Scy,
“tell me how your exclusive path is better than john’s exclusive path?”
I do not claim to have the exclusive path, but attempt to speak on the behalf of the many of those who do, those that one imagines should be reconciled. I also don’t know who John is.
Dunamis
Hello F(r)iends,
The problem is not with the translations. The problem is with interpretations. Thus, the problem is with the interpreter and furthermore, the problem is with mankind. Man has long sought to subjugate his fellow man… it is this that drives mankind into organized religion.
Bob, even if you feel the New Testament translations have been less than adequate in expressing the Eastern mentality, you could agree that the more accepting messages of Christ have not failed to be made clear.
How much more clearer do we need the words of Jesus?
Matthew 22:37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matthew 22:39 Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 5:39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
-Thirst
that’s the whole point, you don’t know John or his path, but he claims absolute truth and absolute exclusive path to god.
He goes around stating that only he knows the absolute truth about god, and has absolute exclusivity over god.
Need I say the stick is leading the sheep? Or should I say your using the stick to beat other sheep to retain your exclusivity?
Don’t worry John does the same thing along with his brothers, Joseph, Ischmael, and Mohamet.
Scy,
that’s the whole point, you don’t know John or his path, but he claims absolute truth and absolute exclusive path to god.
I assumed John was “JT” or another poster. I’m sorry that I don’t pick up on your theological reference. But the point isn’t that my exclusive path or another’s exclusive path is correct, but how to reconcile people who believe that they know the exclusive path. Does it consist of telling people that their beliefs are fundamentally wrong and in need of “correction”?
Dunamis
I tried reading this thread and was reminded why I often stay out of the Religion forum. I would like to ask, sincerely, shouldn’t logic be anathema to a christian? If a christian is going to insist of strict logic in discussions related to matters of faith, then, well… if it was me, I would ask about the trinity and reply later pretending to agree.
I can understand what Bob must be feeling right now. There are plenty of political discussions taking place here at ILP that Dunamis tends to ignore, but they could greatly benefit from his penchant for following certain claims and lines of thought to their logical conclusions (at least those that fit his arguments). I imagine he avoids them because said discussions are what they are, often pointless, meandering, subjective rants.
I suppose what I am saying is Bob, Dunamis probably wouldn’t have bothered if he didn’t see something worthy in either your post itself, or in you and your style of argument. At least, I hope that’s the case, because the first page quickly passed what little bit I was taught in my 300 lvl World Religions course, and thre isn’t much aid my agnostic self can provide, except to suggest that Dunamis has a weakness for the Ancient greeks and chocolate cupcakes.
GCT
I only speak for me but esoteric Christianity has made logic meaningful.
Dunamis
I’m beginning to like you. 
This may be the kiss of death around here but I tend to agree and sympathise with your concerns. Religion initially had the purpose of making a silk purse out of a sow’ ear. But it has gradually become secularized in public to justify ones perceived existence as an imagined silk purse and of course, all silk purses should get along if instructed properly. Heh heh heh
This is why Jesus said the world would hate the truth since it reveals the image for the emptiness it is.