[talaniman]

Two words explain your bitterness: Thomas Aquinas. You got caught and you've never gotten over it.

A perfect example of why I jumped bluntly dead in your arse. Crass, crude, juvenile, VULGAR! GUILTY! That's all you seem to understand, so that's what you get! No I won't block you, but I will call your personal attacks out. You want an honest intellectual discussion, then be honestly intellectual.

I'm sick of your snide personal attacks!

[Wondergirl]

I'm sick of your [JL's] snide personal attacks!

They are why I rarely post now. I got very weary of the putdowns and shaming.

[Athos]

Two words explain your bitterness: Thomas Aquinas. You got caught and you've never gotten over it.

As usual, in addition to your Mr. Nasty, you avoid the truth which has been provided for you several times now.

Speaking of being caught (but afraid to admit it in your own words) is your Mr. Judas.

Like Judas, you have betrayed Christ. You portray Christ as a monster who condemns most of his creation to eternal torture and punishment in an everlasting hell. This is about as far from the message of the Gospels as is possible. This is YOUR scarlet letter which will be with you wherever you go. Which has more scarlet, do you think? Judas would be a good board name for you. I may start using it to replace jl.

You have been brainwashed from birth and have never examined that hell-ish belief. When scholars have shown the mistranslation you so dearly love, you refuse even to read any of the volumes of information now available in the huge library we call the internet. Your fear at the house of cards you have built being in danger of crumbling is an act of cowardice.

You are obviously unaware that there are major differences between English Bible translations. Many do not contain the concept of a hell of eternal punishment. Here are a few of them: Young's Literal, Rotherham's Emphasized, Weymouth's NT in Modern Speech, Concordat Literal NT, 20th Century NT, as well as many more.

No doubt, like many fundamentalists, you consider the King James Version to be God's perfect Bible, ignoring the fact that it was written 1,600 years after Christ walked the earth. Here is a list of Bibles which have taken major steps in correcting many of the corruptions on the KJV.

Some of them are published by leading Evangelical Christian publishers like Baker Book House, Kregal and Eerdman's Publishing. Here's a partial list of some English Bible translations that do NOT contain Hell nor the concept of everlasting punishment: Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (Kregal Publishers), Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (Baker Book House Publishers; Robert Young is author of the famous Young's Concordance), Concordant Literal Translation of the N.T. (Concordant Publishing Concern), Scarlet's New Testament (Nathaniel Scarlett, 1798), The New Testament (Abner Kneeland, 1823) Emphatic Diaglott (Greek/English Interlinear), The New Covenant (J.W. Hanson, 1884), New Testament in Modern Speech (Weymouth, 1910), The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible (1976), The Twentieth Century New Testament (1900), The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Anointed (James L. Tomanek)1958), The Western New Testament (1926), The New Testament, a Translation (Rev. Edgar Lewis Clementson, 1938), The People's New Testament (Arthur Overbury), The New Testament, A New Translation based upon the Oldest Manuscripts (Johannes Greber, 1980) Jonathan Mitchell New Testament (2009) Far Above All New Testament (2009).

There are other translations like the Companion Bible King James Version, American Standard Version (1901), the Newberry Reference Bible (Still published by Kregal Publications), and the Riverside New Testament by Ballantine (1934) which contain footnotes, marginal readings and appendages which point out that several key Greek and Hebrew words have been MIStranslated by such Bible versions as the King James Bible.”

The idea of Hell is both laughable and horrifying at the same time. It's astounding what we humans can come up with when we give in to our most base fears of punishment and our most envious desires of schadenfreude.

You're the type of person who drools over the idea that you're morally superior to your neighbor, and will be rewarded with Paradise, while your demonstrably more successful neighbor will pay for their most likely well-deserved success by spending eternity in a lake of fire, being repeatedly stabbed in the butt with a pitchfork by some red guy with horns and a tail.

[jlisenbe]

I do not read the KJV. I do read the New American Standard, English Standard Version, the NIV, the NET, and the Amplified (both), all widely known and respected translations which do not hesitate to speak of hell. In fact, Jesus spoke of it frequently. The idea of hell is certainly terrifying. It is certainly NOT laughable.

The "People's New Testament"? Who did that work, Mao? (joke, for the humor impaired) You have selected a group of virtually unknown translations. Try something mainstream. At Biblegateway.com, I looked at the first fifteen or so translations listed alphabetically. Only one rendered it as something other than "hell" in Matthew 5:29. Anyone who wants to can go online and check that out.

And there remains, of course, Matthew 25.

As to the rest of your rant, I have said none of those things, so it would seem that you suffer from the delusion that just because you say something, that makes it true. This is unlike your deceitful episode with Aquinas which you own lock, stock, and barrel. Your explanation had a distinctly hollow ring to it.

If the KJV being written 1600 years after the life of Christ makes it questionable, then why do you accept translations written even longer than that after his life? Why the double standard?

[Athos]

And there remains, of course, Matthew 25.

That's been done. Go back and read it again.

Your (Aquinas) explanation had a distinctly hollow ring to it.

Even if I agreed with you, which I don't, a distinctly hollow ring is far preferable to the monstrous God you have made Jesus out to be. This God of yours (according to you) made billions of humans just to see them be tortured in hell for all eternity.

If anyone doubts this, they have only to go back and read your posts on the subject. Even better, why not state it yourself to save everyone the trouble? You won't of course, because all you can offer is an ancient book which was badly translated in parts. As always, you are afraid to put it in your own words since you may then see the absurdity of what you believe.

Or even worse, as I said way back, this sick need of yours to create such a God lies deep within you. You are now officially a CINO (Christian In Name Only).

If the KJV being written 1600 years after the life of Christ makes it questionable,

It is questionable (partially) because much new information on the era of the Bible has come to light for scholars to examine, and that the KJV never had access to.

then why do you accept translations written even longer than that after his life? Why the double standard?

There's no double standard. No one claims the newer versions are perfect. The later translations are simply more accurate translations than the KJV. Most scholars will agree with that statement. It's only the fundamentalists who make the KJV something straight from the hand of God.

[jlisenbe]

There's no double standard. No one claims the newer versions are perfect. The later translations are simply more accurate translations than the KJV. Most scholars will agree with that statement. It's only the fundamentalists who make the KJV something straight from the hand of God.

I wouldn't argue with that. I'm not a fundamentalist so your final sentence does not concern me.

My comment was based upon your statement that the KJV was written 1600 years after the life of Christ and was therefore unreliable. If that is true, then certainly translations written even more distantly than it was would be even less reliable. I don't think that is true, but your logic about the 1600 years is faulty.

You have not cleared up Matthew 25. You are appealing to your extreme minority view of the translation of eternal which is supported by virtually no one of consequence. You are very much on a very small island. You are certainly welcome to your island, but I will not be joining you.

You won't of course, because all you can offer is an ancient book which was badly translated in parts. As always, you are afraid to put it in your own words since you may then see the absurdity of what you believe.

My views are the views of the Bible. I can no more express my views without quoting scripture than you can express your views by quoting scripture. It is not fear but agreement.

If the Bible is really an "ancient book which was badly translated in parts," then why do you concern yourself with what it says? Why not throw it in the trash can and just move on?

Obviously, I think you are entirely incorrect in your assessment of the accurate transmission of the Bible.

You can call me Judas if it suits you, Aquinas.

[Athos]

You can call me Judas if it suits you, Aquinas.

Fine with me. Aquinas is a man I greatly admire.

Do you admire Judas?

[jlisenbe]

Your ineffective manipulation of Aquinas is a performance I greatly...think deserves to be remembered, and one which would have made Aquinas blush. Words cannot express how glad I am it was not me behind that production.

What is your view of hell? Do you regard it as fictional? Having chosen the name "Athos", that would make sense.

[Athos]

What is your view of hell? Do you regard it as fictional?

Why do you ask?

Having chosen the name "Athos", that would make sense.

With what does "Athos" make sense? And why?

[tomder55]

yawn . my eyes glaze over when I see theological discussions on a political topic with a biased premise .
1968 Somewhere around 120,000 Americans and over 1 million worldwide died of the Hong Kong Flu pandemic . You read histories of the time and if you look hard ,it is a footnote . No one blamed LBJ for his lack of response even though both he and VP Humphrey were stricken by the virus . Many prominent Americans lost their lives . And in the midst of the pandemic although probably in a lull on the outbreak . Almost a half million kids flocked to Max Yasgur's farm and wallowed in the mud without any social separation .

I think it is a particularly cheap shot to blame Trump for the pandemic when a$$-wipes like il duce Cuomo ORDERED c-19 patients to be placed in nursing homes and d*ck heads like Sandinista Bill was encouraging NYers to use the subways and go out on the town ;and refused to shut the city down until there was almost a revolt in the ranks of NYC government late in March with teachers refusing his orders to go to work in the classroom . There are many leaders in this country who got it wrong . And many like Governor DeSantis of Florida who got it right (who governs a larger population and a much larger senior population than NY ) .

There is only one person in the world who can be blamed for this pandemic and that is Xi Jinping the thug genocidal dictator of China .

[talaniman]

Well, Xi just came out and agrees to investigations of the virus, and bring money with him to fight it.

[jlisenbe]

I think Trump has, all in all, handled this well. It really fits the description of "the fog of war". We don't even have 20/20 vision on it now. Some of the undue alarm comes from the incredibly competitive battles for viewers by the many, many news channels which exist. They have to have something dramatic to talk about. The virus is serious for sure, but I think we will look back a year from now and decide we overreacted, made entirely possible by the "money grows on trees" philosophy now adopted by both parties and most Americans.

[tomder55]

Well, Xi just came out and agrees to investigations of the virus, and bring money with him to fight it.

oh he is such a freaking saint!!!
Almost did not read the article when the headline said he supports the WHO probe. It was the WHO who rubber stamped China's claims that the virus was not human to human . The WHO is a DISCREDITED agency that needs to be defunded . Free nations can set up an accountable organization to replace it . It is nice Xi wants to spend billions in investment in 3rd world nations that are devastated by the pandamic he inflicted on the world . But mission accomplished .
He saw China was going to take an economic hit when the virus hit ,and he made a deliberate decision to ensure the rest of his economic competitors suffered the same .

[talaniman]

Repeal and replace the WHO? Sounds familiar. Destroy and minimize CDC, why not. Get rid of and obstruct any oversight of this tyrant and his regime? May as well change the title to this OP while were at it. Looks like 100, 000 deaths by June easy.

Great job conservatives.

[tomder55]

Going to give a hat tip to the great Governors of NY ,NJ where 50% of the deaths came from the same policies as il duce Cuomo's decision was to [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]unapologetically[/FONT] expose the most vulnerable to the virus by REQUIRING nursing homes to accept C-19 patients . In Connecticut 70% of covid deaths occurred in senior care facilities . 69% of the deaths in PA occurred in senior housing . These are all lib run states .

Here is a comparison between il duce Cuomo's NY and DeSantis Republican led Fla . Fla has a larger population ;is God's waiting room for seniors . And yet the covid deaths of seniors there is not close to NY

[tomder55]

now that pos Cuomo ,fasia brute, has decided that seniors need to be protected . And his solution ? Test the nursing home staff as if they caused the nursing home crisis in this state . He is a despicable turd .

[jlisenbe]

You can be sure that at least a serious attempt will be made to bail out NY, Cally, et al. The dems never seem to pass up a chance to penalize the irresponsible at the expense of the responsible.

[talaniman]

now that pos Cuomo ,fasia brute, has decided that seniors need to be protected . And his solution ? Test the nursing home staff as if they caused the nursing home crisis in this state . He is a despicable turd .

Well the clients likely didn't infect themselves, and how else did it get introduced in a nursing home? How else to you protect the elderly but test those they come in contact with?

[Wondergirl]

Well the clients likely didn't infect themselves, and how else did it get introduced in a nursing home? How else to you protect the elderly but test those they come in contact with?

That's too true, tal!

For at least two months, my nursing home friends and the rest of the residents have been quarantined in their rooms -- no exceptions unless an ambulance takes someone away. No family or other visitors are allowed in the building. Any food or other deliveries are left inside the front door to be wiped by a staff member and taken to the resident. Thus, the only people the residents have contact with is the nursing home staff. And testing still isn't being done in all nursing homes.

[tomder55]

Well the clients likely didn't infect themselves, and how else did it get introduced in a nursing home? How else to you protect the elderly but test those they come in contact with?

I already told you Cuomo came out with a directive MARCH 25 ORDERING that elderly C-19 positive patients be sent to nursing homes . The deaths there are on his bloody hands .