Since this is the inaugural ball of this little discussion, I thought I’d ease into it. Of course, conventional wisdom would espouse coming out with some tricky treatise to stump my Bible believing friend... How did Noah get all the insects onto the Ark? Why does the fossil record completely contradict the Creation story(ies) of Genesis? What’s the deal with blue-eyed Jesus in all the movies? (I’m suspicious that our hero, Yeshua, would have a tough time with TSA on both domestic AND international flights!)
But alas, I’m feeling less auspicious. In fact I’m a bit terrified! Alan is a smart fella and can throw scripture at me until the cows come home. I feel I’ve picked a fight at somebody else’s Homecoming game! Ah well, it isn’t the first time.
I thought I’d start the first discussion on something that I think we (Alan and I) might actually have some common ground on; “-isms”. What the heck are “-isms”, you might ask? Well, I find it best to illustrate through example.
Creationism, Deism, Theism, Atheism, Judaism, Gnosticism, Agnosticism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Socialism, Capitalism, Communism, ism, ism, ism...Good Lord, it’s exhausting!!
So, where did this come from? Well, like most of our “secular” understanding it emanates from the Greeks. The Greeks were good at math, government, and inventing stuff like Western thought. Recently, in the past 2000 years or so, they appear to have hit a slump. Though I do love a gyro from time to time. But I digress...
Cribbed directly from the inter-webs, here is a bit of etymology:
-ism:
a suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it was used to form action nouns from verbs ( baptism ); on this model, used as a productive suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice, state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion or adherence, etc. (emphasis mine-JE)
There’s your “-isms” kids.
My question and hopeful point of debate, is this:
Why are there as many “-isms” as there are? If the One True God, is indeed such, then why is his “revelation” to humanity so schismatic? Why do Roman Catholics disagree with Greek Orthodox? Why do Baptists and Assemblies of God both exist? Why do Presbyterians disavow theology held sacrosanct by Mormons? Okay, that last one was a joke. I mean, c’mon, Joseph Smith? (To any Mormon readers, I sincerely do not apologize. Dude was whacked out).
To jump ahead (as a pre-emptive strike, no less!) I am painfully aware of the theological debates that have led to these schisms. My point is, WHY? If God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not die, but have eternal life, then why couldn’t He also write a better book?
The instructions are in several different languages! The bulk of the material pre-dates general literacy by over 1800 years! The interpretations are more numerous than the individual books.... or chapters... or verses!
The very nature of the book (The Bible, The Torah, The Quran-did you know Muslims subscribe to the Old Testament? Also, they believe Jesus was real and a good dude. True stories kids.) is so “-ism” full that it defies cognizance.
As always, I’ve said too much. Or possibly too little. I typed a lot. We can all agree on that.
Alan, why is God’s “revelation” to man so full of discord? Why does God, seemingly, want so many “-isms”?
Jace
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