Help me get out of the 700 Club

[Political_Junkie]

please, ask me anything!

[amber dog democrat]

1. Quick, how many athiests can dance on the head of a pin?

This is bound to get you in trouble.... but i am reading up on Martin Luther these days... and the idea that every man is able to be his own priest.. is still pretty heretical. It just reeks of aspostasy.

[Political_Junkie]

3. How big is the pin?

I think this idea of Martin Luther's is still not understood by most people. Perhaps that's because most people look to religion to give them direction because they don't know what to do. If there is no priest who will tell them what to do?

[amber dog democrat]

5. that is the whole point.

and his belief in pre destination further conrfuses things for me anyway.

Putting too much faith in priests may lead to the same kind of abuses he was so opposed to - the sale of indulgences.

But within his mandates that encourage one to think and act independentlly of an outside religeous intermediaries - in effect take responsibility for one's own spritual state, does ask that one think for them selves.

This is something allot of folk would be uncomfortable with. I like to combine him with Erasmus for balance.

[Political_Junkie]

7. I think most people are

uncomfortable with responsibility period. I'm not familiar with Erasmus, so I can't comment there.

[amber dog democrat]

9. He was wonderful... one of my favorite 16th C Europeans

I think his courage, deep learning, mastery of Greek, gentle wit and sense of morality have alot to do with that.
Not bad for someone who was forced into monastic life against his will.

I don't know how good a read it is to someone from this age, but at the time his In Praise of Folly was one of the most highly regarded religeous satires of its age.
Even the Pope liked it. I read it and parts of it even made me laugh still.

[Political_Junkie]

11. I'll have to look into that,

thanks for the tip. Sounds like a good read.

[Political_Junkie]

12. Thanks, Amber dog.

You helped me out of the 700 Club and actually managed to pick a topic I was interested in. Way cool! :toast:

[amber dog democrat]

13. Cool

This turned out to be an interesting thread... I honestly thought you were being held captive by Jerry Fallwells 700 Club... maybe they were guilting you into staying in and paying donations.... It did not occur to me you were aiming for posts... but what a neat discussion !

[realisticphish]

15. wow

ill have to read that, ive never even heard of it...


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[Bucky]

6. Actually that's shy of what Unitarian-Universalists teach

We talk about universal prophethood of all humans. So I'm not just a priest, dude, I'm a frickin' prophet.

kick ass!!

[Political_Junkie]

8. Oh, how lovely!

I've never met a prophet before! :hi:

[amber dog democrat]

10. This would cut into Jerry Falwells's take.

Pat Roberson would not be happy hearing that either.

You go.

[realisticphish]

14. thats why I love being a Lutheran

I can go nyeh nyeh to people who start saying christians are all psychos...

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[amber dog democrat]

16. I am very , very careful regarding religious faiths of others.

I think Lutherans are cool. I so respect him for the revolution he began. Probably one of the most influential thinkers of his place and time.

Something I always feel in awe of: In the Hindu religeon, the practice of bowing, hands clasped and saying nameste to the other... the act of honoring the devinity in the other... This is something I try to stay mindful of in my day's wanderings.

[realisticphish]

17. yeah

it's good think to keep in mind; im always willing to discuss religion, but i NEVER bring it up, trying to tread lightly. something so deep as religion can cause violent emotions if you aren't careful

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[amber dog democrat]

18. I don't thnk my being an agnostic helps either

I look at all of organized religeon as a kind of all you can eat spirtual buffet.
I shamelessly graze form what ever looks good, but I am on a diet.

[realisticphish]

19. lol

well if that's what gives you meaning, then knock yourself out; its also a good way to get the basic ideas of a lot of different religions...


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[Endangered Specie]

2. Reply here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=1442737&mesg_id=1442737


And yes, its a shameless plug of one of my own threads ;)

[Political_Junkie]

4. That is shameless!

;-)