HI everyone ... Back from work...
Point 1 for asaris:
Here are some of the "Holy sites" listed as shrines to the religion and ideology of Naziism (spelling?) I got this from one of many online site in which this issue is discussed, You should also check out Wegner, antisemitism in german schools ( I hope I have the title correct) In know Wegner wrote it,
Aryanism is a very old religion that started in Persia a very long time ago. This is not to be confused with Naziism... More on that one later....
Quote:
Holy sites
As, especially after World War II, Nazism became for many of its followers a spiritual path akin to a religion, it naturally had some sites of pilgrimage, which one might call "holy sites". Savitri Devi visited many of them during her pilgrimage in 1953.
Berchtesgaden, home of the Berghof.
Braunau am Inn, birthplace of Adolf Hitler.
Feldherrnhalle, site of, the end of, the failed Munich Putsch
Leonding, where the parents of Adolf Hitler were buried.
Linz, where Hitler went to school.
Landsberg am Lech, where Hitler was imprisoned.
Nuremberg, site of the enormous Nazi rallies.
Wewelsburg, headquarters of the SS.
Wunsiedel, burial site of Rudolf Hess.
Devi also visited some sites, as part of her pilgrimage, not directly connected to Nazism, but of Germanic spiritual, or German national significance:
Externsteine, pre-christian formation
Hermannsdenkmal, statue of Germany's national hero Arminius the Cheruscan
End Quote:
Point 2:
Stalin did Kill... he Killed a lot. Whats your point?... this dicussion is about the fact that religious beleif makes it easier (at times) for people to demonize and kill each other. I sense you are sensitive to this fact... when infact you should realise what it actually says in your Bible. The fact that an atheist can kill shouldn't be a surprise. Don't rationalize what you think happened in history...look at what historical facts you can find and make a decision based on that.
Point 3: Asaris
OK so you decide that you are going to Ignore portions of scripture. Perhaps we'll ignore the sticky parts and stay with the "nice stuff". The warm and fluffy. What have you just done for the 35 percent of Americans that beleive that the Bible is the inerrant "Word of God". Who are you and I to decide which parts to ignore? You are on a spiritual slippery slope here.
Here is what your actual answer should have been: Jesus ushered in the New covenant, in which only those who have not sinned would "throw the first stone". And of course that would mean that none of us should throw the stone. OK christians are off the hook... wait... I said that in my opening post.
In my opening post I said: Note: There are many New Testament scriptures that, if taken out of context can be used to justify killing. It is not fair to use these to make my point. BUT it is important to note that they have been taken out of context and HAVE been used to justify killing in Jesus name during the Spanish inquisition and other such events.
Point 4: Charlatan
"RCAlyra2004 the bible also says we should stone people for doing things that are done everyday... why don't the laws of Leviticus get followed? If they are Christians they should follow it all, right? That's what you seem to be suggesting here."
I think you actually get what I am saying but you are toying with me.
I am suggesting this; Many(not all) modern day people still refer to the Bible and the Koran as "God's word". Many take it at it's face value. Because it is held in such high esteem and because many people actually beleive what it says they can easily be inclined to follow it's words. 100 million people died during wars during the last century(fact) How many of them were killed by atheists? How many went to war beleiveing what their politicians, backed by their religious leaders told them? Why do the american armed forces have ministers of religion on staff? On my desk I have a copy of a book by Sam Harris in which he shows the results of survey that says 35 percent of United states residents beleive Jesus will return during their life time. Thankfully fewer canadians think that way, but you get my point. While we may find it hard to beleive everything written in the Good Book, and while we pick and choose what we beleive many people actually accept what they are told. Asaris makes a good point , not to accept everything written in scripture> I couldn't agree more!
Charlatan, Asaris... Check out this website...
http://www.godhatessweden.com/
(warning very strong language for a Christian site)
They ACTUALLY think all Christians should follow the levitical standards. It is really important to mention that this website is NOT a Joke. There are thousands of followers in this church. And they make my point quite beautifully... which scriptures do we follow? why? who gets to choose?
Did you know that according to that church WE are going to hell becasue we don't follow the levitical standards! even though I have done none of those sins, but I don;t endorse the levitical point of view
Here is another set of statistics that I find quite compelling.
From Sam Harris's Book, The End of Faith.
Suicide Bombing in Defense of Islam
Is it Justifiable?
(please note: I typed this in by hand so forgive formatting errors)
Country %Yes %No %refused to answer
Lebanon 73 21 6
Ivory Coast 56 44 0
Nigeria 47 45 8
Bangladesh 44 37 19
Jordan 43 48 8
Pakistan 33 43 23
OK the list has 7 more countries on it... but if you add up the percentages this accounts for more than 200 Million people who support the defense of islam by using terroist methodology. Please Note... this Survey did not include IRAN, AFGHANISTAN OR IRAQ, SAUDI ARABIA, and many other countries.
I can't imagine how bad things would have to be here for The American president to ask people to do what the leaders of Iran asked... (he actually encouraged his people to take part in the war against Israel only 2 months ago, using any method possible)
This quote is from the BBC news website profile of the leader of IRAN
Quote:
Iran leader defends Israel remark
Protesters in Tehran burned Israeli flags
Iran's president has defended his widely criticised call for Israel to be "wiped off the map".
Attending an anti-Israel rally in Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his remarks were "just" - and the criticism did not "have any validity".
His initial comment provoked anger from many governments, and prompted Israel to demand Iran's expulsion from the UN.
Egypt said they showed "the weakness of the Iranian government". A Palestinian official also rejected the remarks.
If it is written in a scripture that we should hate -so and so, that scripture will still be around a thousand years from now when someone will use it to lead credulous people in a war against - so and so