[Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms. Tanaka [Update]

Mon Jun 25 08:02:20 PDT 2007

After posting the short note below on Friday, the following item (which can also be found by Googling) appeared in a monthly reprise of News of the Weird.

News of the Weird:  Holy Wars

Holy Wars – Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher most recently made News of the Weird in 2004* because of continued petty territorial fighting among the six Christian denominations that share management of church, which is home to some of Christianity's holiest sites including that of Christ's resurrection.

As Easter approached this year [2007], three of the groups that control one 10 stall restroom could not agree how to divide responsibility for repairing it, leading to a pervasive stench in the building.

Furthermore, the path of the outflow sewage pipe (which needed enlarging) passes under the property of a fourth denomination, which has resisted helping unless it is granted control of one of the 10 stalls.

Needless to say, if major Christian denominations cannot find a way to peacefully and effectively manage a 10 stall restroom on the site of Christ's alleged resurrection, what chance is there for their finding a way to solve the vast, sometimes venomous (see Taro Tanaka's post below) theological/doctrinal differences that separate them.

Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com

* News of the Weird [2004]  Recurring Themes

News of the Weird reported in 2002 on a rooftop brawl in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher (under joint control of six Christian faiths, whose adherents sometimes get snippy with each other), when a cleric placed a chair in an area reserved for another faith. In September 2004, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox clerics had a fistfight (resulting in at least five injuries) after a Catholic left a door open during an Orthodox service. 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Art Deco 
To: Vision 2020 
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 8:56 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms. Tanaka

Perhaps it is time to remark again about the folly of asserting the truth of supernatural religious statements.

The dispute between Keely and Taro Tanaka illustrates in a microcosm the larger problem:

There are thousands of different religious faiths.  Between each there are major inconsistencies/incompatibilities.  There are thousands of different Christian viewpoints alone -- ones that say if you do X you will be condemned to hell versus ones that say if you don't do X, you will be condemned to hell.

At present, there is no agreed upon, rational method to decide which of all these viewpoints, if any, is the correct one.  If there is eternal life, then the stakes are very high -- a correct decision is crucial, and one would hope for clear, indisputable instruction from an alleged supreme being(s) who is concerned with human welfare and destiny.

Under the assumption of those that believe that there is a God or (Gods) is this very unclear, unverifiable, confusing, frustrating situation (where the apparent choices are so allegedly eternally consequential) something that an allegedly all powerful, perfectly good being would construct, or a is it situation an indifferent being or a sadistically prankster would construct?

W.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: keely emerinemix 
To: Taro Tanaka ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 7:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms. Tanaka

Well, now.

I thought, upon reading the Princess' treatise below, that I'd try to respond point by point.  I thought I'd offer a reasoned defense of the Person (and judgment) of Christ; I wondered how best to frame a rebuttal, set forth my own theological views, and reason for a balanced, true doctrine of prayer for one's enemies.  

That is, right after I finish herding the squirrels in my front yard, dressing them in leiderhosen, and teaching them to play the cello.

Tanaka/Witmer is, at this point, incapable of reasoned judgment and dialogue, and further attempts on my part run the risk of causing him to further offend the Mighty  One he so fervently proclaims.  I'd rather pass.

keely

"And these women that you spit on as they try to change their worlds/
Are immune to your consultations . . . they're quite aware of what they're going through"
(With apologies to David Bowie)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: taro_tanaka at hotmail.com
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com
  Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:21:48 +0000
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts for Ms. Tanaka

    _______________________________ 
    kjajmix1 at msn.com wrote: 
    > I have rarely read a paragraph with so much theological error, macho blustering, and sheer ridiculousness as the one below by She of the Sushitushi. 

    Well, Keely, given your theology, I'm not surprised that you disapprove. In fact, I would worry if you did approve. Perhaps you think of Jesus as: 

    A limp-wristed lily-boy 
    http://42.bloguje.sk/img/jesus_blond3.jpg 

    A hippie who thinks you're okay, I'm okay 
    http://www.tc.umn.edu/~hick0088/images/blog/buddy-jesus.jpg 

    A poor doofus knocking at your door to get inside because there's no knob on the outside to let Himself in
    http://www.spiritwatch.org/HeartKnock.jpg 

    etc. 

    But the fact of the matter is, Jesus comes in judgment, including condemning the wicked to eternal damnation 
    http://adishakti.org/images/jesus_and_mother.jpg 

    and when Jesus wants into your heart, he doesn't take "no" for an answer 
    http://eyeofthestorm.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/jesus_gun.jpg 

    furthermore, Christians are members of both the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant 
    http://www.wga.hu/art/r/raphael/4stanze/1segnatu/2/disputa1.jpg 

    And therefore we need to live accordingly. 

    You can go on living as one of the people of the limp-wristed lily-boy hippie doofus door-knocker Jesus, but you'll still have to answer to the real Jesus, before whom no man can stand when His anger is kindled.

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