h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

GTBacchus,

I don't bother to respond to such idiocy, is the short answer.

I think we should just ignore the person who is being silly and saying such things, he will grow up one day I hope.

You may check the BBC's Christian Messageboard, and see my posts there if you wish. On my home page here is an e-mail address for me, use it if you wish to find out and are not sure.

Justin

Ah! The first reference to the bot accusations!

Do you realise, Justin, that everyone on this thread (and others on h2g2) genuinely believe you are not human because of your posts? Either that or they cannot tell the difference and are unconvinced either way (like me).

That doesn't really reflect well on your level of intelligence now does it?

Do you think it's blasphemous that people think Steve is your creator rather than God?



Ste

Speak for yourself. Just because you're a gullible fool doesn't mean the rest of us are.

-Xanthia

Okayyy

Well if people can't tell the difference between an AI and a person, that reflects more about their level of intelligence than Justin's. Making wild statements about what 'everyone' thinks isn't wholly flattering either.

There's some parable about logs and motes and eyes that would seem appropriate here.

-Xanthia

This is most confusing.

You know what - I think Steve is an AI programmed by Justin...

Oh come on, I wasn't insulting anyone on this thread. "Everyone" was used in the loosest possible sense. Did anyone yikes those posts or what?

Mountains and molehills are more appropriate methinks.



Ste

This post has been removed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/h2/h2.cgi?state=threads&board=religion.christian&

Here's that Christian message board our friend/bot Justin was on about.



Ste

I think Justin is a human being with extremely unconventional ideas about Christianity that, frankly, I kind of like. He seems to be drawing persecution for rejecting the popular ethic of "never express certainty on religious matters, and always tolerate the beliefs of others on grounds of some liberal ideas about 'relativism', never telling anyone that they're wrong. Don't have deeply held beliefs about salvation/damnation; it makes Unitarians uncomfortable."

I think that a conventional "I go to church on Sunday, and I don't make waves" Christian would embarass Jesus.

I might prefer to read the teachings of Jesus as being more like some kind of 1960's hippy ideals, which strike closer to my heart, but I honestly believe they're more challenging than that. Whether Justin has found the "right" path is not clear to me (see how I put "right" in quotes, like a damn wishy-washy relativist?), and I'm not likely to imitate him anytime soon (I'm pretty far lost, from a Christian perspective), but I think I might respect his courage, and would like to sign off by saying:

Keep the faith, Justin the Preacher.



GTBacchus

Peace.

Let's not "yikes" too much here. Everyone has a right to say what they want as long as it doesn't break the house rules.

I believe that Justin the Preacher is a real person from Bruton near Glastonbury. An evangelist from the streets with strongly held ideas about how to go about his christianity (some of which may be quite unusual).

I guess that Steve the Programmer is probably an artificial identity belonging to someone else who (with a clever and entertaining trick) managed to muddy the waters here for some of us for a while with fantastic claims about his abilities in the field of artificial intelligence. These claims (see his User Page), if they were all true, should really be shouted from the rooftops but he is quite reserved about them. "ai_demon42" forms part of his given e-mail address and interstingly, "aidemon" in NT Greek means something like "modesty".

Om (hopefully slightly less confused than a few days ago).

Justin said > Before I was saved I would not have bothered mocking, I would just have dismissed it and walked away to carry on my own way.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:22
"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

and in Luke 6:35
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.


I said Paul saw the Christian teaching as a follow on from Mithraism and did speak about the body of Christ being a better sacrifice than the slaughter of a bull in one of his letters.

The translation of Mithraism into Christianity is demonstrated in Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 9, verses 13 and 14:

13 "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

"Paul took Mithraism up a step, from an animal to a Man/God being sacrificed; a potent and compelling idea. An idea that differs, though, from what Jesus taught, which was a Buddhist influenced, psychedelic, shamanistic oneness with him, God, and eternity."


Justin said on another board; The Law of God requires that there is NO remission of sin without the shedding of blood.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:7
"But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

and in Luke 2:24
and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."

Buddha said - If you do not tend to one another then who is there to tend to you? Whoever who would tend me, he should tend the sick.

Jesus said - Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, so you have done it unto me.

Buddha said - One who acts on truth is happy, in this world and beyond

Jesus said - You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.


Alji (Member of The Guild of Wizards U197895)

GTBacchus,

Thank you kind sir. I was a long way lost too once, so was every Christian. It is in exactly that place where Jesus comes looking for you.

You are right of course. If the unsaved do not find it offensive, (with the odd exception that God is working on), it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. It takes guts to be different, running with the crowd is a sign of cowardice, especially when you know that the right way is another way.

I did not find a path, Bacchus, I am a real Christian, I found Jesus Christ Himself, personally, just like the rest of the 1% of the British people who are Christians.

Yours,Justin.

Alji,

I could not hope to put you right you are in such confusion. Please don't mix pagan gods with the One True God,it is most offensive. Whatever the pagans say is of no consequence to me,or anyone, especially those who have died without Christ, and found themselves instantly in Hell.

Justin

Justin, for your information,

The Buddha was not a god, nor ever claimed to be one.

Buddhism is not a theistic religion, it is in fact an atheistic religion in that it makes no reference to any kind of god at all. In fact some of us who call ourselves Buddhists do not regard it as a religion at all, but a philosophy.

Neither is Buddism Paganism, which is a complex and highly evolved religion in its own right.

Justin, please use words accurately, because you can only put your point accross correctly if you do.

Ben

I'm still not decided whether Justin's brain is made of meat or sand. Either way, to anyone attempting to shoe-horn basic courtesy or a simple comprehension of the English language into it - good luck.



H.

Ben, wrong paradigm. From the backlog, it's clear that Justin isn't bowing to common usage, however justified it might seem. He's putting forward his own definitions, through his usage. It's a style of communication that's very uncommon these days. To hear his message, you need to speak his language, and he's just going to speak that language, however wrong it might seem to you, in the faith that those with ears will hear. That's how he learned, so that's how he teaches. From his perspective, he *is* using words accurately; it's not his fault if the lost masses have invented a lot of pointless distinctions that aren't getting them any closer to salvation. He's not going to humour us, in our distinctions between one false prophet and the next. That would just lead him astray from what he's trying to do, which is to spread the only *true* word.

Justin, forgive me if I'm misinterpreting you. I'm just observing, and my observations are prone to being wrong, at times.

Given the topic, surely 'dust' is most appropriate?

That is impressive.

He speaks to save the damned and lead them to Jesus Christ the Saviour, yes? But he speaks in code, which only the damned-who-will-be-saved can interpret correctly? The damned-who-will-not-be-saved cannot interpret the code, and are therefore remain doomed to be damned?

What is wrong with speaking accurately so that he reaches a larger audience?

This has actually made me smile.

Thanks for the Gloss, GTB. I appreciate it.

B