Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

It's the whole "Word of God" and sola scriptura combination that has so many confused. Also, confusing the sign with the thing signified. At Catholic University of America, I once used the eucharist (why doesn't spell check recognize that word?) and the crucifix as examples of signs pointing to the real sacrifice of Jesus, and you could hear a pin drop. Apparently far too Protestant for their tender ears.
 

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I especially love the comments section of the article: unadulterated fear and hate.

Unfortunately, "the word" is our main gateway to "knowledge" these days.

Korzybski in 1933, "...held a view that human beings are limited in what they know by (1) the structure of their nervous systems, and (2) the structure of their languages. Human beings cannot experience the world directly, but only through their "abstractions" (nonverbal impressions or "gleanings" derived from the nervous system, and verbal indicators expressed and derived from language). Sometimes our perceptions and our languages actually mislead us as to the "facts" with which we must deal. Our understanding of what is going on sometimes lacks similarity of structure with what is actually going on."

That would seem obvious now, it wasn't so much then.

I just recently ran into that phenomena on my expulsion from FCB. I have encountered it over and over and over when dealing in and among and between cultures in one of my former "jobs".

Back in 1963 I discovered " The Lost Books Of The Bible" and Stuart Chase's "Tyranny of Words" among other things in the OBU library. Through Chase I made it to Korzybski and semantics. At the time I wanted to be a word monger, alas I had no talent for it.

Semantics was the most liberating of concepts for me. Without it I would be among those commenter's degrading the obvious truth expressed by Miguel De La Torre.
 

FCB?
 

Fellowship of Christian Bloggers.

ER, you're not a member?
 

Really?
 

Knowing ERs love of all things feline, I thought I'd use a cat analogy.

One of the amusing things about cats is that they don't seem to be able to share a point of view. That is, if you point at something (say, a bug) on the floor, the cat will instead just stare at the end of your finger. Or ours do anyway, maybe they're just particularly dumb.

Anyway, that seems to be the problem with the fundies (well, one problem, the problems are legion).

(Even when a post isn't a cat post it can still be a cat post.) :)
 

it is not Father, Son and HOLY SCRIPTURES.

do not rely on the bible alone. it is the finger pointing the way, it is not the way in and of itself. we make the road by walking, the truth is between us, and our relationships are what matter. worship of a book over the Holy Spirit which indwells and connects us is SUCH a tragedy in the Christian world.. but i can see why people would do it.

if you don't like chaos, if you're chaos-intolerant, it's best to place your faith in a book rather than a Spirit. The H.S. is a tricky thing because it moves, moves people, creates and reorders, and you can't really pin it down. a book on the other hand, always says the same thing and you can get into a routine of interpreting it in the same way everytime you read it.

the ironic thing is that this isn't really faith. it's certainty. and certainty is the opposite of faith.

RAWK!

and btw.. what is the Fellowship of Christian bloggers and how does one get on it?
 

I think I would run from something like a Christian Fellowship of Bloggers.


Alan: So, one of my cats, Eames, can see her self in the mirror, and the other one, Ice-T, seems totally oblivious, seems to see the mirror itself only. Weird.
 

Umm. This seems to set up as a troubling personality test for all us, no matter which type you tend to be:

"One... can see her self in the mirror, and the other one... seems totally oblivious, seems to see the mirror itself only."


_________

Of course there is a Fellowship of Christian Bloggers! How could there not be?

I'm the treasurer and if you send me the $25 annual membership dues, I'll make sure you get the newsletter just as soon as the next issue is out.

(Word verification: bilka -- no lie.)
 

But will I get a certificate? I have to have a certificate! Gild-edged. With a seal.

And I want it Autographed.
 

You get a blanket to throw over the couch in your man room.

It has the spiritual sword emblazoned on it, representing the version of the bible written by the Lords' own brother.

Even in the blogosphere, God's word is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow... "

On second thought, you're no eligible. You eat barbecue and therefore do not allow joints and marrow to be divided AND you do not respect that leather book in your lap which, as any real Christian should confess, "is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
 

Dude, this is hittin' me where it counts! "You get a blanket to throw over the couch in your man room." LOL I am headed there now with John Cheever and a c'gar!
 

Ya know, I should start a 501(c)3, "Sons of Culture War Veterans," then sub out sales of memorial throws to my for-profit self! Put a likeness of James Dobson on one side, Jesus on the other, with a big sword and the words to "Onward Christioan Soldiers."

It would sell like frickin' hotcakes.
 

Throughout his comments Feodor constantly throws in your face the throw he says you should throw out.

Sorry...just struck me funny.
 

I'm choosing to shrug off Teresa's toss for the pitch that it is.

And that's a wrap.
 

Your other problem is that Huffington Post will report your quoting of the author of "The Battle Hymn of The Republic," and there go your profits.
 

Snort, to y'all both.
 

Gee guys, FCB ment Face Book. I got banned from Face Book. Didn't mean to start a rucuss, but then words are powerful even if you have no idea what they mean.
 

WTH? Really? Do tell.
 

I was found to be "offensive" after taking the "how Black are You Test" on which I scored 100%.
All I said was, don't you think Tupac and I have the same eyes?
Of course my icon was a bonobo ape so...... somebody was offended and FB concurred.

Irony are what?
 

Well, damn whoever narced on you, the chickenshit. It had to be someone you know! That sucks.
 

Since ER broke the barrier, let me echo, in drlobojo's defense (having posted a comment on that particular bit) what a bunch of bullshit that is. Only a doofus would get offended. Jesus please us.

Hate to admit it, but there is a kind of "fellowship of Christian bloggers" out there, a network of "Progressive Christian bloggers". They keep bugging me to join them, and my response is the same as Marx's (Groucho): "I would never join an organization that would have me as a member."
 

Dr LBJ, send me $25 and I can get you back on to FCB almost immediately. In a few days. Or weeks. Or so.
 

Feodor sits on the executive board of the "Fellowship of Christian Bloggers." Yet, ER wants to start the "Christian Fellowship of Bloggers."

Splitter!
 

Get your paws off my organization, you damn dirty protestants!
 

Lobojo,
Banned from Facebook? For that?!?! Next you won't be allowed to go to the UK. What horse hockey! Doesn't the Aryan Nation have several groups on FB? I remember a couple of holocaust denial groups getting yanked not too long ago.

BTW, From Frans de Waal, "Bonobo Sex and Society" in Scientific American: "It seems though, that bonobos are female centred, more peaceful than chimpanzees, more egalitarian, and do have a much larger sexual repertoire." Apparently from the article, that is an understatement, although, I like that it includes make-up sex!
 

Man, are they double jointed?
 

Christian Fellowship of Bloggers-Reformed. (Sooner Synod).
 

I'm splitting off and forming the Blogger Fellowship of Christians.

See The Life of Brian for details on understanding.
 

I think I'll save my $25 from Feodor's clutches and use it to establish the Bonobo Christian Rights and Equity Protection Society and Web Site. Complete with tee shirts, buttons, and the "Bonobo's Do It Best" manual of sexual positions, being sold at the gift shop.

I might even change my moniker to Banobo Joe!

As for FB it could have been a friend of a friend who turned me in. Remember all of your friends friends see your post on FB.
 

Bonobos are wonderfully prolific and generous with their favors. They tend to be bisexual, have open relationships (unlike chimps, bonobos do not have well-defined family groups) and seek to live in peace with their neighbors and their environment. They are, in other words, what conservatives think of when they hear the word "liberal".
 

Bonobos really took the '70s seriously.

The age of aquarius.
 

Is there no right to "face your accuser" on FB?

No recourse of trumping the accusation with reasoned explanation?

Seems kind of lowest-denominator kind of process.
 

I hate getting old. I couldn't remember the phrase "polymorphously perverse" earlier when talking about bonobos. That's them to a "t", or maybe a "p".
 

Feodor, on FB. Yeah, that was not only cheap, it was dirty. Thing is, I like FB - it's all about the fun and funny over there, I don't do politics or religion, just keep in touch with friends, old, new, and never met. I was even going to do a post about you and a few others who aren't over there joining up. This does leave a sour taste in one's mouth. God only knows what people will find offensive, and with no warning someone gets tossed off.
 

Never thought Facebook and Neil would have so much in common.
 

And stop with the old shit. You're not old, you're crammed full of stuff that makes it hard to get back to just the right rake, or a volume from the top shelf.
 

FB recourse? Well unlike AOL, or Yahoo, or Google, on FB everything belongs to FB. Your stuff belongs to them. Kind of a digital intellectual property slavery of sorts. Thus they can do with theirs as they see fit. They own your FB self.
 

Well, then they should have kicked themselves off.
 

Thanks, Feodor :), but at 43, I feel it. Finally. Especially today.
 

I feel well-worn, myself. Ugh.
 

Heh. You people are old. Old people are funny. :)
 

What are you kids griping about?
 

I think the Geritol Gang is grousing about their bursitis, or rheumatism or something. :)