From: laura@nospam.me   
      
   "personalpages.tds.net/~rcsilk"  wrote in message   
   news:41cbb44d$1_3@newspeer2.tds.net...   
   > "Laura"  wrote in message   
   > news:cqdokk$ucd$4@news.cybercity.dk...   
   > >   
   > > "personalpages.tds.net/~rcsilk"  wrote in   
   message   
   > > news:41ca4fef$1_1@newspeer2.tds.net...   
   > >> "Grant"  wrote in message   
   > >> news:_lryd.564116$nl.502068@pd7tw3no...   
   > >>   
   > >> > That would certainly explain why I have a strong distaste for both   
   > >> > Christianity and Buddhism.   
   > >>   
   > >> Perhaps you have a strong distaste for the mental planes?   
   > >   
   > > I happen to rather like Buddhism, while profoundly disliking   
   Christianity.   
   > > That is because Christianity is oppressive and warlike.   
   >   
   > there ya go again...   
   > TRUE Christianity is peace-loving and forgiving.   
   > Christian IDIOTS (like Popes, Presidents, politicians, and other political   
   > figures) are warlike and oppressive.   
      
   Indeed, and if the majority of what we had was true christianity, I wouldn't   
   have a problem with it.   
      
   >   
   > > Buddhism also does   
   > > not require blind acceptance of its students, and does not try to spread   
   > > itself aggressively.   
   >   
   > Christianity is not intended to be aggressive, but there is a "destiny" or   
   > "great commission" (again, the results of a twit apostle...) to go ye   
   > therefore, teaching all nations, or some such broo-ha-ha.  It doesn't say   
   > "do this by the sword" -- like the Islamic/Muslim faith teaches.   
      
   Nevertheless, it has done so more by the sword than by more peaceful means.   
      
   >   
   > > I realize that Christianity is most certainly not what Jesus would have   
   > > had   
   > > in mind, but it is, unfortunately, what we have.   
   >   
   > Actually, what we have is the New Testament, and if you get & study a   
   > red-letter edition, you'll be surprised at how simple it all is.   
      
   I realize how simple it is. The new testament is the foundation of the   
   church we have here, and it teaches peace, forgiveness, and love. I don't   
   have anything against that, except that it has become somehow stale and   
   soulless, but that is another matter.   
      
   >   
   > > As such, I think the world would be better off if it simply ceased to   
   > > exist along with Islam and the   
   > > Mosaic faith. These religions share a certain vicious streak - maybe   
   > > because   
   > > all three of them are based on the God of the Old Testament; a vengeful,   
   > > wrathful, and unforgiving God.   
   >   
   > The NT Christian ethic is actually based upon a loving and forgiving God,   
   > who causes the sun to shine on *both* the good *and* the evil...   
   >   
   Yes. As I said, my beef is not so much with the christians who actually   
   emulate Jesus, but rather with the more fundamentalist branches of   
   christianity - specifically the born-again movement in the U.S.   
   Judeo-Christians, I believe they call themselves. They focus a lot on the   
   old testament. Without them, the U.S. would have another president now. I am   
   deeply concerned by their very effective grab for political power. A world   
   with a single nuclear superpower is scary enough, but one where that   
   superpower is also theocratic would be downright terrifying. We're not there   
   yet, but care must be taken to not get there.   
      
   I know that the vast majority of christians in the world are not extremist,   
   just as the majority of muslims are not, but the extremist movements (or   
   sects) are growing in strength. I wonder why that is, and whether it will   
   reverse itself before causing irreversible harm. The passive majority never   
   did matter as much as the highly active and vocal minority.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)