Sorry you can't make it. As a christian you bring a lot of interesting view points which makes the conversation interesting and lively.

I speak for my own life observations/reasoning and not for "christian(s)"­ although I do understand many aspects of the "Christian perspective" that I have observed. After deviating from my childhood teachings, I did chose to believe that Jesus' philosophy is "wise" and "healthy."

Please go to http://www.gospel-mys...­

Continuing: scroll down to "Wealth". I could support, with few reservation, what you will find. But do these teachings seem like Christians to you? especially Republican Christians?

Yen,
If you liked that one you may want to have a look at “When JC Returns” in “Kouken”
There are several other things in Kouken that you should find worthwhile: “Epiphany”, “Unexamined Belief”, “Understanding the Culture of Life”, “Intelligent? Design?”, “Are We Alone?”, a very short amusing piece “Modern Physics” and more.
If you send me an e-mail ([masked]) I will reply with a PDF file attachment of Kouken.
Cheers,
GB

Are we really following his precepts or are we kept from historical knowledge by ideologues with their hidden agendas? Ex.

Ex. our democracy was founded on Judeao-Christian principles. This is widely believed without reading the Federalist and Anti- Federalist papers where the actual debates took place with no reference to either religious beliefs

It appears that the root premise in Giddian's suggested September topics (1-3) and above comment by Giddian and Baldwin is that religious (e.g. Jesus' teachings) and/or political fanatics (e.g. Republicans) are the cause of "misery & chaos," and if we were "truly" "enlightened" we would not follow these fanatics and not cause needless suffering in our world? Did I synthesis the essence of your premise correctly?

Topic 3 on Jesus/Beer is a trivialization of the "opposing view." As Jonathan Haidt pointed out, these are the similar political tactics/reasoning used by Republicans, Democrats, (and others) to attack rather to better understand differing views.

You are right it is trivializing and maybe that’s wrong because there is nothing trivial about the suffering, conflict and brutality (5 & 7 thru 10) that Christians have done or caused in Jesus’s name since Charlemagne’s time. Jesus would weep. (With slight modification we could used Mohamed instead.) I respect you and your honesty. Your voice -- sincere, articulate, reasonable opposition -- is needed.
If you want I’ll send you a pdf file of KOUKEN. It is mostly about other things but it contains 3 essays that deal with belief, religion and their consequences.

.3ow did I get involved with this?. All I'm saying is that people should try to understand history in "context" not to go off topic. It on;y leads to misunderstandings. Jesus supposed teachings because he never wrote anything down.

?

Who is removing these comments? Yen made a comment of "Giddian and Baldwin...". Now it is removed.

20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'

I must always add so Luke csays when he wrote the book of Acts!

Good question to discuss at the next meeting. The last set of questions were good also. : )

What do you mean by "If so how do you demonstrate it?"

Its self evident! Either you commit to it or you give lip service!