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From someone who wouldn't deign to read a Wikipedia entry that could have educated him on the basic loci blunder he just committed, that's a rather ironic choice of source for a citation.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,400,252 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDusty
It's pretty much impossible to predict what a full on Christian nation would look like. The Bible was written by people who were, by today's standards, not anyone special. It's full of contradictions.
Those who advocated for a Christian country (the idiots who use phrases like 'take our country back') would have a very different view of a Christian country than Jesus would or someone who can read.
Bottom line, we're a secular nation and it needs to stay that way. Religion should NEVER in any way be a part of government. It creates bias and alienates the non-religious or people of other religions. Buddhists, for example, don't have a god. Some believe in a god, some don't.
We are not a Christian nation, nor have we ever really been one, nor should we ever become one and anyone who wants it should be ignored and their opinions shot down as they lack intellectual thought.
Those involved in founding this country agree:
"If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practiced it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England blamed persecution in the Romish Church, but practiced it upon the Puritans. They found it wrong in Bishops, but fell into the practice themselves both there (England) and in New England."
- Benjamin Franklin
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance, of which their political as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purpose."
- Thomas Jefferson
"Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is none more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory in itself, than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid, or produces only atheists and fanatics."
- Thomas Paine
"Notwithstanding the general progress made within the two last centuries in favour of this branch of liberty, and the full establishment of it in some parts of our country, there remains in others a strong bias towards the old error, that without some sort of alliance or coalition between Government and Religion neither can be duly supported. Such, indeed, is the tendency to such a coalition, and such its corrupting influence on both the parties, that the danger cannot be too carefully guarded against. And in a Government of opinion like ours, the only effectual guard must be found in the soundness and stability of the general opinion on the subject. Every new and successful example, therefore, of a perfect separation between the ecclesiastical and civil matters, is of importance; and I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and Government will both exist in greater purity the less they are mixed together."
- James Madison
Not to mention all the protestant vs catholic violence in Ireland in recent decades. Or the inquisition and all of its nice, gentle torture methods and executions.
The UK sent their religious nutballs to America a couple of centuries back in order to help put an end to all the religious strife they'd gone through for many years.
Now we're dealing with the direct descendants of those religious fringe cases.
So you are saying that Christians don't believe in Genesis. Adam and Eve?
That's funny, because I can remember during catechism being specifically taught about Adam and Eve.
Old Testament is part of the Bible prior to Christ, but as Christians we follow the teachings of Christ. Christ spread the universal message of love, forgiveness and peace.
Not to mention all the protestant vs catholic violence in Ireland in recent decades. Or the inquisition and all of its nice, gentle torture methods and executions.
The UK sent their religious nutballs to America a couple of centuries back in order to help put an end to all the religious strife they'd gone through for many years.
Now we're dealing with the direct descendants of those religious fringe cases.
Wikipedia as a valid source?
Anyone could edit anything to suit their own agenda there. Listen, not all Christians were "angels" but you need to look at Christ himself and base the faith on that, not organized religion and few individuals.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,400,252 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MX City visiting
Old Testament is part of the Bible prior to Christ, but as Christians we follow the teachings of Christ. Christ spread the universal message of love, forgiveness and peace.
Just out of curiosity, was there a point in history where a decision was made to incorporate the Old Testament as part of the Bible?
Just like many other Christians; saw the light and beauty of Christianity. Why wouldn't anyone want to follow his teachings?!
They saw the light and beauty on a slave plantation where they were disallowed to practice their native religions?
Really?
Lemme guess...conservative Republican?
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3~Shepherds
Yet, some of the best gospel music comes from black Christians......go figure!
Many have told stories of holding on to Jesus while the white man tried to break them. Seems you have only read about one side of your culture.......the hate side.
No...not SOME of the best gospel music...THE best gospel music comes from black Christians.
But what's that got to do with the topic?
Why didn't Jesus just stop the white man from trying to break them?
Just out of curiosity, was there a point in history where a decision was made to incorporate the Old Testament as part of the Bible?
Old Testament = Prior to Christ (BC) - leading to the birth of the Messiah; Jesus.
New Testament = After Christ (AD) - Life and teachings of Jesus.
You can't have New Testament without the Old Testament. However, Old Testament (Mosaic) laws belongs to the Jewish people; Christians are not obligated to follow any of that because we are all sinners and Jesus came to this earth to save us from our sins and show us examples of how to live.
Old Testament is part of the Bible prior to Christ, but as Christians we follow the teachings of Christ. Christ spread the universal message of love, forgiveness and peace.
What is "prior" to Christ?"
There can be no such thing. That's impossible. If Jesus is God, then he always existed. Why didn't he spread the universal message of love, forgiveness and peace in the Old Testament? Surely he could've found room in the Old Testament....a much larger book, for those attributes. Right?
The whole Bible would be the teachings of Christ, not just the New Testament. That is, if Jesus is actually God, right?
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