Ecclesiastes 9:5-6

[Lethkhar]

It's poetry. It's showing a contrast between the dead and the living. I could do a commentary on it if you like. I'm supposed to be practicing those...  

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

As long as it's respectful.  

[Priestley]

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

If Jesus' ideas about life and death are anything to go by, the verses refer to the spiritually dead and the spiritually living.

The spiritually dead strive to do everything within that life for its own sake because that's all that matters to them. A quote springs to mind along the lines of: "Let's eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die." Might as well enjoy life if it's all we have, right?

Wrong.

The spiritually living know that what they strive to do has rewards beyond physical death. The reward Jesus has been given in heaven and the memory we have of the amazing legacy that he has left to us are examples of this. Jesus teaches us to do what we do on earth to store treasures for ourselves in heaven. Jesus teaches that the good we do on Earth for others while we are alive will be there for them to enjoy long after we are gone.  

[Lethkhar]

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?  

[Priestley]

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

What am I supposed to have done this time?  

[GuardianAngel44]

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

You made it kinda obvious. "It's poetry. It's showing the contrast between life and death." That's what he based it on.  

[Lethkhar]

Priestley

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

What am I supposed to have done this time?

Well, you didn't have to contradict me, did you? That sentence was totally unnecessary. If you want me to discuss what I meant by then sentence, then we can do so. But I never meant to imply that the poem was simple.  

[Lethkhar]

GuardianAngel44

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

You made it kinda obvious. "It's poetry. It's showing the contrast between life and death." That's what he based it on.

But perhaps my meaning was sublime?

Based on his tone, I'm pretty sure he didn't catch it.  

[Lyneun]

Ah, tone of voice over the internet. The bane of many discussions. *laughs* cool  

[Priestley]

Lethkhar

Priestley

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

What am I supposed to have done this time?

Well, you didn't have to contradict me, did you? That sentence was totally unnecessary. If you want me to discuss what I meant by then sentence, then we can do so. But I never meant to imply that the poem was simple.

If I was intentionally contradicting you and speaking with you specifically, I would have quoted your post as I am doing now.

The facts are that I didn't quote you and that other people in this thread have expressed opinions about the passage being poetry about life, death and the contrast therein. It just so happens that your post sits quite prominently at the top of the second page and I have posted previously without having expressed a particular opinion about the passage until now.

Calm down. My post was about the passage, not about you.  

[Priestley]

GuardianAngel44

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

You made it kinda obvious. "It's poetry. It's showing the contrast between life and death." That's what he based it on.

Actually, I used "not a simple poem" as an introduction to my argument that the meaning was complex. It was not directed anyone in particular. I agree, Lethkar's sentence served as a good diving board but my argument was designed to enrich the understanding of Christians who read this thread, not to contradict him.  

[Priestley]

When I asked my mother about Ecclesiastes, I was handed by my mother a book called "The Bible for Everyday Life", for which the Archbishop of Canterbury, England (The Right Rev. Dr. George Carey) was the Consulting Editor. The message of Ecclesiastes contained was contributed by Dr. David Clines, Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield, England.

While it gives me a deeper, fuller understanding of what Solomon has discovered about life, it can seem rather pessimistic to say "everything is meaningless." What I choose to draw from Ecclesiastes is to make the most of the lot God has given to us (within the framework God has given us) while we have it. We are a long time dead and it would be a shame to have wasted such an opportunity.

However, I'd like to draw people's attention to Luke 12:13-21 (and the rest of the chapter, as it is still relevant), in which Jesus seems to both confirm yet correct the attitude of Solomon in Ecclesiastes. In essence, if one is morally bankrupt towards God and doesn't do what He expects, everything one accumulates in life is of little importance.  

[GuardianAngel44]

Priestley

GuardianAngel44

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

You made it kinda obvious. "It's poetry. It's showing the contrast between life and death." That's what he based it on.

Actually, I used "not a simple poem" as an introduction to my argument that the meaning was complex. It was not directed anyone in particular. I agree, Lethkar's sentence served as a good diving board but my argument was designed to enrich the understanding of Christians who read this thread, not to contradict him.

I was quoting Lethkar, not you.  

[Priestley]

GuardianAngel44

Priestley

GuardianAngel44

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

You made it kinda obvious. "It's poetry. It's showing the contrast between life and death." That's what he based it on.

Actually, I used "not a simple poem" as an introduction to my argument that the meaning was complex. It was not directed anyone in particular. I agree, Lethkar's sentence served as a good diving board but my argument was designed to enrich the understanding of Christians who read this thread, not to contradict him.

I was quoting Lethkar, not you.

I know you were and I thank you for coming to my defence, even if it wasn't necessary. However, I thought it necessary to correct your assumption that I based my argument solely on Lethkhar's statement.

I think we all need to take a deep breath and count to ten. We're getting a bit carried away with ourselves. sweatdrop  

[GuardianAngel44]

Priestley

GuardianAngel44

Priestley

GuardianAngel44

Lethkhar

Priestley

I'm quite sure it's not a simple poem about the contrast between life and death.

You don't even know what I meant by that. wink Why contradict it?

You made it kinda obvious. "It's poetry. It's showing the contrast between life and death." That's what he based it on.

Actually, I used "not a simple poem" as an introduction to my argument that the meaning was complex. It was not directed anyone in particular. I agree, Lethkar's sentence served as a good diving board but my argument was designed to enrich the understanding of Christians who read this thread, not to contradict him.

I was quoting Lethkar, not you.

I know you were and I thank you for coming to my defence, even if it wasn't necessary. However, I thought it necessary to correct your assumption that I based my argument solely on Lethkhar's statement.

I think we all need to take a deep breath and count to ten. We're getting a bit carried away with ourselves. sweatdrop

What? I'm confuzzled. Let's start over.




Hi. I'm Josh. *Holds out hand to shake*