Celsus_Veritas

It is interesting, this debate on the existence of evil. it has been ragin as long as humans have been able to communicate with each other, in every culture. I tend to like the traditional Jewish explanation. That each person has two sides to their nature or tendencies. Both have a place. It is the desires that make us burn for passion for our wives and seek to achieve sucess for a better life. Only when we allow the animal instincts to rule over our mind/spirit, does it become evil. Evil is about a lack of control, a failure to live up to the divine nature, a denial of our true selves.

1) Do you consider yourself to be a progressive Christian? Why or why not? At this time I do not consider myself a Christian at all. I would consider myself to be more of a Deist, with a belief in the core ethical tteachings of Jesus. 2) Where do you live? If you're under 18, please don't be any more specific than your city and do NOT give us your school or your last name. Its not safe. Austin, TX 3) What do you do for a living? What do you do outside of your wage-earning job? I am a database engineer adn an officer in the Army guard. Outside of work, I command (lead) the third largest squadron on the Civil Air Patrol, which is much like scouting but aviation oriented, along with my son who is a cadet. I fly, read, camp, the usual guy things. 4) How did you find out about these boards? I usually host the ExChrsistian Rom on Yahoo. i had an interesting conversation with a gentleman who is a pastor in Indiana whois a member of this organization. While I no longer consider myself to be a Christian, I have no problems with fair, open minded and progressive persons of any or no religious persuasion. As a former member of a more fundamentalist denomination, my beef is with the irrational, anti-intellectual and intolerance stances therein. 5) What are you looking for as you post here? Dialogue and an opportunity to learn and share. 6) What on Earth do you think this icon means? Dunno 7) Tell us anything else you want to about yourself . i have been married 20 years, to a woman that is now a liberal Christian. (we were both raised fundamentalist). We have two children, one in high school and one beginning middle school.