(September 18, 2016 at 7:18 pm)Minimalist Wrote:Quote:spir·it·u·al
ˈspiriCH(əw)əl/
adjective
adjective: spiritual
1.
of, relating to, or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.
"I'm responsible for his spiritual welfare"Quote:ci·pher
ˈsīfər/
noun
noun: cipher; plural noun: ciphers; noun: cypher; plural noun: cyphers
- 1.
a secret or disguised way of writing; a code.
"he was writing cryptic notes in a cipher"
synonyms:
code, secret writing, cryptograph, cryptogram
"information in cipher"
- a thing written in a cipher.
synonyms:
code, secret writing, cryptograph, cryptogram
"information in cipher"
- a key to such a cipher.
- 2.
dated
a zero; a figure 0.
synonyms:
zero, 0, nil, naught/nought
"a row of ciphers"
Until someone can produce evidence that there is anything to "spiritual" beyond human imagination run amok I will continue to regard it as a cipher in the sense of definition #2.
Quality of character is spiritual creation. Being consistent and reliable takes self discipline, it is not a product of momentary mental whimsy.
According to the bible, Jesus is the Son of God right? Basically God in a finite man form so goes the story....so how did he teach? Was he explanatory and literal all the time or did he mostly use the language cyphers of metaphor and allegory? Did Isaiah use similar poetic language? Yes, they did.
It's not to prove the bible is "true", it's to take a look at how language is used by the alleged people in it. And as the history of some of the events in the bible are turning out to be false, it leans even more towards being a cypher.
In fact, a really good cypher would include pitfalls and traps for those only looking to take it literally, either believing it or not believing it to be as presented. In this way I can look through the information from a different angle and see if new patterns pop out. They do to me and they are useful to me, but tools are only useful when you are looking for and need them.
"Leave it to me to find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting,
I knew the rules but the rules did not know me, guaranteed." - Eddie Vedder