some lazy, college student's ramblings
This is the conclusion I have come to quite recently. Since I've moved to Kentucky this summer for college I've had 3 jobs. One was a summer internship which was a cool job but I never would have made it in if one of my friends didn't put in a good word for me. That ended early in August and since then I've had 2 other jobs.

One that I was never officially hired at because they didn't give me a clear date to start so I never did and the second one I was never given a schedule (not even one day at a time). They would call me literally one to two hours before they wanted me to come in, which I couldn't always do. Now I'm once again not even sure if I'm still working there because I haven't been called with any information on the subject for over a week now.

That's pretty much my entire rant on the subject. I still feel a bit of rant left in me so now to veer off in another direction completely.

Why is it that both Christians and those trying to disprove Christianity use almost the exact same argument against each other? Christians say that if you go to the Bible looking to disprove Jesus' divinity then you'll find the proof, but if you go to it looking for the truth then the holy spirit will show you the translation that you need.

On the other hand those trying to disprove Christianity say that if you start out already believing everything the Bible says then you can only find more proof for it IN the Bible. That makes a lot of sense and so does the Christian stance. Why can't they each just accept that they won't be able to prove it either way on their own?

This semester in college I'm taking a New Testament class. I know that in a class like this one the professor will undoubtedly force his/her beliefs of the subject on you which is alright with me but you'll never see the New Testament in any way but the way the professor makes you see it. You may want to but we all know that their opinion trumps your own while in the class.

Right now I'm kinda struggling with simply understanding who Jesus was talking to (more than just "a crowd of Jews") and why he chose the parables he did. My prof. basically gives the generic answer of a crowd of Jews at a temple. That doesn't tell me anything about them. He's done the research and has put time into figuring out why Jesus would choose certain words at certain times. I want in on THAT information.

I've got this strange feeling that a lot of people are going to reply with something like, "research it yourself" or what not, but please spare yourself. I have, I just don't have the critical thinking skills to figure out what causes the reactions in certain circumstances so there's very little chance I'll be able to figure it out. There's always prayer though...

Who am I kidding? Prayer is a very strong tool but something tells me God isn't going to just fill my head with the knowledge I seek. He's smarter than that.

Well, that about ends my rantings for the time. Until next time, Costlow over and out!

Comments (Page 1)
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on Oct 15, 2007

I think first you have to take a look at what was going on during that time, in terms of politics and especially how the Jews were fairing at the time.  Remember, Jews have a long history of oppression, degradation, slavery, and the like.  Jesus acted as the guiding light for them, to give them hope after all the suffering they endured...that's pretty much the audience he was reaching out to.

Or something like that...I'm no religion scholar, but perhaps that'll get you thinking.

~Zoo

on Oct 15, 2007
well... Zoo has a good point, BUT, if you beleive in the divine completion of the books of the bible then it can't be entirely based on the oppression of the Jews and the history surrounding that period. I beleive that each book in the bible was chosen to address spiritual issues as well as earthly issues so that we can be completely fulfilled in Jesus through our sruggles both physically and spiritually. This next point may not be of any help to you, but this is what I do. Before I read a passage in scripture, especially the parables, I ask God to help me relate the stories/symbols to something in my own life. As I find personal meaning in each passage, I reflect on how that specific thing is effecting my life at the present point in time. If I read that same parable a year from now, it could hold a completly different meaning for me-and that's ok.
Well, that's the end of my vast wisdom lol.
LOVE!
S.C.
on Oct 15, 2007

then it can't be entirely based on the oppression of the Jews and the history surrounding that period.

Well, I'm talking more about these "crowds of Jews" that were mentioned.  They got the shaft, so they were seeking something to believe in....and I think the preaching was geared toward that...to assure them that someone still cares about them.

As for the actual reading of the Bible...I haven't gotten around to it...it's so boring.  I find meaning on my own most of the time, by experiencing things and watching people.  Though I be Christian, I tend not to bury my nose in the book.  One day I might actually read the whole thing...but I don't know if it'll teach me anything new.

~Zoo

on Oct 15, 2007
Here's what I'd have to say about reading the Bible, though it may all be God breathed, or whatever they call it, not all of it was written to everyone from what I gather. The Gospel (Matt., Mark, Luke, and John) is pretty much 4 different versions of the same story. Each book had different readers in mind. Matthew was for the Jews, Mark the Gentiles, Luke was written to the Romans I believe, and I think John was written to Theopholis (he represents the unsaved) and the book is a chronological recording of Jesus life. I may have mixed a few of those up but I think that's about right.
on Oct 15, 2007
Actually, Costlow...there are theories that those chapters were composed by a few different authors. As in a few authors per one chapter.

~Zoo
on Oct 15, 2007
Those theories aren't accepted by most researchers though. And the reason the theories float about is because there is a source credited as the base resource for Mark and Mark is the same for Matthew.

John used many sources for his such as Mary. He wanted as many 1st hand descriptions as he could get. I've spent that past 8 weeks studying these guys. There's plenty of evidence to say that there was just one author for each book even if there were many references.
on Oct 15, 2007
Oh...well I stand corrected then.

I've got my own religion class...but it's just comparing religion in the US...nothing too detailed.

~Zoo
on Oct 15, 2007
Well, it's not like I'm the authority on the subject but I taken in a lot of information about the Gospels lately and I quite enjoy learning about it. But I still just don't think I understand who is being written to in most cases so I don't know if there's some other meaning behind what's said that would make sense if I understood the situation present in the books.

Comparing religion is always fun too. I did that a little bit in Cultural Diversity last year. I gave a 15 minute presentation on the Amish. lol
on Oct 15, 2007
I gave a 15 minute presentation on the Amish


Did you include my Amish superhero bit? That would've been great.

~Zoo
on Oct 15, 2007
gave a 15 minute presentation on the Amish. lol


I could have lent you my weird Al song titled "livin' in an Amish paradice" dangit! Oh costlow, you could have made a difference in the way the typical modern american views the Amish if only you would have informed me of this presentation sooner! Agh!
on Oct 15, 2007
weird Al song titled "livin' in an Amish paradice" dangit


I have that...and I used to listen to it all the time.

~Zoo
on Oct 16, 2007
But Kendra... they already expected me to do that so I went the more lame-o route. I told them about Amish schools and talked about the shootings and such.

Did you know that the school they built in it's place is the state-of-the-art Amish school in the country? They have White Eraser boards... but still no phone.

Hahaha they make me laugh.... *sigh*
on Oct 16, 2007
But Kendra... they already expected me to do that so I went the more lame-o route. I told them about Amish schools and talked about the shootings and such.


It can't be helped...*sigh. I actually gave a speech on that topis also, but it was for Sociology 201...interesting how we find the same topics isn't it?
I have that...and I used to listen to it all the time.


YES! go Shaun! It's on my limewire favorites and I'm listening to it RIGHT NOW!!!
on Oct 16, 2007
I guess it's a nice coincidence.

You know, I was just talking about you and Jeffers and your competition to make Mr. Roderick smile each day. I also was telling some of my friends about how we played the white tiles are lava and all those times we stopped French class to have a party.

None of my friends here seem to like that sort of goofing off though... it's sad really.
on Oct 16, 2007
You know, I was just talking about you and Jeffers and your competition to make Mr. Roderick smile each day. I also was telling some of my friends about how we played the white tiles are lava and all those times we stopped French class to have a party.


It's strange to feel so much happiness and so much regret at the same time. I love those times...more everyday. I tell people here about things like that, and I know I can't expect them to appreciate them like I do...but it feels so good to be able to laugh and remeber those things again.
P.S. I TOTALLY made Mr.Roderick smile more than Jeffers did. I put him in my graduation speech-and so i win.

LOVE!
S.C.
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