Hiya :D

In regards to faith, it's about words, how you define faith. You do believe, based upon whichever logical/philosophical point of reference, that certain things equate this and that. One cannot escape this.

I don't wanna get into semantics. It's a waste of time. I prefer to get into the meat :D

I equate belief and faith. We are but humans, and therefore are incapable of reasoning beyond a limited scope. Our rationalized selves are at the mercy of whichever thought process, at whichever belief system, we purport too.

True

So, your lack of faith in a god, therefore becomes a sort of faith in your reasoning power to determine that there isn't a god. Everyone believes in something. I guess it's your aversion to the word faith that has a hook.

There are positions I take based on accumulated knowledge and experience. These are not beliefs and can change in a second if a stronger position comes along.

But atheism, most certainly is a belief system. To disbelieve in something, such as with your webster online definition, one must believe in something else.

I disagree. I'll be 50 this year. I used to hold beliefs in this and that. At some point I realised that belief is a straight jacket. I like keeping an open mind. I HAVE NO BELIEFS! That's just how it is. You can say I BELIEVE I have no beliefs and that it s a faith position or a belief but, with respect, you don't know me at all. I've trained myself to be fluid in respect to everything. The reasons are multiple but one of my beliefs caused massage damage to my health so I'm very careful nowadays. :S

There's a great quote from David Foster Wallace, the suicide post modern author, considered by some, to be the greatest author of the 1990's. It comes from his speech "This is Water." The whole thing is a great read if you get the time.

Thanks. I've got this ready in my browser to read :D

"...there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships.

No. I disagree with this totally and unapologetically. It's not even a case of semantics. Worshipping is a conscious activity, putting something higher in the sense that it is immaculate, something before which one feels the need to grovel, squirming on the belly in self-deprecating awe. Not me. Not ever! :D

the time period was simply too volatile in relation to agenda.

There were agendas aplenty during that time. Lots of political activity. Where can we find politics with no agenda?

I'm confused about your Nazareth statement, shouldn't it being discovered add credence to the Biblical place?

You'd think, wouldn't you, but not at all. It exists BECAUSE OF the bible. Nazareth was built by religion itself! It put flesh and bones on its myth. Because Matthew wrote about it being Jesus' birthplace, early worshippers sought to hunt out and pay homage to the place with not much luck (coz it didn't exist). It started to take off when Empress Helena (4th century C.E.) decided to do some Christian 'works' before she croaked. All they could find in the area was an ancient well. She called it 'Mary's Well' and built a church on top of it; this helped kick-start lucrative Christian Tourism.

-Q is just a bunch of sayings Jesus said, not narrative...but again, without it ever being found, whether or not it existed becomes the issue...people have come up with this through a literary interpretation, the person of Jesus is consistent according to what he said

Ok. I deffo need to read more about this. Problem is I've currently got 3 books on the go and Steemit :P I will get around to this though.

-one of our biggest dilemmas is where to place Q and Matthew and Mark in terms of history. Prior to the 1900's, historians were placing the date at closer to 200, but through the years, that time has dipped lower and lower. Now there is a general consensus that Paul's letters came in between 55 and 90, and that in no way could it have been written past 120.

Thanks for this. I really appreciate it. Paul's an interesting character. I like reading about him. He speaks of Jesus as though he's an ethereal type of being rather than flesh and blood.

I'm not sure if any of this helps. Anyways, good talking to you.

Yes, good talking with you too.

Cheers