BeachSiO2
Beach Fanatic
I'll chime back in here because I believe this is the problem between Christianity and many present day Churches. I think one of the more enlightening passages is from Paul about God giving us the law so that he could show us that we could not follow the law. The law being the Torah (old Testament), the Gospels and then the Wisdom Books (Apostolic teachings) are truly three different teachings. Do they build off each other definitely but the present day sermons are still stuck in the law? Tell us what we should and should not do, don't tell me what I should be, that's too scary. The Old Testament is in place to serve a VERY important function. To give us boundaries. Have those boundaries changed in the past 4,000 years definitely, I am having pork tonight and I don't think I am going to hell. Then God says, hey this isn't working so I'll come on down and show the Jews that they are misssing a big piece of the puzzle.
This led to the Gospels, which are truly mind blowing for any overly conservative group if they took the time to truly understand them. The problem is they can be somewhat complex and Jesus knew that when he was teaching them to the apostles and they still didn't get it. Don't forget that some of the apostles came from the most educated backgrounds back then. That's why they were teachings and parables about the way, not about following Jesus, but being like Jesus. This is where I go back to my other post and what I think many miss in "true" Christianity, the point is not to cast out and seperate people into groups (i.e. Catholic, to Baptist), it is to bring people together. If you look at who Jesus brought into the fold, it was not the so-called "religious" people as they were worshipping their own idols.
Finally, the wisdom books primarily from Paul a Phoenician who was the worst of the worst. He killed Christians in the name of God before the road to Damascus conversion. Then, he converted and was called upon to dvelop churches in many different areas, and that is what his letters were, responses to questions from Corinth, Rome, Ephesus, etc. Did his answers change over time yes, but we DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS ASKED. All we have are the responses. It's almost like a one sided phone conversation, but not quite as bad.
A couple of points I want to add. It is impossible to literally interpret any book as you will always bring your own background, prejudice, education, etc. to your understanding of any book. A quick example I'll choose is Physics. I am a Scientist by training and if I read a Physics book there is a high probability that I will understand certain sections better than someone who is not a scientist. Am I physicist, no, but I still have a different background and training than a non-scientist. So, if you are in a church and they are teaching literal translations, run!
If you're wondering how I think people get a better understanding then if they aren't theologians, I would offer up Contemplative Prayer, and in other religions its called meditation so yes, I believe other religions have many of these ideas figured out better than New World Christians.In regards to a bored God, I'll offer this, why does any parent have children. For the heartache we all caused growing up. For the nursing home care we want them to provide to us later. Its probably for love, and I believe that was the purpose of God coming down in Jesus, to show us that although we should do the right things, we weren't so instead of a spanking or time out, we got an example to follow. Once again note that I did not say worship.
I'll add more later, but this is a more mystical interpretation of Christianity and the one that I personally follow. I would ask one question back regarding evolution. What is the statistical possibility that in the short amount of time that the Universe has been created, a few billion years or so that we would have developed from elements to human beings? And a second question, where did those original elements come from that developed into the primordial ooze?
By the way, I also believe things have evolved over time, and do not believe that the world was created in seven days. So, I can hold both of those things together.
Finally, I agree in the Old Testament Commandment explanation by NoHall. When Jesus came he explained it was only really two that were divided into Ten for the purpose of giving order to a Crazy world!
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Me likey a lot. All this time I was thinkin' it was Johnny Lang. 
Whoooo loves Chris Brown?!!!! ;-)