
It seems to me that you just don't see the bible for what it is - a 2000 year old self-help book. The only people that run into problems are the people that take the stories literally. The vast majority of christians don't take it literally. Start treating it like aesop's fables and you'll probably find some life lessons that you agree with.
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:03,
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I'm a quaker so my definition might not be the same as yours.
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:10,
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Mainly because they don't preach, they keep themselves to themselves and yet they do good and charitable things without having to tell everyone about it.
If all religionists were Quakers, I wouldn't have a problem with them.
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:12,
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If all religionists were Quakers, I wouldn't have a problem with them.

of the man who prays in silence, and of the man gives charity in secret; and he condemned the man who prays loudly on street corners and makes a show of how much money he gives away.
I wish the wee frees in St Andrews had heard of that. No idea what charitable work they do but they don't half shout loudly on the street corners.
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:14,
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I wish the wee frees in St Andrews had heard of that. No idea what charitable work they do but they don't half shout loudly on the street corners.

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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:20,
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If by "beliefs" we're meaning "religious beliefs". (This isn't a criticism at you, you've not done so.) But I believe I should have the right to say that I don't believe in their beliefs and feel that they're wrong, and they have the right to say that I'm wrong and they're right all they like. (I probably won't listen but hey, they most likely won't either so everyone's even.)
There is a distinction there but it may have been lost...
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:24,
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There is a distinction there but it may have been lost...

In my mind the most important thing society can do is just accept that there are people out there who are their polar opposites and just move on. Not tolerate, accept.
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:29,
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Didn't mean to sound like I did. But that's not taking it as God's word in the way I meant -- I meant people who take it literally. And cherry-picking the bits to take literally is a horrible thing to do because I feel that's an inconsistent way of thinking. That doesn't say that there aren't things to take from it that can be helpful for your life -- but it probably does say you shouldn't sit there and memorise the books of Law and stick to them all.
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Mon 17 May 2010, 12:06,
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