleasantly surprised.

I've also discovered another cheap but not bad: Three Blind Moose Cab.


/take all of this with a grain of salt -- I have the palate of a 3 y/o. ;)

Ken/Snap,

Consider yourselves lucky. My palate was ruined when I worked as a wine buyer. I've tasted so much cheap wine that I can't touch anything under $15-20. Although, I have found some very drinkable inexpensive Italian/Spanish/Yugoslavic wines. Perfect job for the controlled alcoholic.

Oh how a really good bottle can reaffirm one's faith in God.

Back to my porto...just perfect on a cold blustery night!

Ooooooooooooooh, tawny port. *smackin' lips* hmm hmmm hmmmm. Share?

Hold yur glass out... I love sharing a good port with good company. Tonight I'm sharing it with the Thomas Crown Affair.

Ya gotta find some Los Vascos Cab from Chile. Owned by the Domaines de Barones Lafite Rothschild, first rate cheep hooch.

Good rec Dan, Los Vascos is a nice inexpensive cab. :D

Ha ha ha ha! I'm wined up enough now.... I'm immune to your attempts at seriousness.

Me and the ladies are having double strength margaritas over at casa Rocco.

So, does this mean that you think that god is on Valium?
If that is so, who prescribed them, and who filled them........I know......WallMart.


I'm thinking ludes.

Heading to a wine and cheese party tonight. I don't know a damn thing about wine, and I'm not too big a fan of it, so I'm bringing beer. I asked first. It was cool ;) Apparently 'm not the only one.

joe


I hate wine snobs... but I love a really good bottle. Oh the dichotomy...

Pairings done right can be heavenly!

Let us know if you try some...

Me and the ladies are having double strength margaritas over at casa Rocco.

Danger Will Robinson, Danger...

God an booze....how very eucharist??? (NTTAWWT)

Dear God -- XTC

Dear god,
Hope you got the letter,
And I pray you can make it better down here.
I don’t mean a big reduction in the price of beer,
But all the people that you made in your image,
See them starving on their feet,
’cause they don’t get enough to eat

From god,
I can’t believe in you.

Dear god,
Sorry to disturb you,
But I feel that I should be heard loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears,
And all the people that you made in your image,
See them fighting in the street,
’cause they can’t make opinions meet,
About god,
I can’t believe in you.

Did you make disease, and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too!

Dear god,
Don’t know if you noticed,
But your name is on a lot of quotes in this book.
Us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look,
And all the people that you made in your image,
Still believing that junk is true.
Well I know it ain’t and so do you,
Dear god,
I can’t believe in,
I don’t believe in,

I won’t believe in heaven and hell.
No saints, no sinners,
No devil as well.
No pearly gates, no thorny crown.
You’re always letting us humans down.
The wars you bring, the babes you drown.
Those lost at sea and never found,
And it’s the same the whole world ’round.
The hurt I see helps to compound,
That the father, son and holy ghost,
Is just somebody’s unholy hoax,
And if you’re up there you’ll perceive,
That my heart’s here upon my sleeve.
If there’s one thing I don’t believe in...

It’s you,
Dear god.

I'm going cheap tonight myownself.... 2004 Yellow Tail Reserve Shiraz. $11.

(burp)
reserve? that said yellow tail ain't all that bad for the price point. $11 though? The stuff I buy is usually $6.99 a bottle. Shiraz/Cab blend I think,.

reserve? that said yellow tail ain't all that bad for the price point. $11 though? The stuff I buy is usually $6.99 a bottle. Shiraz/Cab blend I think,.The normal Yellow Tail is about $8 here in MD. The $11 was for their "reserve". I whacked the whole bottle last night and didn't have a headache this morning. Not sure how to interpret that.....

Did God make man in his own image...


His image, huh?

Sexist! Off with his head!