Why do protestants believe that masturbation is not a sin?
The reason Americans are circumcized is because some protestant nutjob thought it would prevent masturbation
>>1271269
>implying onan's sin was spilling his seed in and of itself and not disobedience to god and not providing offspring(thus guaranteeing his inheritance)
>>1271379
isn't jerking off a selfish non-reproductive act? How can God approve of us doing something just for the sake of earthly, flesh pleasure?
Why do people continue to think Paul of Tarsus was a learned and observant Jew of Pharisaic inclination, when all the evidence points to him being a Greek (perhaps of Jewish descent, but certainly not versed in the religion or even devout)
>came from Tarsus, where there were few, if any, Pharisee teachers and a Pharisaic training would have been hard to come by.
>claimed to have spent his childhood in Jerusalem and have been educated by Gamaliel: however, Gamaliel's school was one specializing in advanced studies, and not in the tutoring of children, meaning that if he ever did study under Gamaliel, he would have done so as an adult, and that hardly counts as "being raised" in the ways of the Pharisees
>why is it that Saul, allegedly an enthusiastic Pharisee ('a Pharisee of the Pharisees'), is closely working with the Sadduccee High Priest in his supposed 'persecutions'? It is well-known the two had a very bitter rivalry, which had at times turned into violence
>the Nazarenes (Peter and James; the Jerusalem 'Church') became suspicious of Paul when they heard that he was preaching that Jesus was the founder of a new religion and that he had abrogated the Torah; after an attempt to reach an understanding with Paul, the Nazarenes broke irrevocably with Paul and disowned him.
>the writings of the Ebionites surprisingly give an account of Paul's life similar to that which has been hypothesized: they held that he was a gentile who came to Jerusalem as an adult and attached himself to the High Priest as a henchman.
>Pauline contributions to the 'Christian' understanding are completely Hellenic, and completely alien to Judaism: concepts such as: sacrifice and a mystical sharing of the death of the deity; the concept of a suffering god and salvation being tied to it.
>>1286466
So, as an adult, Saul of Tarsus, a Roman citizen, studied at an advanced level under Gamaliel.
Did you intend to answer your own questions?
>>1286466
>the Nazarenes (Peter and James; the Jerusalem 'Church')
Peter was from Galilee and Nazareth was a shitty border town servicing Roman legions, full of what we would call white trash.
Do you know anything worth knowing?
>>1286489
Then this contradicts Paul's own statement, since he claimed that "I am a true-born Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up in this city[Jerusalem], as a pupil of Gamaliel..."
Gamaliel didn't take in children into his school; he was a renowned Rabbinical scholar, and in fact, his academy was only open to Jews.
Communists trying to build the new society or something like that. Fascism tried to kill all of Jews, if I am not mistaken. What is capitalism and liberalism end goal?
Destruction of all identity that isn't bought and paid for.
>>1284917
They let each individual decide their end goal.
>Fascism tried to kill off all Jews
But they did not
will battlefield 1 be an accurate representation of world war one?
>>1280184
>65 soldiers fought in ww1
>2,000,000 americans fought in ww1
>350,000 of these were black
>most of these were in support roles only
>black americans only made up 0.5% of soldiers during ww1
>an afro american is the character on the box art
>le frenchman despite losing almost all their men during the war continues to be ignored
>is the game an accurate representation of world war one?
no, its a misrepresentation of history that will just make black Americans think they aren't only the kings of egypt but also saved europe in ww1
>>1280205
65 million*
>>1280205
This
No hate for blacks, but he is right
I have a question for religious people: How do you reason your god or gods inactivity in recent years? Perhaps they have moved on from our world and are creating another? Maybe they are waiting to see where we go as a humanity? I'm curious as to what you all think and how they differ from religion to religion.
We demand more from people who claim to see and experience spiritual events. A few thousand years ago, if someone said they saw a man walk on water, people were more likely to believe it if multiple claimed it to be true. Today, if a group of people say they saw a man walk on water, we'd brandish them as weirdos or demand video evidence.
>>1279988
God isn't separate from our world. There is no inactivity; all is activity.
>>1279988
>How do you reason your god or gods inactivity in recent years?
Literally what?
Why is it a taboo to long for another era but one's own?
As soon as anything in the past is seen as more ideal, the "enjoy the black plague/squalor" or "le wrong generation" crowd emerges, urging you to love the time you live in as much as now.
>>1278984
as much as they*
This is literally the best age to be alive.
t. Quantum Computing.
t. The Start of the Space age Exploration
t. The beginning of the New World
Fuck off
Only somewhat well educated people think so
Most people are all "HURR HURR I'D LOVE TO LIVE IN MEDIEVAL TIMES"
I heard that parts of bible are metaphors, but could an idea of God itself be the metaphor?
>>1289462
>the idea of God itself be the metaphor
the Koran actually lends itself very well to that idea, if you read it closely enough
>>1289478
Islam is weirdly nihilistic...
I mean, isn't the Kaaba just an empty box?
>>1289484
There is a holy space rock in there. Also its where Abraham or someone built the first temple or whatever supposedly.
Why did the sophists get such a bad rap?
because they argued like jews
>>1289323
faggot
Because they went against the common sense. At every point in history, a sophisticated would go against the beliefs of most people. In a power struggle the majority would win. A single victory at any point in history would compound overtime if nothing major changed.
Who was responsible for putting an end to Nikola Tesla's projects?
>>1289203
Edison
Hugh Jackman
Your mums puss, OP. Tesla loved giving it such a good railing that he gave up inventing.
Hey /his/, I'm looking for a David Hume ought/is meme where he is a giant robot.
Also, meme thread.
A couple to get us started
it was by existential comics I think taking the piss out of Sam Harris
Another
Does beauty hold intrinsic value?
Is aesthetics something worthwhile for society and/or for single individuals to spend time, energy and money on? Should society spend lets of money on beautiful buildings and decorative sculptures and the like? Should we as individuals pursue beauty in our lives, meaning things like interior design or fashion hold high value?
>"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," – that is all
>Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
Who was right?
>>1288488
I was just thinking the other day that we often use beauty with an undertone of inherent goodness, as if it were synonymous to good, and an antonym to bad.
But it means neither of these things without context, right?
Why is Loki accepted by the Æsir gods and even as Odin's adopted child when he's not even Æsir and causes so much trouble? (killing Baldr just as a start.)
>>1288272
because hes intelligent, nihilistic with a wicked sense of humor
>>1288272
Same reason Freya and Freyr were?
>>1288289
Freya and Freyr are Vanir gods and remained Vanir gods. Loki was born Jotun and is now treated as Æsir even though he's the source of a million different problems in Norse mythology.
I keep getting told about how originally republicans were the liberals and democrats were te conservatives and I don't know how to research this for myself. It seems like histrionics used by liberals to excuse democrats for creating the KKK and all the racism of the Southern states (like Jim Crowe etc). Is there any truth to this? I'm not well versed in us history and just want to know if I'm being bullshitted.
>>1288168
During the civil rights era, the parties switched.
>>1288173
In what way though? Did the republicans believe in abortion rights and gun control? Were democrats against big government and spending? i don't know in what "conservative" or liberal even looked like back then.
>>1288234
Look up "dixiecrat" and "southern strategy".
This isn't to say it was a clear turnaround, but some major stuff did got flipped. Your parties are more similar than you Americans care to admit, anyway.
>mfw Catholicucks will tell you their Church is somehow "special" and "chosen by God" because it has existed for some 1700 years
The Eleuisinian Mysteries lasted for two millennia and its rituals, tenets, and beliefs remained unchanged for all that time. Does this mean they were chosen by Persephone and Demeter?
>>1287989
>he doesn't understand the importance of having an institution represent the faith of the people
>he doesn't see the value of tradition
How do you live with yourself?
>>1287989
>DUDE, JUST GET WITH THE TIMES JEEZ
>>1288010
>he doesn't see the value of tradition
What's the value of tradition when it's wrong? For example - why bother to maintain the illusion of religion being relevant (attending mass, etc.) when the Christian religion is of a very man-made origin and lacking any supernatural/divine inspiration or element?
The same can be said of Islam and Judaism.
How old were you when you realized Satan is the good guy?
Me? About 18
He's the bad guy because he tried to rebel for what he believed to be freedom and self-autonomy.
He was a fool because real freedom and self-autonomy is only achieved through complete submission to the will of God.
>>1287925
I think I was 15 or 16 when I first read Job and learned that Satan always worked for God, thus making him the good guy.
