Quoting:
Wouldn't that be his adoptive father?
End Quote

;D hehe

Quoting:
Jesus is just alright with me  :)
End Quote

Jesus Chriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiist...superstaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar...

8)

Quoting:
I thought Jesus was a carpenter.  ::)
End Quote

Joseph was a carpenter.  I don't think Jesus was though.

I thought Jesus was last seen at a gas station in New Mexico dressed as Elvis.

Quoting:
I thought Jesus was last seen at a gas station in New Mexico dressed as Elvis.
End Quote

... or was it the other way round?

ROFL :-)  

Phil

Quoting:

... or was it the other way round?

ROFL :-)  

Phil
End Quote

You know, we're going to Hades for this... :P

Quoting:

You know, we're going to Hades for this... :P
End Quote

LOL cs, I wonder what level of Dante's inferno would he be in? :P

Quoting:


LOL cs, I wonder what level of Dante's inferno would he be in? :P
End Quote

Frozen in the middle ;D

Quoting:
I have an announcement to make-
Sadly, I had to let Jesus go from his job, it seemed the whole "water into wine" thing stirred up a bit to much trouble in the plant and we were forced to follow through with our policies.
End Quote

I'm sure he'll be a hit at the frat parties at UW though 8)

Quoting:


I'm sure he'll be a hit at the frat parties at UW though 8)
End Quote

He'll be okay as long as he doesn't head over to WSU over on the other side of the state. ;D

Quoting:

Joseph was a carpenter.  I don't think Jesus was though.

I thought Jesus was last seen at a gas station in New Mexico dressed as Elvis.
End Quote

I work for the Government CS, and that's not what his file says  ;D ;D ;D

Quoting:
-- Acts 2:43-7
End Quote

John, please don't stop reading the Bible.  But you are quoting the second book of Acts, and the earthly ministry of Jesus concluded in the first book of Acts.  Also, as you imply, the apostles were living together and giving away their wealth.  But they did so on a voluntary basis - the wealth was not confiscated and distributed by the government.

Quoting:
Jesus built my hotrod. I am pretty grateful. It can go the quarter mile in 15.2s ;D
End Quote

I love that song! It's Kooler Than Jesus 8)

Quoting:

Now that I have answered your question, let me hasten to add, for the benefit of true Christians who may read this, that I mean no disrespect to either you or your religion.  In fact I was reluctant to make this post for fear of offending, but having read some of the rather irreligious comments thought it might be safe.  I respect the religious beliefs of others as long as they don't try to force them on me, or on the laws of the land.
End Quote

No offense taken.  I agree that if He were here today He would have a few choice words to say to some of the so called men of God.  

Quoting:


No offense taken.  I agree that if He were here today He would have a few choice words to say to some of the so called men of God.  
End Quote

I agree with you, Dag... but I also disagree with DC's assessment that Jesus would be a secular humanist. (Big surprise, me and DC disagreeing, huh?  ;D ) If, as Christians believe, He was the son of God, then that would still be true if He came back today.

Quoting:


What I find interesting is that Marx condemned religion as "The opiate of the masses", when religion has been the only sucessful vessel of communism.

End Quote

You, as many other people to, are taking this passage out of context.  At the time Marx said it, opium dens were common in England, but were expensive - several of the Sherlock Holmes stories feature them, and of course Holmes was a cocaine addict.  So just as opium and other hard drugs were for the rich, religion was the opiate of the masses.  But what do opiates do?  They dull the senses and confuse rational thought.  Marx was the ultimate rationalist, and abhored irrationality, so naturally he would see religion as a distraction of the proletariat from its historic mission.  Especially since Christianity at the time preached acceptance of the social order, especially, but not exclusively, the Catholics.  It wasn't until 1900 that Pope Leo _ issued an insiclical recognizing (some) human rights - I forget its Latin name - and not until the '70s that Liberation Theology made its appearance.

Quoting:
Jesus wasn't a Communist, but his followers lived in a communist society. They all lived in a community and shared everything they owned. To each according to his need.

Early Christian life and Monastic life are our only examples of pure unadulterated communism. And many Catholic saints and leaders have expressed Marx-esque ideals (see Sir Thomas More's "Utopia") I find it amazing how the Church can have such a rich tradition in equality, yet we now have this huge hierachy running everything.

Any thoughts?
End Quote

Sorry for the duel posts.

You are right to suggest that many Catholic orders seem similar to what we might infere was Marx's idea about communism.  I suggest you read Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.  It is a very insightful study and makes a lot of sense

Quoting:
I want to set up a voluntary secular socialistic society without anykind of revolutionary change to our government. (It has to be secular, otherwise it's a cult). End Quote

John, something like what you are advocating was attempted almost 400 years ago by the Pilgrims who came to America on the Mayflower - www.tuftsprimarysource.org/issues/21/05/dangremond.html.  For their first 2 ½ years, their economy was based on shared property.  When this system did not work, they allocated property to all of the families and prospered.  This was a group of highly motivated people who had a lot in common, but could not make socialism work. Today, we have a very mixed economy and advocates of socialism can argue (wrongly, in my view) that the government planned portion is successful and advocates of capitalism can argue that private property is successful.  I think the Pilgrims are a great experiment because they were in somewhat of a vacuum, and it was obvious to them what worked and what did not work!

Quoting:
I'll make it work just to prove you wrong!  ;D

P.S. It has worked in Early Christian communities and monastic comunities. Why wouldn't it work for a small secular community?
End Quote

Actually it has worked for several secular communities.  I think it was Charles Nardoff who wrote a book called The Communistic Societies of the United States some time before the Civil War.  Brook Farm and Onida are examples.

Quoting:
I'll make it work just to prove you wrong!  ;D

P.S. It has worked in Early Christian communities and monastic comunities. Why wouldn't it work for a small secular community?
End Quote

Tell ya what John, DC this goes for you too, since you 2 are determined to live in a Socialist society, you 2 can start your own "small secualr community", and become socialists.  By all means, have fun.  ;)

Just don't come crying back to us when you realize what you had in this "evil and oppressive capitalist system"(sarcasm).  And don't be trying to get in by boat like the tons of Cubans fleeing their socialist country to taste the fruits of Capitalism either.

"Capitalism is the unequal distribution of wealth, Socialism is the equal distribution of misery"  --  Winston Churchill

Quoting:
I'll make it work just to prove you wrong!  ;D

P.S. It has worked in Early Christian communities and monastic comunities. Why wouldn't it work for a small secular community?
End Quote

But... monastic communities suck for those of us tied to earthly possessions and pleasures and we are far from a "small secular community." Is this going to be a trial into changing people's way of life the way Pol Pot enforced it? Good luck, John. You'll find me resisting, by any ways or means, anything that will socialize this nation :)

Quoting:


"Capitalism is the unequal distribution of wealth, Socialism is the equal distribution of misery"  --  Winston Churchill




End Quote

Winston would say that, after all, he was something of a capitalist himself

Quoting:


You'll find me resisting, by any ways or means, anything that will socialize this nation :)

End Quote

Hear, hear!!!!

Quoting:
Winston would say that, after all, he was something of a capitalist himself
End Quote

DC, THATS THE POINT:  WE ARE ALL CAPITALISTS!

I have a helluva nice car, a nice house, some nice possessions, and you know waht I worked for every thing I own.  And I'll be if a Socialist government is goint to force me to give you or anyone else for that matter  the things I worked so hard to obtain, just because you can't afford them.  

You're always accusing the Right of working for "the status quo".  You want a status quo, look at Socialism, thats a Prime Example of status quo.  In Socialism, Everyone has everything, at the expense of everyone.  In time, it collapses.  Yes it sounds great on paper, but just look at Cuba for cryin out loud!  I look at Cuba and thank God I am not living there!

Sorry for my rant, but I am so sick of you and John praising the wonders and glory of Socialism.  You have to ask yourself:  do you enjoy owning property?  Owning a house?  a car?  boat?  your money?  etc etc?  If not, then fine, move to Cuba or some other country that has seen the beauty and wonders of Socialism.  By all means, go.

Quoting:
80s, I think you just like to hear yourself repeat what Rush tells you.
End Quote

I think you need to live and realise what it means to pay taxes, own property, own a car, pay a motrgage, pay student loans, etc etc, then maybe just maybe you would see how precious it is to not owe everything to everyone else, including a Socialist government, as you are constintly prescribing in your so-called delusional dream of a Socialist Utopia.  Maybe when you get out of high school you will.

And for the record, I don't listen to Rush. ;)

Quoting:

And for the record, I don't listen to Rush. ;)
End Quote

I second that emotion. ::)

Quoting:



I think you need to live and realise what it means to pay taxes, own property, own a car, pay a motrgage, pay student loans, etc etc, then maybe just maybe you would see how precious it is to not owe everything to everyone else, including a Socialist government, as you are constintly prescribing in your so-called delusional dream of a Socialist Utopia.  Maybe when you get out of high school you will.

And for the record, I don't listen to Rush. ;)
End Quote

Amen!