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Morganite
Oct 29, 2006, 06:49 PM
Some say that God has a purpose for everything he does. What do YOU believe his purpose was for creating mosquitoes, flies, and other pests?

Fr_Chuck
Oct 29, 2006, 07:00 PM
I know, I have always thought, if NOAH had just done a couple of swats,

Starman
Oct 30, 2006, 08:57 AM
The present biological situation is a distortion of the original.

Acts 3:19-21

Morganite
Oct 30, 2006, 08:59 AM
That's much too terse to be helpful. The question addresses God's motivation and purpose.



M:)

NeedKarma
Oct 30, 2006, 09:00 AM
Food for bats?

Sentra
Oct 30, 2006, 09:04 AM
Food for bats, yes Noah should have just let the birds have at 'em and... a light show. Those glowing bug zappers placed on the front porch weren't made for nothing!

Starman
Oct 30, 2006, 09:38 AM
That's much too terse to be helpful. The question addresses God's motivation and purpose.

M:)

The christian viewpoint is that the predatory and pestiferous behavior of

Insects was not of God's original design. That came after the fall. His original

Purpose was one of peace between animals and mankind and among the

Animals themselves. That's why a restoration of all things is spoken of in

The NT and is described in the OT in the following way.



Isaiah 11:6-9
King James Version
Public Domain


6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.


What is God's purpose in allowing the present pestiferous insectile situation

To develop? To demonstarate to mankind that their original decision to go

At it without his blessings is a mistake.

Excerpt

By Gordon Anderson

"I Make New Heavens and a New Earth"



Apart from the moral damage caused by Satan, how was the earth itself affected as a consequence of sin? Genesis 3:17–19.


NOTE: "Although the earth was blighted with the curse, nature was still to be man's lesson book. It could not now represent goodness only; for evil was everywhere present, marring earth and sea and air with its defiling touch. Where once was written only the character of God, the knowledge of good, was now written also the character of Satan, the knowledge of evil. From nature, which now revealed the knowledge of good and evil, man was continually to receive warning as to the results of sin."


http://www.steps2life.org/php/view_article.php?article_id=161


BTW

Of course if the question is a hypothetical and bantering is what its all about

Then I guess my answer is out of place here.

NeedKarma
Oct 30, 2006, 09:57 AM
8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

Can you explain the meaning of this verse to me please, it doesn't seem to make any sense.

Starman
Oct 30, 2006, 10:16 AM
Can you explain the meaning of this verse to me please, it doesn't seem to make any sense.



The verse means that dangerous animals will no longer be dangerous and predatory once all things are restored to their original condition. A child will be able to go where a snake resides and play with it. The animal referred to here is the adder.


BTW
The first KJV translators mistranslated original word and substituted a mythological creature. The word cockatrice is a mistranslation of a Hebrew tzeph'a referring to an adder. That's one reason why I should have used a more accurate translation.

Wikipedia
In Proverbs 23:32 the similar Hebrew tzeph'a is rendered "adder", both in the Authorized Version and the Revised Version.

NeedKarma
Oct 30, 2006, 10:20 AM
The verse means that dangerous animals will no longer be dangerous and predatory once all things are restored to their original condition. Wow, I have to admit that I do not see where one could infer that from that verse.

Morganite
Oct 30, 2006, 06:36 PM
The christian viewpoint is that the predatory and pestiferous behavior of

insects was not of God's original design. That came after the fall. His orginal

purpose was one of peace between animals and mankind and among the

animals themselves. That's why a restoration of all things is spoken of in

the NT and is described in the OT in the following way.



Isaiah 11:6-9
King James Version
Public Domain


6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.


What is God's purpose in allowing the present pestiferous insectile situation

to develop? To demonstarate to mankind that their original decision to go

at it without his blessings is a mistake.

Excerpt

By Gordon Anderson

"I Make New Heavens and a New Earth"



Apart from the moral damage caused by Satan, how was the earth itself affected as a consequence of sin? Genesis 3:17–19.


NOTE: "Although the earth was blighted with the curse, nature was still to be man's lesson book. It could not now represent goodness only; for evil was everywhere present, marring earth and sea and air with its defiling touch. Where once was written only the character of God, the knowledge of good, was now written also the character of Satan, the knowledge of evil. From nature, which now revealed the knowledge of good and evil, man was continually to receive warning as to the results of sin."


http://www.steps2life.org/php/view_article.php?article_id=161


BTW

Of course if the question is a hypothetical and bantering is what its all about

then I guess my answer is out of place here.

The question is deadly serious. I take it from what you wrote further that at the Fall you believe that everything 'fell' and was changed for the worst. If this was not God's intention, how could it have happened? It raises questions about God's onmipotence, yes?


M:)



.

J_9
Oct 30, 2006, 09:30 PM
Some say that God has a purpose for everything he does. What do YOU believe his purpose was for creating mosquitoes, flies, and other pests?
I tend to stay away from the religious threads, but I do believe that one reason, maybe, was to teach tolerance. Tolerance of the mundane and unimportant things of life.

Just my simple thoughts.:o

Starman
Oct 31, 2006, 02:07 AM
Wow, I have to admit that I do not see where one could infer that from that verse.

Infer what?

NeedKarma
Oct 31, 2006, 03:04 AM
Infer what?That "8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. "

Equals

"The verse means that dangerous animals will no longer be dangerous and predatory once all things are restored to their original condition."


That's quite a leap.

NeedKarma
Oct 31, 2006, 03:07 AM
To answer the original question, there is no abberation of an ideal biological situation. It's all relative. To you these animals are pests but they are food to others. Animals who see humans encroaching on their land would see us as pests as well. It's in the eye of the beholder. :)

31pumpkin
Oct 31, 2006, 09:54 AM
Some say that God has a purpose for everything he does. What do YOU believe his purpose was for creating mosquitoes, flies, and other pests?


I still have to go with THE ORIGINAL SIN concept. So I would imagine that after the FLOOD, or even before it, those mosquitos(although they may have evolved since then) became pestilences.

Nature had been set in motion, but now we had sickness(randomly) & death in place too.
Insects cause billions of $$ of damage to crops. Insects spread many plant diseases, such as Dutch elm disease. They also transmit animal diseases: mosquitos carry malaria, yellow fever, elephantiasis, encephalitis, & more;houseflies carry dysentery & typhoid fever; tsetse flies carry African sleeping sickness; lice carry typhus; fleas carry plague; ticks carry lyme disease & Rocky mt. spotted fever. Insects also destroy property; termites destroy wood; moths & carpet beetles damage clothing, fabrics, furs, & carpets; silverfish destroy paper;weevils, ants cockroaches ruin food.
However, some insects still serve valuable functions for ecology.
For example, while bees can be dangerous to us, they also pollinate the flowers of apple & pear tree,clover & berries. They also produce honey.
Some insects destroy other insects that are harmful to humans & property.
Science is always searching for ways to control harmful insects without harming other insects or animals.

So what I basically saying is that I believe man didn't have pests & sickness when he was in the GARDEN. And Heaven will be a return to that kind of Eden where there won't be TOIL for everything man needs, or any tears, or any pests or man-eating barracuda(if u will)
Everything will be our friend , animals will not be carnivores either.

So for now- don't put away that DEET!

Starman
Oct 31, 2006, 11:09 AM
That "8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. "

equals

"The verse means that dangerous animals will no longer be dangerous and predatory once all things are restored to their original condition."


That's quite a leap.


It's a leap only if you isolate it from its context.


Isaiah 65:25

25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

The context in which it is found justifies the conclusion. Verses placed in context were not meant to be isolated from their context by the reader. Actually, this is similar to taking the verse from Robert Frost's poem about the boy who lost his hand while cutting wood where he states: "No more to build on here!" isolating these words and saying that by themselves they it don't indicate that anyone is mortally wounded. Or taking Shakespeare's "Out Out brief candle," statement in his play Macbeth and saying that it's a great leap to understand it as referring to the shortness of life.



http://av.rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9ibyK40lEdFs_sAkgtrCqMX;_ylu=X3oDMTBvdmM3bGl xBHBndANhdl93ZWJfcmVzdWx0BHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=12lj4btb3/EXP=1162405300/**http%3a//experts.about.com/q/Shakespeare-3004/Life-brief-candle.htm


http://www.free-researchpapers.com/dbs/a10/esv2.shtml

That's not the way language works, not only in English but in any other language. Context is essential to understanding. I'm sure you wouldn't read a novel or short story or even a comic book that way-so why shift to that mode when reading the Bible?


Also, if indeed you already have your own interpretation which you know is contrary to what I understand-why ask me for help to understand it?


The question is deadly serious. I take it from what you wrote further that at the Fall you believe that everything 'fell' and was changed for the worst. If this was not God's intention, how could it have happened? It raises questions about God's onmipotence, yes?

M:)

.


First, I base my belief on the Biblical verses referring to the what occurred in Eden as described in Genesis and the restoration of all things as described in the rest of the Bible. For example the New Earth promises, the prophetic statements of the prophets which describe a paradise earth being established. Those in the NT where a New Earth where no pain nor sorrow nor death will exist is mentioned by Peter and by John in Revelation.

Isaiah 65:17
"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.


2 Peter 3:13
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Revelation 21

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."


In Jesus' telling us that the Earth is inherited by the those God chooses based on their willingness to do his will.

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

About God's omnipotence being called into question because he let man go it on his own and suffer the consequences of his decision to go it on his own, I don't see how that indicates that he isn't omnipotent. I also don't see how we can attribute the consequences of disobedience to God who clearly warned Adam that disobedience would bring his disapproval and death.

Genesis 2:17
but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

But let's focus this on the animals in question. Based on the scriptures that speak of the predator prey relationship being abolished and on the statement in Genesis that plants were the only source of food in Eden, we can conclude that the present arrangement with all its suffering, its blood and its gore was not what God had originally planned for our Earth.

Since that is evidently the case, then its existence doesn't please him though he is temporarily allowing it. Remember, sin doesn't please him either and yet he allows it for now but promises he will remove it in the future. In short, he has a timetable which he is following which is in harmony with his justice. But this choosing to have a timetable in no way mean that he isn't omnipotent.


Habakkuk 2:3
For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.


Matthew 8:29
"What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"

Morganite
Oct 31, 2006, 01:25 PM
I still have to go with THE ORIGINAL SIN concept. So I would imagine that after the FLOOD, or even before it, those mosquitos(although they may have evolved since then) became pestilences.

Nature had been set in motion, but now we had sickness & death "randomly" in place too.
Insects cause billions of $$ of damage to crops. Insects spread many plant diseases, such as Dutch elm disease. They also transmit animal diseases: mosquitos carry malaria, yellow fever, elephantiasis, encephalitis, & more;houseflies carry dysentery & typhoid fever; tsetse flies carry African sleeping sickness; lice carry typhus; fleas carry plague; ticks carry lyme disease & Rocky mt. spotted fever. Insects also destroy property; termites destroy wood; moths & carpet beetles damage clothing, fabrics, furs, & carpets; silverfish destroy paper;weevils, ants cockroaches ruin food.
However, some insects still serve valuable functions for ecology.
For example, while bees can be dangerous to us, they also pollinate the flowers of apple & pear tree,clover & berries. They also produce honey.
Some insects destroy other insects that are harmful to humans & property.
Science is always searching for ways to control harmful insects without harming other insects or animals.

So what I basically saying is that I believe man didn't have pests & sickness when he was in the GARDEN. And Heaven will be a return to that kind of Eden where there won't be TOIL for everything man needs, or any tears, or any pests or man-eating barracuda(if u will)
Everything will be our friend , animals will not be carnivores either.

So for now- don't put away that DEET!


Original Sin as explained by Augustine is not biblical. Even if it was (which it patently is NOT), how could the transgression of A&E be transmitted to flies, gnats, and mosquitoes?

M:)





.

ordinaryguy
Oct 31, 2006, 06:18 PM
I still have to go with THE ORIGINAL SIN concept. So I would imagine that after the FLOOD, or even before it, those mosquitos(although they may have evolved since then) became pestilences.

Nature had been set in motion, but now we had sickness(randomly) & death in place too.
Insects cause billions of $$ of damage to crops. Insects spread many plant diseases, such as Dutch elm disease. They also transmit animal diseases: mosquitos carry malaria, yellow fever, elephantiasis, encephalitis, & more;houseflies carry dysentery & typhoid fever; tsetse flies carry African sleeping sickness; lice carry typhus; fleas carry plague; ticks carry lyme disease & Rocky mt. spotted fever. Insects also destroy property; termites destroy wood; moths & carpet beetles damage clothing, fabrics, furs, & carpets; silverfish destroy paper;weevils, ants cockroaches ruin food.
However, some insects still serve valuable functions for ecology.
For example, while bees can be dangerous to us, they also pollinate the flowers of apple & pear tree,clover & berries. They also produce honey.
Some insects destroy other insects that are harmful to humans & property.
Science is always searching for ways to control harmful insects without harming other insects or animals.

So what I basically saying is that I believe man didn't have pests & sickness when he was in the GARDEN. And Heaven will be a return to that kind of Eden where there won't be TOIL for everything man needs, or any tears, or any pests or man-eating barracuda(if u will)
Everything will be our friend , animals will not be carnivores either.

So for now- don't put away that DEET!
Forgive me, but isn't it kind of preposterous to claim that the entire web of life as it exists on this earth is a perversion caused by original sin? By this line of reasoning all predators, parasites and scavengers are a result of sin, as are all disease-causing bacteria, viruses, phages, and fungi. And the death of any living organism, even single-celled microscopic ones must be due to sin as well. And in a deathless biology there would be no need for reproduction, in fact it would be disastrous, so that has to go too. But why would it stop there? Anything that changed biology that fundamentally would surely have also changed the laws of chemistry and physics? In a sinless universe would stars die? Just how deep did it go?

31pumpkin
Oct 31, 2006, 08:19 PM
And not the death of any living organism. That was already in place. It was a creation called nature. After the Fall of Man, man was limited on his number of years to live on this earth.
I wouldn't call it a perversion either." The entire web of life as it exists on this earth". The world is under the sway of the evil one. This applies to man. The devil cannot(does not have the power) to change anything else except put hooks into the souls of people.
Sin has nothing to do with stars dying out. It has to do with God's Plan for us and the world.
Somewhere between the start and finish of our lives, we are to come to God and Jesus
Who sends His Son(His Holy Spirit) so that we may have peace regarding the outcomes of even our troubles. If I'm wrong, I will have lived more prudently only. But if I'm right, then the blessing is twofold.

Starman
Oct 31, 2006, 08:41 PM
Forgive me, but isn't it kind of preposterous to claim that the entire web of life as it exists on this earth is a perversion caused by original sin? By this line of reasoning all predators, parasites and scavengers are a result of sin, as are all disease-causing bacteria, viruses, phages, and fungi. And the death of any living organism, even single-celled microscopic ones must be due to sin as well. And in a deathless biology there would be no need for reproduction, in fact it would be disastrous, so that has to go too. But why would it stop there? Anything that changed biology that fundamentally would surely have also changed the laws of chemistry and physics? In a sinless universe would stars die? Just how deep did it go?

The deathless biology you describe isn't taught in the Bible.

BTW
I bring in the Bible because this is a biblically based question.

talaniman
Oct 31, 2006, 08:43 PM
As disgusting as they are, insect perform a purpose in life in that they facilitate the well being of being food for animal and bird life and the spread of bacteria and germs essential to life and help plants reproduce as well as act as garbage disposals for dead matter and the process of soil regeneration is also done by insects. All of God creatures has a place on earth and duty to perform. Remember that next time you swat that fly. (or that fly may be your reincarnated ancestor, think before you swat)

By the way
I really didn't think this was a religious question since the importance of insects can be seen on the Animal Channel.

Starman
Oct 31, 2006, 09:07 PM
As disgusting as they are, insect perform a purpose in life in that they facilitate the well being of being food for animal and bird life and and the spread of bacteria and germs essential to life and help plants reproduce as well as act as garbage disposals for dead matter and the process of soil regeneration is also done by insects. All of God creatures has a place on earth and duty to perform. Remember that next time you swat that fly. (or that fly may be your reincarnated ancestor, think before you swat)

btw
I really didn't think this was a religious question since the importance of insects can be seen on the Animal Channel.


Of course animals can be discussed from a nonreligious standpoint.
But note that Morganite places the question within the religious realm by bringing God into the equation and purposefuly focused on pest-like insects.

BTW
I don't find all insects disgusting. I find some, such as the butterfly, and the Ladybug and firefly quite beautiful.

magprob
Oct 31, 2006, 11:43 PM
"The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it."
-----Bertrand Russell

It's these damn tapeworms I can't stand!
-----magprob

Thomas1970
Nov 1, 2006, 12:34 AM
Of course animals can be discussed from a nonreligious standpoint.
But note that Morganite places the question within the religeous realm by bringing God into the equation and purposefuly focused on pest-like insects.

BTW
I don't find all insects disgusting. I find some, such as the butterfly, and the Ladybug and firefly quite beautiful.

Well, just to complicate things (I'm so darn good at that)... Aside from serving other purposes, most flies are essential pollinators of many plants. Though many butterflies feed on nectar, many species far prefer rotting fruit and dung. Ladybugs are in fact voracious predators, mostly of aphids. And finally, the bioluminescence of fireflies is achieved through the combination of oxygen and ATP with two proteins (one an enzyme), luciferin and luciferase -- the Latin etymological origins of which are fairly obvious. Just food for thought. :D

Morganite
Nov 1, 2006, 06:06 AM
The deathless biology you describe isn't taught in the Bible.

BTW
I bring in the Bible because this is a biblically based question.


If A&E had remained in the garden, would they have died?

Morganite
Nov 1, 2006, 06:10 AM
As disgusting as they are, insect perform a purpose in life in that they facilitate the well being of being food for animal and bird life and and the spread of bacteria and germs essential to life and help plants reproduce as well as act as garbage disposals for dead matter and the process of soil regeneration is also done by insects. All of God creatures has a place on earth and duty to perform. Remember that next time you swat that fly. (or that fly may be your reincarnated ancestor, think before you swat)

btw - I really didn't think this was a religious question since the importance of insects can be seen on the Animal Channel.



The question does not address 'importance' but 'purpose,' meaning God's purpose, especially for those creatures mentioned, suich as flies and mosquitoes. It is definitely a religious question, since it asks about God's motives.

Morganite
Nov 1, 2006, 06:11 AM
"The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it."
-----Bertrand Russell

It's these damn tapeworms I can't stand!
-----magprob


"A pint of quassia a day
Keeps those tapeworms away!"

Thomas1970
Nov 1, 2006, 06:40 AM
The question does not address 'importance' but 'purpose,' meaning God's purpose, especially for those creatures mentioned, suich as flies and mosquitoes. It is definitely a religious question, since it asks about God's motives.

To live long and prosper, I'd imagine. What more purpose do they need, other than to be happy. The world would function quite fine without humans, on the other hand, likely a good deal better in fact. :)

Starman
Nov 1, 2006, 01:05 PM
If A&E had remained in the garden, would they have died?

God established a law of cause and effect for morality as he did for the physical world. Sin would lead to death regardles of geographical location. The Garden itself was a gift for his obedient Earthly children. The reason he removed them from it was because they were now willfully disobedient and no longer deserved to live there.


Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

BTW
Notice that the ones whose lifespan was affected by sin were humans.

Morganite
Nov 1, 2006, 01:11 PM
God established a law of cause and effect for morality as he did for the physical world. Sin would lead to death regardles of geographical location. The Garden itself was a gift for his obedient Earthly children. The reason he removed them from it was because they were now willfully disobedient and no longer deserved to live there.

They were relocated as a result of sin. Had they not sinned, they would havwe remained in the G of E, but would they have died?


M:)

Starman
Nov 1, 2006, 01:22 PM
Well, just to complicate things (I'm so darn good at that)... Aside from serving other purposes, most flies are essential pollinators of many plants. Though many butterflies feed on nectar, many species far prefer rotting fruit and dung. Ladybugs are in fact voracious predators, mostly of aphids. And finally, the bioluminescence of fireflies is achieved through the combination of oxygen and ATP with two proteins (one an enzyme), luciferin and luciferase -- the Latin etymological origins of which are fairly obvious. Just food for thought. :D


I was referring to their physdical beauty not their behavioral one which might include predation.

Pollination? True.
Some might have been created as pollinators but were not created to pester mankind in any way either on a one-to-one basis or on a plague basis. In short, if they are pestiferous now that was not the way they were intended to be. The same applies to the other insects you mention.

BTW

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Pluto.

Thursday=Day of Thor Saturday= Saturns day. January=the god Janus. Monday=honoring the moon goddess

There are many others.
Does that mean that I can't appreciate any of the planets because they are named after false gods? Or can't considered a day or season beautiful because men call them by false god's names?

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jwst/elazarav.htm

ordinaryguy
Nov 1, 2006, 05:09 PM
The deathless biology you describe isn't taught in the Bible.
I take it you mean that you don't interpret the Bible to mean that ALL death is the result of sin. To me, it seems obvious that "The wages of sin is death" is not necessarily the same as saying "All death is due to sin", but I have heard many Bible worshipers argue vehemently that that's what "the Bible says". So it turns out that what is "taught in the Bible" is a matter of interpretation. Why is it that so many Bible quoters resist taking any responsibility for their own interpretation and insist that no other interpretation is possible?

Starman
Nov 1, 2006, 06:21 PM
I take it you mean that you don't interpret the Bible to mean that ALL death is the result of sin. To me, it seems obvious that "The wages of sin is death" is not necessarily the same as saying "All death is due to sin", but I have heard many Bible worshipers argue vehemently that that's what "the Bible says". So it turns out that what is "taught in the Bible" is a matter of interpretation. Why is it that so many Bible quoters resist taking any responsibility for their own interpretation and insist that no other interpretation is possible?


Not at all. You should instead take it that I mean that the Bible doesn't teach that concept you came up with. Neither is the Bible a book open to all and any arbitrary interpretation without regard to its inner uniity and its overall theme. Your claiming this shows deep ignorance of the very book you choose to criticize which makes discussion much less debate useless.

Also, I don't know of anyone who worships the Bible.


BTW
I do hope you are aware that its against the posting rules to criticize answers given to questions since this is not a debating forum. Debates are done at the member's forum-not here.


I don't expect EVERYONE to agree with my beliefs, as you seem to have assumed.
Nevertheless they are my beliefs and like it or not I have a right to post them.

If indeed you have a gripe with people posting beliefs that irritate you as mine evidently does-then there are several options at your disposal:

1. Take your gripe to administration
2. Ignore the posts of people who disagree with you.
3. Block people who disagree with you.

What is not an option is constant griping involving ridicule ad infinitum not for the sake of learning nor teaching but simply as a way to blow off steam. That isn't what this forum is about. Please read the rules. Furthermore, Debating about side issues throws the whole discussion off its original course. Especially when all that's really being criticized is the right of the answerer to express himself in accordance with his beliefs.

Skell
Nov 1, 2006, 07:42 PM
Perhaps the fly asks himself the same question.

Why did God create these humans? what a destructive and terrible lot they are!

magprob
Nov 1, 2006, 08:28 PM
For God so loved the mosquito he created man, a relatively hairless food source.

ordinaryguy
Nov 1, 2006, 09:29 PM
Not at all. You should instead take it that I mean that the Bible doesn't teach that concept you came up with.

Hey, I agreed with your interpretation. I'm just saying what I have heard many others interpret it to mean.

Neither is the Bible a book open to all and any arbitrary interpretation without regard to its inner uniity and its overall theme. Your claiming this shows deep ignorance of the very book you choose to criticize which makes discussion much less debate useless.

I didn't claim it is open to "all and any arbitrary interpretation", just that it is clearly open to more than one interpretation.

Also, I don't know of anyone who worships the Bible.

Well, I do, but I didn't accuse you of it, so don't get your back up.

Lighten up Starman, I'm not ridiculing you or anybody else. Your thin skin is showing.

Sentra
Nov 1, 2006, 09:36 PM
Mosquitos are meant for target practice.

Flies are meant for accuracy of paper swatting technique.

I'm really bored...

Starman
Nov 3, 2006, 07:05 PM
Lighten up Starman, I'm not ridiculing you or anybody else. Your thin skin is showing.


If the answers drift too far from the original question the moderator terminates the thread.

ordinaryguy
Nov 3, 2006, 07:59 PM
If the answers drift too far from the original question the moderator terminates the thread.

That would qualify as a mercy killing, I think.

Starman
Nov 3, 2006, 08:42 PM
That would qualify as a mercy killing, I think.

If you are entering this forum in the post-killing mode you will sooner or later endanger your posting privileges. The course of wisdom and decent thing to do when one doesn't agree with or like a certain post is simply to move on and permit others to participate without unnecessary, irrelevant, interruptions and deviations.

ordinaryguy
Nov 4, 2006, 07:23 AM
If you are entering this forum in the post-killing mode you will sooner or later endanger your posting privileges.

Several times now you have raised the issue of moderator intervention. If that's what you think is needed, just take it up with the moderator directly and stop threatening everybody else with it.


The course of wisdom and decent thing to do when one doesn't agree with or like a certain post is simply to move on and permit others to participate without unnecessary, irrelevant, interruptions and deviations.

That's excellent advice. Couldn't have said it better myself.

talaniman
Nov 4, 2006, 07:34 AM
Some say that God has a purpose for everything he does. What do YOU believe his purpose was for creating mosquitoes, flies, and other pests?
I think he put them here to do the little things that are important to keeping life on this planet functioning smoothly.

Even though this thread is about bugs, Starman and ordinary guy ,stop bugging each other!

ordinaryguy
Nov 4, 2006, 12:37 PM
Even though this thread is about bugs, Starman and ordinary guy ,stop bugging each other!!
OK, OK, I know you're right. But it's SO EASY! I must be strong and resist temptation. Thanks for your wise counsel.

Starman
Nov 4, 2006, 12:47 PM
Several times now you have raised the issue of moderator intervention. If that's what you think is needed, just take it up with the moderator directly and stop threatening everybody else with it.



That's excellent advice. Couldn't have said it better myself.

It wasn't meant as a threat. Since you are fairly new here I thought that perhaps you were unaware that a thread that goes way off course in subject matter is dealt with in that fashion on this forum.


And yes Talaniman, thanks for the advice. You are right, ordinaryguy and I are starting to cut a buggush figure. Will try to desist. : )

Sentra
Nov 6, 2006, 04:48 AM
Here's the thing about mosquitoes, and its bugs me. (*smirk*)

Are they supposed to be around this time of year?