Originally posted by traderfut2000
There is something I don't get here. You said your wife was jewish (and may be you are jewish also). So she, you believe in moses... Is than right??? So if you belive in moses that appeared 5,000 years ago why not jesus more recent prophet...
For myself I don't belive in Jesus the son of god, but as a prophet and yes he existed... like Cesar like the egyptians the greeks, Abraham..... The only thing that is questionable are his blue eyes 
Well, if you want my personal feeling on the issue, for what it's worth, I don't believe that Moses was any more "real" than any of the Biblical cast of characters. A nice story, as are they all. But true? Highly doubtful. I mean how could God have been so active and visable from the time of Adam and Eve thought the time of Jesus, and all of a sudden just get bored with the earth? Where is he now that we REALLY need Him? But I digress.
Here is God, making his presence known to Adam and Eve, Job, Abraham, Moses, Noah, and who knows who else. I don't remember and it was never really important to me. And yes, I grew up Jewish, and know the stories of Passover and all that happened in the Old Testament. The Mossadda exists. It's a real place. But did a miracle happen there? Or did they just have good oil? In any event, I never took any of the stories literally, and I am not sure they were meant to be taken literally.
IMHO all these stories are just parables. And they are really a compilation of many many stories written by many many people over many many years, and translated too many times to even think about. Otherwise, why so many contradictions?
Now my wife takes her religion more seriously. She keeps a kosher home (I miss those bacon cheeseburgers), and says her prayers on friday evenings (and I don't know how much of this really has to do with her professional position, and I won't ask. She did not grow up kosher). But, like all of it, the rituals are just a way of showing devotion to a belief. I am sure that if you asked my wife she would NOT say that Thunderbolt, for example, or a worshiper of Islam, is a better or worse person for their personal beliefs. She believes that her adherence to a discipline is meaningful only as a discipline. She thinks the discipline is important. I do not. I don't think one needs to adhere to an organized religious belief to be "spiritual". I think you are either a good soul or not. As long as you "do unto others", etc., then you will be accepted by WHATEVER God there is, if indeed there is a God. In either case, we all must live with ourselves, and with our loved ones. And as citizens of the world. And we know when we are being true to ourselves, and true to "goodness" and when we are not. So to me, it makes no difference whether God exists or not. Or if Jesus was an actual person. Or Abraham. Or Moses. I only believe for sure in peace and in good will.
So I have nothing against anyones beliefs. What I DO object to is Thunderbolt's contention that ONLY HIS BELIEFS can be correct, and all other beliefs are WRONG. This is intolerance of the worst kind. The kind that has led to virtually all wars in our history. It really is time for an end to such intolerance. And fanaticism. This is a dangerous kind of thought process, and Thunderbolt is a dangerous example of how extreme one's thoughts can be when they are completely devoid of rationality. If his beliefs are right, then 90+ % of everyone on earth is living a life of meaningless futility. And we are all doomed to eternal damnation. Not a pleasant outlook.
I've read Sagan's but where's your work published, I'd like to read it.
