(December 9, 2015 at 8:38 am)Cato Wrote: I don't need a scholar for every conclusion I draw regarding the Bible.
Not if it's directly from the Bible you don't.
(December 9, 2015 at 8:38 am)Cato Wrote: I also down understand the unspoken assumption that biblical scholarship isn't prone to its own self reinforcing bias.
http://www.sbl-site.org/publications/art...icleId=503
Everything is prone to bias.
(December 9, 2015 at 8:38 am)Cato Wrote: Nobody needs scholarship to read the Bible and conclude that Jesus either actually believed the world was immediately coming to an end (big problem for these elusive intellectually honest Christians you refer to) or was an immoral sociopath when he advised people to give no thought for the morrow. This is not a stupid argument and does not require "Biblical scholarship" in the formal sense.
Now you're talking. But - did Jesus believe the end was nigh? That's debatable. I think so, but it's far from being a certain fact. And I think his advice to "worry more about today" is quite sensible actually, and far from being "immoral".
For Religion & Health see:[/b][/size] Williams & Sternthal. (2007). Spirituality, religion and health: Evidence and research directions. Med. J. Aust., 186(10), S47-S50. -LINK
The WIN/Gallup End of Year Survey 2013 found the US was perceived to be the greatest threat to world peace by a huge margin, with 24% of respondents fearful of the US followed by: 8% for Pakistan, and 6% for China. This was followed by 5% each for: Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, North Korea. -LINK
"That's disgusting. There were clean athletes out there that have had their whole careers ruined by people like Lance Armstrong who just bended thoughts to fit their circumstances. He didn't look up cheating because he wanted to stop, he wanted to justify what he was doing and to keep that continuing on." - Nicole Cooke
The WIN/Gallup End of Year Survey 2013 found the US was perceived to be the greatest threat to world peace by a huge margin, with 24% of respondents fearful of the US followed by: 8% for Pakistan, and 6% for China. This was followed by 5% each for: Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, North Korea. -LINK
"That's disgusting. There were clean athletes out there that have had their whole careers ruined by people like Lance Armstrong who just bended thoughts to fit their circumstances. He didn't look up cheating because he wanted to stop, he wanted to justify what he was doing and to keep that continuing on." - Nicole Cooke
