Quote:
Originally Posted by Flashpoint
I am glad you can prove things about me without knowing me. Well done! I can't do the same about you, so I won't try, and will instead focus on the issue at hand.
Soooo, I guess morality didn't exist before the bible then? Since it gave rise to it? It hasn't been around for very long when you look at the span of human history. And there was no worth to the individual prior to the destruction of the Jewish temple?
I'm sure the majority of human history would tend to disagree with you. Since Jericho was inhabited 10,000 BC.
They are both books. That's it. There is nothing magical about the bible. It has a bunch of stories dating back a long time, and provides an interesting perspective into the minds of Bronze age peoples living in agrarian societies.
It also has a 2 millenium head start on Hubbart and came about at a time when there weren't a lot of books. Hence the significance of it's impact. An impact that has caused probably as much suffering as it has "gifts", depending upon who you talk to.
As far as what it has contributed to western society... well it very much depends on who was, interpreting it. It isn't like it was written in English. Or at once. Or by one guy. Or that it hasn't been extensively edited to suit whomever was in charge at the time.
And it isn't like it provides a step by step guide as to how to live your life. Unless you accept all of it - in which case you are an intolerant homophobic mysoganist who believes in genocide, zombies, and incest. All things that can be found clearly stated in the bible as having the full support of god.
Now, I have been harsh on the "good book". That's not really fair. It is just a book after all, and the interpretation of the writing is what leads to trouble.
So Cruise reads his book and you read yours. You both take lessons from them and apply them in your life. And yet somehow, you don't think you are both doing the same thing? Just because he might not have as many reviews of his book, simply because yours was published first? Great, your book is more popular. Doesn't mean it is any better.
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Excellent post, I couldn't have put it better myself.
The one thing I'd like to add is that often people speak of the bible and its importance on instilling morality to the world.
Morality formed quite naturally well before that, it was necessary at the dawn of mankind when we were small tribal groups. Morality formed out of necessity, self preservation, etc..
