What do you think about this statement?

[daisax]

The kid may have a future as a metaphysician!

 

[perla75]

The bible also talks about unicorns-do you guys believe in those as well?

 

[wall*e2008]

The bible also talks about unicorns-do you guys believe in those as well?

Just because one cannot see it today is not prove it did not exist.

I find your comments to be rude.

 

[perla75]

Just because one cannot see it today is not prove it did not exist.

I find your comments to be rude.

How am I being rude? By asking you if you believe in unicorns? I apologize if you think I'm rude by asking that but the bible discusses the devil who you DO believe in. The bible also discusses unicorns, so I'm wondering if you also believe in those? It's a legitimate question.

 

[wall*e2008]

How am I being rude? By asking you if you believe in unicorns? I apologize if you think I'm rude by asking that but the bible discusses the devil who you DO believe in. The bible also discusses unicorns, so I'm wondering if you also believe in those? It's a legitimate question.

Actually both have only a passing reference.

There are two groups those who take the Bible as a literal book (written by God) and those who see if for historical value and moral value. I am of the later group, since it can be easily shown that different sections of the Bible have very different writing styles and that there are contradictory statements in the Bible.

 

[islandmum]

Just because one cannot see it today is not prove it did not exist.

I find your comments to be rude.

not rude I dont think - makes you feel uncomfortable maybe that a "mythical fantasy" creature included in the bibles teachings is highlighted. Is it maybe true that christians pick and choose the parts of the bible they want to promote, forgetting the more whimsical scriptures and condemming those to fictional inserts.

This is precisely the point - the ENTIRE bible and basis of God, heaven, angels, etc is a work of fiction until there is proven fact. Thats not being rude - its the truth of the situation.

A question to all Christians ..... do you think Scientologists are normal adjusted people ... or do you think that religion is a little whacky because of their belief in Thetans etc....

because as of now Thetans are exactly the same status as God - noone can prove they actually exist, so surely their followers should demand the same respect as those who follow God - right?

 

[perla75]

Actually both have only a passing reference.

There are two groups those who take the Bible as a literal book (written by God) and those who see if for historical value and moral value. I am of the later group, since it can be easily shown that different sections of the Bible have very different writing styles and that there are contradictory statements in the Bible.

Although I am a non-Christian, I am on the same page as you, with regards to seeing the bible for historical value & moral value-100%. This is why I guess I view the devil as a mythological creature created in scribe to teach a moral.
Thank you for your reply.

So, for Christians who do not take the bible literally, where do you draw the line between myth & truth as far as bible stories & "creatures" go?

 

[perla75]

not rude I dont think - makes you feel uncomfortable maybe that a "mythical fantasy" creature included in the bibles teachings is highlighted. Is it maybe true that christians pick and choose the parts of the bible they want to promote, forgetting the more whimsical scriptures and condemming those to fictional inserts.

This is precisely the point - the ENTIRE bible and basis of God, heaven, angels, etc is a work of fiction until there is proven fact. Thats not being rude - its the truth of the situation.

A question to all Christians ..... do you think Scientologists are normal adjusted people ... or do you think that religion is a little whacky because of their belief in Thetans etc....

because as of now Thetans are exactly the same status as God - noone can prove they actually exist, so surely their followers should demand the same respect as those who follow God - right?

VERY good point!!!

It actually irritates me when I see posters on here criticize Tom Cruise and Scientology & then preach about the bible. What makes one crazy & the other normal?

 

[Mikelly1221]

The bible also talks about unicorns-do you guys believe in those as well?

Wow, really? I missed that! Where?

 

[wall*e2008]

VERY good point!!!

It actually irritates me when I see posters on here criticize Tom Cruise and Scientology & then preach about the bible. What makes one crazy & the other normal?

I could careless about TC or S but I do feel that TC is nuts but that has nothing to do with his religion.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I think it's a brilliant and honest thing to tell a child.

I went to a small, southern born-again Christian school for a few years during my youth. I was at an impressionable age (fifth grade through seventh). If you told me unicorns existed or the boogyman existed, I'd have believed you ... especially if you were an adult. I was a good kid and believed what the "big people" told me.

My godmother died when I was in sixth grade. She was as close to a second mother as I could have. I was crushed when lymphoma took her life at the young age of 36.

I had a hard time struggling with this and spoke to several of my teachers and pastor about her passing. ALL OF THEM told me she died because she had satan in her. I couldn't make heads or tales of what they were saying. She was a good Catholic I thought. She went to mass. She gave to charity. She put all others ahead of herself. Why would these people I trusted (my teachers) be telling me someone so special, so GOOD was possessed?

I gotta tell you, that crap warped my mind something fierce for a long time. I became a terrified child for a good long while. I didn't feel I could turn to some kind of God because if God was so good, how could he allow such things (good people dying so young).

Now as a middle-aged adult, I look back and see that was really the beginning of how I became so disgusted with organized religion. What kind of adults -- responsible adults I'm talking about -- would do that to children? Put such horrid thoughts into the minds of kids??? Terrify them? Make them believe sick people are possessed and have satan in them?

Thankfully my time at that school was short.

So I think it's a WONDERFUL thing to tell a small child the devil doesn't exist if you don't believe in him.

 

[islandmum]

VERY good point!!!

It actually irritates me when I see posters on here criticize Tom Cruise and Scientology & then preach about the bible. What makes one crazy & the other normal?

the irony of it all is amusing .... who's to say in 1000 years Scientology is accepted as much as Christianity?? Its basically the same principle, a religion is started based on an unproven set of fictional beings and characters. The difference being is what is promoted BY those fictional beings (God and Thetans etc) but the premise remains the same.

Both are based on as yet totally unproven mythical entities.

And I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar that most Christians dismiss Scientologists are barmy as hell.

 

[wall*e2008]

Wow, really? I missed that! Where?

In some translations there is a passing reference to it in Genesis. Not my copy of the Bible but in some. It is really a non-issue to me. Unicorns could very well have lived in the Garden of Eden and when the GofE disappeared they did too.

There are many mythological creatures that once were thought to be just imaginary that we have now found proof that they onced roamed on the land or in the sea.

 

[stellablue]

Now you have gotten into the "where is the proof?" discussion. MIkeeee

You changed the words of my post in your quote.

My statement was:

"When I was little, I used to have nightmares about FREDDY KRUGER. I believed he was real & was going to "get me." Once I stopped believing in him, my fears went away. Really, what's the difference? They are both mythological creatures."

Please do not do that again.

It would be interesting to hear in what context the son brought it up - for me as a child it was used as a tactic to make me go to church and be good. Only then would I be safe in Gods hands away from the Devil and hell.

His son was flipping through the channels on the TV & started watching a show on a religious cable channel where a preacher was talking about the devil & going to hell. His son is 7 or 8 years old & has been raised in a household that promotes the culture of their religion (Jewish), but they do not focus too much on God. I guess the son got scared by what he was listening to on TV & ran to his dad very upset about it.

 

[PoppyMcTwist]

In some translations there is a passing reference to it in Genesis. Not my copy of the Bible but in some. It is really a non-issue to me. Unicorns could very well have lived in the Garden of Eden and when the GofE disappeared they did too.

There are many mythological creatures that once were thought to be just imaginary that we have now found proof that they onced roamed on the land or in the sea.

Exactly --and absolutely no where in the Bible does it say that the unicorn is the same fairytale, fantasy creature we think of today. God is simply referencing a one-horned animal. A uni-corn -- and one-horned animals do exist. Certain species of rhinos, goats, and deer have only one horn.

 

[daisax]

There's something to be said for not giving Evil the time of day, whether you call it Satan or anything else.

 

[perla75]

Wow, really? I missed that! Where?

I was surprised to learn this as well.

It's in Isaiah 34:7-
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.

Jeremiah 8:17 also discusses a mythological creature called a cockatrice. A cockatrice is is supposed to be a serpent that can kill just by looking at someone

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

I think that it's his choice as to what he teaches his child. My beliefs somewhat coexist with his.

My children are not taught that some evil being will coax them into doing bad things. They know that there is right and wrong, bad and good, and that it is their own choice of what to do. If they make a bad choice, there is no one to blame but themselves. But, if they chose to do good things, the right things that it will make a better world for everyone.

And I am a Christian and bringing up my children in the church.

 

[Mikelly1221]

not rude I dont think - makes you feel uncomfortable maybe that a "mythical fantasy" creature included in the bibles teachings is highlighted. Is it maybe true that christians pick and choose the parts of the bible they want to promote, forgetting the more whimsical scriptures and condemming those to fictional inserts.

This is precisely the point - the ENTIRE bible and basis of God, heaven, angels, etc is a work of fiction until there is proven fact. Thats not being rude - its the truth of the situation.

A question to all Christians ..... do you think Scientologists are normal adjusted people ... or do you think that religion is a little whacky because of their belief in Thetans etc....

because as of now Thetans are exactly the same status as God - noone can prove they actually exist, so surely their followers should demand the same respect as those who follow God - right?

Some Christians might. I would disagree. I see the Bible as a whole, made up of different books that based on their genre might "read" differently. For example, Psalms is a book of poetry, while 1 Chronicles is a book of history. Does that make sense at all? This is hard for me to explain on a message board. But despite the different genres, it is one Word together, inspired by one God.

I'm sure you see the Bible and its contents the way you described them. That doesn't make it true.

I think Scientologists are people. I respect them as people. They can believe whatever they want. That doesn't make them right. If I thought they were right, I'd be a Scientologist.

Although I am a non-Christian, I am on the same page as you, with regards to seeing the bible for historical value & moral value-100%. This is why I guess I view the devil as a mythological creature created in scribe to teach a moral.
Thank you for your reply.

So, for Christians who do not take the bible literally, where do you draw the line between myth & truth as far as bible stories & "creatures" go?

Again, I'm not great at this, esp. on a message board, but there is symbolism in the Bible. Example: Jesus is called "the Branch". "The Lion of Judah". "The Cornerstone". Does that mean he's wooden and part of a tree, or now morphing into a lion, and now a rock? Of course not! They are titles that describe aspects of his character. I believe the miracles throughout the Bible are true and actually happened as described. The history books I take as literal. The poetry books are more likely to have symbolism in them.

I tried to look up the unicorn, but I missed it. There is a one-horned goat in Daniel-is that the one? I wouldn't call that a unicorn-unicorns are horses with one horn.

 

[Mikelly1221]

I was surprised to learn this as well.

It's in Isaiah 34:7-
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.

No wonder I missed it-I read the NIV (much easier for me) and it translates the word "unicorns" into "wild oxen". Someone who knows Hebrew will have to help me out any further.

"And the wild oxen will fall with them,
the bull calves and the great bulls.
Their land will be drenched with blood,
and the dust will be soaked with fat."

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah 34:7