"for the preaching of Christ crucified . . . is foolishness"

[drfuzzy]

1 Corinthians 1:23

King James Version

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God
25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty

========

This is the primary "what we're preaching is going to sound idiotic to most people" passage. 

Yet instead of wondering why one of the major framers of the faith would make this disclaimer, Xtians embrace it with fervour. It is a major basis for the "if you don't understand it, you're not reading it right" or the "it will all become clear when we get to heaven" mentality. This is one reason some Xtian parents resist sending their Children to college in the year 2015: "You'll start thinking that you're smarter than GOD!" 

You have to read the Bible kind of like reading Tarot cards - if you have enough faith, you'll be given a message.  If you are one of the special ones who are "called", you will not see inconsistencies and ridiculous claims, you will hear the voice of GOD. 

Those of us who came out of this background understand. And yet, I can't fathom why more people don't say "These messages were put there to keep us from asking questions!" "This is only to maintain the illusion, and keep the sheep in the pews."

Why don't these concepts DRIVE people to question? If you're afraid to question something, you don't really believe it.

[Minimalist]

This is the primary "what we're preaching is going to sound idiotic to most people" passage.

Might well be the only thing they got right.

[Drich]

1 Corinthians 1:23

King James Version

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God
25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty

========

This is the primary "what we're preaching is going to sound idiotic to most people" passage. 

Yet instead of wondering why one of the major framers of the faith would make this disclaimer, Xtians embrace it with fervour. It is a major basis for the "if you don't understand it, you're not reading it right" or the "it will all become clear when we get to heaven" mentality. This is one reason some Xtian parents resist sending their Children to college in the year 2015: "You'll start thinking that you're smarter than GOD!" 

You have to read the Bible kind of like reading Tarot cards - if you have enough faith, you'll be given a message.  If you are one of the special ones who are "called", you will not see inconsistencies and ridiculous claims, you will hear the voice of GOD. 

Those of us who came out of this background understand. And yet, I can't fathom why more people don't say "These messages were put there to keep us from asking questions!" "This is only to maintain the illusion, and keep the sheep in the pews."

Why don't these concepts DRIVE people to question? If you're afraid to question something, you don't really believe

What makes you think we haven't questioned? because we (believers) did not come to the same conclusion you did? What if we questioned and received an answer from God? Would we be expected to act like those who received silence?
[/quote]

[Chad32]

It's like saying the bible is the truth, and yet one of the biggest crimes against the religion is asking questions. the truth doesn't fear questioning. Truth is something that holds up to questioning, thus why would any source of truth criminalize skepticism?

[drfuzzy]

1 Corinthians 1:23

King James Version

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God
25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty

========

This is the primary "what we're preaching is going to sound idiotic to most people" passage. 

Yet instead of wondering why one of the major framers of the faith would make this disclaimer, Xtians embrace it with fervour. It is a major basis for the "if you don't understand it, you're not reading it right" or the "it will all become clear when we get to heaven" mentality. This is one reason some Xtian parents resist sending their Children to college in the year 2015: "You'll start thinking that you're smarter than GOD!" 

You have to read the Bible kind of like reading Tarot cards - if you have enough faith, you'll be given a message.  If you are one of the special ones who are "called", you will not see inconsistencies and ridiculous claims, you will hear the voice of GOD. 

Those of us who came out of this background understand. And yet, I can't fathom why more people don't say "These messages were put there to keep us from asking questions!" "This is only to maintain the illusion, and keep the sheep in the pews."

Why don't these concepts DRIVE people to question? If you're afraid to question something, you don't really believe

What makes you think we haven't questioned? because we (believers) did not come to the same conclusion you did? What if we questioned and received an answer from God? Would we be expected to act like those who received silence?

[/quote]
If you received an answer from God, it was the same type of answer Tarot card readers get: the one your brain creates to fill in the blank that you're giving it. Hearing voices in your head is not something to brag about.

[Minimalist]

1 Corinthians 1:23

King James Version

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God
25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty

========

This is the primary "what we're preaching is going to sound idiotic to most people" passage. 

Yet instead of wondering why one of the major framers of the faith would make this disclaimer, Xtians embrace it with fervour. It is a major basis for the "if you don't understand it, you're not reading it right" or the "it will all become clear when we get to heaven" mentality. This is one reason some Xtian parents resist sending their Children to college in the year 2015: "You'll start thinking that you're smarter than GOD!" 

You have to read the Bible kind of like reading Tarot cards - if you have enough faith, you'll be given a message.  If you are one of the special ones who are "called", you will not see inconsistencies and ridiculous claims, you will hear the voice of GOD. 

Those of us who came out of this background understand. And yet, I can't fathom why more people don't say "These messages were put there to keep us from asking questions!" "This is only to maintain the illusion, and keep the sheep in the pews."

Why don't these concepts DRIVE people to question? If you're afraid to question something, you don't really believe

What makes you think we haven't questioned? because we (believers) did not come to the same conclusion you did? What if we questioned and received an answer from God? Would we be expected to act like those who received silence?

[/quote]

Drippy, if you ever had a thought it would die of loneliness.

[Drich]

What makes you think we haven't questioned? because we (believers) did not come to the same conclusion you did? What if we questioned and received an answer from God? Would we be expected to act like those who received silence?

If you received an answer from God, it was the same type of answer Tarot card readers get: the one your brain creates to fill in the blank that you're giving it. Hearing voices in your head is not something to brag about.
[/quote]

who said anything about voices in my head? Are you afraid to ask a question who's answer you will not be able to respond to with a off the shelf atheist remark?

[drfuzzy]

If you received an answer from God, it was the same type of answer Tarot card readers get: the one your brain creates to fill in the blank that you're giving it. Hearing voices in your head is not something to brag about.

who said anything about voices in my head? Are you afraid to ask a question who's answer you will not be able to respond to with a off the shelf atheist remark?
[/quote]

You believe you're hearing the voice of God. I don't believe god exists. Therefore, I don't believe the voice exists. Apparently, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this point.  UNTIL you can prove to me that something ONLY YOU heard, or felt, or sensed, or whatever, actually happened, and came from a source outside of your physical self.  Which would be really interesting. That proof cannot come from argument, it will have to come from medical machines.

[drfuzzy]

If you received an answer from God, it was the same type of answer Tarot card readers get: the one your brain creates to fill in the blank that you're giving it. Hearing voices in your head is not something to brag about.

who said anything about voices in my head? Are you afraid to ask a question who's answer you will not be able to respond to with a off the shelf atheist remark?

You believe you're hearing the voice of God. I don't believe god exists. Therefore, I don't believe the voice exists. Apparently, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this point.  UNTIL you can prove to me that something ONLY YOU heard, or felt, or sensed, or whatever, actually happened, and came from a source outside of your physical self.  Which would be really interesting.
[/quote]

oh and . . . no, that proof cannot come from argument.  It going to have to come from medical machines.

[brewer]

Why don't these concepts DRIVE people to question? If you're afraid to question something, you don't really believe it.

I think majority of xtians would say "What concepts? I've never heard that before."

The majority of xtians don't read the book. If they heard it, it was in passing and not worth paying attention to. "Lets see, I heard christ, god, along with god wiser and stronger. OK, I'm good". The belief of blissful ignorance.