Two of everything, huh?

[True Dough]

[NeoGreen]

1. To repeat, they literally believe this or some other similar absurdity...

...







Or, they have been subjected to an intentional and systematic indoctrination that has infected them with absurd ideas.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Why would penguins need an ark? They swim.

[NeoGreen]

3. My question has always been about the fish...

...freshwater fish in saltwater or saltwater fish in fresh rain water... hmmmm...

Not to mention the insects and arachnids...

In the United States, the number of described species is approximately 91,000. The undescribed species of insects in the United States, however, is estimated at some 73,000. The largest numbers of described species in the U.S. fall into four insect Orders: Coleoptera (beetles) at 23,700, Diptera (flies) at 19,600, Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps) at 17,500, and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) at 11,500.

https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/bugnos

[Jim__]

14. :)

[TreasonousBastard]

4. I got thrown out of Sunday School for asking...

what they did with all the elephant shit.

[Act_of_Reparation]

5. There are also grown adults who believe a carpenter rose from the dead.

But that's totes different, ammirite?

[True Dough]

6. On that note...

[NeoGreen]

7. Totes...

...or so the story goes.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. It would have been more believable if he'd been a plumber.

[Act_of_Reparation]

8. There are grown adults who believe there's an invisible wizard who lives in the sky...

...who will forgive you your sins no matter how those you've wronged might feel about it.

But that's totes different, amirite?

[Act_of_Reparation]

9. There are grown adults who believe an invisible sky tyrant wants the tip of your penis.

And he'll get real mad if he doesn't get it.

But that's totes different, amirite?

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. There are grown adults who think crackers and wine become actual flesh and blood...

...because some quasi-magician said some words. And none of them seemed bothered by the fact that if it were actually true, they'd be vampires and cannibals.

But that's totes different, amirite?

[MineralMan]

12. Indeed. Even highly-educated Cardinals and Popes.

Imagine that!

[Pendrench]

13. Hi Act_of_Reparation - You are correct, as a Catholic I believe that during the celebration of the

mass, the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ.

As for being a vampire/cannibal, that is certainly one way to look at it

Wishing you well and peace!

Tim

[Major Nikon]

17. Does it taste like chicken?

Asking for a friend.

[Pendrench]

20. Hi Major Nikon - Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.

Actually, the taste can vary from church to church (depending on how the host are prepared) - but as of yet, I haven't found one that tastes like chicken - if I find one that does, I'll be sure to post about it

Wishing you well and peace -

Tim

[edhopper]

18. So if a Dr were to take a sample from your stomach

they would have Christ's DNA?
Why has this not been done?

[Pendrench]

21. Hi edhopper - thank you for responding to my post.

As I understand it, once consecrated the bread and wine retain their physical attributes, so I'm not sure if it would be possible to distinguish and/or detect the DNA of Christ...however if someone did want to conduct such a test, it could be done at the moment of consecration, so there would be no need of taking a sample from my stomach - it could be done before the host is ingested.

In any event, this is my belief - and I imagine to those outside of the Catholic faith this sounds both illogical and ridiculous.

Thank you again for asking - I appreciate your respectful questions and the opportunity to discuss this with you

Wishing you well and peace

Tim

[edhopper]

23. Thanks Tim

[Pendrench]

25. You're very welcome.

[trev]

28. At what point of the digestive process?

[Pendrench]

32. Hi trev - thank you for responding to my post.

Actually, it is my belief that the host/wine become the body/blood of Christ at the moment of consecration - so that would be before any point in the digestive process.

I hope that I've answered your question - thank you again for the chance to discuss this with you.

Wishing you well and peace.

Tim

[trev]

34. Thanks. I was just curious.... nt

[Pendrench]

39. Hi trev - you are very welcome.

I appreciate the conversation

Tim

[MineralMan]

11. Plus all those species native to North America.

What about those. How did they get there? No Mule Deer in the Middle East. No gray squirrels, either. And what about armadillos? That's a long swim for them.

[True Dough]

16. And where did they get

the two Bigfoots? I guess for the sake of grammar that should be Bigfeet?

[LuvNewcastle]

27. I've listened to enough paranormal radio to know that

'bigfoots' is plural of 'bigfoot,' not 'bigfeet.' I don't know why that is, but that's what I've been told by numerous paranormal researchers and investigators. Maybe it doesn't seem as awkward as 'sasquatches?'

[uriel1972]

41. I would have thought that "Bigfoot" would serve

as singular and plural like sheep or fish...

[LuvNewcastle]

49. I've heard it that way, too, just never Bigfeet.

[guillaumeb]

19. Consider the Ark story as a parable.

The Ark is a hard shelled thing filled with life.

Much like a nut, or seed. And when placed in the ground, it produces life.

Consider the flood as a parable also. Water appears many times in the Bible as a symbol of cleansing, as well as necessary for life.

[Cartoonist]

22. Consider the Bible as bologna

Pay no attention to what is actually written. Someone will be along shortly to tell you what it means. He may already be here.

[guillaumeb]

24. Parables are everywhere in the Bible.

But if you are a literalist, I understand.

[trev]

29. If you're not a literalist, then why believe that god is literally there?

[Major Nikon]

31. He only uses the term "literalist" as a pejorative for non-believers

Not so much for the majority of Christians in the US who subscribe to an extremely literal interpretation of the bible.

Kinda funny how that works.

[trev]

33. Oh, wow.

I've never seen that tactic before.

And yes, it's distressing how many people think every (heavily redacted) word of the Bible is true.

Thanks.

[Major Nikon]

35. More honest than claiming the bible is both true and false at the same time

Some people like to claim the bible is infallible, but when faced with the reality of demonstrably false shit in the bible, they simply pivot and claim what the bible actually says is not what it literally says. Of the two approaches, one requires a higher level of self-delusion.

I suppose we should just be thankful they don't BBQ us in the town square for calling bullshit anymore.

[trev]

36. Oh, the RW type would love to do that....

[Major Nikon]

48. Exactly

[procon]

51. In that case a book of blank pages and

a box of crayons would work just as well.

[guillaumeb]

37. I am not a Biblical literalist. eom

[trev]

38. So you think the Christian god is a parable?

[guillaumeb]

40. NO... eom

[trev]

42. Then please answer my actual question, instead of the one you posited in its place.

I did not ask you if you were a literalist. I asked you why a non-literalist should believe in a literal god.

[guillaumeb]

43. Faith. eom

[trev]

44. Then why not faith in Noah's Ark?

[guillaumeb]

45. Faith in the existence of the Creator

is all that is needed.

And as a literature major in two language areas, and one who studied some theology at a Jesuit University, I am reasonably familiar with the constant use of metaphor in the Bible.

[trev]

46. You continue to evade the question. Thanks anyway.

[guillaumeb]

47. Reread my answer, Especially the first line.

You are welcome.

[NeoGreen]

50. Is that assertion taken from the bible'....

...literally, or verbatum?

[guillaumeb]

53. It is my opinion.

Not original to me, of course.

[rickford66]

26. I rarely laugh out loud while reading DU.

Thanks.

[Major Nikon]

30. With metaphor all things are possible

Jesus said that...metaphorically.

[pansypoo53219]

52. no, the small australia ones swam north.