Post Praetorian

Given the above, the last word can only be 'yes'

Given that such was specified as a condition (albeit unenforceable) to posting in this thread, it must remain mine--not merely in theory, but in the full actuality of fact (note the inability to seemingly withdraw it from mine possession).

Further, Jay may be holding it as a matter of convenience, but clearly it is being held within my own repository of information within this same forum; therefor it is most certainly designated to be mine.

timdiggerm said:

Post Praetorian said:

timdiggerm said:

zyzzogeton

 This is too ambiguous a topic for discussion herein. Kindly refer to the next post for greater clarity in how to formulate a proper preface for a given argument...

 Sorry, I just wanted to have the last word. 

Well seeing as you have posted it in this thread it now belongs to me.

First question:

Is it possible for God to have a sense of humor? If so, what form must it take?

Consider:

Is God able to have a light sense of humor?

1) A light sense of humor may be described as the ability to laugh at one's self or others in a lighthearted manner.

2) Lightheartedness is expressed as being 'carefree; cheerful; [or] gay' 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lightheartedness

3) God cannot be described as the third option above (reference: www.Bible.com)

4) Cheerfulness is described as 'noticeably happy and optimistic' 

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cheerful

5) Carefree is described as 'without cares; free of concern; easy; casual; without difficulty'

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/carefree

6) God is never once heard to sing happily to himself or whistle.

7) God invented Hell.

8) God cannot be considered cheerful (from 4 and 6).

9) God cannot be considered carefree (from 5 and 7).

 10) God cannot be said to have a light sense of humor (from 3, 8, 9).

timdiggerm said:

zyzzogeton

 This is too ambiguous a topic for discussion herein. Kindly refer to the next post for greater clarity in how to formulate a proper preface for a given argument...

This thread is intended to provide a means by which thought-provoking topics may be discussed in as austere or erudite a fashion as desired...

(or, perhaps as likely, this may simply devolve into a place to poke fun at those who attempt to do so...)

The rules (unenforceable) are only that kindness be prevalent in all discussions, that all responses to questions be read in a light mental tone (no condescension, hostility, negativity, etc.) and that I...

naturally have the last word.

L e6xh6

And then truly the unexpected: DE opts for the long game: P*c3

,Frink, whilst 'Rick-Olie-ing', most obviously

"A Bishop coming down from the sky?? Why it must be Saint Nick!" chortled the King.

B*b6

Sticking with them, my turns then would be:

P d7xd6

DE then swiftly enacts:

G j8xi6

"I did not see that coming!" exclaimed Post in a tone of surprised surprise.

"OK, Rookmaster, the turn is yours to take!"

The head of Andre The

cola. Without which he might

Either way is fine. Seemingly I have resigned under similar circumstances...after...trying...to...move...a...single...pawn...for...8...straight...turns...

If you do leave this game, Ric and I may simply continue in your absence...as in, "Hey Ric, how about we alternate being DE if he opts out?"

could no longer be fired.

wondered what a broken Betelgeuse

a good laugh over anyway

a washing machine near a

in a sign of respect

someone thrice said his name...

Warbler said:

Due to the day, I will be leaving this thread for now.  I suggest everyone else does so as well and we can come back to it in a few days.   

Merry Christmas.

 Agreed! May you all indeed have a good Christimas / Winter Solstice / Random Holiday break!

Possessed said:

Post Praetorian said:

Possessed said:

What do you think of this article, more specifically the subject matter of it than the article itself?  Not trying to be challenging or mocking, I'm just really curious as to how you would explain it?  This isn't very detailed, but it was the best article I could find quickly enough.  It didn't mention that Horus was also resurrected and ascended to the heavens after three days of being dead, but I have seen other places that indicated this.  Not saying the story of Jesus was plagiarized from an egyptian tale that predates it by thousands of years, because I don't have to.

On a similar note, the story of Noah and the ark (even down to the detail of a dove signifying dry land) also appears thousands of years before Judaism, and the story of Moses, with the same basic idea of the same story with different names (although the story of moses the earlier versions had somewhat similar names)

If a being of supernatural, yet eternal, intentions might exist, is it not possible that his message may be consistent in its elements, yet stressed somewhat differently to disparate peoples?

To clarify, is it not possible that God might merely enjoy recounting the same tales?

 Actually, that's exactly what I believe.  I personally don't believe that the story of Jesus is untrue, I just believe it's a retelling of a different story with changed names, and with details altered to fit the desired culture or audience.  I was not saying that this makes the story of Jesus untrue, I think it's true, it just may not have been "Jesus of Nazareth".

However, I find Ric's points about finding similarities between two things very weak.

Sure you can find similarities in anything, but let's look at these similarities:

*Both born of a virgin

*Both had stars signifying their birth
*Both teachers at age 12.  SPECIFICALLY age 12.

*Both "baptized" at age 30, specifically.
*Both tempted by the evil force, on a mountain.

* Both crucified, then ascended to heaven.

Certainly, there is more to investigate for sure...

Those are pretty damn specific, and I don't think you can find those similarities between two random people.

Like I said, I still think the story is true, I just believe the story of Jesus and the story of Horus are merely retellings of the same story.

 Fair enough...

RicOlie_2 said:

With most comparisons of Jesus and another person, the similarities are even more far-fetched. Sometimes he is compared with people who lived after him, or his story is compared with stories that have a later origin, and we are expected to think that this shows the lack of originality in the Jesus story. For instance, it looks like that list of other "Jesus Christs" includes Mohammad! He lived in the seventh century, and his story is based on Jesus' if anything--not the reverse! Not to mention how vague the description is which determines what goes in the list. Laying the foundation for the salvation of the world and then ascending into heaven is quite vague. Lets take a look at Mohammad, for example. He supposedly received a new religion that "corrected" the Jewish and Christian religions. Supposedly he ascended to heaven for some of his visions. Note that he did not ascend into heaven, like Jesus did, at the end of his life, but only in his visions. Also note that he was only a mouthpiece of God, according to Islam and himself, whereas Jesus claimed to be God himself and spoke authoritatively, not just as a prophet, which is all Mohammad claimed to be.

I can't recall ever hearing the story of Horus resurrecting after three days and ascending to the heavens. According to Wikipedia, he triumphed over Set, and wasn't killed at any point in the story (unless I missed something--I did read it fairly quickly). It isn't unknown for things like that to be wholly fabricated, or for the story to have its origin after Jesus, with the Jesus story seeming to copy it because the characters in the later story are older.

More such similarities:

1) Horus' father was a god...Jesus' father was a god

2) Horus' conception was miraculous...Jesus' conception was miraculous

3) An individual wished to slay the child...Herod wished to slay the infant Jesus

4) Horus was considered the Lion...Jesus was considered the Lion

Now to unmask such strange parallels:

1) Horus' father was a dead and dismembered corpse (hastily reassembled)...Jesus' father was a...disembodied spirit?

2) Horus' conception was magical due to the use of a golden phallus...Jesus' conception was miraculous due to...oh, seemingly this differs as well...

3) Horus' uncle, Set,  wished to slay him before his birth...Herod equally wished to slay Jesus! Aha!...however it is unlikely that Herod might have equally been considered the god of the desert (as was Set) and that he and Jesus might have clashed in many battles (as did Horus and Set).

4) Horus was named the Lion due to his prowess both in the hunt and in waging war...Jesus' hunting skills seemingly largely revolved around fish--and cheating when he wished to catch them...and waging war?...not so much...

Of further note, whereas Horus may have been termed 'the god of the sky,' seemingly Jesus generally merely looked up at the sky fairly often while chatting with his father in Heaven.

Possessed said:

What do you think of this article, more specifically the subject matter of it than the article itself?  Not trying to be challenging or mocking, I'm just really curious as to how you would explain it?  This isn't very detailed, but it was the best article I could find quickly enough.  It didn't mention that Horus was also resurrected and ascended to the heavens after three days of being dead, but I have seen other places that indicated this.  Not saying the story of Jesus was plagiarized from an egyptian tale that predates it by thousands of years, because I don't have to.

On a similar note, the story of Noah and the ark (even down to the detail of a dove signifying dry land) also appears thousands of years before Judaism, and the story of Moses, with the same basic idea of the same story with different names (although the story of moses the earlier versions had somewhat similar names)

If a being of supernatural, yet eternal, intentions might exist, is it not possible that his message may be consistent in its elements, yet stressed somewhat differently to disparate peoples?

To clarify, is it not possible that God might merely enjoy recounting the same tales?

No problem!

DrCrowT has chosen to block my script due either to its wordiness or to his disagreeing with some opinionated portion within same.

Also, seemingly he dislikes Shakespeare...