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Progressive Christianity, moral values, and where I stand before God
`We are a space-age people. We know if Jesus went straight up, he didn't go to heaven. He went into orbit.' --John Shelby Spong, former Episcopal bishop
hee hee. Seriously, it's a good article on Christianity and refocussing of values.
I want to read Tom Harpur's The Pagan Christ. Seems interesting in light of what some of the Dead Sea Scrolls had to say.
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I have pondered a few times about converting to a religion or two, and after much thought I have turned back unto myself and decided that if I was ever to convert to another religion, I should first look at why I rejected Catholicism. I should justify my rejection of Christianity as a person of European descent and culture, and justify why I want to adopt a religion that belongs to another culture.
In another frame of mind, after been thrown a curve ball by a Christian philosophy teacher in cégep, I have decided to firmly come back into the atheist camp (from agnostic). That should not be seen as incompatible with the previous paragraph.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
missnegativity recently described herself as an "atheist, observant jew", if my memory serves me well, and I find the label attractive, although suffering from the simultaneous possession and consumption of one's cake.
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Final note: According to Alberuni, a scholar in the employ of Persian Muslim rulers in India (Mahmud al-Ghazni or one of his descendents...) in the 11th century, Buddhism was widespread across the Middle East before Zoroastrianism came and conquered, before itself being almost anihilated by Islam. Witness:
"In former times, Khurâsâm, Persis, 'Irâk, Mosul, the country up to the frontier of Syria, was Buddhistic, but then Zarathustra went forth from Âdharbaijân and preached Magism in Balkh (Baktra). His doctrine came ino favour with King Gushtasp, and his son Isfendiyâd spread the new faith both in the east and west, both by force and by treaties. He founded fire=temples through his whole empire, from the frontiers of China to those of the Greek empire. The succeeding kings made their religion (i.e. Zoroastrianism) the obligatory state-religion for Persis and 'Irâk. In consequence, the Buddhists were banished from those countries, and had to migrate to the countries east of Balkh. There are some Magians up to the present time in India, where they are called Maga. (I don't know if he's talking about the Zoroastrians that fled Persia, landed in Gujurat and ended being known as Parsis... I can't remember which century that was.)
seaya, you oh learned one, do you have any familiarity with such history?
hee hee. Seriously, it's a good article on Christianity and refocussing of values.
I want to read Tom Harpur's The Pagan Christ. Seems interesting in light of what some of the Dead Sea Scrolls had to say.
* * *
I have pondered a few times about converting to a religion or two, and after much thought I have turned back unto myself and decided that if I was ever to convert to another religion, I should first look at why I rejected Catholicism. I should justify my rejection of Christianity as a person of European descent and culture, and justify why I want to adopt a religion that belongs to another culture.
In another frame of mind, after been thrown a curve ball by a Christian philosophy teacher in cégep, I have decided to firmly come back into the atheist camp (from agnostic). That should not be seen as incompatible with the previous paragraph.
missnegativity recently described herself as an "atheist, observant jew", if my memory serves me well, and I find the label attractive, although suffering from the simultaneous possession and consumption of one's cake.* * *
Final note: According to Alberuni, a scholar in the employ of Persian Muslim rulers in India (Mahmud al-Ghazni or one of his descendents...) in the 11th century, Buddhism was widespread across the Middle East before Zoroastrianism came and conquered, before itself being almost anihilated by Islam. Witness:
"In former times, Khurâsâm, Persis, 'Irâk, Mosul, the country up to the frontier of Syria, was Buddhistic, but then Zarathustra went forth from Âdharbaijân and preached Magism in Balkh (Baktra). His doctrine came ino favour with King Gushtasp, and his son Isfendiyâd spread the new faith both in the east and west, both by force and by treaties. He founded fire=temples through his whole empire, from the frontiers of China to those of the Greek empire. The succeeding kings made their religion (i.e. Zoroastrianism) the obligatory state-religion for Persis and 'Irâk. In consequence, the Buddhists were banished from those countries, and had to migrate to the countries east of Balkh. There are some Magians up to the present time in India, where they are called Maga. (I don't know if he's talking about the Zoroastrians that fled Persia, landed in Gujurat and ended being known as Parsis... I can't remember which century that was.)
seaya, you oh learned one, do you have any familiarity with such history?