Man's law and God's Law

[The Voice of Reason]

Originally Posted by gnostic

True. Very true.

But neither atheists nor agnostics need such LAWS to ban idols or blasphemy.

If I set Angelina Jolie as my idol, I doubted very much that any atheist would take me to court for idolatry or idol worshipping, would he?

Take you to court? No.

Join you? Probably.

[Poisonshady313]

Originally Posted by gnostic

True. Very true.

But neither atheists nor agnostics need such LAWS to ban idols or blasphemy.

If I set Angelina Jolie as my idol, I doubted very much that any atheist would take me to court for idolatry or idol worshipping, would he?

your usage of the word "idol" in the context of Angelina Jolie has nothing whatsoever to do with the concept of idolatry.

[Reverend Rick]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

By the way, there's an inversely proportional relationship between the law and the experience of grace. The more one defines one's relationship with "God" through the law, the less one's life is lived out in the experience of grace.

I knew you had a pearl of wisdom to contribute. frubals!

[Reverend Rick]

Originally Posted by The Voice of Reason

I thought it was spot on. I frubaled it.

Why does that not surprise me.

[logician]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

By the way, there's an inversely proportional relationship between the law and the experience of grace. The more one defines one's relationship with "God" through the law, the less one's life is lived out in the experience of grace.

By this definition, total anarchy is the best way of life.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by logician

By this definition, total anarchy is the best way of life.

You've reversed the symbols (as usual).

If we could abolish knowledge and wisdom
Then people would profit a hundredfold;
If we could abolish duty and justice
Then harmonious relationships would form;
If we could abolish artifice and profit
Then waste and theft would disappear. Yet such remedies treat only symptoms
And so they are inadequate.

People need personal remedies:
Reveal your naked self and embrace your original nature;
Bind your self‑interest and control your ambition;
Forget your habits and simplify your affairs. - Tao te Ching

[Poisonshady313]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

By the way, there's an inversely proportional relationship between the law and the experience of grace. The more one defines one's relationship with "God" through the law, the less one's life is lived out in the experience of grace.

According to Christianity, maybe. To Judaism, God's law and grace are the same. The Torah is a gift, not a burden. It's words are truth and life, and it is a delight to walk in its paths.

[The Voice of Reason]

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

Why does that not surprise me.

Because you follow my post's closely, and you realized that my support for Doppleganger's post was merited?

[The Voice of Reason]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

If we could abolish knowledge and wisdom
Then people would profit a hundredfold;
If we could abolish duty and justice
Then harmonious relationships would form;
If we could abolish artifice and profit
Then waste and theft would disappear. Yet such remedies treat only symptoms
And so they are inadequate.

People need personal remedies:
Reveal your naked self and embrace your original nature;
Bind your self‑interest and control your ambition;<