 This whole thread started with references to the Bible, so let's have a look: In Matthew 26:34 (KJV), Jesus make the prophecy that Peter will deny him three times before the cock crows, and it happens that way. However, in Mark 14:30, Jesus says Peter will deny him three times before the cock crows twice, and the cocks crows once after the first denial. Which passage is correct? My point is, would an omnipotent Deity cause a book to be written with two versions of the same event? If the difference is ascribed to poor translation or human errors over the years, then what of the book can we believe as "God's word"? Dennis McKinsey's The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy shows the Bible for what it is: garbled, contradictory, and confused. One commentator put it this way: "If one compares the evil done by the Devil in the Bible with that done by God, it appears to be a book written by the Devil about God." "Interpretation" of scripture, such as that indulged in by Jay D, has always been necessary for the simple
fact that the book makes no sense to begin with. I wish that the Bible had included a date for the "end times", because we could have then been done with this crap a long time ago. It seems that quotes such as, "No man shall know the day or hour", and "Even the angels know not" don't deter certain personalities from seizing upon Jesus' "This generation" passage as a way to fool themselves into thinking that they're getting close to knowing. The Millerites, the Russelites, the Waco-ites all thought they had it figured out; unfortunately, in this case, hope springs eternal in the human breast, and we get impatient: we can't wait to get to Heaven, so we want it brought to us, and the sooner, the better. An psychological examination of the motivations behind "Millenial-madness" is too lengthy for this forum, but one big "perceived-gain" for many is that of the ultimate "I-told-you-so", where all their beliefs and efforts are finally vindicated, and the evildoers get their just desserts- big perk! I can understand why it gets ahold of otherwise intelligent folks the way it does.
As regards the phenomenon of "prophecy" itself, for an event to be foretold accurately not only implies that nothing can be done to stop it from happening, but, conversely, nothing can be done to hasten its occurance- this appears to negate free will, a curious situation in a religious belief system that depends upon the individual making the "choice" to follow Christ. That God would create this world as a "proving ground" where God finds out "Who's naughty and who's nice", when God already knows (Omniscience) is absurd - you guys need to try again; this dog don't hunt! | 
01-12-2007, 02:26 PM
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