Well said. Though that’s a strange way to remember the tyranny of being enslaved under pharaonic god-kings and their imaginary gods.
That said, I may have gotten too intense about this. It’s just so bizarre the more I think about it, and troubling that to question it is considered a conspiracy theory…because status quo.
But I get it - all kinds of nutty notions out there, and that pyramid on our money doesn’t help. I’m not saying ‘aliens’ but that’d be a lot more interesting than a trendy fashion statement.
Nothing’s permanent. If there was any real respect and courage, we’d demolish it and make productive use of the rubble.
Think about about it: Ancient Egypt and its pharaohs were the exact OPPOSITE of EVERYTHING George Washington fought for and that which the Republic stands.
They might as well have erected a symbol of the British Empire to pay tribute to Washington…and all because imagery of English royalty was simply the trending hot fashion? It’s madness. And terribly irreverent.
Oh but we’re just supposed to accept it without question because it’s been around for 142 years? That’s mindless NPC mentality. So be it.
It was built after his death. Apparently there was a big ancient Egypt craze happening at the time due to Napoleon’s conquests, so it was trendy at the time.
But how exactly is an ancient Egyptian symbol of god-king pharaohs a monument for George Washington and, by extension, our republic?!
I bet he would have thought it strange, perhaps even offensive.
@MichaelOkulski@SecretaryBurgum@POTUS Seems like some think that a symbol of ancient Egyptian self-proclaimed godking pharaohs is somehow an appropriate tribute to George Washington. It’s so bizarre.
@Christojt@amuse@AlliedStatesOA Well I'm certainly not practicing Roman Catholicism, that's for sure. Nor am I proseuchomai-ing to other people.
And it's serving me (and them) very well, thank you.
Did you know that the word 'saint' in those verses in Revelation is the Greek 'hagios'?
And do you know what hagios is usually translated into English as? Holy.
And holy essentially means 'set apart'. Set apart from what? The world...it's to be in the world, but not of the world. To be transformed by the renewing of your mind, as written in Romans 12:2.
'Saint' is nothing but another word for believer. https://t.co/bvjuRRtlgR
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy (hagios) and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. - Col 3:12
@HardwireMedia@TheRabbitHole In an Ayn Randian utopian world that would be ideal. But that's not how history has repeatedly played out. It invariably leads to monopolization, which is detrimental on every level.
It's a huge problem that even Jordan Peterson has pointed out, and with no easy answer in sight.
The word, as Paul originally wrote it, is proseuchomai. https://t.co/2yLkhGH4Ey
English continues to evolve, which is why it can be critical to examine the original Hebrew and Greek text. And also to consider context and apply reason.
According to your proposed interpretation, Paul was praying to his readers to pray for him. That's entirely unnecessary when Paul had a direct line of communication to God....and that's the whole problem with praying to 'Saints' - you're involving a middleman in an intimate relationship.
That's like trying to get your friend to persuade your wife on your behalf instead of just talking to her face to face. Of course you might do that if she's being difficult as in the case of involving a marriage counselor. But Christ isn't the one being diffilcult in the marriage with his bride. Nor is God swayed by a democratic vote.
So let's think logically: why would Paul even urge such a thing in 1 Timothy 2: 1-2? 🤔
He answers that in the same sentence: "...that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life..."
Notice that he's in no way saying or implying that you pray TO "all men, for kings, and all those in high positions" to accomplish that. So what's his point? 🤔
In the real world, if you've got all kinds of pent up rage against the government, against lunatic liberals, and against whoever else, then you're likely going to lose control of yourself and make a ruckus and do something stupid that will only make things worse.
So then praying for those problematic people is for your own peace of mind - which ultimately serves them well when you have to deal with them because then you're armed with kindness, gentleness, and patience. Because the act of praying for them reframes your perception of them in your own mind. And they may respond to that as Jesus mentioned during his sermon on the mount.
Likewise, if I pray that you get this, then I'm much more inclined to reason with you than to just give up and call you a moron....and it's not that God will hear my prayers and make you anything but a moron for my own sake, but that you may become more receptive because of a change in my own attitude. Or not - and I can be at peace with that because the result is God's will, as I did my part. And at the very least we're not fighting...and I do hope you get that I'm just making a hypothetical example here.
But regardless of all that (and of my distinct impression that Roman Catholicism is kooky at best), fortunately (for all of us) passing a pop theology quiz isn't required to enter into Paradise. But it's better to have wisdom and understanding than to be without. As it's better to be logical rather than illogical.
Really the question becomes: is your religion serving you and others well?
@Christojt@amuse@AlliedStatesOA Notice that Paul wasn't instructing the praying TO other people in those letters, he was urging his audience to pray FOR others, and for himself.
@Christojt@amuse@AlliedStatesOA Mistaking make-believe characters others have put into your mind for reality and seeking guidance from the imaginary is wildly irrational and contrary to the Logos of Scripture, who is the embodiment of reason itself.
You might as well ask Peter Pan for prayers. I'll ask Christ.
Thank you.
Truth is once you've abandoned logic (logos -the Greek term translated as the 'Word' of God made flesh in John 1), then you've lost the plot long before you even get to a perpetual virgin married to Joseph along with Jesus' stated brothers and sisters whom he pointedly disowned in favor of the believers whom he called his true brothers and sisters.
And let's not even talk about the 'mystery' of a cracker and grape juice magically 'transubstantiating' into "the literal flesh and blood" of Jesus EVERY Sunday. Or that people were historically murdered by that church for denying it.
But once you get over the horror, it's utterly absurd and a revealing insight that clearly goes to show that many (if not most) people do not know why they believe what they believe, nor do most of them care. And it ain't just those ridiculously irrational and amusing Roman Catholics.
Why do people believe what they believe? 🤔