Re: OT: The basis of faith (Was: Re: Children should wear bicycle helmets)

[Ian Smith]

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 23:11:25 +0000, Tony Raven <[email protected]> wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> >
> > The deliberate distortion by the tabloid press revealed much about
> > them, but nothing about Mr Jenkins.
>
> So presumably the divine retribution on York Minster was based on what
> the tabloids, not the Bishop, said then.

If you're prepared to accept that the divinity could aim for Durham
and hit York, then I suppose it's credible that he/she/it could aim
for the tabloids and hit a church.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

 

[Tony Raven]

Ian Smith wrote:

>
> If you're prepared to accept that the divinity could aim for Durham
> and hit York, then I suppose it's credible that he/she/it could aim
> for the tabloids and hit a church.
>

Yebbut he was ordained in the Minster three days before the thunderbolt
hit. So you cannot criticise aim although the timing was admittedly a
bit off. But then again what is three days in an eternity and maybe all
this stuff about minimising collateral damage has crept into divine
procedures as well and the strike could only be when the Minster was empty.

Tony ;-)

 

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:30:09 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be Ian
Smith <[email protected]> wrote this:-

>If you're prepared to accept that the divinity could aim for Durham
>and hit York,

It was presumably the Archbishop of York who carried out the
Enthronement, in the Minster. Therefore the "aim" seems to be
accurate, but the timing wrong.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:30:09 +0000 (UTC), Ian Smith
<[email protected]> wrote in message
<[email protected]>:

>If you're prepared to accept that the divinity could aim for Durham
>and hit York, then I suppose it's credible that he/she/it could aim
>for the tabloids and hit a church.

Durham is part of the archdiocese of York, and the archbishop of York
was (IIRC) an outspoken defender of Jenkins.

Not that I ever subscribed to the idea of York as divine retribution
anyway; it was very much an invention of the press in my view.

Guy
--
"then came ye chavves, theyre cartes girded wyth candels
blue, and theyre beastes wyth straynge horn-lyke thyngs
onn theyre arses that theyre fartes be herde from myles
around." Chaucer, the Sheppey Tales

 

[Tony Raven]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>
> Not that I ever subscribed to the idea of York as divine retribution
> anyway; it was very much an invention of the press in my view.
>

I agree - its Slough that's divine retribution - but I think York
predates the press

Tony ;-)

 

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 17:55:42 +0000 someone who may be "Just zis Guy,
you know?" <[email protected]> wrote this:-

>Not that I ever subscribed to the idea of York as divine retribution
>anyway;

Certainly. However, the timing was very amusing.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

 

[JLB]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

> Not that I ever subscribed to the idea of York as divine retribution
> anyway; it was very much an invention of the press in my view.

Did *any* sensible person subscribe to the divine retribution view?

A tall building hit by lightning is hardly out of the ordinary. There is
a reason for lightning conductors. There is also a widely accepted
scientific explanation for the phenomenon. If someone does take the
divine retribution view, do they think all the other lightning strikes
are also signs of divine disfavour? Does God have a grudge against tall
buildings generally? And various trees? And the two young ladies with
the under-wire bras who were killed by lightning in Hyde Park in 1999?
And Florida, which leads the U.S. in lightning deaths, injuries, and
casualties? If not, how are people supposed to distinguish lightning
strikes that are normal physical phenomena from the ones with a divine
message? If God is trying to tell us something, about David Jenkins or
anything else, why doesn't he just bloody say it? Communication by
lightning bolt makes no damn sense.

Although I did once have a woodwork teacher who would sometimes get a
student's attention by throwing a hammer at him. That worked quite well.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

 

[Tony Raven]

JLB wrote:

> And Florida, which leads the U.S. in lightning deaths, injuries, and
> casualties?

At last, proof there really is a God and a discerning one as well ;-)

Tony

 

[Jon Senior]

JLB wrote:
> Did *any* sensible person subscribe to the divine retribution view?

Never underestimate the human power of pattern-matching!

> If God is trying to tell us something, about David Jenkins or
> anything else, why doesn't he just bloody say it? Communication by
> lightning bolt makes no damn sense.

All together now... "The Lord moves in mysterious ways!".

Jon