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

Hi - I'm up really late writing history essays and thought I might as well go and meet someone new on h2g2. And, erm, you're it!

Hi

Well, I'm certainly willing to meet new people, and I'm flattered to be chosen. Hi. But what are you doing wasting time on h2g2 when you should be working on your essays?! Get to work, young man-- woman-- marsupial-- sorry, "Possum" isn't the most descriptive of names... I hope I haven't offended.

By the way, I've always found that listening to some good Pink Floyd albums with all the lights turned off helps me write papers. (Either that, or it drives me crazy...)

Well, that's one essay down...two more to go - yay.

Well, you were chosen for a simple reason. I was told by a higher force.

Actually, I was lying just then. I was curious - are you a real doctor, or is there some hidden allegorical meaning behind the name? Or both? Or neither?

Oh, and BTW, I am a young man. And I'm not offended

I'm afraid I'm not a real doctor, although I haven't ruled out becoming one eventually. That's an awful lot of work, though. Ugh. Actually, now that you mention it, "Doctor Smith" is chock full of hidden allegorical meaning. In fact, it contains all of the mysteries of life. The cosmic implications of my name are mind-boggling. Very deep. My mind is currently boggling.

Okay, so I was lying as well. The name comes from the TV show "Doctor Who," where the Doctor occasionally used the pseudonym "Doctor John Smith." Not so mind-boggling after all, I suppose.

By the way, I've enjoyed your posts in the Amalekites discussion. It's nice to have a fresh point of view every once in a while.

My mind is boggling too...scary...

So, seeing as how you've LIED about your profession, what is the truth? In other words, what actually are you in real life, if not a doctor.....?

As far as the Amalekites discussion goes, I've been avoiding religious debates on this site for quite a while now because it seems that, especially on one forum, there is a lot of needless slanging matches and unrestrained, random "shouting". But I like a good debate so I decided to get involved in the more reasoned one on ddombrow's page. I've also recently embarked on a voyage of discovery through the Old Testament because as a life long Christian I suddenly realised recently that I don't read and digest the Bible enough at all. So it's nice to get a chance to debate and discuss things in parallel to actually going over them in my own study.

Oh, yeah? Well, at least I'm not lying about my species!

In real life I'm just an everyday college student. Nothing spectacular. I like to think that some day I'll actually become a doctor, though, so the name 'Doctor Smith' is just sort of a pre-emptive title. Just don't think of time in linear terms and it's accurate. Or something like that... How about you?

You do have to be careful regarding who and where you debate around here. I've found some people (both Christians and atheists) who are so stubborn that you couldn't make them open minded with a sledgehammer. Others are genuinely interested in debating the truth. I for one believe that, if what I believe is actually the Truth of truths, then I have nothing to fear from any debate. The truth will always prevail in the end.

I don't know where you are in your voyage through the OT, but I have found that the more I study the OT, the more I enjoy it. I used to think it was this boring and irrelevant section of the Bible, but now I enjoy it more than the NT. There are such beautiful pictures of God and His work in it. My Bible study group is currently working through the book of Jonah, and I am constantly amazed at how much material there is in every single verse. Ooo... I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it...

Well, I'm a university student...I don't hope to become a doctor though...

I totally understand what you mean about the OT. I've read through the pentateuch again, and pressing on through Judges (I've read Joshua a lot of times - it's possible my favourite book in the Bible, if I had to choose) and I've just read about Sisera's pleasant death (although I've read through patches of that before now) I've also been reading a few of the minor prophets. I think it's a great shame that Christians are scared to tackle the issues that the OT raises and prefer the "safety" of the NT. I love Jonah. I think the passage where Jonah is in the desert, sheltering under the plant, is one of the best in the Bible for showing God's compassion. Suddenly you realise how much God cares for the people of Nineveh, and indeed all of creation. It's beautiful.

How do you know I'm lying about my species? I'm typing with my paws and moving the mouse with my tail. So there.

I've been a bad field researcher... I haven't responded to any forums for most of the summer. I've been... um, busy... Actually, I've just been lazy. With perhaps a smidgen of busy-ness thrown in for good measure.

I have to say that I'm surprised to hear that Joshua is your favorite book of the Bible. Christians usually try to gloss over the OT when they can, but they seem to avoid Joshua like the plague. I'm impressed. I'd have to say that Isaiah is probably my favorite book. Not only do you get these incredible pictures of God in all His wrath, you get them immediately followed by reminders that He still loves His people. It is indeed a shame that the OT is so ignored. I suppose it shows something of a lack of faith in a lot of people. Their view of God is too limited to encompass anything more than love and mercy. What is love without wrath? What is mercy without judgment? Aside from the theological implications of the OT, it's just so much fun...

Hello, both of you... I'm sorry I'm intruding, but I just got off my first day of my last year of high school and I'm putting off doing any of my French homework for as long as possible... and I decided to go snooping off of Possum's page. (btw, Dave, where ARE you?? I thought you got home from Bishkek last week!!?)

So. I shall contribute something to the conversation... I think the reason that some people disregard the OT is because some churches constantly teach from the NT alone, or only teach the OT stories like creation, David and Goliath, and Jonah to the little kids in Sunday School, then go full force into the epistles when they reach adolesence and simply don't come out of them for sermons and such. Not that I know for sure... my first Sunday School lesson (...when I was like 6...) was out of Proverbs. Go figure.

I don't have a single favorite book... but Isaiah's one of them, basically for the same reasons you said, Dr. Smith, and so are Job, James, and Ephesians. I used to love Psalms... but somehow I've moved away from that. I'm not entirely sure as to why. Job I like for a lot of the same reasons as Isaiah-- examples of God's love and His overall plan for our lives. James and Ephesians are just great because, at least for me, they're complete common sense and such that I constantly forget and need reminded of at every possible turn.

One book that I've noticed a lot of churches avoid is Revelation... and though I can see why, what, with all the confusing symbolism and such, it strikes me as strange that people won't teach the ending to the story of our existance. It's like watching a movie and simply skipping the climax and end-- stupid, right?

I've taken enough of your time... Sorry for intruding... I'm retreating to the sandbox I've installed in my office. (I've decided I won't grow up and be responsible)... (at least, not right now, anyway).

Hi. I'm new around here, but I've got some questions for Doctor Smith. I've been reading some of your debates with Col. Sellers and have been greatly fascinated by your comments. I was wondering, what are some of your particular views on Christianity? Do you have a specific doctrinal position? (Don't worry that these are hostile questions...I'm a Christian too.)I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Also, your quest for truth is really admirable, and I applaud you for undertaking it!