"Forrest, does Tim Callahan have any evidence other than the Genesis stories ( "she is my sister") to explain Sarai as a "priestess"? I'd expect to see some sort of hint in the text itself. Given the absurd acts of most of…"

"I'm a bit late in responding to this post, and I know you've moved on to (written about) the next few chapters, but I wanted to point out what I think was intended HUMOR in the tower of Bable story: the repetition of the phrase,…"

"At the end of the first chapter of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKCOO'S NEST, the narrator concludes his summary with, "and it's true, even if it didn't happen." I was in high school when I read that book: a devote, Evangelical…"

""lacking a concept of truth is a result of over sophistication not a mark of less sophisticated cultures"   I like that; well put.  There is a HUGE difference between believing that "gray areas" exist and believing that…"

"Richard, I think you read that paragraph about "truth" too quickly!  Forrest was quoting Anthony Prete who was speaking of HEBREW, not GREEK.   And your final paragraph reminded me of a quote I've heard attributed to Ghandi,…"

"This got me thinking, and reminded me of how the book of James wrestles with defining faith. The author, at the end if a discussion of whether Faith or Works is more important ends with, " even the demons believe, and shudder." I take this…"

"Does God truly curse people/things? There is a trilogy of books by Sholem Asch, a Jewish author/dramatist), where the author brings his perspective to the life of Jesus, mother Mary, and Apostle Paul. In the first he includes a scene from…"

"I used to equate "faith" with "belief." Then one fine day my systematic theology crumbled under the weight of its contradictions and I suffered with the idea that I had "lost my faith." During this difficult time I…"

"Dear Irene et al.: I have very much enjoyed all your comments and questions. In re-reading the Genesis text lots of new observations questions have arisen. For example, this is the first time I'd noted that God refers to the "seed" of…"

"Before the words, "Let there be light," there IS something present besides God or the Spirit of God:  the "waters."  So water is somehow present before the creation, before the light.  What does that…"

"Dear Virginia: I am so pleased that you posted this, because it is a timely theme for me having just spent some time with a visitor from China who has NO Quakers anywhere near, and is wondering how he can be a Quaker in such isolation. The Society…"