Debate: Billy Carson vs. Christian Wes Huff on Jesus, the Bible, and Christianity

The best evidence for abiogenesis is abiogenesis!

 

Evidence for God includes whose prayers he answers. For example, think of all the Southern Californians who pray in vain that their homes won't burn down, while football players give God the glory in post-game interviews for their winning performances.

 

He is answering Southern Californian prayers. And every time it’s “I told you to move to Utah.”

 

Then here are some commonalities for you consideration. Hinduism is generally considered to be the world's oldest religion. It's the source of numerous off shoots or has indirectly supplied other religions with some of their beliefs. There is a trinity in the Hindu tradition, and stunning similarities between Brahma, the first being created and creator of all subsequent beings in the Hindu faith and Abraham, father of the Jewish people. Abraham had his name changed from Abram and he was married to Sara, whom he twice claimed was his sister. Brahma was married to Saraswati, but she was also his daughter, harkening back to Abraham's nephew Lot and his two seductive daughters. Archaic Hindu creation metaphysical beliefs closely shadow esoteric beliefs in the ancient teachings of the Jewish Kabbalah tradition.

The Hindu goddess - Saraswati - is also the name of an ancient river of significance, that flooded then disappeared causing the forced migration of masses of people.

Hindus believe the Kaaba, the monolithic shrine in Mecca was originally a shrine to the god Shiva before it was captured by the Muslims and adapted for their worship. Some of the customs and rituals performed in Mecca are not in accordance to Islamic requirements or restrictions. They do reflect ancient rituals in the tradition of Shiva.

Christianity, Catholic and protestant alike have notably adapted Jewish beliefs and rituals into their doctrines and rituals while dropping others.

 

I just noticed the Abraham/Brahma thing for the first time. That's crazy! That's a really interesting connection I never noticed.

 

There are 2 different Hebrew words for ark found in the original testament. The one for The Ark of the covenant - is aron - Strong's number H727. It refers to a chest or a box.

Noah's ark is an entirely different Hebrew word -tevah -H8392. This word is used exclusively for 2 events. The ark, basket, container the infant Moses was placed in and floated in hope he would be rescued, and the ark built by Noah to rescue the animals and his family from the expected deluge. This word tevah has other meanings apart from these two biblical accounts. It also means word. That should mean something to Christians who may recognize the phrase, 'the word made flesh.' Ancient Hebrew letters and words were written in script that has a box like shape containing them.

The event is better understood by the words that characterize it, written in script forming letters into a box or container like appearance . Rather than attempting to explain why the story of an epic flood was written into the Torah - to cleanse and renew the creation - I refer you to a site that has an excellent explanation. The Hebrew word for flood is mabul,,Strong's number H3999. It carries the connotation of flowing water. The event was the precursor of the cleansing rituals performed in a mikveh, and later on the rite of Christian baptism. Whether or not the story is literally true or not is irrelevant to what it represents about the human condition.
It's an interesting, thought provoking read, should take less than 10 minutes, 5 for fast readers.

Noah’s Flood | Aish

..."We find in the verses that these two sins are extremely specific. First, the upper class are accused of taking women as they desired.3 Second, the world was filled with larceny.4 What caused this ultimate punishment was abuse of authority to take advantage of the less powerful. The larceny was more than stealing, but a climate of exploitation of the impoverished. They did not steal outright, but purchased under duress what people did not want to sell. This sanctimonious theft is worse than outright robbery.

"This is considered more severe than rejecting God. Such a society where even the leaders are abusing their power cannot continue to exist.5

"This is not only a sin, but it is the opposite of the purpose of creation. In Psalms6 it says that the world was created for kindness (chesed). This is not just kindness as a character trait, but a view of the world as a place for being a giver rather than a taker. Man was placed in this world not to accumulate power and goods, but to contribute to society. What had transpired in the generation of the Flood was a perversion of the purpose of creation. This was a society of takers rather than givers.

"Rejection of God does not bring such severe consequences as this, since there still exists the ability to reaccept him. However, abuse of power and authority is more difficult to undo. Maimonides writes7 that someone who does not accept guidance will not return. This is because the ability to hear another opinion is the prerequisite for change. In a society where the rulers abuse their power, they will definitely not hear the call for change, and they will continue to sink into decadence. Therefore, if the purpose of creation was nullified, the world must be recreated in a new fashion."


Noah’s Flood | Aish

 

The study of comparative religions is the best way to become comparatively religious.
— Ronald Knox —


As a former Religion major, at UF, I attest this true, albeit temporarily in my case.

 

I minored in Religion at UF. One of my favorite quotes on religion is from Woody Allen: "If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank."

 

Well Huff might be soon! The great state of Canada!

 

We can be bought! My Comparative Religions professor was Father Michael Gannon. On completing the course I was left to wonder if he was a Christian. *shrugs shoulders*

 

One if my favorite scenes on how we miss those signs...

 

My religion profs were Scudder, Hiers, and Creel. I don't recall Gannon being around then, if he was even born yet.

 

I also had Scudder, Creel and the Dean of the religion dept, don’t remember his name. But I did ask him if he considered himself a Christian and he got prickly. I’m pretty sure that Creel’s son and Hiers daughter were high school classmates at Buchholz.

 

I thought you majored in history at UF, then afterward attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philly.
____________

Father Gannon died in April 2017 only a few days shy of his 90th birthday.

 

Former Priest and UF history professor Michael Gannon died in April 2017, only a few days before his 90th birthday.

UF's Michael Gannon, who made history lively, dies at 89

LOCAL
UF's Michael Gannon, who made history lively, dies at 89
Cindy Swirko
cindy.swirko@gvillesun.com
"University of Florida history professor Michael Gannon, a former priest, an expert on the state’s Spanish beginnings and a calming presence on campus during troubled times, died Monday night, days shy of his 90th birthday.

"Among his most notable research findings, in his 1965 book “The Cross in the Sand,” Gannon contended that the first Thanksgiving actually occurred in St. Augustine in 1565 between Spaniards and Timucuan native Americans — not in New England with the Pilgrims and Native Americans."

//I'm guessing Sabin didn't attend that celebration //

"After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Catholic University of America and a graduate degree in theology from Université de Louvain in Belgium, Gannon was ordained a priest in 1959. He was director of the Catholic Student Center in Gainesville while working on his doctorate in history at UF and then became director of the Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, the biography said.

"Gannon eventually returned to Gainesville as a professor, continuing his work at the Catholic Student Center. He left the priesthood in 1976."

 

I cant remember if I saw this at the time of his death. I took his Florida history class. He really made Florida history interesting, loved his lectures. His tests? Not so much.

 

I ran through majors like tennis shoes. Religion > English > History. Seminary came much later. And I had no idea Father Gannon lived so long.

I probably should have tapped into his Florida history. My gggg grandfather lived in St. Augustine 1780ff. He was a Loyalist fighter in the Revolutionary War. While in St. Augustine he gave his children English AND Spanish names.

 

Ah, and now your love of monarchy (and poo pooing of the revolution) makes perfect sense

 

Not that you’re hijacking the thread, but yes, we won our independence from a king so that we could pay ten times the taxes to bureaucrats. The Colonists were the welfare queens of the British Empire.

 

Look you dont have to have the same opinions as a dead relative you never met. If we did, I'd be on here posting about how the Confederacy was right.