Originally Posted By: ghoti

There are a few extremist churches that believe in snake handling and drinking poison as a regular part of their church services, but many of their members have died in the process. I also remember Oral Roberts say he was casting out demons from people, and I'm sure there are modern preachers who make the same claim.

I guess those folks must take that part of Mark very literally rather than allegorically. Religion can get dangerous and goofy when it's taken to extremes.

I couldn't really make that guess about people because I can't pinpoint where their outward demonstrations of their faith come from, exactly, can you? Can you pinpoint it to one part of the Bible or another? Let's do that for witchcraft or something else then, shall we. Witchcraft is a religion of sorts, no Bible...but still a faith taken seriously by those who call themselves witches (and such). Isn't the use of nature by practitioners of witchcraft what someone would maybe consider silly and possibly dangerous? They set certain herbs on fire and whisk them around a confined area to exterminate the bad karma. Other examples can be thought of. Why isn't it just easier to let people do what they want than to point out all the flaws there and conjure up boogiemen and evil and danger? We all grow up into adults some time or other and so we have that ability to decide for ourselves what we want to do in life, how we want to believe and all. And it seems there is always this driving force of people who ultimately want to lead all their pointing out of others back to the unnecessary and dangerous causes of war outbreaks. Please, give people more credit than that. If they burn their feet on coals....if they get bitten by the snake out of the straw box, I guess....like children....they will learn not to do that again.

Matthew and Luke followed Mark, in the Bible, neither one of them knew each other. They both knew Mark but not each other and their writings show it --somewhat different interps. One man's reading of the Bible may say they're lies written there because it doesn't quite add up. I say they're just interpretations - thru eyes that truly wished to see.

Truth be told, my shrink mentioned that I was someone who made use of allegory in much of my discussions with him. I don't remember if he told me, upon leaving his services, that That was one of the two hardest things to deal with about me, but he did say it. And he complemented me once when he asked if he could use an allegory that I made up in my head in his book... after he asked me a question (that I don't remember either) . I recall saying, "The battlefield of my mind, ..yada yada..". He wanted to use it. Said no one had put it to him in that manner before.

Anywayzzzz, I could make an allegory for this messageboard right now. If I did, there'd be people who would take it badly and call me out as being hateful or vindictive, bitter, etc etc etc. Now, all that is is interpretation...they've NO idea where my heart is nor what or even IF I wished to accomplish anything (at all) with my expression of my silly, perhaps dangerous allegory.

later~

boards are fun, huh? I'm back to reading you! ...should go without saying. lol , OH, and I use to love Benny Hinn (not that I tuned into him much...just that a friend turned me onto..or rather, made me see the coolness of him and aside from the silly stuff) I thought he certainly got people excited.