Comments on: Your Friday Firestorm #37

By: bbell

bbell — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:44:38 +0000

Todd,

For the first time ever they pretty much disavowed the entire passage and blamed the translators for error. This did not square very well with there often stated idea to me that “every word in the bible is true”
They sounded very LDS when they did it.

By: Gerald Smith

Gerald Smith — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:36:29 +0000

Demonic possession does occur. It occurs with most children by the time they become teenagers (you Primary workers have nooooo idea how impish your little ones are compared to teens). Mark Twain suggested that when a boy turns 13, one should seal him up in a barrel and feed him through the bung hole. At 16 years of age, seal up the bung hole….

As for calling the woman a “dog”, I reject the concept of Jesus seeing the woman as a cute little lapdog. Pets were not viewed the same then as they are now. He was speaking in Jewish terms, and Gentiles were not on the same level as Jews when it came to the covenant.

Racist? no. Ethnocentric? Probably. Still, he was better than most Jews of his day, as he saw the Samaritans as acceptable Jews, and made a nice parable about a Samaritan that was more righteous than his Jewish cousins.

By: Martin Willey

Martin Willey — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 06:40:21 +0000

I really like Julie’s interpretation, and #47. What about this idea: Jesus’ treatment of the woman was not dismissive or unkind. It was instructive. He was providing an opportunity for the woman to exercise increasing faith, ultimately having developed the confidence to aproach the Lord with a direct, fully developed and thought-through petition. Had Jesus immediately responded, she would not have experienced the same growth.

By: Stephen M (Ethesis)

Stephen M (Ethesis) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:55:00 +0000

Thomas Parkin, I surely wish you well as well.

By: Todd Wood

Todd Wood — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:43:09 +0000

#5 – bbell, now you have me curious about your conversation. What did the Bob Jones alums say in the chat about Jesus and Israel and the “Gentiles”?

I could easily wear a t-shirt saying,

“Hi. I am a Gentile dog.”

By: Thomas Parkin

Thomas Parkin — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:33:00 +0000

Ray,

Thanks muchly.

I feel very much the same about you, mah brutha.
I’m always glad to see that you’ve posted on any subject.

I’ve been reading a lot of Hebrews 12. :)

By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:16:50 +0000

Personal threadjack:

Thomas, I sincerely hope whatever is troubling you is resolved in the way that you desire – or at least that it is resolved without undue pain or suffering. I admire and respect your contribution here, fwiw.

By: Thomas Parkin

Thomas Parkin — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:11:59 +0000

Eric,

After having read that thread, I’m glad to not have it brought up again. (I feel the same about many subjects.) I’ve been feeling a little snarky and absurd and … light-minded, which is my default mode when I’m troubled about something. I’m actually sorry to have made a joke about it.

By: sister blah 2

sister blah 2 — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:19:13 +0000

#47: Indeed. Don’t go blowing up Earth though, mkay?

By: Steve Evans

Steve Evans — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:07:53 +0000

Yes, we’ve cornered the market on demonic possession.