Responding to questions about Galatians

[@Tmanaz480]

Isn't it frustrating that so many churches that claim to be "Bible based" don't really teach the facts about the Bible? Dan covers more facts in one of his short videos than you get in an hour-long "message" from the average hip, goateed "pastor." Somehow, your mini-lessons appeal to believers and nonbelievers alike. That's quite an accomplishment and not a bad thing.

[@kentstallard6512]

Dan points our that Bible isn't univocal, which is why there are thousands of Christian denominations, all claiming to have the "true/biblical/historical" iteration of the faith. The problem is that a collection of ancient mythology is going to be inherently ambiguous and contradictory.

[@ronbock8291]

Came for a discussion about Galactus. Stayed for a discussion about Galatians.

[@rainbowkrampus]

Well, hm, ok. Paul came from the theological "universe" which existed before the current instantiation. When he was reborn into this new universe, he found that he had a kind of gnawing hunger. A need to find other belief groups and "devour" them. To make them one with his ideological and theological vision. He roamed the Mediterranean, seeking new groups to devour and eventually he came to send out his heralds who would do the searching for him.

[@langreeves6419]

Galatians written by the preacher Paul of Taursus. Galactus was created by the artist Jack (the King) Kirby and the writer Stan (the Man) Lee All three were great Jewish storytellers.

[@MissMentats]

Yes, and the lord sayeth “show thy T-shirts” Someone’s definitely going to heaven

[@scienceexplains302]

*Authoritarian is the norm* in such documents. “God is a dictator and I am speaking for him, so do exactly as I say.” Democracy is not part of any theology that I am aware of.

[@kentstallard6512]

Exactly. Religion is inherently authoritarian: worship this God or else. Most contemporary Christians portray a sanitized Jesus who is tolerant and benevolent, but as depicted in the NT he's a ruthless authoritarian like his OT dad. The entire framework of reward and punishment is juvenile. And the notion that there can be no moral standards absent a God (who, in the Bible condones genocide, chattel slavery, misogyny, etc.) is absurd. Simply consider that the more benevolent and compassionate societies today are the most secular.

[@tussk.]

I could never get past the end of level boss in Galatians. I must have spent hours at the arcade, wasting my pocket money after school.

[@billcook4768]

Is Galatians the ones where the enemies capture your ship and you can rescue it for double firepower? Or is that Galaxians?

[@tussk.]

Dunno, I went to a catholic school.@@billcook4768

[@jamesarnette1394]

It was actually galactose, which is one of the organic sugars.

[@tussk.]

thats mentioned in the book of diabetes.@@jamesarnette1394

[@wraithwrecker_]

I love it when you answer questions from people who watch your videos. They're always really interesting questions!

[@robertmoore2049]

I am sure that there are more letters Paul wrote, but we only have these few in the Bible and we do not have the letters that people wrote to him or the church is wrote to him whether it in response or questions they may asked.

[@jackcimino8822]

What do you think about Galatians 3:1, which has sometimes been cited by Eastern Orthodox Christians to say that icons have always been used in the early Church?

[@QuinnPrice]

Righteous shirt. I've always been impressed with Galatians 3 where Paul pushes the question, why have you replaced Christ with rituals or other forms of righteousness?

[@waitstill7091]

So Paul was actually teaching a different Jesus. Since Paul seated himself in the chair of Moses, he contradicted the sayings of Jesus. See Matthew 23:1-3 "...I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:12

[@rainbowkrampus]

@@waitstill7091 Not necessarily. Paul's writings come decades before any of the gospels. Matthew isn't a great example in the first place, being just a copy of Mark with some embellishments and ideological alterations added. So how do you know that the author of Matthew wasn't inventing things for Jesus to say in order to contradict Paul, who was closer to the supposed time and place of Jesus than any gospel writer?

[@germanboy14]

Paul argued indirectly with the apostles in that letter. That's how the religion of Jesus became a religion about Jesus. When Jesus was asked how to get eternal life, he referred to the law 4 times in the synoptics

[@waitstill7091]

@@rainbowkrampus In regards to the gospels, I agree they were embellished and ideologically altered to fit a specific narrative.

[@piesho]

Dan: "This is today's fit" (showing a MARVER t-shirt, then proceeds to introduce The Wolverine) Quite appropriate.

[@gromit1996]

Thank you for responding to these questions from very earnest seekers. (At least that’s what it seems to me that they are.) The crazy whackadoodle types who claim all sorts of weirdness will never change their ways, but people who are really interested and thinking about scripture in new ways will definitely be encouraged by your scholarship and answers. Thanks for your insights and knowledge gained from a lot of hard work.

[@rahrahrobbbieee]

I always learn something new here.

[@waitstill7091]

Paul was a fraud. Galatians further proves this! "...I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:12

[@germanboy14]

Galatians 2 12 to 14 is one of most important but most overlooked passages in the NT. Peter there says Gentiles should judaize/keep the law after messengers of James show up. The Jews and even Barnabas leave Paul after that conflict. For me Galatians shows a clear split between Paul and the 12. Paul accuses them to not live according to his gospel and says that his opponents are already following a different gospel (galatians 1).

[@kentstallard6512]

There is nothing clear about the collection of mythology. As Dan has pointed out many times. The Bible is not univocal. Which is why there are thousands of Christian denominations.

[@scienceexplains302]

@@kentstallard6512The OP is about Galatians, not the Bible as a whole. Just because it’s not univocal doesn’t mean some parts don’t have clear messages

[@davidjanbaz7728]

​@@kentstallard6512that's only the assumptions of redaction scholarship of the 19th century German Biblical critics and the basis of liberal Religious Studies programs that Dan was in . Just because there are multiple writers doesn't mean there isn't a consistency of message by the Holy Spirit as given to the writers. But of course If you're like Dan : the Bible is only literature with no: supernatural composition to it : but that is his ignorant presupposition.

[@kentstallard6512]

@@davidjanbaz7728 So Dan, the Bible scholar, is ignorant? The Bible is inherently ambiguous and contradictory, which is why there are thousands of Christian denominations. But apparently YOU have found the "true/biblical/historical" version? Which one? Do tell us please.

[@kentstallard6512]

@@scienceexplains302 I agree. It's very clear that the God of the Bible is a genocidal narcissist who condones chattel slavery, misogyny, infanticide, etc.

[@azurejester]

🤙

[@GR-dl3eq]

As a Rosicrucian, I see The Bible as existing in two phases; - the exoteric, literal translation, propagated to the masses (often to subjugate and control them). And its esoteric form - a handbook on the alchemical process for the initiated. "He who has eyes to see, let him see, and he who has ears to hear, let him hear." Remember, Jeshua was an Essene - a mystic.

[@jamesarnette1394]

No, he was not an essene. Dan will tell you that if you ask him. Nor was he a Mystic in any sense that I'm familiar with. I don't think you deal in facts, I think you deal in conjecture and wish fulfillment. Try dealing with reality for a change.

[@jamesarnette1394]

By the way there was no Alchemy in the Bronze Age, it was invented long afterwards and has been rejected by science ever since it was invented.

[@rainbowkrampus]

M. David Litwa has some great stuff on how the gospels have all of the hallmarks of Greco-Roman mystery cults. Definitely worth checking out.

[@kentstallard6512]

How does Dan's (excellent) content help someone's faith? It's obvious the Bible is inherently ambiguous and contradictory mythology, which Dan points out. His content affirms the validity of my decision to abandon the superstition I was raised in.

[@jamesarnette1394]

Yes, you should abandon it. Dan does point out the inconsistencies and contradictions in the Bible but he keeps his discussions very limited and on point. The reason, I suspect, is that he is a Mormon and he wants to present publicly an even-handed approach to the Bible without revealing his own religion. I respect his knowledge and his clear thinking but that clear thinking seems to end where his own belief system begins. If he would admit to being a Mormon and if he would criticize Mormonism like he does christianity, then I would be even more impressed with him. But as it is, he's hiding his true identity and benefiting from that with his channel.

[@jamesarnette1394]

Oh, and Dan never admits that the Bible is mythology. I, however, do agree that it is mythology.

[@kentstallard6512]

@@jamesarnette1394 He makes it clear even if he doesn't state it explicitly.

[@rainbowkrampus]

My guess would be that they operate kinda like deists. Wherein they want to believe that some sort of deity exists, but their rational mind forces them to at least acknowledge that the Bible is an invention of human minds. So then they retreat to some kind of vague language about how one has "an experience" of god and that things like the Bible are just attempts to express that experience. And so, in relating to other people's expression of their experience, they can come to some kind of socially developed understanding of their own experience. Which, this is not an entirely invalid approach. It is difficult know things about the self without some sort of external means of orienting that knowledge. Think, for example, about people who don't learn that they have color blindness until someone else points out their issue. I would argue that this still runs into a similar problem that deism has. Namely, how do you know something which is by definition unknowable? How do you know you are experiencing "god" when all you have are your own sense memories and claims about the sense memory of others? Ya know, there's a presupposition smuggled in there which I think makes the whole thing bunk. But again, I'm just guessing at their motivations.

[@soldiernomore3843]

When Paul wrote “ if an angel comes preaching another good news “ It wasn’t about the Mormons but the leadership in Jerusalem. Not one united congregation.

[@germanboy14]

I agree, he also argues against the torah, according to Paul the torah was given by angels. So he claims to have the higher authority by "receiving revelation" directly from Jesus and not just from angels

[@kentstallard6512]

Apparently you've missed Dan's videos where he shows the Bible is not univocal. Thousands of Christian denominations, but everyone thinks they have the "true" version.

[@boboak9168]

“It wasn’t about the Mormons.” Well, yes. Mormonism was invented in the 1800’s by a very dubious character. Galatians was written in the first century by a very dubious character trying to shore up his own power. He had no ability to see religions in the future and indeed thought the apocalypse he longed for would happen so soon that believers shouldn’t get married or otherwise change their circumstances. The opportunity for future religions was not permitted by Paul’s world view.