[jamesbdunn]

Quote by: ItsDarts Ummm you're making one large assumption here... that the "stone tablets" even existed. We wouldn't know they existed if it hadn't been for the torah. Even if we ignore that fact, and only took the word of oral tradition to know that some tablets existed, it's still taking the words of men on nothing but faith, the belief without logical proof or empirical evidence.

I whole heartedly concede to that assumption. But if one has a desire to believe, what other assumption would you make? If God did not create the tablets, than all of religion in that vein is a farse. It may very well be. But I choose to think that these statements are profound enough to live by.

You'd think an Omnibenevolent god would make up some better rules like Thou shalt not molest children, or thou shalt not beat thy wife or something more profound. The first three rules show nothing but a egocentric jealous god, hardly the qualities I wish to worship.

Why egocentric. In my mind, they simply state to not allow other people to get you to do things contrary to the Ten Commandments. If I had a god I believed in that required human sacrifice, don't consider the claim legitimate.

But that's just me. Like I say, I don't believe anyone can interpret the Ten Commandments for anyone else.

Yeah well it's better than the alternative, death for breaking the commandments.

Nowhere in the Ten Commandments does it say you should fear death as a result of not following the Ten Commandments. What actually happens is reflected by deeds and time. God doesn't punish you, the consequences following your actions will.

Again, you're assuming this "publication" even took place. I mean c'mon, really, do you REALLY think that a burning bush that isn't consumed by the fire can really write into stone, words to live by? Oh thats right, you believe the stone tablets existed.....Doh!

I choose to believe because it would be simple to do. Perhaps an alien used a laser-like ray to carve the stones and light the bush. It doesn't matter, the concepts are good and help keep my life under control.

I'm still waiting for evidence (not even proof) that the tablets existed in the first place. How do you know these are the only words transcribed by this god? Oh thats right, some book tells you this, a book written by guess who?.... MAN. Does being the basis for "the most popular" religions give you reason to believe any of it is true? Remember, everyone use to think the earth was flat and the sun revolved around us. Everyone was wrong once knowledge to the contrary was gained.

I'm open to the possibility, but as in science, there are no absolutes. We can only make the best use of the information that is available to us.

Why should we listen to you? This sounds like hog wash to me. Who says "NO PERSON sahll interpret the stone tablets? Aren't you doing this very thing you say we can't do? Sounds like an interpretation to me if you say that by interpreting, we are taking the lords name in vane.

As I said, these are my opinions. I get lost in these forums so I don't know what I'm repeating or not. But the point is you must choose for yourself what you believe in. For me, that means not disregarding the basic tenents of the religion. The Ten Commandments say there shall be no one to speak for God, so there can not be any prophets speaking for God. Prophets are just story tellers with an opinion.

This is the only thing you've said that I agree with. Religion has it's own place, its called CHURCH or Synogog or Mosque, it doesn't require tax payer dollars and it insures that you corrupt your children in the faith you want them to be corrupted in.

Life is a long series of revelations, I hope we all have some good ones.