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Thought I might post a weekly (or so) essay, Bible study, story, joke, or whatever, for your enjoyment. ;) This week's topic:

Doubting Thomas

Thomas got a bum rap. It so happened that he wasn't present when Jesus first appeared to the rest of the disciples. We all know the story: when they told Thomas that Jesus was alive, he didn't believe them. But what about the others? Even Mary had to see and hear Jesus before she knew He had risen. When she told the disciples, they didn't believe her! Mark 16 says Jesus appeared to two others, who also told them about it, and they still didn't believe. It wasn't until Jesus showed up in person that they believed.

It was exactly the same for Thomas, except he had the bad luck of being somewhat chided by Jesus for not believing what he heard. "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." So he gets the dubious honor of being known as "Doubting Thomas". But why not add the tag to all of the disciples? Why not Doubting Peter, Doubting John, etc.? I wonder if they squirmed a little, when Jesus was picking on poor Thomas, realizing that they were guilty of the same thing.

Of course, why Thomas was singled out and given his embarrassing nickname isn't the important thing. We shouldn't miss the bigger point being made: that we should always believe whatever people tell us, even if there is no evidence to see or substance to touch.

Today, we are all in the same boat with Thomas. Or, rather, the boat he was in until he actually saw Jesus, and from that standpoint, Thomas was very lucky indeed. We don't have the luxury of doubting until we see Him. Our only option is to be in that "blessed" group of folks who just believe what we're told. We have to have more faith than any of the disciples did.

Hey, 42 views! The answer to the ultimate question! :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmy (Post 783083)

Hey, 42 views! The answer to the ultimate question! :D

Aw, now it's 44. Hey! Vick's Formula!

Lookie what I found:

http://www.thewitness.org/article.php?id=865

I figured I wasn't the first one to notice this, so I googled "Doubting Thomas bum rap". This fellow has a different take on it, though. Interesting.

89 views. "89 Reasons Christ Will Return in 1989"? :winkgrin

102 views. I couldn't think of anything interesting about that number, but wikipedia has lots:

Quote:

102 is an abundant number and semiperfect number. It is a sphenic number. It is the sum of four consecutive prime numbers (19 + 23 + 29 + 31).

The sum of Euler's totient function φ(x) over the first eighteen integers is 102.

102 is the third base 10 polydivisible number, since 1 is divisible by 1, 10 is divisible by 2 and 102 is divisible by 3. This also shows that 102 is a Harshad number.

Hmmm.....Now where can I post that instructional video on berry place card holders?

NOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :toofunny :bliss

115 views.

Quote:

115 is a heptagonal pyramidal number and a lucky number. 115 is a Zuckerman number in base 10. Because 115 has an odd number of 1s in its binary representation, it is sometimes called an "odious number."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmy (Post 783083)

Hey, 42 views! The answer to the ultimate question! :D

And now it's 42 + 100. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/142_(number):

Quote:

In mathematics

There is no answer to the equation φ(x) = 142, making 142 a nontotient.

But there are 142 planar graphs with 6 unlabeled vertices.[1]

As for the year 142, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/142:

Quote:

Religion

* Marcion proclaims that the Old Testament is incompatible with Christianity.