Duh.

And if you're a scriptural literalist, you'll find each book contains inescapable contradictions and hypocrisy.

Hallelujah!

I expected Ric Romero to be involved. He probably didn't want to get smited.

In other news, politically ambitious leaders manipulate and grotesquely alter belief structures to their own ends.

Because, like the rest of human-created art, they're a reflection of humanity, not some Deus Ex Machina. Man was not created in God's image, but rather the opposite.

This has always seemed hypocritical to me. "Thou shalt not kill." Unless another group of people really pisses you off, then start a Crusade and wipe them from the face of the planet if at all possible. And my personal favorite: Kill a lamb and put it's blood on your doorjamb, or tonight I'll kill your oldest son.

kill...Kill...KILL!!!!!

/You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant

mediaho: Blasphemor!

I thought the beginging of the Bible was tastefully done, yet the ending seemed tacked on and rushed.

B+

I wish I could dance to the Bible.

anal brazil men: I wish I could dance to the Bible.

You can dance if you want to...

The Onanist
anal brazil men: I wish I could dance to the Bible.

You can dance if you want to...

You can leave your friends behind

1) The New Testament doesn't have a whole ton in the way of teachings that spawn wars, persecution, and strife.

2) Nonetheless, Christians -- mainly in the past -- have used a combination of the New Testament and the Hebrew Scriptures to justify violence.

3) Jews are depicted as committing pretty awful acts of violence in the Old Testament and have sometimes done so in the more recent past.

4) The Islamic holy books have some passages that are read by some as condoning violence against civilians and spreading their faith by the sword.

5) Some of the people we're fighting right now believe this to be true.

6) However, it would appear that the vast majority of Islamic scholars do not believe this. After all, the Quran says "There is no compulsion in religion." Then again, like all holy books, it is sometimes contradictory.

7) Furthermore, if you have 1,000,000 Muslims rioting and destroying and yelling over cartoons or the Pope or whatever, that's only 0.067% of the Muslims in the world.

8) The others may be offended by the Pope's remarks or cartoons or whatever, but clearly don't feel the need to go riot in the streets.

9) Furthermore, they probably don't feel the need to apologize for the actions of their fellow Muslims -- as a person of Irish descent who was raised Catholic, I never felt compelled to apologize for the actions of the IRA.

10) The relative peacefulness of the Muslims in America seems to indicate that this is a matter of society rather than religion. What I'm about to say will probably have some calling me "racist," but the fact of the matter is that African-Americans commit a disproportionately large number of crimes. Is this because they're naturally violent? No. If that were the case, people of African descent living in places like Western Europe would also act the same way... which is simply not the case. People of African descent living in Europe haven't been downtrodden and oppressed as recently or as long as those living in America. Oppression breeds poverty, poverty breeds crime. Likewise, Muslims in many other countries have been oppressed and screwed over quite a bit and as a result, turn to violence more than those in more successful countries.

11) The crappy conditions, coupled with our messing around in "their turf" (Israel; Iran; Saudi Arabia; Iraq; etc.) give the loony demagogues like bin Laden more leverage to push their agenda and brainwash young Muslims. The average terrorist isn't a bin Laden. The average terrorist has been brainwashed by the bin Laden types to do the things they do.

12) When Europe came out of the Middle Ages, Christian-sponsored violence faded. When much of the Islamic world comes out of their backwards way, Islam-sponsored violence will fade. Unfortunately, the "NUKE 'EM ALL" attitude (and the actions that follow it) make #10 and #11 worse, not better... which is why it is necessary to be a little saner in the War on Terror.

Those are my thoughts, though I expect to be criticized by all sides for them.

Dancing is a sin.

Exodus 32:19-21, 31
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot.... And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

The Onanist
anal brazil men: I wish I could dance to the Bible.

You can dance if you want to...

You can leave your friends behind

'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance Well they're no friends of mine

Action Replay Nick: Dancing is a sin.

Exodus 32:19-21, 31
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot.... And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

Are you sure it wasn't the calf?

Aw, jeeze, not another one of these threads.


elchip: he relative peacefulness of the Muslims in America seems to indicate that this is a matter of society rather than religion.

It's not so much 'race' as 'the way things have been done in the area since time immemorial' right there.

Action Replay Nick: Dancing is a sin.

Exodus 32:19-21, 31
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot.... And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

The golden calf was the sin, as it was a false idol. Jews have no problems with dancing, as anyone who's ever been on Broadway can testify.

The problem does not lie with the religion.

The problem lies with the dogma that people constrain themselves with.

The problem lies with people using said dogma as an excuse to act out their own agendas, and claiming that said dogma not only excuses their actions, but makes them somehow more right than anyone else.

It's not the religion that's the problem. It's the fan club.

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God....

elchip: 1) The New Testament doesn't have a whole ton in the way of teachings that spawn wars, persecution, and strife.

I don't think it's prudent, when talking about the bible, for folks to toss out the part that they don't like (the old testament).

I mean, the god of the old testament was a bloodthirsty bastard. But in the new testament, he's all shiny and happy.

/Did god take a prozac between the testaments or something.

lordargent: I don't think it's prudent, when talking about the bible, for folks to toss out the part that they don't like (the old testament).

I mean, the god of the old testament was a bloodthirsty bastard. But in the new testament, he's all shiny and happy.

/Did god take a prozac between the testaments or something.

Did you not read #2 and #3?

Action Replay Nick: Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God....

There you go. Get the right preacher if you're going to go claiming that sorta thing.

The Baptists like Paul. He's a dick.

FTFA: Killing in the "Good Book" is of biblical proportions.

Bah-dum chhh!

Every spiritual text? I'm going to kill you all in the name of Lao Tzu.

filth: Every spiritual text? I'm going to kill you all in the name of Lao Tzu.

Oh, thanks for reminding me. Lemme see if I can find something violent. I think I know which one....

"The best General
Enters the mind of his enemy"

That's all I can really do, unless I pull a Fundamentalist "let's use a dishonest ellipsis here" and go....

When a country is in harmony with the Tao...
The factories make farm implements.
When a country goes counter to the Tao,
Weapons are stockpiled in the cities.

mediaho: Because, like the rest of human-created art, they're a reflection of humanity, not some Deus Ex Machina. Man was not created in God's image, but rather the opposite.


For some reason I can't help but read your post in the tone of a total stoner...man.

There's only one holy book good for all that ails you.

Doesn't say kill once in there.

Praise Eris ... and her new moon Dysnomia.

Action Replay Nick: Dancing is a sin.

You know damn well you're wrong and that's not what this is saying

lordargent: the god of the old testament was a bloodthirsty bastard

No He's not.

filth: Every spiritual text? I'm going to kill you all in the name of Lao Tzu.


Did the CHinese government ever adopt Taoism as a major state religion? I didn't think they had. It was always confuscinism, Buddhism, or old school Animistic stuff.

st_gulik: Did the CHinese government ever adopt Taoism as a major state religion? I didn't think they had. It was always confuscinism, Buddhism, or old school Animistic stuff.

Define 'government'

There were some Emperors who liked it, but really, it's not meant to be a religion so much as a philosophy.

At least, that's my opinion. YMMV.

Tatsuma: No He's not.

Well, He is pretty violent against anyone who basically looks at the Children of Israel the wrong way...

It's not the religion that's the problem. It's the fan club.

Doesn't the fan club decide what the religion is all about?

elchip: Well, He is pretty violent against anyone who basically looks at the Children of Israel the wrong way...

It boils down to "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you". Can you really blame G-d for asking us to smite the Amalekites (who attacked our weak and old as we went out of the desert, a people straight out of slavery and without a home) or the Canaanites,

It is stressed very clearly that Israel is permitted to enter and take for itself Canaan not because of Israel's righteousness (I mean, righteousness? Remember Korah? The Golden Calf? Whining about water? The spies?) but because of the Canaan's wickedness (sacrificing babies was their national sport)

I like Old Testament God better than New Testament God. In between He must have gotten a girlfriend or something.

whatshisname: Doesn't the fan club decide what the religion is all about?

Only after the Beatles are all dead. Still two to go.

anal brazil men: I like Old Testament God better than New Testament God. In between He must have gotten a girlfriend or something.

Well, there *was* that Mary chick....
.......ohhhh, NOW I get the whole 'born-again virgin' concept......

dillenger69: Praise Eris ... and her new moon Dysnomia.

which is secretly named Gulik

Tatsuma

So you claim that since the Canaanites performed human sacrifice... exactly like 90% of the known world of the time, that somehow their complete and utter slaughter was justified because God told them too? Remember now, that as the Canaanite cities were attacked, they would completely eliminate every man, woman, and child... not because of their individual evilnerss, but because they had been given permission from their god to to kill every single Canaanite and repopulate their lands with their own people.

But somehow this does not equate to a wrathful, violent god?

Religion sucks, and sucks hard, because it causes people to have yet more devisiveness between them, while forcing them to rule out reason and logic since it would dare to conflict with their blind faith.

Religion may well be the death of us all if we can not bring reason and logic into the minds of the fanatics on all sides, to make them stop leading us all further down this road towards an all out religious world war.

If you're referring to the old testament, then es. It's full of murders, killing, incest, theft, and wars.

However, there is no such thing in the new testament.

The difference is that the Bible mitigates it's "killing" message with the New Testament's "peace" message. The New Testament supersedes the old. On the other hand, the peaceful messages in the Koran are superseded by the warlike ones.

Farkeologist: "Thou shalt not kill."

Geez. Not that crap again. The proper translation is "Thou shalt not murder".

muninsfire: Only after the Beatles are all dead. Still two to go.

Ringo has done so much drugs you might as well check that one off your list.

Scooby's'pawn: If you're referring to the old testament, then es. It's full of murders, killing, incest, theft, and wars.

However, there is no such thing in the new testament.

Eternal suffering, fire and brimstone, etc. because you don't believe in Jesus isn't barbaric?

I figure it's because most people are dicks.

This thread needs the warning signs. Help out a html-tard, please.

/gets the popcorn

The Christian Bible, the Hebrew Bible and the Koran share the same Abrahamic tradition. Each so-called "holy" book contains barbaric and bloodthirsty teachings which have spawned wars, persecution and strife in the name of a god. Peace-loving and civilized societies must rise above these primitive teachings by bolstering the wall of separation between religion and government.


Who brought the marshmallows? I'll go sharpen some sticks while we wait for this sucker to really get going.

*pops popcorn*

/enough for all

Why is it that the skeptics of a given faith tend to be more literalist about interpreting that faith's sacred texts than even the most radical fundamentalists?

fifthhorseman: /gets the popcorn

Oh, something else then?

"Geez. Not that crap again. The proper translation is "Thou shalt not murder"."

Funny. You mean, all those Ten COmmandment yard signs are wrong?

anal brazil men: I wish I could dance to the Bible.

You can dance if you want to...

You can leave your friends behind

'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance Well they're no friends of mine

Doot Doot
Deet Deet
Doot Doot
Doo deedledeet

HA HA

stupid joos
stupid cat licks
stupid moose lims
stupid christmasians

\but i am very spiritual
\\really

Dubya's_Coke_Dealer: Funny. You mean, all those Ten COmmandment yard signs are wrong?

Well, for one thing they don't have the one about, "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mothers milk."