[Cary]

Stating an opinion is different than insulting. Calling someone's opinions or beliefs retarded because they differ from your own, that's insulting. You need to think again.

umm... it was an opinion. (both yours and sunzfan's) - but if you find sunzfan's post offensive, keep in mind, whether you realize it or not, I find your post offensive.

Okay, since my wife's father is an ordained Minister in the Methodist church, I'll give you some examples I got from her, that she learned from him and from reading the Bible while growing up. If you take the King James version of the Bible and compare it to the Living Bible, there are instances over and over again where words are changed and the meaning is completely different, depending on the version. There is evidence that entire chapters and even books have been omitted from the original because they were not found until after the first publication of the Bible was printed. Another example of contradictions is slavery. In biblical times people were encourage to keep slaves, but in today's society you would be arrested for doing so.

Could you send me some examples, please?

If this was through the courts in those days, then why is anyone against the death penalty as a punishment for murder? Isn't that an eye for an eye? You took someones life so the court will take yours?

Please reread what I posted two posts above this one.

One of the commandments is "You shall honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Working, cooking, cleaning etc. are forbidden on the Sabbath because it is a day of rest. In modern times orthodox christians do not even answer their phones or let their children watch television or play computer games on Sunday and I fail to see that posting messages on the internet is any different from that.

The Bible emphasizes that the requirement to keep the Sabbath is no longer nessecary. When Jesus died on the Cross he saved us from our sins.

Ephesions 2:13-15

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,

abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person 9 in place of the two, thus establishing peace,

Colossians 2:14-16

obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross;

despoiling the principalities and the powers, he made a public spectacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it. 7

Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath. 8

One final note, prove to me, if you can, that the Bible wasn't written by 12 drunks sitting around the table.

Once again, here you go offending people again...

You cannot prove that anymore than you can that it was written by more than forty people over many years time. People write novels in todays times that are longer than the Bible was, some in as few as 6 months, all by themselves. So it's not impossible for even one person to have written the Bible if you really want to get down to being able to prove anything. The Bible is basically a belief, if you choose to believe, then the Bible is for you, but as you get older, and you've been around a bit and you've seen people die in war, and you've caused some of those deaths yourself, you start to question God in all his infinite wisdom.

Once again, it all comes down to faith. You cannot prove that George Washington existed.

As for your last comments:

God doesn't make us have problems just for the heck of it. Most "bad" things which happen do so because God gives a underlying freedom to His people - we are free people, not puppets on a string. He doesn't cause bad things to happen. He loves us and grieves with us.

I've got to run at the moment, however, if you would like for me to elaborate a bit more on this later, let me know.