Dear Pastor Cobbett:

I value your insights as I do those of Christians who email me off-list and
whose lives with PD are improved because of their faith.  It helps me
remember that Christians do not speak with one voice except for their belief
in Jesus Christ as the resurrected "savior" Son of God.  I vote for hearing
from you all.

I do think this subject is relevant to PD as the most vociferous and
powerful opposition to ESCR, notwithstanding Senator Orrin Hatch and others,
comes from Christians.  In my opinion, to claim otherwise is like saying
religion had nothing to do with the Salem Witch Trials.

I tend to shy away from religions that place belief over be-ing.  I'm sure
that reading The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price for another 20
more years is not going to result in my believing that God has a wife so
that my Mormon cousin will speak to me again.  These two "divinely" inspired
revelations are poor imitations of the Bible, which is tedious even though
it contains passages about smiting, slavery, begetting, child abuse, incest
and polygamy.  The Gnostic Gospels deserve at least one read.

My problem is not with someone else believing in the Bible or something
different from me, but in their assuming I either have not read it or have
never heard of Jesus Christ, nor thought about these things.  And, of
course, blocking scientific research, which affects me and millions of
people personally.

Ray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Cobbett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, April 23, 2006 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: Questions re PD/Bible/Arnie


> As an evangelical pastor, I wonder what those folks would say to me
> regarding "reading the bible". I'm pretty understanding but I chalk up
> those
> types of things as well as the ridiculous things people say at funerals to
> ignorance and a willingness to speak from it. They can do a lot of harm.
> There are also some who's theology lies in the "name it and claim it" camp
> who feel all you need to overcome any malady is "enough faith" and so they
> blame everything on the victim's lack of faith. They do far more damage.
> Then there are those who believe sickness is a direct form of punishment
> for
> a personal sin. They do a lot of damage as well.
>
> Many of the misunderstandings of the bible come from inadequate
> translation
> and a blurring of the lines between metaphor and literal intent - it
> contains both. It's certainly not a "read it once and get it" book. It
> requires study and consultation with many wise people and then God leaves
> it
> to us to seek Him for how He will speak to us through it. Once a person
> discerns God's personality and character there is nothing but consistency
> in
> the words. Now I'll shut up. There's been a lot of preaching on here in
> the
> past that touched on PD only tangentially, served to offend many, offered
> no
> constructive contribution to the issues or debate and that I found pretty
> silly. I'll attempt to not go there.
> Fred
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of rayilynlee
> Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 9:21 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Questions re PD/Bible/Arnie
>
> Arnie, thanks so much for the interesting explanations and helping to
> educate  me..  Another list member told me it had to do with keeping
> kosher,
> among other things as well.   I see what is meant now by the question
> "Which
> version"? when the 10 Commandments in the courtroom controversy comes up.
>
> The male nipple thing is a real puzzle.  Could it be because all fetuses
> are
> initially female?  Sure raises questions re the Adam's Rib story...I
> taught
> Art History...always wondered why Adam and Eve( "born" or created as
> adults)
> were depicted with belly buttons.  I checked Spike out and he has no
> nipples, was neutered at a young age.  I always had female dogs until I
> got
> him, so it is something I didn't look for.
> Ray
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Arnie Kuzmack" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 8:11 AM
> Subject: Re: Questions re PD and the Bible
>
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "rayilynlee" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 1:18 PM
>> Subject: Questions re PD and the Bible
>>
>>
>>> Why in the lesser known (Exodus 34:26-28) of the 3 versions of the 10
>>> Commandments is there one prohibiting the cooking of a young goat in its
>>> mother's milk?
>>
>> According to the traditional interpretation, the fact that this
>> prohibition is
>> repeated three times (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, Deuteronomy 14:21)
>> implies
>> that there is more than just the literal meaning intended.  We derive the
>> prohibition of mixing meat and dairy from the repetition.
>>
>> A modern interpretation would be that the whole chapter is emphasizing
>> not
>> being
>> drawn into the religious practices of the surrounding peoples.  The
>> symbolism of
>> this one is particularly cruel and jarring.
>>
>>> Why were 42 children killed in the name of God for calling a man
>>> "bald"(2
>>> Kings:2:23-24)
>>
>> The incident is not explained very well, but it seems clear that the
>> children
>> were not just giving a neutral anatomical description.  They were
>> taunting
>> him,
>> but it is not clear why or why Elisha reacted as strongly as he did, even
>> though
>> he was mourning his master, Elijah.
>>
>> In the Talmud, the Rabbis are obviously uncomfortable with the incident
>> and
>> attempt to justify it by saying that the children were not really
>> children
>> but
>> young ruffians.  They also say that the suffering of Elisha's final
>> illness was
>> punishment for it.
>>
>>> What does this have to do with Parkinson's disease and why am I told
>>> over
>>> and
>> over by Christians to read the Bible?  I was told to do this by a woman
>> in
>> a
>> restaurant last Sunday  when she noted my disability and difficulty
>> moving.
>>
>> There are two approaches:  (1)  They're jerks, so ignore them.  (2)  Give
>> them
>> the benefit of the doubt and assume they meant well and that they meant
>> to
>> say
>> religion could help you to come to terms with the disease.  There are
>> certainly
>> many examples in human experience of that happening.  But they are still
>> jerks
>> since they don't know that just reading the Bible, starting with page 1,
>> is not
>> going to do it.
>>
>>> I have many, many more questions, like the several versions of Jesus'
>>> lineage,
>> but they can be answered off list.
>>
>> Sorry, that's not my field.  But, in general, if you look for
>> contradictions,
>> that's what you'll find.
>>
>> Ray
>>
>>> for Intelligent Design advocates - why do men have nipples?  Spike
>>> doesn't.
>>
>> I am not an Intelligent Design advocate.  Assuming Spike is your male
>> dog -- my
>> understanding is that male dogs do have nipples in nature, but they may
>> not
>> develop if it is spayed at a very young age.
>>
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