Religious Knowledge Thread

[Rían]

Originally posted by Baby-K
Maybe I should just bugger off outa this thread & leave it to people who know what they are talking about.

No, please don't, you ask good questions and are considerate and you don't flame.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
No, please don't, you ask good questions and are considerate and you don't flame.

Ditto.

[Arien the Maia]

Ok, I've been reading over this thread and here's my two cents. The last couple of posts have been about twisting the bible's words and what makes a Christian and stuff like that. Well, in my experience, today people seem to be looking for the easy road to follow. They want to find a church that suits them. now I'm not saying that there is something wrong with that...that's great if you find a nice church. but people seem to be content with where they are...they don't want to search out the truth and study the history of Christianity to find out why we believe the things we do. Again, I'm not trying to put anyone down...it's just that several of my friends here are doing just that. Any opinions?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

OT (kinda): Arien, do you have your Bible?

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
OT (kinda): Arien, do you have your Bible?

unfortunately no I don't...it's still at my fiance's house...I need to remember to bring it home! Also...I'm in class so I kinda have to "wing it" when it comes to the Bible

[Gwaimir Windgem]

In class and on the moot at the same time? Is it possible?

[Arien the Maia]

yes...I keep haveing to close the screen window when the prof walks by

[Rían]

Originally posted by Arien the Maia
Ok, I've been reading over this thread and here's my two cents. The last couple of posts have been about twisting the bible's words and what makes a Christian and stuff like that. Well, in my experience, today people seem to be looking for the easy road to follow. They want to find a church that suits them. now I'm not saying that there is something wrong with that...that's great if you find a nice church. but people seem to be content with where they are...they don't want to search out the truth and study the history of Christianity to find out why we believe the things we do. Again, I'm not trying to put anyone down...it's just that several of my friends here are doing just that. Any opinions?

I think that's a pretty astute observation - people are more concerned about 'what's in it for me', or 'what's good for me, in MY opinion', rather than 'what do I believe to be the truth'.

Arien, sweetie, you need to get yourself another Bible! One for home, and one to be with your fiancé!

[Radagast The Brown]

originally posted by Merkedel
And I wouldn't say Jewish religious authorities crucified Jesus, though they might not have minded-lots of "false messiahs" got crucified by Romans with the aquiescence of collaberationist Jews. The Pharisees (the predecessors and basis of rabbinic Judaism) were not looked on that favorably by the establishment. Such charismatic individuals were percieved to be a threat to Rome's authority. The Jewish revolt some 30 years after Jesus' death failed in part because of Jewish disunity, not just because of Rome's legions. In fact the rabbis say the second temple was destroyed because of "Sinat Chinam" roughly translated in bitter internal strife.

I know that story. We leart about that in history! what's "Sinat Chinam"?

[Agalayth]

1. Do you believe in Kabbalah, and could you give a general overview of it?

2. Do you believe in a "golem"?

3. Do you believe that if one utters the name of God (the Ineffable Name) as spelled by the Hebrew consonants, that they have no place in the World to Come?

4. Could you give a general overview of your stance on animal sacrifice, if the Temple were rebuilt?

1. I don't know what the Kabbalah is.
2. I don't know what a golem is, unless it's what it is in fantasy computer games, in which I'd say no.
3. I do not believe that and never have.
4. I'd never sacrifice an animal, and I'd be very displeased if they started to do that again if the Temple were rebuilt. They probably wouldn't anyways.

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
Arien, sweetie, you need to get yourself another Bible! One for home, and one to be with your fiancé!

I know I took it over to his place a while ago when we were having a sort of Bible study thing...then he moved to his new place and I never remembered to get it back...along with my Catechism...but we do have a "family" Bible at home and my mom has her's as well so when I get home tonight I can have it handy!

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by Agalayth
1. I don't know what the Kabbalah is.
2. I don't know what a golem is, unless it's what it is in fantasy computer games, in which I'd say no.
3. I do not believe that and never have.
4. I'd never sacrifice an animal, and I'd be very displeased if they started to do that again if the Temple were rebuilt. They probably wouldn't anyways.

Golem is a part of Kabbalah, which is, I think, Jewish mysticism based on the invocation of various names of God. So if you don't know about Kabbalah, then you wouldn't know about Golems. It's a man of clay which is animated by invoking names of God, I think. Markedel?

[TinuvielChild]

Question of Bible preference for the various Christians here:

KJV or NRSV?

[Starr Polish]

I currently use NKJV....My first bible was a Good News Bible. Good for a child's first bible, but NOT one of the better translations.

Question:

Could someone explain a marriage or matrimony ceremony of any other religion? Particularly interested in Islam, at least one sect of Wicca and Bhuddism.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

KJV's mah fave.
NRSV....New...somethingsomething Version.

But there are many, many, many other translations out there. Probably most of them won't be limited to one of those.

[Khamûl]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
Golem is a part of Kabbalah, which is, I think, Jewish mysticism based on the invocation of various names of God. So if you don't know about Kabbalah, then you wouldn't know about Golems. It's a man of clay which is animated by invoking names of God, I think. Markedel?

I'm not Jewish, but basically that is what a golem is.

[Rían]

Originally posted by TinuvielChild
Question of Bible preference for the various Christians here:

KJV or NRSV?

I like the NASB - New American Standard Bible. It's considered to be an excellent translation, and I like how it uses the formal language (Thee, Thou) in prayers and the Psalms. Also how personal pronouns are capitalized when referring to Deity (You, He, Thou, etc.).

I think many nondenominational churches use NIV (New International Version). It's a little more of a - oh, what's the word I want - I suppose 'cultural' translation, as I understand it (worded a little less formally than NASB, and more like everyday talk), but it doesn't capitalize personal pronouns referring to Deity (which I like 'coz it seems like a mark of respect and uniqueness), and it doesn't use formal language (which I like, being a Tolkien and language fan!).

I'm not familiar with NRSV; is that New Revised Standard Version? I am familiar with RSV (Revised Standard Version) and have heard that the translation is faulty in some places.

[Rían]

Originally posted by Arien the Maia
I know I took it over to his place a while ago when we were having a sort of Bible study thing...then he moved to his new place and I never remembered to get it back...along with my Catechism...but we do have a "family" Bible at home and my mom has her's as well so when I get home tonight I can have it handy!

It's nice to have your own, tho, so you can write notes in it! (example - 'really need to work on this!' And I date my notes, and it's neat to look back and see that God HAS worked on things!

It took me a while to actually get the nerve up to write in a Bible but once I figured out that it's there to help us, I started, and it's really neat - makes it very personal, and helps you to re-find verses that you like if you've underlined them, etc. But I always do it semi-reverently

[markedel]

I was trying to say I don't beleive in Golems-but such myths and legends usual have some kind of value-there are lots of them floating around.

Sinat Chinam is just hebrew transliterated. Literally "free hate" it has no exact equivilant in English.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Ah. I could tell you didn't believe in Golems, but I was under the impression you believed in Kabbalah in general.