American being based on Christianity is a Falacy.

**Hawg166** · 30 Sep 03,, 15:38

Ziska I am right with you on all of the above I just didnt want to be the one to get my whole leg wet. I preffer to just get my toes wet on the boards.

**TopHatter** · 30 Sep 03,, 15:51

Originally posted by bigross86
I'm the symbolic Jew

"Symbolic Jew"? :D Sorry sorry, something about that just struck me as funny...like you're a sacrifice or something offered up by Mark Aspen to the board :dbanana

Boy I havent heard this much theological discussion since I was a kid, especially that reference to Gog and Magog.

I've always been interested in learning about the 3 major religions of the world, particularly Judaism since as a Christian growing up, we would study from the Bible as a whole and I don't remember a huge distinction being drawn from what was called "the Hebrew Scriptures" and the "the Christian-Greek Scriptures". I don't recall them being referred to as Old and New Testament. Instead they were referred to by the original language they were written in.

**bigross86** · 30 Sep 03,, 15:58

Mark Aspen. Why do I know that name from somewhere? It's on the tip of my tongue...

**TopHatter** · 30 Sep 03,, 16:29

Uhhh....you got me?
Is there something I should know?

**bigross86** · 30 Sep 03,, 16:36

I don't know. Maybe I know him from Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.. Who is Mark Aspen?

**TopHatter** · 30 Sep 03,, 16:59

You're kidding right? You and he responded to each others posts on this board awhile back, discussing Ultra-Orthodox Jews serving (or not) in the IDF.

**bigross86** · 30 Sep 03,, 17:40

Right!!! I was having a minor brain-belch. I should have checked the members roster...

**Praxus** · 30 Sep 03,, 20:17

I do not remember saying that the US does not have a strong Christian heritage. I am saying the American Republic was not founded upon Christian principles.

Jesus teaches self-sacrifice and serving your community, but how does this fit with the rugged individualism of Americans.

Religion in general teaches one to be subserviant to some form of "Superior" life. Now how does this fit with Americans.

And here's just a little quote from George Washington:

"May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants, while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."

George Washinton had nothing to do with the Constitution. What he did to secure this new country is limited to being a General and President, not a framer of the Constitution like Madison(I am well aware he was studying to be a minister in what is today Princeton, so don't bring that up or Jefferson.

"Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear."
Thomas Jefferson

"In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty. "
Thomas Jefferson

**Ironduke** · 30 Sep 03,, 22:19

Originally posted by bigross86
I don't know. Maybe I know him from Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.. Who is Mark Aspen?

markaspen is an Israeli like yourself. He served in the IDF back in the 1980's in Lebanon.

**TopHatter** · 30 Sep 03,, 22:31

Good 'ole Ben was having a brain-freeze. :dbanana Too many banana daiquiris.

**Confed999** · 01 Oct 03,, 01:12

Originally posted by Ziska
.....Version) is the complete and accurate .......

ROTFL! "Version" and "complete and accurate" in the same sentence, that's funny. Sorry, I don't mean to step on your beliefs, but that is too good to let slip by. :D

**Ziska** · 01 Oct 03,, 01:16

... I must be missing something. The Authorised Version, or King James Version of the Bible was the first complete translation of the Recieved Texts into english. It is not completely accurate in its translation, but it is the closest one out there. All our ministers have to learn ancient greek and hebrew anyway.

**Confed999** · 01 Oct 03,, 01:23

Originally posted by Ziska
... I must be missing something. The Authorised Version, or King James Version of the Bible was the first complete translation of the Recieved Texts into english. It is not completely accurate in its translation, but it is the closest one out there. All our ministers have to learn ancient greek and hebrew anyway.

Noting to do with the Bible, just in general, "version" and "complete and accurate" don't go together.

**Ziska** · 01 Oct 03,, 01:37

ahh. I see.

**TopHatter** · 01 Oct 03,, 03:28

My biggest problem with the KJV is this: What's with the Olde English?? "Thee, thy, thou..." Nobody talks like that anymore. They sure as hell didn't talk like that in biblical times. So why keep it? What's the point? Because it sounds good? Gahhh...