British man hacked to death

[TommyMN]

Indeed, what's the value or relevance of discussing the most published and widely distributed document in human history.....

Doctor suess has sold 600 million books. Should we discuss those as well? Arguing about something you can't prove makes everyone involved dimmer.

That's a silly response. You honestly see no value in studying the most influential book in human history? Agree or not any "educated" person has a good knowledge of the Bible. Agree or disagree with its content, the Bible has been a influencing factor in the rising and falling of nations, wars, revolutions, remarkable good and evil in the world, and a powerful force in millions of people's lives. Its impact extends to linguistics, archaeology, history and law (Edit: I should have also added ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, sociology, philosophy, etc etc).

I've studied the bible, I've been to thousands of masses here in the states and across Europe.

Religion is largest human magnet to violence. Has been for a long long time.

[TommyMN]

Indeed, what's the value or relevance of discussing the most published and widely distributed document in human history.....

Doctor suess has sold 600 million books. Should we discuss those as well? Arguing about something you can't prove makes everyone involved dimmer.

Even as relatively limited Dr Zuess books are, the are discussed in regards to their impact on childrenn'' education and behavior. So 'yes' would be the short answer.

Enough to form a religion? Redfishology?

[NMRMN]

Religion is largest human magnet to violence. Has been for a long long time.

Is government a religion?



http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/20TH.HTM

[DoxaPar]

Enough to form a religion? Redfishology?

/like

[TommyMN]

Enough to form a religion? Redfishology?

/like

I do not like them, Sam I am, I don't not like green eggs and ham... or infidels!

[Snakeman721]

Wow! This turned into a war on religions quickly! My opinion, for what it's worth....ALL religions EVERYWHERE are just a way to CONTROL people! Religion predates any form of structured government, so ancient tribal leaders needed a way to control the people in their tribes...and voila', religion was created!

[DoxaPar]

For the record, I'm not advocating for any religion. I'm an equal opportunity offender. I'll call BS on either side if necessary. And have in other posts.

[NMRMN]

Wow! This turned into a war on religions quickly! My opinion, for what it's worth....ALL religions EVERYWHERE are just a way to CONTROL people! Religion predates any form of structured government, so ancient tribal leaders needed a way to control the people in their tribes...and voila', religion was created!

First -- when a person is beheaded in public and broad daylight, and then the killer literally gives an interview while holding the knives in bloodstained hands and cites his religion for justification, how can the conversation not turn to the topic of religion? And as the atheist Pat Condell says in the video I posted -- to deny the evidence of involvement of Islam in this case insulting to our intelligence.

Pakistani Wahhabi Deobandi militants have praised the beheading of a British soldier in Woolwich, London, in a message published on social networking website Facebook

read: http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 323_1.html

At the time of writing we are still awaiting confirmation from security officials about the precise nature of the incident. But having just watched some ITV footage, which shows a man with bloodied hands who is carrying a machete saying directly into the camera "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you", it seems pretty clear to me what has happened.

read: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/conco ... or-manual/

[NMRMN]

Second, for everyone that still seems to think that religion is the most oppressive and bloodthirsty force in the world -- why are you not considering government, or at least the ideologies (Mostly – if not all, in fact atheistic) that propel mass murdering regimes, who have killed far more people in their name than religionists could ever 'hope' to?

...Let me add another number to the chart above: 56 million.

That is the number of young lives we have allowed to be 'terminated' in the name of secularism. Our country once strived for righteousness in the eyes of our creator -- it was undeniably founded on Judeo-Christian principle. That is not the case now.

Posterity will not view kindly what our country has become.

*edit* photo linked instead of embedded for concerns of graphic nature:
http://martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/mass_grave1.jpg

[Mn01r6]

How many people has God killed?

[NMRMN]

How many people has God killed?

The mass killings we have witnessed are all understood as evil, because we reject whatever moral argument if any was used to justify them. The question regarding God, no matter how many people He may have killed, is moot (If you believe He is all knowing, all righteous and the creator/owner of us all).

[DoxaPar]

How many people has God killed?

Theologically speaking, all of them.

[Mn01r6]

How many people has God killed?

The mass killings we have witnessed are all understood as evil, because we reject whatever moral argument if any was used to justify them. The question regarding God, no matter how many people He may have killed, is moot (If you believe He is all knowing, all righteous and the creator/owner of us all).

I am confused. Do we reject or embrace Joshua sacking the city of Jericho and killing every living thing within the city walls?

[DoxaPar]

I am confused. Do we reject or embrace Joshua sacking the city of Jericho and killing every living thing within the city walls?

If you're asking philosophically I leave that up for other people to debate. I have my own opinions but those are beyond the scope of your question. But if you're asking what the biblical / Christian response is the answer depends on whose side you're on. And by "side" I'm not talking about the Israelites vs. the people of Jericho. I'm talking about the purposes / plans of God as laid out in the Bible vs. man. This point is emphasized when the commander of the army of the Lord (think badass angel with a sword) appears before Joshua and Joshua asks him, "You with us or with our enemies?". The angel responses, "Neither". Why? Because he wasn't on "their" side or "the other side". He's saying that he (and his army) are on God's side and God doesn't follow people around joining someone's side whenever their purposes happen to align with his.

There is little doubt from the text that the author believes that God delivered Jericho into the Israelites' hands. And thus, sees it as a good ("just" is really a better word here) thing because everything that God does is regarded as "good". Or, more accurately, God doesn't do what is good, good is what God does. Thus, he is the author of what is good, not subservient to some exterior moral code that exists apart from himself.

Now, that stated, the Bible is also clear that God does not rejoice in the death of the wicked (even those he kills himself). In fact, God commands people not to rejoice in the death of the wicked - a note many Christians might do well to consider.

So reject or embrace? Both. Both in the same way that when any criminal is executed or goes to jail we can say, "Justice was served and that is right but I mourn that a life was forfeit".

[NMRMN]

I am confused. Do we reject or embrace Joshua sacking the city of Jericho and killing every living thing within the city walls?

Well, if you are a believer, you understand that God detested the practices of the canaanites -- incest, idolatry, bestiality, homosexuality, cultic prostitution, and child sacrifice (by throwing their own children into altars of fire), and thus instructed Joshua (Jesus' hebrew namesake) to rid the land of them.

This is not a matter of God directly striking down or causing the death of someone -- but instructing His chosen people (ancient Israelites) to carry out the mission. Either way however, if one Believes that God is just, and good, it is not an issue. If you question God's (Of the Bible) justice or system of morality, or the concept of justice and punishment altogether, you will have a problem with the story.