Racing for...

[Clearwater AL]

Liberty University sponsors the #24 NASCAR driven by
Willian Byron. It costs them from $20 to $30 million dollars
a year to sponsor that car for their full season commitment.

Liberty University is a private Baptist University in Lynchburg,
Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives
of Virginia.

Race on in the name of Jesus I guess. Pass the basket? They
probably have a counting room like a casino.

PS.
Jesus said concerning taxes…

'Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God
what belongs to God.

That was the first statement of separation of church
and state by Jesus himself.

I think God is doing better than the tax collectors…
being Liberty University doesn’t pay taxes.

One will probably scroll through their reference book
with a reply.

 

[KimT]

I'd be thrilled if Liberty University closed down. Their curriculum is a joke.

All this prosperity BS really grates on my nerves.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Kim,

This mega grifting operation goes back to Jerry Falwell. Then his
son took over but the money, fame swayed him to a sex drama
that drove him out and ruined his marriage.

Fnally he admitted "he never had much use for his father’s church
anyway". To the sick point he enjoyed watching his wife having sex
with a pool boy. So much for being raised in a bible thumping
so called deeply religious family and church.

(I wrote previously about the deal my sisters went through with
my mother who was blind but able to live by herself with our
help as needed and stopping this heartless religious scam from
calling anymore her)

Yes, when it comes to religion, the Bible, being raised in a
religious family, I believe in God and Jesus did preach the
way we should live. I just question so much being based on
hearsay. Like someone wrote... Jesus never wrote anything
down to give to the Apostles. We have no writings from Jesus. ?

But… the greatest gift we were given is our brain. My favorite
Albert Einstein quote…

“Blind belief in anything is the greatest enemy of truth.”

 

[wmilo]

King Solomon also said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

 

[Clearwater AL]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" That is only Solomon believed
without proof. Like so much of religion.

Again, we no have no writings from Jesus himself but a lot of people have written
what he said to the best of their memory and even years later.

Solomon was no Albert Einstein. He was a religious leader, two or more wives, lived in
riches like most kings did and do now. When one sits on a Throne and says something...
it many times is taken as one speaking for God from their God. If someone tells me God
talks to them.... I hope they get the help they need.

I don't believe a word of our former King says, who was dethroned two years ago...
but millions believe everything he says and want him to return him to the Throne in
2024.

And today we have Scientology. If one finds a way out, or rescued by family many
have to go through deprogramming counseling. A religion started by a guy writing
space fiction novels then wrote his Bible. Now... millions of true believers.

Again, if someone's belief and devotion to the Bible and or their religion... I am
glad it brings them peace and comfort.

 

[KimT]

Religious scholars note that the Book of Proverbs contains seven collections of wisdom materials (mostly short sayings) from a wide variety of periods, all after Solomon’s time.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Who's wisdom? Just their thoughts? Did they hear it from God, did they say God talked to them?

Short sayings? Just things they believe? Heard from others just passing it on like so much
religion is often based on.

Again, if someone believes all of this is the word of God and want to give blind faith to it...
if it brings them comfort and peace I'm glad for them. And the folks who find the same
in Scientology.... like I wrote above.

 

[wmilo]

I agree with your statement Al, that, "we no have no writings from Jesus himself but a lot of people have written what he said to the best of their memory and even years later."

We have no original manuscripts for any book of the Bible, and the same can be said for most ancient literature. There is general agreement on a first century date for the entire New Testament, making it within 70 years of the crucifixion, with much of it being written earlier. This is also a much shorter time between the events and when they were recorded that most ancient literature. Setting aside the concept of inspiration, I don't think that having participants and eye witnesses write, "what he said to the best of their memory" is a bad standard, considering that these were life-altering events which were surely much-discussed in the years following.

In the case of Solomon, his wisdom was a gift from God, to help him be a better king to the Israelites. Proverbs 1 says that their purpose is, "for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, [and for] doing what is right and just and fair." In the case of the Proverbs, it seems to me that they are not to be taken in blind faith, but instead should be considered prudently and thoughtfully.

As for Solomonic authorship, Kim correctly noted that Proverbs consists of multiple groupings of writings. However, there is not a consensus on a late date, and there are characteristics indicating a date in the second to early first millenium BC for some portions, which would coincide with Solomon's life.

In I Kings 4, Solomon is credited with writing 3,000 proverbs:

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. 30Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. 32He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 33He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Ok, I am not going to reply to this thread any further. It goes with many selling, quoting, referring
to hearsay, so much without proven facts as the word of God. God sure has spoken to countless
religious kings, religious rulers, high priests, clerics over hundreds of years past. Has he spoken
to other religions? There are other religions besides Christianity.

There are the millions maybe billions of other good people on this entire earth who are not Christian.
Are they all going to be turned away from what ever God's heaven is? If so... so much for a Loving God.
All those who are Jewish? Remember... Christ was born a Jew, lived his life as a Jew and died on the
cross with a sign over his head "King of the Jews". Over the years he's been denied his Jewish
heritage. I am not Jewish.

"God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight," So did God actually talk to Solomon?
If that is what anyone believes.... who is God talking to recently, these wealthy televangelists?
Again, if someone now comes forward and says God talked directly to him/her... I hope they
get the help they need. But... people will believe God actually talked to him/her.

Again, I am not going to reply to this thread any further. What's been said has been said.

Mods, if you wish or will... close this thread. Those can carry on in the Religion sub-forum.

 

[wmilo]

Sorry this ticked you off, Al. This is a religion sub, and you posted rants against Liberty College and the Bible. It's ok for you to not like Christtianity or the Bible, but if someone has thoughts in response I don't see why you would be offended.

ETA Al, I owe you and anyone else following a huge apology. I didn't realize which sub we were in. I thought we were in the Religion sub, and I was completely out of line. Please forgive a stupid mistake.

 

[Clearwater AL]

I said wouldn't reply here again but I hope the Mods close this thread at my request.

Wmilo, or anyone else, please take any further religion related comments to the
Religion sub-forum. I believe in God and Jesus preached how we should live our lives.
But my greatest gift... my brain, will not let me blindly believe in so much hearsay.

Please find your peace and comfort in the Religion sub-forum.

 

[Nikki J]

Closing at op request.