Tobin wrote:Clearly you have no interest in honestly discussing this since neither of my examples illustrate that your status in this life ("Mormon/Christian/Hebrew god...is a respecter of persons who plays favorites.") has anything to do with it nor do my statements connotate such an arrangement. You are welcome to distort and pervert other's views, but I do not need to put up with it. I wish you luck, but as long as you actively misunderstand things - you will remain ignorant of a great deal. Remember, it is a matter of what you are that is important. You may be able to fool others, and even yourself - but you can not fool the Lord.
I'm not trying to misunderstand you. I genuinely do not understand you. You make very little sense to me.
It seemed to me you were saying that YHWH struck down and spoke to Saul of Tarsus because of who he was (or was destined to be). Either that or it was because he was persecuting Christians, which is even worse, as it would be rewarding bad behavior.
With your example of the Buddha, however, you seem to be saying that he succeeded at his goal due to his refusal to accept anything else. I can actually see how that might work...
Let's say I plunk myself down under a tree of my own, this one with a tunnel burrowed under it. I am determined not to budge until I see the Leprechaun that lives underneath. After a few days of exposure and not sleeping or eating, my brain may very likely convince itself that I had actually seen and talked to the Leprechaun. Mission accomplished due to hallucination and self preservation. It would even be easier if the goal were something as vague as "enlightenment."
"The DNA of fictional populations appears to be the most susceptible to extinction." - Simon Southerton
We all know that no matter what it is all your fault. So, even though you were keeping the commandments and asking and pleading and fasting...well, clearly you stopped too soon.