Kids At Jesus Camp

[Lady's Human]

Satan following orders? I must have missed that part in Sunday school, bible study, etc.

The Old Testament and the New testament are two very different books, and without context it is impossible to take a verse or two and meaningfully prove a point.

[Cataholic]

All I remember from church camp (aka, VBS!) was lots of cool crafts, and SNACK!!!!!!

[Edwina's Secretary]

The Old Testament and the New testament are two very different books, and without context it is impossible to take a verse or two and meaningfully prove a point.

I admit to not understanding much of this...but if a verse or two cannot be taken to meaningfully prove a point (although I think "prove" might be a stretch in any case) why do people quote scriptures at all?

[JenBKR]

All I remember from church camp (aka, VBS!) was lots of cool crafts, and SNACK!!!!!!

Love love love VBS!! Sooo much fun

[Lady's Human]

Scriptures are taken out of context (Both historical context and religious context) all the time, and removing the verse from its context in many cases can twist the meaning. Why do people do it? For the same reason people take 10-20 words out of hour long speeches and ignore the rest of the speech. It's handy to prove points, and as long as no one does the research to find out the context, can easily sway arguments.

[Cataholic]

I admit to not understanding much of this...but if a verse or two cannot be taken to meaningfully prove a point (although I think "prove" might be a stretch in any case) why do people quote scriptures at all?

It is like quoting case law- makes me seem really, really important and smart?

[Edwina's Secretary]

But...LH....you said "impossible to take a verse or two and meaningfully prove a point."

So...if it is impossible to meaningfully prove a point....how is it

It's handy to prove points

I am so confused!!!!!

And doesn't "Prove" mean to establish the truth? And how do we establish the truth if we aren't there?

All this proving going on confuses me so.....

[Lady's Human]

edit that to say "Its handy to appear to prove a point"

[columbine]

Exactly! I also believe in the war between good and evil, but not a physical war. God created man in His image, giving us free will.....it was Adam and Eve who chose to commit the original sin. Man commits sin, not God.

That concept turns up in the Koran too (article here). War is a consequence that humans have faced from the beginning, and so a handy metaphor for the constant struggle against the enemy within (temptation to do wrong), but it's caused no end of suffering when taken literally. Whoops, wrong verb tense. It causes no end of suffering when taken literally.

Love, Columbine