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Everything posted by Raf
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In Search of Historic Jesus
Raf replied to Raf's topic in Atheism, nontheism, skepticism: Questioning Faith
Briefly, sure. Paul brags that he never learned anything from the apostles. He says everything he got, he got directly from Jesus in visions (Galatians 1:11-24). With a historic Jesus, this makes no sense. Who would BRAG about not learning from the apostles? Paul did. It does not make sense that a movement founded by Jesus of Nazareth would launch the baton over the people closest to him and hand it to someone Jesus had never met. Imagine the audacity of saying I know the will of Jesus without having to consult the people who were closest to him! The 12 apostles would have shut Paul down. Paul mentions NOTHING about the actual life of Jesus. His description of the death and resurrection bear no resemblance to the gospel accounts (which had not yet been made up). His proofs of the resurrection fail to mention an empty tomb, which at the time would have been a big deal. This is just glossing over the info, not really giving it full consideration. GSC is a message board, not a doctoral dissertation service. -
If not for this TV Show, the Super Bowl Halftime Show as we know it would not have been a thing. For years, the halftime show was a cheesy spectacle of dance numbers, bands, magic... you know, filler fluff. So this show decided to capitalize on halftime one year by airing a live segment during Super Bowl halftime. Producers promised to end the segment so that viewers would be able to go back to the Super Bowl in time for the second half to start. It worked brilliantly. They got 20 million viewers to switch channels during halftime. The following year, the Super Bowl Halftime Show was a Michael Jackson concert. Name the show that changed the Super Bowl.
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Most Historians believe that Jesus of Nazareth was an itinerant preacher in what we now call the early first century who was executed by the Romans and around whom Christianity was founded. I am increasingly of the belief that there was no historic Jesus, and that if there had been, Paul would never have succeeded as his most influential apostle. I believe his entire earthly history is completely fictional, and when we weed out the known forgeries of scripture, you are left without a scrap of evidence of an earthly ministry of Jesus. This thesis comes with some questions that are difficult to answer, but in my view, those questions are not nearly as difficult as the questions raised by the hypothesis that he was a real historical figure. I have read Bart Ehrman's book on the topic, which holds the traditional/majority view that Jesus really existed and his identity/fate is a question of faith. I've also read numerous writers who claim he never existed at all. The most convincing of them is named Richard Carrier, who is well qualified in the field of the history of the time. I found Carrier's position far more convincing than Ehrman's. Am I 100% convinced? No. But at least 90. I'll be sharing thoughts on the subject on this thread. Feel free to ask questions. I I can answer them I will. If not, I will admit I have no response. I assure you there are questions I cannot answer. But the conversation is, in my view, far more interesting than traditionalists would have you believe.
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On God-Breathed Scriptures
Raf replied to Raf's topic in Atheism, nontheism, skepticism: Questioning Faith
I've totally lost track of this thread. Everyone ok with it? No moderating needed? -
Ok, let's wrap this up: What Luis Arraez did in 2022 is something that happens twice a year in baseball. It's impressive because only two people can accomplish that feat in one year. What Luis Arraez did in 2023 is something no one could have done unless he were in Arraez' shoes. Namely: * Something specific had to change between seasons FOR THAT PLAYER. Not a change in the rules, not a pandemic. Something that could happen to any player at any time, but for Arraez happened between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. * THEN he had to repeat the achievement. Had he repeated the achievement without the change, it would have been less remarkable. Numerous people have done that. Some have done it three or four times in a row. But NO ONE has ever done what Arraez did. (Hint: it has something to do with the uniform he wore).
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The more precise you are with your guesses, the more precise I am with my clues. He did bat over three hundred both seasons. I do not believe he switched from left to right. His batting average is the correct stat. But most switch hitters, I dare say all, alternate lefty/righty all the time. They don't go full seasons one-way and the next season another. Don't get complicated: Whose batting average do you care about?
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Ok, clarifying. The seasons were 2022 and 2023. No interruptions. It's a single season stat, accomplished both seasons. The stat alone won't give you the answer, but the context around it will. Example: Barry Bonds hit 77 homecruns in a single season. That's a stat. No one else ever hit that many. That's what makes the stat significant. Luis Arraez did something significant [not THAT significant, but still impressive AND recognized] two years in a row. Something changed from 2022 to 2023 that altered the significance of his achievement, making it something no one had ever done before. The change was to Arraez, not to the sport.
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This achievement took two years. It could not have been accomplished in one. WW's guesses are also incorrect. I wouldn't expect to find either on a baseball card. So here's what's important: It IS a single season stat. It was over two CONSECUTIVE seasons. That's part of what made it interesting. Another part: something significant changed between 2022 and 2023 that focuses this achievement. Without that change, it still would have been impressive. Just not as unique.
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No, nothing that obscure. This is an achievement/stat that is more simple, a stat you would find on a baseball card without other metrics getting in the way. Simple stat: Home Runs in a season. Other metrics getting in the way: Home runs with runners on base. Leadoff home runs. Home runs with two outs. Home runs with runners in scoring position. This is a simple stat for which he would receive recognition. (MVP is not a stat. Golden Glove is not a stat).
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And then there was one. WordWolf?
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Curb Your Enthusiasm
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I try not to get too excited about it when it comes on.
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Patrick Swayze
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Ok, free post. "Ok, this might help, might not. I know most book-to-movie adaptations don't get this convoluted, but that's part of the fun." The name of the movie is Adaptation.
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Ok, this might help, might not. I know most book-to-movie adaptations don't get this convoluted, but that's part of the fun. Anyway: There are a couple of scenes in which the screenwriter is on the (fictitious) set of another movie (let's call it BJM). That other movie (BJM) is real, written by the same screenwriter and made by the same director. In real life, the screenwriter was tasked with adapting the book while production was underway for BJM. So having a scene set on the set of BJM brought everything back full circle. Now listen carefully, I've given you the name of the movie, and then some.
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I wanna be like Louie.
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No, Stranger Than Fiction is more surreal, about a man who realizes he's a character in an author's book.