26 lands? The most I use, and I play Bant, is 24. At least 3 Misty, 2 Verdant, and 2 Arid fetches, maybe some Lotus Cobra and Khalni Heart Expedition for faster ramp.
Every religion, economic system, form of government and corporation is a concept, a large scale agreement that is bound together by so much documentation. In 500 years our Constitutions, Bibles, Qu'rans and Stock Certificates will likely carry no more weight on reality than Hammaburi's Code of Laws does now. Any power that any piece of writing or currency has is ascribed to it by large groups of people. Without their faith it's just more writing on paper.
So you are saying after nearly 2000 years of Christianity, based on the Bible (excluding the fact that the Bible was copied a few hundred years later...) will be gone in 500 years? I highly doubt that.
You seem to have missed part of the point he was making. The point is that even if we had a confirmation that it was written by someone who genuinely believed that what they wrote down actually happened, that still would not be sufficient evidence for believing those claims. i.e. There are lots of people who genuinely believe they have seen ghosts, or been abducted by aliens, or had out of body experiences. We dont believe these people on face value because thinking you experience something, no matter how strongly you believe it, doesnt mean it happened. Then we have extra incentive to be highly sckeptical of these claims due to their absurd nature, implying that a higher standard of evidence should be applied. Thus it is only reasonable to extend that same level of scrutiny to claims which not only are as absurd as those previously stated, but for which the only evidence is vastly inferior than the evidence for the claims which we dismiss off hand.
True, yes. But, my point was that he didn't think he experienced it; instead, he did experience it. There is a difference. Like, I could say I thought I saw a ghost, which is not believable, even to me, but if it talked to me, and showed me how to dance or something, then I would have experienced something crazy, rather than believing I saw a ghost. A bad way to put it, but its the best I can do.
And, if even we knew for a fact that John lived long enough to write the gospel (which we don't, and seems very unlikely) and that John actually WROTE it (which we don't know at all) and he was claiming first hand accounts and we knew he had a perfect memory (extremely dubious for any many after seventy years minimum based on the dating) it still wouldn't be enough to give these things any credibility. We have people claiming alien abductions all the time, eyewitness accounts, whole families and neighbors all telling the same stories, with something that is certainly in the realm of natural law and does not require them to be violated (alien abductions are perfectly feasible without supernatural magic mojo) - we still don't give them any credibility. Why? Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. And this is much more support for a much less extraordinary claim and we still toss it soundly aside.
If you like your imaginary friend, that's fine, but don't pretend you have a rational reason to believe as you do.
Lol, you do make good points here. However, if I saw someone walk on water, cast out demons, calm a storm, and come back to life with my own eyes, to put it simply, it would be "burned into my brain," and then get a direct divine revelation from God, then write the book of Revelations, it still would be pretty hard to forget something.
Example: a lot of people who have near-death experiences usually remember what happened.
Yes, and he would have been 25 when he met Jesus, 28 when Jesus died, between 64 and 94 when he wrote it, and an amazing 94 when he died...which is pretty darned uncommon for people in that time.
Uncommon? Perhaps. But still possible, of which you cannot deny that.
Because of this? "It is traditionally believed that John survived his contemporary apostles and lived to an extreme old age, dying naturally at Ephesus in about AD 100." I'd prefer a non-church dating.
Harkius
Is wikipedia a church source?
Also, most other important church people were martyrs, so of course we don't know if Peter, Matthew, James, Thomas, or anyone else could have potentially lived a long life.
[font=Times New Roman] Depends on the dating. I usually hear 70-100 AD. Not contemporary.
Um? John the Apostle, (also known as the Apostle whom Jesus most loved or John the Beloved Disciple, (Ancient Greek: Ἰωάννης) (c. 6 - c. 100) Straight from wikipedia... though you can check other sites. I'm pretty sure you can see if he died 100 AD, and the dating for John was 70-100 AD... there is a strong chance that he did actually write it, since he was alive during this time.
The gospels were written decades after the death of Christ according to the best historical records we have. Go to the links posted by Blinking Spirit - which should be helpful.
Yeah I already know this... Still, look up John 21:24... At least John may have actually been written by a comtemporary.
Also, (don't know how to link, but:) -> really now? I did not mean that to be a smiley face...
"The writer of this anonymous gospel was probably a Gentile Christian.[12] Whoever the author was, he was highly educated, well traveled, well connected, and extremely widely read. By the time he composed the Gospel, he must have been a highly practiced and competent author - able to compose in a wide variety of literary forms according to the demands of the moment.[36]"
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Luke#Authorship
Yes, the author could have been duped by the stories or whatever material he used, but, there remains a strong chance that being he was well educated, and with Roman and Greek influences at that time, that actually means something, as he would most likely use his reason to determine if the material he used was false or not.
The general argument is that there were likely men named John, Matthew, Luke, and Mark that followed Jesus, and were his contemporaries. But, the question of whether these are the same individuals who actually wrote them, or whether the names were added later to add credibility is the real issue that many find troubling.
Harkius
True, but then, since you put it this way, how do we really know it was Homer who wrote the Odyssey, for example? Doesn't this put to question every ancient author?
Crochet!
The fact that none of these stories are contemporaries of Jesus is a huge blow to their credibility. Add in the fact that no external sources that WERE contemporaries are validating it...
Wait, you mean that the people who allegedly wrote the Gospels were not contemporaries of Jesus, or that the titles of the Gospels, the men they were named after, were not contemporaries of Jesus? If the latter, that is tough to prove to you, because Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually were all apostles of Jesus Christ. Or do you say that is false?
You want spiritual stuff? Why? Saying the value of religion is spiritual is pretty close to circular (not a perfect circle, but pretty darn close). Besides, then there really is nothing to differentiate Jesus from the other religions... Which backs up the main point.
Main point being that atheists are right, there is no god? Or that there is no evidence for Christianity?
Well, for wanting spiritual stuff, for one, if no one wanted it, religion would not exist. And seeing as every culture has had a form of god or gods system of belief, since as far back as recorded, I'd say want of spritual stuff seems to be universal, even if that was my base point.
Also, something I learned in politics is that people have a need feel they have worth. If someone can realize that, i.e. an elite, they can gain power over others by "satisfying" that need to feel worth. To me, that is ironic if you tie it in with religion, because it pretty much counters their god/ gods by saying they want to feel worth.
Pretty weak I know. But, until I get the Big Three Swords, probably would run one of each, I have to work with what I have. I went 2:1 yesterday. Won against UB Mill and B discard mono black. Lost against GB infect.
Also, I ran 23 lands originally, but I kept getting mana flooded; I reduced to 21, and sometimes I still get mana flooded, even after a good shuffle!
California
Washington
Oregon
Texas
Vermont
New York
North Carolina
actually screw that, I'm not typing every state haha.
England, because my dad was military, for 3 years/
France
Germany
Belgium
Okinawa, Japan for 2 years
Singapore
And I will be studying abroad in France this September
Before I die, I will see Antarctica in person!
My favorite place was England, for sure.
From mine as well.
So you are saying after nearly 2000 years of Christianity, based on the Bible (excluding the fact that the Bible was copied a few hundred years later...) will be gone in 500 years? I highly doubt that.
True, yes. But, my point was that he didn't think he experienced it; instead, he did experience it. There is a difference. Like, I could say I thought I saw a ghost, which is not believable, even to me, but if it talked to me, and showed me how to dance or something, then I would have experienced something crazy, rather than believing I saw a ghost. A bad way to put it, but its the best I can do.
Lol, you do make good points here. However, if I saw someone walk on water, cast out demons, calm a storm, and come back to life with my own eyes, to put it simply, it would be "burned into my brain," and then get a direct divine revelation from God, then write the book of Revelations, it still would be pretty hard to forget something.
Example: a lot of people who have near-death experiences usually remember what happened.
Uncommon? Perhaps. But still possible, of which you cannot deny that.
Is wikipedia a church source?
Also, most other important church people were martyrs, so of course we don't know if Peter, Matthew, James, Thomas, or anyone else could have potentially lived a long life.
Um? John the Apostle, (also known as the Apostle whom Jesus most loved or John the Beloved Disciple, (Ancient Greek: Ἰωάννης) (c. 6 - c. 100) Straight from wikipedia... though you can check other sites. I'm pretty sure you can see if he died 100 AD, and the dating for John was 70-100 AD... there is a strong chance that he did actually write it, since he was alive during this time.
Yeah I already know this... Still, look up John 21:24... At least John may have actually been written by a comtemporary.
Also, (don't know how to link, but:) -> really now? I did not mean that to be a smiley face...
"The writer of this anonymous gospel was probably a Gentile Christian.[12] Whoever the author was, he was highly educated, well traveled, well connected, and extremely widely read. By the time he composed the Gospel, he must have been a highly practiced and competent author - able to compose in a wide variety of literary forms according to the demands of the moment.[36]"
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Luke#Authorship
Yes, the author could have been duped by the stories or whatever material he used, but, there remains a strong chance that being he was well educated, and with Roman and Greek influences at that time, that actually means something, as he would most likely use his reason to determine if the material he used was false or not.
True, but then, since you put it this way, how do we really know it was Homer who wrote the Odyssey, for example? Doesn't this put to question every ancient author?
Wait, you mean that the people who allegedly wrote the Gospels were not contemporaries of Jesus, or that the titles of the Gospels, the men they were named after, were not contemporaries of Jesus? If the latter, that is tough to prove to you, because Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually were all apostles of Jesus Christ. Or do you say that is false?
Yeah, I bet Jim Jones made people feel like they had worth
Yeah, I agree with bLatch.
Main point being that atheists are right, there is no god? Or that there is no evidence for Christianity?
Well, for wanting spiritual stuff, for one, if no one wanted it, religion would not exist. And seeing as every culture has had a form of god or gods system of belief, since as far back as recorded, I'd say want of spritual stuff seems to be universal, even if that was my base point.
Also, something I learned in politics is that people have a need feel they have worth. If someone can realize that, i.e. an elite, they can gain power over others by "satisfying" that need to feel worth. To me, that is ironic if you tie it in with religion, because it pretty much counters their god/ gods by saying they want to feel worth.
Creatures: 17
Equipment spells: 9
Other spells: 16
Land: 21
Pretty weak I know. But, until I get the Big Three Swords, probably would run one of each, I have to work with what I have. I went 2:1 yesterday. Won against UB Mill and B discard mono black. Lost against GB infect.
Also, I ran 23 lands originally, but I kept getting mana flooded; I reduced to 21, and sometimes I still get mana flooded, even after a good shuffle!
What I would add:
Maybes:
Memnites? Replace the seemingly useless Darksteel Relic?
Etched Champion? Not with me now, but yeah, definitely seems like a strong pick.
Stoneforge? Um no. I don't have the money to drop for a playset, so I have to figure something else out.
Indomitable Archangel? Also seems like a good choice.
War Report depends on if you know people will play lots of artifacts/ creatures.
Lands?
Dual lands instead; Seachrome Coast Glacial Fortress Celestial Colonnade
Switch to WU? Counterspell board countrol? Mana Leak, Mental Misstep, Cancel?
Sideboard Potential?
3x other
Or maybe RW Puresteel?
I don't think Battecry is the way to go, or Puresteel Knights either; too slow.
I would add these: