for, rev, so he and I can come back to the God as metaphor idea, and further consider the possibility that there are religious fundamentalists, and atheists alike that share some psychological territory this way.

transition said:

for, rev, so he and I can come back to the God as metaphor idea, and further consider the possibility that there are religious fundamentalists, and atheists alike that share some psychological territory this way.

Since we’re talking religion, I was thinking about Paul and other apostles being jailed. For violent crime, torture perhaps. In which case Paul’s letters weren’t really to the churches but really aimed at his warders, to try and convince the warders that he is harmless so he can wangle an early release.

If so, then truth is not in them.

transition said:

for, rev, so he and I can come back to the God as metaphor idea, and further consider the possibility that there are religious fundamentalists, and atheists alike that share some psychological territory this way.

How does the tread title relate to what you say above?

>How does the tread title relate to what you say above?

I’m exploring an idea, they’re good that way, quite useful devices, you can join in if you like.

I’d expect there’s a type, or categorization possible, of a kind of atheist denial of God, which is essentially a denial of God as metaphor, that’s not much better than some religious fundamentalist abuse of the metaphor by trying to extract too much from it, by being too literal of scripture interpretation, or whatever.

Long sentence that above, you can inhale now. I nearly passed out writing it.

transition said:

>How does the tread title relate to what you say above?

I’m exploring an idea, they’re good that way, quite useful devices, you can join in if you like.

I’d expect there’s a type, or categorization possible, of a kind of atheist denial of God, which is essentially a denial of God as metaphor, that’s not much better than some religious fundamentalist abuse of the metaphor by trying to extract too much from it, by being too literal of scripture interpretation, or whatever.

Long sentence that above, you can inhale now. I nearly passed out writing it.

Sorry, but not interested in exploring that metaphor.

The G word has way too much baggage, which just gets in the way.

Got any other metaphors we could apply to the same purpose (whatever that is)?

Farming sheep gives you time to contemplate the absurdity of navel fluff?

roughbarked said:

Farming sheep gives you time to contemplate the absurdity of navel fluff?

That’s a terrible thing to say.
Our lady sailors are not absurd.

:)

>The G word has way too much baggage, which just gets in the way.

Probably right.

transition said:

>The G word has way too much baggage, which just gets in the way.

Probably right.

What about other words then, like ‘angel’ or ‘el shaddai’ or ‘divinity’?

mollwollfumble said:

transition said:

>The G word has way too much baggage, which just gets in the way.

Probably right.

What about other words then, like ‘angel’ or ‘el shaddai’ or ‘divinity’?

Much the same in terms of baggage, aren’t they.

Well I don’t know about el shaddai, that doesn’t mean anything to me.

I’m not strong with metaphor, and analogy, that sort of thing. It’s work. I’ve read and heard the work of those that are good at it, though how much effort it is for those good at it is unknown to me. I have moments they come to me with apparent ease (ignoring the work previous that resulted in them being conjured as needed).

They (metaphor and such) certainly say something of how minds work. A gift I guess of the evolved range of faculties, the cognitive tools. Mix and match or something, more than hints combinatorial features, and bidirectionality.

There are of course crude comparison, never any shortage of that, wandering around looking for something to focus on. Wandering comparison, descended of envy or worse often (or parrying against). Or, if a home were made of relative perspective so, same territory, really.

Good metaphor though sorta stands alone, quite different I think. They have something of a mental gymnastics about them, like a good joke I guess, in a sense, and the pleasure’s in the gymnastics.