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From: dnelson@joevax.UUCP (Dorothy Nelson)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: From Fig to finding a Candy Man
Message-ID: <292@joevax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 2-Oct-86 13:51:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: joevax.292
Posted: Thu Oct  2 13:51:39 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Oct-86 06:27:49 EDT
References: <5369@decwrl.DEC.COM> <1150@cybvax0.UUCP>
Reply-To: dnelson@joevax.UUCP (Dorothy Nelson)
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In article <> smk@cbosgd.UUCP (Steve Kennedy) writes:
>In article <6336@think.COM> craig@godot.think.com.UUCP (Craig Stanfill) writes:
>>Mikki completely misses several points.  First, the story of the fig tree
>>has given biblical scholars trouble for a long time.  It is strongly
>>suspected that the story is garbled in some fashion.  Part of it may be
>>missing, or two stories may have been run together.  There is plenty of
>>precedent for both in other parts of the scripture.  Interpreting this
>>story is difficult.
Then why are you so certain Mikki is wrong in her interpretation?
>>
>>Second, Jesus spoke an parables and often acted in parables.  The
>>essence of a parable is that it MUST be interpreted on the symbolic
>>level.  Mikki ignores this.  As I interpret it, the fig tree that bears
>>no fruit is the disciple who does no good.  When Jesus gives the tree
>>more time to show fruit, he is showing mercy.  
When does He give it more time??  He's hungry, sees the tree, gets pissed off
and nukes it.
>>When Jesus chops down the
>>tree, the day of judgement has arrived and Jesus will disown the
>>fruitless disciple as a hypocrite.
Ah.  But who is doing the condemning here?  It has been said here that only
WE have the ability to alienate *ourselves* from God, the God that is good
and does not "destroy what He created."  Were the parable to reflect this
it would read that the fig tree shriveled due to it's own evil and disease,
and not through Jesus' cursing.  

Of course, you may say,"Well, God can do whatever the heck He wants," and I
suppose that's OK... but it undermines the whole argument that started this
off about the Damager God.  Originally it was stated that God has
given us the great gift of His Son and forgiveness, and it is we ourselves
in denying this gift who condemn ourselves.  This jibes very poorly with the
fig parable.
>>
>>Third, since Mikki misses the symbolism of the interpretation, his
>>criticism is way off the mark: God created the fig tree (disciple) with
>>free will, the choice of whether to bear fruit or not.
>>
>>			-Craig
>
>Fig trees have free will?  Fig trees make choices?  Please explain...
In parables almost all the symbols are fairly malleable.  They are intended
to evoke a response about a misunderstood concept by referring to understood
concepts.  Problem is, these u