Sorry about getting back to you so late. The ministry has been very busy lately! I think I have a bit of a breather right now. I'm thinking maybe we should focus on one point at a time so that we don't have long responses and so we can focus on one issue at a time and give more concise answers. (A tentative list at bottom of this post)
Let's start with your last point of Authority!
First, if you could explain what you mean by "authority with allegory"
Just to define Authority real quick, Authority has two dimensions, one is Imperial Authority and the other is Veracious Authority. Imperial Authority is some one who holds authority over you based on the position that they have. for example a dictator has Imperial Authority. A person in society must listen to them because of their position. The person knows that if they do not listen then they could be put to death. When we drive down the road we let police have authority over how fast we drive only when we see a police car. At all other times we ignore their authority. Imperial Authority only works when the enforcement is in place. Our government really only exercises Imperial Authority. For the most part people only give the government authority when there is a chance of being caught, so this authority is extremely limited. And at the end of the day is not authority at all.
For a Christian we believe Christ/God/HS have Veracious Authority over us. This means that it is not the position that we respect, but the character of God that holds authority over us. We saw that that Christ humbled himself for death on the cross the ultimate self-sacrifice and display of love. For God so loved(-agape-unconditionally loved) the World that He gave His Only Son! When a Christian sees this character of God then we give God Authority over our lives! This is really the best type of Authority you can have! We realize that the Authority is not limited to when we feel God is present. We follow His authority voluntarily! This goes back to God's free will that he has given us. He does not want us to live under a dictator. This is why in the OT God allowed for generations and generations and even more generations of his chosen people who had made a covenant with him and were bound to death by the covenant to continue to break the covenant before calling them on covenant lawsuit. He wanted them to follow Him not because of His position, but because they wanted to, after realizing His power!! This is called Grace and Mercy.
You may give Authority to the government, but if you were completely honest it is not an Authority that is full of integrity. By this i mean you would go against the governments authority if you felt it was misguided or even if you were late for work and needed to speed. However, with Richard Dawkins you give him Veracious Authority over your life and education and purchasing power because you like his character. Even when he is not around you still see his authority over your life.
The most important part of Authority given to someone is the by product of Influence. How does the Government's authority effect you? How does Dawkins authority effect you? (rhetorical)
As a Christian, after learning and studying the Character of God, I give Him authority out of free choice, not out of being forced to do so. Anyone giving God Authority simply because of His position, has very misguided theology of who God is and how He wants us to follow Him. God does not seek Imperial Authority, but Veracious Authority over our lives. This influences me in every walk of life. Because of my love for God, I TRY to live life in a way that would be pleasing to Him. This influence of His Authority cause me to listen to his Laws, his proverbs, his prophecies, His gospels, parables, teachings, His letters, and his revelation. I listen because I know God wants what is best for me and in following and looking back at my life, when i follow God life is better, the Kingdom of Heaven is Here, when i don't, I see Hell show up on earth. In other words when I follow God there is a point to life, there is purpose, when I don't it is random and pointless. I don't arbitrarily give God this authority, I love him and this love allows for Authority.
Please explain what you mean by "religion just claims authority and then stomps on the questions of those authority with allegory" That may a good place for you to jump off to next on the issue of Authority.
Here is a good comment from Dad about Authority...
Hmmm...Interesting thought about authority, but... Why is any authority IN authority? It is, in some measure, from self-proclaimed authority. Adults, parents, teachers, etc. Even elected authority is based on the collective authority of the people doing the election. Why is it legal for some people to vote, but not others? Did something about that truth suddenly change when the voting age dropped 3 years to age 18?Based on your reasoning, religion has at least as much authority as anything else--or nothing has authority. If there is no God, all authority is self-defined--something you criticize religion of doing. Perhaps religious thought, and the thoughts you share, are closer than they might appear at first viewing.
Here are some Points for later discussions after we finish up Authority...
Points to follow(if okay with you, please add into the points so it's not all me)0.5)Authority
1)Jesus is God and more than a great teacher
2)The God of the Old Testament
-->Don't forget Context!
3)Evidence vs. Faith
--> You have to put faith in the Evidence you Recieve
4)Altruism vs. Religious Motivation
5)Canon
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