Re: Secular folks should worry.
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 5:02 pm
It’s very unlikely Jesus was telling his followers any of the words the later writers attributed to him, if he ever really was. The point made by this reference was demonstrate there are mixed messages given in the Bible. Whether one chooses to read Luke as if Jesus literally said hate your father or mother, isn’t really at issue. The Bible has sent many mixed messages. I called this out because it’s a rather obvious example. Why you disagree, I guess, will continue to escape me. I think there are tons of examples of mixed messages sent to humanity in the Bible. That people take it as some ultimate code for life or morality or words from god is a problem and always has been.Res Ipsa wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 10:04 pmThanks, Stem and Morley. I was reading the account in Matthew of the same event, which uses priorities of love in contrast to the binary love/hate. I know nothing of what a God would do in any given circumstance. But, in context, including Jesus's use of metaphor and hyperbole (did he literally mean that faith could move a mountain?), I don't think that it's reasonable to conclude that Jesus was telling his followers to literally hate their families.dastardly stem wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:11 pm
Morley is correctly citing the passage I had in mind when I offered an example of mixed messaging (sorry I figured we were on the same page when you too referenced Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament). But I may be confused on the point you’re raising. We can pick another example, like Jesus never knew many believers or He came not to bring peace but a sword…referencing examples in the gospels is natural since it appears each gospel was written with the previous gospels in mind, at least after mark’s gospel. It’s as if these subsequent authors intended to change it for their own reasons. But that suggests no consistent or wise God endorses those works, unless of course he endorses mixed messaging—love your enemy according to Matt’s gospel and hate your close relatives according to Luke’s. Expand beyond the gospels and the Bible is full of mixed messaging as I see it.