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Originally Posted by awareness
Interesting post zeek. I've read the New Testament, and for some time lived blind faith, but never contemplated immolation as a service to God. Maybe, and possibly fortunately, I just lacked sufficient faith to become such a sacrifice.
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What does this mean?
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Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.
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But I have discovered the effects of the "crowd of experts" on faith. So I understand why they are to be avoided.
And that's why Nigel's treatise on etymological errors should be avoided. As the end result of his treatise is to wonder where to place your faith, or into whom to place your faith ; which experts; and into the meanings of Bible words???
And that kills the subjective passion you say is needed.
Faith doesn't need etymology ... or a panel of experts.
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Yes, well, I'm not claiming that I know that there are no Christians, and I'm certainly not claiming that I am one. But, I think, one can find a lot of evidence to support the idea that there are very few if any if we use the New Testament as a standard. The usual pattern is for someone to come out and make Christian claims which seem shiny and new until you peel of the superficial layer of Christian paint and find out a little more of their life and see that they are pretty close to the gutter where the rest of us live. Then they confess that they are sinners. But any mob boss or terrorist or prostitute could say the same thing. So, where are the New Testament Christians?
Looks like we'll have to riff on the idea ourselves until Tomes, or his experts or Godot shows up.