http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/europe/7419655.stm

makes you wonder how they came to the conclusion that jumping over
babies would ward off the devil?

The message 
from Gordon Hudson  contains these words:

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/europe/7419655.stm

> makes you wonder how they came to the conclusion that jumping over
> babies would ward off the devil?

How indeed!  but what or who is the devil?   Does it not come from the
same sort of primitive superstition that gave rise to belief in a god? 
Is a devil required as a counterweight for the lack of any interaction
by the imaginary god?

-- 
********
David WG
********

David Wynne-Griffiths wrote:

> 
> How indeed!  but what or who is the devil?   Does it not come from the
> same sort of primitive superstition that gave rise to belief in a god? 
> Is a devil required as a counterweight for the lack of any interaction
> by the imaginary god?
> 

The devil is required as a counterbalance because this god doesn't 
match up to the mythical stereotype. You need something to explain 
the fact that not everything in the garden is rosy, and bad things 
happen.

The devil is also required as a threat, along with the concept of 
"sin" to keep the followers in line.

After all, this is all about institutional control by the organised 
religions.

Forgive this for not being word perfect, but one of the early popes 
is rumoured to have said "The jesus myth has served us well". It 
most certainly has for the RC church.

regards, Ian

On May 26, 9:46 am, Ian Smith 
wrote:
> David Wynne-Griffiths wrote:
>
> > How indeed!  but what or who is the devil?   Does it not come from the
> > same sort of primitive superstition that gave rise to belief in a god?
> > Is a devil required as a counterweight for the lack of any interaction
> > by the imaginary god?
>
> The devil is required as a counterbalance because this god doesn't
> match up to the mythical stereotype. You need something to explain
> the fact that not everything in the garden is rosy, and bad things
> happen.
>
> The devil is also required as a threat, along with the concept of
> "sin" to keep the followers in line.
>
> After all, this is all about institutional control by the organised
> religions.
>
> Forgive this for not being word perfect, but one of the early popes
> is rumoured to have said "The jesus myth has served us well". It
> most certainly has for the RC church.
>
> regards, Ian

Not to mention after a Xtian gets caught fondling an altar boy, or
gets caught in an airport men's room, or gets caught with his male
lover or gets caught with his mistress, or gets caught embezzling
funds from the parishioners, or doesn't anything else deemed illegal,
immoral, or evil.."The Devil MADE me do it" is their first cop-out.
Followed shortly by DILV's self-sealing Scotman's fallacy of: "But
they weren't REAL Xtians"

Ken  wrote:

> On May 26, 9:46 am, Ian Smith 
> wrote:
> > David Wynne-Griffiths wrote:
> >
> > > How indeed!  but what or who is the devil?   Does it not come from the
> > > same sort of primitive superstition that gave rise to belief in a god?
> > > Is a devil required as a counterweight for the lack of any interaction
> > > by the imaginary god?
> >
> > The devil is required as a counterbalance because this god doesn't
> > match up to the mythical stereotype. You need something to explain
> > the fact that not everything in the garden is rosy, and bad things
> > happen.
> >
> > The devil is also required as a threat, along with the concept of
> > "sin" to keep the followers in line.
> >
> > After all, this is all about institutional control by the organised
> > religions.
> >
> > Forgive this for not being word perfect, but one of the early popes
> > is rumoured to have said "The jesus myth has served us well". It
> > most certainly has for the RC church.
> >
> > regards, Ian
> 
> Not to mention after a Xtian gets caught fondling an altar boy, or
> gets caught in an airport men's room, or gets caught with his male
> lover or gets caught with his mistress, or gets caught embezzling
> funds from the parishioners, or doesn't anything else deemed illegal,
> immoral, or evil.."The Devil MADE me do it" is their first cop-out.
> Followed shortly by DILV's self-sealing Scotman's fallacy of: "But
> they weren't REAL Xtians"

A "self-sealing Scotsman"? ...the mind boggles... ;)
-- 
Jon