Why is it that for thousands of years people have been killing in the name of God?

I'm kind of an agnostic, but the higher power that I believe in is too loving and forgiving to wish harm on anyone no matter what.


Do Christians, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, etc.. really think their God would approve of all this holy war bull*hit?

they think thery are right we think we are and all are hoping to get the the same place I hope to get there and see them there too

Yeah, I understand that. But why all the bloodshed. Some sick sort of population control or something?

Violence is caused by fear. Fear causes people to need to maintain control. Religion is a very effective form of control and is used to alleviate people's fears. So, much violence is done in the name of one religion or another to maintain control and remove fear.

Wow. That is a really great answer.


Thank you Ruth.

War is lucrative. And let's not forget that fear sells. I don't know about removing fear, I think the object is to instill fear, far more lucrative than removing it. jmho

Speaking of war, here's the war on christmas explained for what it really is, used by the so called Godly among us to create once again fear and bringing in the the almighty dollar.

http://blog.au.org/2006/12/20/holiday_bonus_f/

Unfortunately they do.

That's the sad part.

Yes, righteousness requires it . . . .

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” - Yoda Jedi Master

Smiless,

Have you been reflecting the thoughts of Mirror Mirror?

George Lukas is a Buddhist and he used Yoda in his film representing the wisdom of Buddha. The only thing he did different is he made him talk backwards and alot uglier

Mirror is a great guy. I hope he will do good in whatever endeavors he chooses to take in his lifetime.

Yes but the desire for money is the desire for security and control which is caused by fear.

You misunderstand me. Yes, those in power use religion to instill fear but they simutaneously offer the solution to that fear. That is why people become so adamant about their religious beliefs to the point of bloodshed. they lose that security if their beliefs fail to be true.

Ah ok, gotcha now..

OMG!

RUTH!

I never realized this so vividly until you actually stated it!

I mean, I've always known it it true but when I read your words about it really jumped out at me how silly Christianity truly is!

Christians are thinking,...

Oh My GOD!

We HAVE to believe in JESUS!

Otherwise the Devil will GET US!



What they don't seem to realize is that they don't need to believe in the Devil either.



This is what I've been saying all along.

No Devil = No need for Jesus.

The Devil must come BEFORE Jesus!

Otherwise Jesus has no meaning.

The Devil gives Jesus purpose.

(In Christianity as they perceive Jesus to be)

Disclaimer:

Clearly there are people out there who recognize Jesus as a holy abeit mortal man. I've seen, "Christian Witches", "Catholic Witches", "Christian Taoists", and so on and so forth.

Everyone who associates with being a "Christian" doesn't necessarily believe that Jesus was God. They view him more like Buddha.

In some ways I feel that I'm cheating myself out of a label by not calling myself a "Christian". I certainly have as much right to that title as anyone.

I was born, raised, and baptised as a Orthodox Christian. (Free Methodist Protestant to be exact).

However, as I grew in wisdom and education of the world I discovered that the orthodoxed religion has it all wrong. What they teach and believe cannot possibly be true, IMHO.

However, having said all of that, I still recognize that there probably was a man named "Jesus" or something near that name, and he probably did teach many of the rebellious things that the New Testament claims.

However, it is my conclusion that Jesus could not possible have been the Son of the God of Abraham. It is my conclusion that it is highly unlikely that Jesus died to pay for anyone's sins.

If he came to 'save' people from anything he probably came to save them from the violence and bigotry of the Old Testament which he clearly did not agree with.

So now I view Jesus as a mortal man who tried to save humanity from their dastardly religion.

However, I see "Christianity" as a blaspheme against Jesus.

I suppose that's why I shun the title of 'Christian'.

Actually based on my belief, Jesus would not have been "The Christ" anyway.

He would have just been Jesus.

In any case it is pretty funny that so many Christians cling to the believe in Jesus because they fear that if they stop believing in him they will still have to believe in Satan.



That's seriously funny when you stop and think about it.

Abra...gonna share something here with you....

and
really want you to get this now, My Friend..ok?

Abra.....

When a person accepts and believes on Jesus ,as his Lord and Saviour......

it doesn't just stop there, Abra.

Quess what happens next......

GOD HIMSELF STEPS INTO THAT NOW BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN'S HEART......

BY WAY OF THE THIRD PERSON OF THE GODHEAD , CALLED THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Abra.......becoming a Christian,
does not stop with just BELIEVING in JESUS as Saviour and Lord....

it is ALSO about

GOD HIMSELF stepping in ,

and
CONFIRMING it in the christian's heart,

that he truly IS BORN AGAIN!!!

That christian becomes a BRAND NEW CREATURE in CHRIST JESUS NOW, Abra.....

He is NOW BORN OF GOD!!

AND ALSO......

THE NOW BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN ,
IS

RECONNECTED BACK INTO FELLOWSHIP
WITH
GOD ALMIGHTY.....

JUST AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, BETWEEN MAN AND GOD--!!

Abra...

let this please get thru...
cause

christianity is not just about following or having some belief....

like
just believing in any other religion !!!

No.....

something -CHANGES in that christians heart and life!!!

That christian is NO LONGER THE SAME as he was ,BEFORE he was SAVED.

Salvation is NOT just about Believing and accepting JESUS as Saviour..

it is ALSO about what GOD does ,
as a RESULT of man's believing on Him....

and that is ,

GOD STEPS INTO that Christians heart.......

and God's Holy Spirit
BEARS WITNESS
with that born again christian's spirit...

thus, letting him KNOW,
that he IS truly born again.

See....

God's Holy Spirit bearing witness with man's spirit,

IS HOW

a man KNOWS for SURE
that he is TRULY born again...

that's HOW God LETS him know, without a shadow of doubt .


And Abra.....

just wearing a label of "christianity" will never make a person a christian.....

just like joining a church will never make a person a christian....

only thru joining Jesus, by becoming truly born again,

does a person become a christian.
No other way.

In other words, people don't just become christians, simply because they feel they have to...

or because they are afraid not to.......

no no no Abra.....that is not what christianity is about atall.

MAN has to have a HEART CHANGE

FIRST......


THEN

God STEPS IN.....and does the REST.

So point is..it does not stop with man just Believing in Jesus, Abra....

IT IS LITERALLY ABOUT GOD HIMSELF (THRU HIS HOLY SPIRIT),
ALSO
COMING TO LIVE IN A CHRISTIAN'S HEART!!

THAT is how a christian KNOWS

that he KNOWS

that he KNOWS ,

that he is SAVED!!!!

Cause Abra.....

God is NOW LIVING
IN
that Born again Christian's Heart!!

One of Jesus' most repeated phrases in the Bible is "fear not".

I could even tell you of a very mystical experience I had with Jesus and these very words at one time when meditating one day. but, it probably wouldn't make much sense to anyone else. Suffice it to say, I was relieved of the burden of Christian dogma created by men.