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Halo In Church Points Out ESRB Flaws
The recent controversy over church groups making use of Halo 3 to attract young men to their services continues to be a subject of debate outside of the fan press. GamePolitics notes that the debate is indicative of flaws in the ESRB's system, and in mainstream culture's understanding of those ratings. "When you look at it like that, it's hard to blame those who criticize bringing Halo into sacred space. For the most part the critics are not gamers and have no concept of the vast difference between Halo and GTA. All they know is that the games share a common M rating, a designation assigned by the game industry itself, theoretically for the protection of impressionable youth. For the uninitiated it's only logical to assume the content must be of a similar character as well. As someone who has played both, I'd argue that there is a world of difference between Halo and GTA."
Except Jesus supposedly made the wine after the guests were already drunk, therefore implicitly condoning drunkenness.
"and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.""
John 2:9-10, NIV
"Thou shalt not kill" does not mesh well with "Thou shalt kill aliens in copious numbers".
Sometimes when looking at a translation dictionary you get the impression that one word translates precisely into another word. That is not true, the two words may have vastly different connotation. Also, connotations may change over time. I am no biblical scholar, but I believe that it has been well established that a more accurate translation of the ancient Hebrew text refers to "murder". not "kill".
Also, the concept of just or defensive wars is well established in most Christian churches. The Old Testament clearly approves of warfare.
You're trying to pretend there is a difference between killing and killing a killer, or that it's somehow OK to kill during war. I don't really have any strong believes in anything but I have very strong morals on this topic.
Killing is Killing and it's bad to kill people! The passage in the bible is mis translated in some bibles. The exact passage translates more closely to "Thou shalt no murder". In certain notable translations it's translated "thou shalt no kill." This isn't double speak. most languages do not line up 1:1. The original text used a word that is more in line with the word "murder" then "kill" but for one reason or another certain translations used "kill".
Your morals are irrelevant to the translation of the word. You may believe killing a cow is wrong but it doesn't effect the translation of exodus.
If you investigate the history of Judaism and the early Christian churches you'll find neither religion does not agree on your view of "killing". Both outline circumstances where killing is morally correct. Some off shoots (modern and ancient) of Christianity might be more to your liking but it does not change the original word used int he 10 commandments.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
There it is, 'thou shall have at least one good party, with lots of food and drinks, in your church every year'.
That doesn't go against all the warnings against excessive drinking habits, but there is a huge difference between drinking a lot at a party and being druk all the time.
It's a common misunderstanding, but indeed it took a good while back in the bible for a person to become drunk in excess since the proof back then was so low in wine due to their technology.
Most importantly though, this is clearly not so much about the party as it is the correlation to Jesus's purpose on earth.
Verse six of chaper two of John reads "And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of purifying the Jews containing two or three firkins apiece."
This passage is about relating Jesus's pursose here on earth to fulfill or complete the prophecies of the old testament about the first coming of the messiah and to bring the Jews into the fold.