Readers’ Responses to Our Question (159)

Blessedness is not only an increase in power or wealth. It is an increasing awareness of God's presence in your life. There are two types of death physical and spiritual. The spiritual death is a seperation from God without our knowledge. It takes place because of sins and even a haughty attitude. The light of God decreases in our life and leads to spiritual death. The experience of baptism and born of water and spirit opens us back to a connection with God. It is over this death that God's saving grace has the power to save us from. As there are two Sabbaths. One is the seventh day for the jewish people and another the Lord's rest. As there are two circumcision one physical and another spiritual as there are two jews one physical another spiritual jews Romans 2 v 29 He is a jew who is inwardly and circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit not in the letter who praise is from God not from man. As there are two temples one Spiritual and other physical.

Blessedness is not only an increase in power or wealth. It is an increasing awareness of God's presence in your life. There are two types of death physical and spiritual. The spiritual death is a seperation from God without our knowledge. It takes place because of sins and even a haughty attitude. The light of God decreases in our life and leads to spiritual death. The experience of baptism and born of water and spirit opens us back to a connection with God. It is over this death that God's saving grace has the power to save us from. As there are two Sabbaths. One is the seventh day for the jewish people and another the Lord's rest. As there are two circumcision one physical and another spiritual as there are two jews one physical another spiritual jews Romans 2 v 29 He is a jew who is inwardly and circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit not in the letter who praise is from God not from man. As there are two temples one Spiritual and other physical.

LOVE,COMPASSION, AND FORGIVENESS. I believe that God, the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are, has LOVE and COMPASSION for all of us(his children), AND FORGIVES us for our trespasses.

Because He LOVES us He has always call prophets to teach us and to guide us, prophets like Enoch, Moses, Abraham...etc. And even in our days, because He is still the same unchangeable God He does call prophets in these our days, the last days.

I strongly believe this and I know it is a great act of LOVE and COMPASSION, why? because the purpose of having prophets to teach and to guide us is so we can all one day return in peace to live with Him in the Celestial Mansion where He also lives. What a LOVING and COMPASSIONATE Father we have!

And about His desire to FORGIVE us, let us remember that He send "His only Begotten Son" yes, even Jesus Christ, that all who in Him will believe will also have Eternal Life (St. John 3:16). To receive Eternal Life is to live with the Eternal Father and for that we must be Clean or FORGIVEN because no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God. In the own words of Jesus He said: "And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end." (3 Nephi 27:19; The Book of Mormon)
When we with faith in Jesus Christ truly repent of our sins we can experience FORGIVENESS or a washing or our garments in the blood of Him who died for us. What a great LOVE and COMPASSION that a Father will send His Only Begotten Son to die for me and for you, and that that Son will come and die so willingly that we be be FORGIVEN and saved and the kingdom of GOD our Father. All this and more we talk about in our religion thanks to God that has continually called prophets to teach us the truth, real prophets like Moses.

I repeat, again, that today we have prophets to teach us God's words for these our last days. The church of Jesus Christ is on earth once again restored as He organized it in the very beginning, that is with prophets, apostles, seventy, and others. And that church of Christ carries His own name, known as "The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints". You can visit the website for more information (www.lds.org).

Yes, I agree that in my religion the topic of LOVE, COMPASSION, and FORGIVENESS is discussed and with deep reverence and appreciation.

Hong Wang:

Buddhism absolutely teaches that love and compassion are of the highest importance to spiritual practice, but this 'love' is defined as wanting others to be happy. So it's not 'love' as modern society often views it (as desirous attachment).

Everyone:

He's not saying "all religions are basically good" ... that seems to be how everyone is taking this statement. It would be like someone who is watching to friends fight, knowing that they both agree on a certain point or points, and trying to intervene, saying, "Hey, you guys both agree that ..." (whatever it is). His motivation is to promote a common ground. It is NOT to say that all religions are good 100%, or that he agrees with all of what they teach.

Hong Wang:

Buddhism absolutely teaches that love and compassion are of the highest importance to spiritual practice, but this 'love' is defined as wanting others to be happy. So it's not 'love' as modern society often views it (as desirous attachment).

Everyone:

He's not saying "all religions are basically good" ... that seems to be how everyone is taking this statement. It would be like someone who is watching to friends fight, knowing that they both agree on a certain point or points, and trying to intervene, saying, "Hey, you guys both agree that ..." (whatever it is). His motivation is to promote a common ground. It is NOT to say that all religions are good 100%, or that he agrees with all of what they teach.

http://history-world.org/genesis_narrative_in_the_light_o.htm

This site contains research into many ancient cultures, and uses reputable sources.

Originally in a research piece in Archaeology Today over 20 years ago. They matched up the Jewish history, which was handed down word of mouth until about 1250 BC. The Sumarian religion was well recoreded in written form back to almost 2000 BCE. El, was a water and fertility god, one of the triumverent of the three primary gods, with twelve aspects/lesser gods. Most religions of from China to South America and the Mideast had twelve gods because calendar keeping was developed by preisthoods as a method of maintaining tribal knowlege and priestly power. The twelve lunar phases combined with the solar years, the zodiac and tracking seasons lead to these aspects. The article used what we know and can surmise of the Sumarian tradition to suggest that Sumarian priest of the Jewish tribe split off. Israel means chosen by god. Daniel is beloved of god, and so on. So the despite the priesthoods best efforts to keep name of god unspeakable and el out of the equation, the tribe remembered the earlier gods they had worshiped. In the bible it talks of a time when they even revert to that earlier form of worship where el is just one of the pantheon.

A little internet research turns up newer references to this, but the major publications don't seem to have the cajones to print it anymore. But, it makes perfect sense if you read up on the history of the region and time and compare it with biblical Jewish mythology.

Ender,

What book did you find your information about Abraham or did you simply make it up?

I still think this is an area that the Buddha really did not address specifically and this is just another example of how religion is constantly crafted with man's personal agenda of the time in mind. The purely spiritual experience and message is lost in most religions to social and political forces; forces which currently hold this world hostage and in a state of constant war.

the DL and Homosexuality

following up Red Wave's caution, here is a quote from Religiousfacts:
In a 1997 interview, the Dalai Lama (the leader of Tibetan Buddhism and a widely-respected spiritual figure) was asked about homosexuality. He did not offer any strong answer either way, but noted that all monks are expected to refrain from sex. For laypeople, he commented that the purpose of sex in general is for procreation, so homosexual acts do seem a bit unnatural. He said that sexual desires in themselves are natural, perhaps including homosexual desires, but that one should not try to increase those desires or indulge them without self-control. [4]

In a 1993 talk given in Seattle, the Dalai Lama said:

nature arranged male and female organs "in such a manner that is very suitable... Same-sex organs cannot manage well." But he stopped short of condemning homosexual relationships altogether, saying if two people agree to enter a relationship that is not sexually abusive, "then I don't know. It's difficult to say." [5]

The Dalai Lama was more specific in a meeting with Buddhist leaders and human rights activists in San Francisco in 1997, where he commented that all forms of sex other than penile-vaginal sex are prohibited for Buddhists, whether between heterosexuals or homosexuals. At a press conference the day before the meeting, he said, "From a Buddhist point of view, [gay sex] is generally considered sexual misconduct." But he did note that this rule is for Buddhists, and from society's viewpoint, homosexual relationships can be "of mutual benefit, enjoyable, and harmless." [6]

The Dalai Lama is well known for his activism for human rights, and this specifically includes equal rights for gays. According to an Office of Tibet spokeman, "His Holiness opposes violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation. He urges respect, tolerance, compassion, and the full recognition of human rights for all." [6]

I have always been supportive of the Dalai Lama and the plight of the people of Tibet. However, I was disappointed when I read in one of his many books that he thinks homosexuality is wrong, as well as oral sex, because it is dirty. I think many people would be surprised to read this and see how close-minded he really is. I think because of the celebrity support and sound bite nature of our society, many do not truly understand how their "heros" may share some of the beliefs of those they consider villains. Love is love. As soon as you start judging such expressions, you become less and less a source of an inspiration for human rights and freedom.

CTCNL: What part of 'a line of priest' is confusing you? I'm saying that Abraham was a probably a construct of a line of priest out to create a new religion from an old one, customized to their tribe. Much like the Christ myth is most probably a construct of radical Jews, Zoroastrians and Roman freethinkers.

There is no historical evidence of the existance of either, but if you were going to create a religion, you had to have a strong human starting place. That to was probably stolen from the Sumarians copying Gilgamesh. Abraham was mainly respected for his supposed ability as a warlord.

Concerned
Just a quibble: I think you misunderstand Judaism if you think it is possible to know what "all" the individuals who make up the Conservative branch actually believe.
It would be like me saying that "all" Protestants believe in a literal interpretation of Genesis.

Ender,
the Dalai Lama's quote seems to imply that ethical humanism (as an attitude, not a movement) is inherent in responsible religious thought. I would tend to agree with that. It seems to me that people of good will, no matter which religious and cultural tradition they come from, all recognize the value of altruism and compassion. Much of the discussion here and elsewhere sounds very similar to the current political problem of putting party unity ahead of governance and the common good.
It amazes and scares me to think that any religion in this day and age would preach any higher good than respect for ourselves, our planet and for all other life. I frequent religious discussions not to call into question that assumption, but to better understand how other individuals, faiths and cultures formulate their approach to those universals. Not whether to care about the poor and unfortunate, but how to put that care into action.

Ender,

References to Abraham's life are in what books, journals, authors?

Conservative Jews, all 1.5 million of them and their rabbis, no longer believe there was a historic Abraham. http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm

If humanity survives it will be because ethical humanism has prevailed and religious discussions will be in the realm of cultural anthropology with an emphasis on myth, superstition and religious practices and their historical empact.

No honest religious discussion can take place from within a religioun. No 'truth' can be achieved when the boundaries of 'truth' have already been decreed before the research even begins.

Pardon my poor proofreading, of course I mean "their way."

Folks, if you don't read each others' remarks and really think about where they are coming from, this becomes not a discussion but a series of monologues. I know some of you are really trying to interact...
I don't stop by too often anymore because the comments here have become pretty repetitive and predictable. If anyone mentions Islam, certain posters respond with a long list of Muslim misdeeds, certain Christian representatives get on to remind us -- some politely, some less so -- that there way is the only way and the rest of us are damned. (But they claim to be so much more open-minded and compassionate than Victoria or Jihadist.) The atheists provide varying degrees of documentation to show that all religions are wrong, misguided and/or evil. Even the most open-minded and thoughtful commentators are reduced to repeating the same nostrums of tolerance.
I am amazed that some of these official columnists (Willis Elliott comes to mind) actually appear to make a living spewing their ignorance to the four winds.
Is this what religious dialogue will inevitably become?

to CTCNL..yes, Abraham is probably a line of priest working to create a unique tribal religion that would separate the from the rest of the Sumarian Tribes.

Anonymous Moron

There was no written Hebrew for more than 1000 yrs after the Code of Hamurabi and the written(cuniform) descriptions of the gods and myths of Sumaria that were stolen by Judaism. Look at even the bible's flawed timelines. Abraham came more than a thousand yrs after the flood. That myth, along with creation, much of the christ myth, Moses(invention of writing) were all stolen almost intact from Sumeria whose history is much better recorded than that of the Jews. They were ignorant late comer wannabees and not very inventive at that.

yeah once again another "wannabe" etc.etc...we all know, but know not to do....(paul to the ROmans)....the dai li lama has said nothing new, doesn't define so leaves his advice open for an internal sophist interpretation....and so anyone can agree and buy his words...
also to ender's blog...yeah read the Psalms, Job (OLDEST scripture) and Ruth, and look for yourself....Judeaism is not EXCLUSIVE!!!
also Iran has tons of JEWS descendents and converts from the Babylonian captivity!!!!!!!! DUMBASS! also how do you figure you know of the pre Judean history when they only posses the most credible and accurate records....even hard evidence as well as documentary evidence....go look...ebla tablets and the table of nations ....

also the rule of common sense here and originally in middle east is : imbellishments dont create fact, it follows that from fact embelishments are created.... just like what you are doing.....or trying....

I'm with FIUS. Just recognizing the improbability that your parents happened to raise you in the one true faith, and that all your friends who hold others are deluded at least, if not damned, should lead everyone (including agnostics)(and for those following Canyon, protestants vis a vis catholics) to 1) keep their faith, or lack thereof, out of my government as the founding fathers intended, and 2) either keep their faith in whatever entirely to themselves for what it's worth to themselves or at least defend it with some sense of respect for the sheer improbability that it is their listener who is the deluded fool. a little healthy self doubt is always a good thing, as Martha would say.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6).

GOD is parroting NDW in _Conversations with God_.

The premise is that god is neither omnipotent nor omniscient. Everything he experiences, he experiences through existence. His creation is his nervous system. Creation was his only "willful" act.

In this view, all those "bad" things that happen, chosen, or not (tsunamis, etc), are valid experiences for the creator so, even if he could, he would not intervene. Nice.

It's a great argument because there is no evidence needed to believe it and indeed, it's almost axiomatic. Existence exists and it is God.

Convenient, unassailable, and strangely consonant with TTWS: you know it is good because it comes from god and you know it is from god because it is good.

But, I agree with TTWS' more succinct statement: Love, compassion, forgiveness are properties that are shared by all humanity and we must choose to act on them. However diversely one comes to arrive at this great truth, it is individual actions that create the kind of society in which we wish to inhabit. Civil authority only goes so far, and indeed, in my view, should not go very far at all.

If'n y'all need religion to do it, or stay focused, fine. Some don't or won't see it that way. Each "side" must learn what it really is to trespass. Some see gay rights as trespassing on traditional values. I submit these barkers have no concept of values-stomping. Others may see the 10 commandments and christmas decorations on every corner and cry: separation separation separation, my rights, my beautiful rights are being torn asunder. Same deal, clueless barking.

Perhaps it does take a village, filthy as it may be. I just wish it was a quiet one.

--FIUS

"And what you say about his Company
Is what you say about Society" -Rush

Ender,

References to Abe's biography??

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion, forgiveness, and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God by God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, St. John writes “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. —John 15:13.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times was Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts of compassion, love, and forgiveness because the nature of man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those two Commandments are not limited to religion but are given to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.--Mt 22:37cf.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion," "What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish one religion from another.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving by ignoring the consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant though worthy.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, St. John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to mankind by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love.

However, this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies, and the desires of man lead him into seeking a false God, ultimately frustrating man’s natural end, and in effect destroying him.

Thus, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are common to all man.

I actually agree with god, the poster to this thread. Many of the prophets that started religions may have experienced a moment of Truth, or communion with that Atom of God that is the Soul of every living thing.

The religions that humans created are all just dim reflections of that reality, all flawed, all corrupt, and all tools of man to control man.

The cults that claim Abraham as the source, my be the worst. A little history.

A/Ibrahim(not his name yet) was a priest of the Sumerian deity EL. His tribe was small and had maintained a separate culture from many of the other followers of the Sumerian Trinity of Gods, so as a tribal leader, he declared a revel elation from El(as in Israel -chosen of God, and Daniel - beloved of God) that the tribe could take no other God before HIM, El, and by the way, never say or write MY NAME again, except in a code understood only by the priesthood, so we can forget about that whole EL/Triumvirate thing. Abraham was a capable leader and warlord, and his tribe prospered. The priesthood he founded included much of the Sumerian religions myths of creation and the flood into their repertoire and maintained their 'secret' knowledge of the Sumerian calendar and astrological systems to keep themselves in position of power. They taught their tribe cultural racism and apartheid, but allowed enslaved and captured women to bare legitimate children, to avoid the inbreeding that even prehistoric humans knew, led to birth defects. So….slavery was ok, but not of your close neighbors, because that might defeat the purpose – diversity of the gene pool.

This tribe maintained its genetic and cultural uniqueness very successfully. The shared religion allowed leaders to exhort them to martial ferocity, when wronged, or to take some other tribes property and land. Remember the time they were supposed to kill every living thing in Canaan and make the land theirs? It took uncommon will, devotion, and brutality for such a small tribe to conquer a larger more technologically advanced civilization such as the Canaanites. This cultural bigotry served them well for over a thousand years. It also made them a universally hated tribe.

So, after they have been defeated and displaced several times, and finally completely conquered by the Romans, a group of radical Jewish rabbis, Zoroastrian priest, and Roman Freethinkers, used the local stories about a Jewish Rabbi/carpenter, embellished them borrowing heavily from the messianic traditions of Judaism which were stolen from the Sumerian religion, created the Christ myth. It took them quite a while, and they didn't get around to recording all of this until decades after the events supposedly had taken place. But…it is much easier to make up events after the fact, when the people who were there/then aren't around to dispute the 'facts.'

A few hundred years after that, a learned merchant that lives a life of leisure due to marrying a much older but wealthy widow, studies the Jewish religion, and realizes its real problem is its exclusivity. So he copies large parts of it, and creates a religion that invites everyone to join. In fact it often insists. He keeps the most holy spot in his homeland though, and discourages translations from the Arabic, so his tribe maintains Top Dog First of the First status. The End of Time myth involves a leader, or Great Caliph, that can really only come from his tribe. So, in typical tribal fashion, members of the other powerful and rival tribe in the region, the Persians, claim the Arabic descendants have gotten it wrong, and they are the true carriers of the flame.

So, Christians begin loosing ground to Islam and begin the Crusades and the Inquisition. Islam gets pissed and begins taking parts of Europe in order give the Infidels a chance to convert. That only gets so far as the Shia/Sunni/Persian/Arabic infighting keep them too occupied with each other to maintain their triumphs over the Christians.

It ain't over yet folks.

Men create religions to consolidate tribal power and control other tribes of men.

All religions reach out to the
Transcedent, whether felt within themselves or as something totally beyond the universe or both(calling the Eternal and Absolute Reality by different names and seek to approach it in different ways) and seek to improve the lives of human beings.

Religions help human beings look beyond the narrow confines and needs of their personal egos and think in terms of the greater human family.

Religions seek the welfare and happiness of all, including the weakest, while natural law and basic instincts would ensure only the survival of the fittest.

The paths (rituals and some beliefs) used to achieve that goal are distinct and unique (some tenets and god images are unique), like the fingers of the hand that converge in the palm.

At the level of mysticism all religions find common ground because mystics cut through the rituals and understand the rituals for what they are - fingers pointing to the moon. As a Christian by conviction I believe of course that Jesus Christ is not just a symbolic finger pointing to the moon.

If human beings had not been drawn by something within them, beyond them, religions would not have come into existence. If religions had not helped human beings to become more loving, compassionate and forgiving, religions would have ceased to exist.

Despite all the evil that has been done in the name of religions (read: human free will), religions have lasted because they have helped human beings become better human beings; religions have helped create better social structures based on common values that served the interests of the whole society.

However secular governments and rulers may have been, they were directly or indirectly groomed by the religions (or the lack/rejection of the best part of it) of the society in which they were raised.

HH The Dalai Lama is pointing to the highest goal of all religions which answers the highest aspiration of all human beings.

Soja John Thaikattil
Sydney, Australia

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion and forgiveness, and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, John writes, “ “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man--hn 15:13.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times is Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts because man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those Commandments not limited to religion but to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, Mt 22:37cf, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion,"" What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish all religions.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving without consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to humanity, irrespective of religion, by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love, but this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies.

In the end, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are innately common to all man.

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion and forgiveness, and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, John writes, “ “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man--hn 15:13.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times is Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts because man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those Commandments not limited to religion but to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, Mt 22:37cf, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion,"" What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish all religions.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving without consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to humanity, irrespective of religion, by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love, but this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies.

In the end, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are innately common to all man.

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion and forgiveness, and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, John writes, “ “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man--hn 15:13.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times is Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts because man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those Commandments not limited to religion but to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, Mt 22:37cf, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion,"" What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish all religions.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving without consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to humanity, irrespective of religion, by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love, but this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies.

In the end, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are innately common to all man.

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion and forgiveness, and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, John writes, “ “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man--hn 15:13.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times is Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts because man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those Commandments not limited to religion but to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, Mt 22:37cf, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion,"" What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish all religions.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving without consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to humanity, irrespective of religion, by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love, but this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies.

In the end, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are innately common to all man.

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion and forgiveness., and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God by God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, St. John writes “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. —John 15:13.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times is Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts of compassion, love, and forgiveness because the nature of man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those two Commandments are not limited to religion but are given to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, Mt 22:37cf, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion," "What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish one religion from another.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving without consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant though worthy.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to mankind by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love.

However, this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies, and the desires of man lead him into seeking a false God, ultimately frustrating man’s natural end, and in effect destroying him.

Thus, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are common to all man.

IN REPLY TO THE
QUESTION
“The Dalai Lama says 'All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: That is love, compassion, and forgiveness.' Do you agree?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham | Your Thoughts “

ANS:
Love encapsulates compassion and forgiveness., and humility. Thus, St Paul writes, “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.“

Man is endowed by his nature an innate longing to be loved and to love others, because he was made out of the love of God by God who is all Love. Thus, man is drawn to the perfect lover who is all satisfying, and that is God. Hence, St. John writes “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. —John 15:13.” Thus, God so loved man that the Son of God, who is God, gave His life for man.

Since man is made to the image and likeness of God, man is naturally drawn to love his neighbor because his neighbor is a vicarious substitute for God.

Probably one of the greatest lovers in our contemporary times is Mother Theresa. Every person she saw she saw as Christ. Namely, what ever she did for her neighbor, she viewed it as doing it unto Christ. Moreover, in a world of hostile religions she became an icon because of her love for others, and the giving of herself for the good of others. Thus, all religions have in someway these concepts of compassion, love, and forgiveness because the nature of man is imbued with these passions.

Christ gave man two new Commandments, “Do unto others as you would do unto your self,” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself as God so loves you.” Those two Commandments are not limited to religion but are given to all man.

In general, the Dali Lama is for the most part correct, because every human being by his nature is drawn to compassion, forgiveness and love because he is made by a Creator who is the perfection of all these things.

Hence, as Scripture says, Mt 22:37cf, “Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

However, each religion differs in these three things, "How you show compassion," "What you forgive," and "What is love." These activities distinguish one religion from another.

For example, some religions believe abortion is compassion for mothers. Some religions believe love is to love one’s self over others. Other religions believe forgiving without consequences. Some religions believe works don’t matter only faith matters, which makes charitable works and even compassion superfluous, or unimportant though worthy.

Some religions are of the world and St. John writes, “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19

In addition, John writes– “And I have made known thy name to them and will make it known: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”-- John 17:26cf. Since God has made man to His own image, God abides in man and man abides in God. Thus, St. Augustine wrote, “Lord our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Hence, love for God is personified in all the religions that worship the Creator and in all men who love Him.

The Catholic Church claims its universality in that Catholicism encompasses all created man. Namely, Jesus established his Church for all humanity. However, God is revealed to mankind by his works. Therefore, man has an obligation to seek God. Man’s instincts draws him toward God’s love.

However, this gift of love, if not nourished by the seeking of truth, undergoes atrophy, withers and dies, and the desires of man lead him into seeking a false God, ultimately frustrating man’s natural end, and in effect destroying him.

Thus, the Dali Lama has chosen three natural acts of the free will of man that are common to all religions because they are common to all man.

Actually, -- crap. You're all in deep sheep. Don't say I didn't warn ya, punks. I spent a lotta time on this (punishment,) -- a LOT of time -- so do NOT think I'll let it go to waste. Especially you punks who think you've got it made. I hate you worst of all.

Signed,
God

Considering it not religion,but the pleasure of sex having sustained humanity,thus secured our survival.That obvious to all but(few) that one religious or non religious.The body should take centre in worship.Glory of the erect penis,as the naked female form.Such given their rightful place at family as group gatherings,of worship. Such enabling that children grow into adulthood with an healthy appetite for the flesh.Love as desire,as partake in the many,sexual pleasures. Giving praise unto, Almighty as Allah....xxx X

God,

And a Big Bang, Big Rip and Gib Gnab to you in a billion years!!!!

And then there are all those children who are born with deformities!!! Why oh why all-powerful one???

You misunderstand my children.

You have driven yourselves apart from Me and from each other by your misconceptions of who and what I am.

There are truths in all of your religions, some more than others .Yet none of them are complete.

I belong to no one and I have chosen no people. There is nothing to choose from as you are all my creation and you are perfect in your manifestation. Even the ones you consider to be the most despised among you is worthy of My presence.

You are bound by the misconception that you are separate from God. You and I are not separate, we never have been. We are all one. Thus you can never really be apart from Me except through the illusions you create.

You have attached rules and conditions to your existence in your world and the next. I do not need your love. I do not need your worship. I do not need your obedience. I can not be harmed or offended. I need nothing for I have everything because I am everything.

Being omnipotent has its advantages ( I even created humor).

I do not require love, compassion or forgiveness however these are built into the design of life. They support the process of life through life itself. If you desire peace, happiness and the evolution of your species these will serve you well. If you do not desire these things then love, compassion and forgiveness are not required. It is simply a matter of what experiences you desire to create.

I have no preference to what you choose since you can not make a wrong choice. Every possible choice has been made and every possible outcome has occurred. This is the second misconception that you need to resolve, the idea that time is linear. With this knowledge you are free to experience life as which path you would like to experience rather that doing ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.

You have come so far yet you have much further to go. You must expand your understanding and break free from the shackles that suppress your growth as spiritual beings. I am infinite and you have only just begun to conceive of who and what I really am and who and what you really are.

Be loving, be compassionate and be forgiving and you will create the world you say you want to create. I talk to everyone, always. It is a matter of who is listening.

Blessed be.

I heard Michael Wood once say the main purpose of any religion is to get people to be good. That is my basic belief, too, so yes, I agree with the Dalai Lama.
As to salvation, that's another story. Getting people to be good, and getting them saved are not always compatible--in fact, I would say they are seldom compatible.

Leonard,

Please do not draw a moral equivalence between Islam and Christianity. Islam is the antithesis of Christianity. Christians are to "turn the other cheek" while Muslims are to"slay the infidels."

ender,

You sound like a very angry person. You are the one that sounds intolerant to me. I pray that you would know and understand the only true God who created you. He sent His Son to die for all the sin in your heart. He arose the third day so you can have new life.

I do not know about George Bush and all the other people your anger is directed at but I do know that I have sinned and deserve God's judgment. He has been so merciful and has forgiven me.

Some of these comments are so extremely rude, ignorant, and vile that it sobered me to the terrible perception people get of religion. Certain people in particular take religious conspiracies that feed their own presuppositions, and they run with it. It's a sad thing that such a mass of people can lack any proper understanding of a religion.

It's also, sadly, understandable because we live in a secular society with groups that seek to eliminate any religious education. It would be wonderful, and helpful to see students studying religion at the high school level, but that would never happen in our present state.

Having studied Religious Studies at my university for four years, I come to the conclusion that I disagree with the Dali Lama. It's an easy comment to make, and a broad generalization (since each advocate some form of the Golden rule in one way or another), but it's rather wrong. Each tradition speaks on specific truths.

What hurts me is that people attack the Judea-Christian-Islamic faiths because of their exclusive nature. If one were to study these religions traditions in detail, they could understand why exactly they hold exclusionist views. You cannot get around things like Romans 10:9, and John 3:16. If these religions are based upon such things as faith in a resurrection, belief in the atonement of sins by Christ, and other truth-claims, to reject these are to misunderstand the religion's bases. You cannot take a soggy approach. It’s difficult to say “Yes, Christ, who we believe was God in the flesh, claimed that only through him will you achieve salvation, but we’re basically the same as other religions…” You must understand WHY these religions are exclusionist, before you CRITIC them for their evangelical nature.

It's easy for a Buddhist or Hindu tradition to try and merge with other religions, because of their open-tradition. However, all religions are not open like these two. You must understand these differences before you can make such a grand statement as throwing them in the same basket.

In conclusion, no I disagree. Although these religions advocate compassion (Sermon on the Mount, Commandments, Zakat, etc), they are formed around certain truths (Prophet, Son of God + Resurrection, God's Chosen People, etc) that cannot come to terms with such a silly and broad understanding of religion. It is better to study the religions from their central perspective, and than weigh their claims against one another, than ignorantly toss them in the same pile and critic them through a silly secularist position.

God Bless.

PS: It's spelled Christians.

Some of these comments are so extremely rude, ignorant, and vile that it sobered me to the terrible perception people get of religion. Certain people in particular take religious conspiracies that feed their own presuppositions, and they run with it. It's a sad thing that such a mass of people can lack any proper understanding of a religion.

It's also, sadly, understandable because we live in a secular society with groups that seek to eliminate any religious education. It would be wonderful, and helpful to see students studying religion at the high school level, but that would never happen in our present state.

Having studied Religious Studies at my university for four years, I come to the conclusion that I disagree with the Dali Lama. It's an easy comment to make, and a broad generalization (since each advocate some form of the Golden rule in one way or another), but it's rather wrong. Each tradition speaks on specific truths.

What hurts me is that people attack the Judea-Christian-Islamic faiths because of their exclusive nature. If one were to study these religions traditions in detail, they could understand why exactly they hold exclusionist views. You cannot get around things like Romans 10:9, and John 3:16. If these religions are based upon such things as faith in a resurrection, belief in the atonement of sins by Christ, and other truth-claims, to reject these are to misunderstand the religion's bases. You cannot take a soggy approach. It’s difficult to say “Yes, Christ, who we believe was God in the flesh, claimed that only through him will you achieve salvation, but we’re basically the same as other religions…” You must understand WHY these religions are exclusionist, before you CRITIC them for their evangelical nature.

It's easy for a Buddhist or Hindu tradition to try and merge with other religions, because of their open-tradition. However, all religions are not open like these two. You must understand these differences before you can make such a grand statement as throwing them in the same basket.

In conclusion, no I disagree. Although these religions advocate compassion (Sermon on the Mount, Commandments, Zakat, etc), they are formed around certain truths (Prophet, Son of God + Resurrection, God's Chosen People, etc) that cannot come to terms with such a silly and broad understanding of religion. It is better to study the religions from their central perspective, and than weigh their claims against one another, than ignorantly toss them in the same pile and critic them through a silly secularist position.

God Bless.

Even if xtians were willing to throw out the murderous tribal exhortations of the old testiment, and pretend the attrocities that are still being committed by supposedly xtian nations....like us, it still would not remove the basis premise of fundamentalist, that have avoided the 'fix' of secularism, that all humans that haven't accepted christ as the only way to salvatiton, are hell bound, and agents of satan, regardless that they behave in a more moral manner, and perform more compassionate acts than xtians.

As long as that arrogance exist, there will still be xtians that claim a moral superiority and a right to rule. Again, witness the brutality we've committed in Iraq claiming moral superiority.

Those claims are a farce and a lie, and cause almost as much death and pain in the modern world as the misguided actions of Islam.

When your religion produces more Gandhis than George Bushes, you might be believable. But then, it won't be christianity anymore, but ethical humanism.

ender,

Secularization has nothing to do with the peaceful nature of true Christianity. For example the Holy Scriptures teach Christians to "love thy neighbor" and to "turn the other cheek." Jesus modeled that for His people all the way to the cross. Those who have tried to advance Christianity with the sword are in conflict with Jesus life example and the Holy Scriptures. I suggest that you actually study the Scriptures before ignorantly commenting about Christianity. Your comments demonstrate that you are just parroting a common misconception about Christianity that is taught in our anti-God universities.

Ender,

My Sioux neighbor will be by later to reclaim his land that your family illegally took from him by force in 1770. "Resistance is Futile"!!!!

The only reason christianity is any more 'compassionate or loving' than Islam is the last 100 yrs of secularization. And Momma's Little Cocaine Cowboy has undone most of that.

Killing a couple hundred thousand browned skinned folks in Iraq for oil is only different in scale from the extermination of 30 million Native Americans in the name of land(oh sorry, that was to bring them the message of Jeebus)

Judaism and Islam were both founded by warlords using religion to keep the faithful up at arms and convince of moral authority.

Christianity was founded by a committee of Jews, Zorastrians and Romans, and evolved into a tool of control for the competeing papasties of eastern and western catholosism, before becoming the modern day rally point for populist capitalism, decadence and greed.

Hinduism is no better, except maybe more honest, and Buddhism is the worst because it calls for compassion without action, and love without feeling.

Victoria,

Here is another story from a plethora of stories that fit Qur'an 9, "Slay the pagans" (Christians who believe the doctrine of the trinity are considered pagans/infidels/idolaters. In Qur'an 9 the remedy for the pagans is to "slay" them). I am still waiting for your response from the other thread. Ignoring the questions does not make them go away.

Monday October 22, 2007
NIGERIA: TWO CHRISTIANS MURDERED IN KADUNA
Sword, wooden club attacks follow calls for violent jihad by Muslim leaders.

KADUNA, Nigeria, October 22 (Compass Direct News) – One man has been killed with a sword and another bludgeoned to death in this city in central northern Nigeria following Muslim leaders’ appeal to wage violent jihad against youthful Christians.

Muslim extremists on October 12 murdered Henry Emmanuel Ogbaje, a 24-year-old Christian, at an area known as Gamji Gate. The following day, church leaders said, a young Christian identified only as Basil was beaten to death with wooden clubs in the same area.

Ogbaje was a Sunday school teacher with the Military Protestant Church at Kotoko Barracks in Kaduna, while Basil, church leaders said, was a member of the Our Lady of Apostles Catholic Church. He was from Kagarko Local Government Area.

Elder Saidu Dogo, secretary of the northern Nigeria chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), told Compass that Islamic leader Sheik Gumi had urged Muslims to wage jihad against Christians during Tafsir, the reading and interpretation of the Quran, in televised broadcasts during the Islamic month-long observance of Ramadan.

“I saw Sheik Gumi on the television, NTA [Nigeria Television Authority], during that period preaching this inciting sermon – in fact, the same sermon was again broadcast by NTA Kaduna, on September 21 and 22,” Dogo told Compass. “He specifically called for a jihad, and that when they go killing they should not kill the elderly people, because the elderly have spent their years already, but that Muslims should kill young Christians.”

Dogo said that Sheik Gumi justified his call for jihad by saying in the same way Muhammad captured the Arabian peninsula, and Usman dan Fodio influenced northern Nigeria. Sheik Gumi concluded that because the British took northern Nigeria from the Islamic reformer (1754-1817) by force, Muslims “should fight to take over Nigeria by going to war against Christians.”

“With these kinds of statements coming from Muslim leaders, why would the followers of Islam not attack Christians?” Dogo asked. “We believe that the killing of Henry Ogbaje and Basil are the result of such sermons of these Muslim leaders.”

Dogo expressed dismay that the NTA, an agency of the Nigerian government, could be used to air such inflammatory messages. Nor is the Nigerian government making any efforts, he said, to curb such manipulation of the media.

Left for Dead

Henry Ogbaje’s father, Sgt. Emmanuel Ogbaje, told Compass that his daughter phoned him in Abuja on October 12 with news that Muslims had beaten his son to death with wooden clubs.

“She said they attacked him around the hours of five and six in the evening in the Gamji gate area, where they left him unconscious believing they had killed him,” Ogbaje said. “Henry was left in that state for about three hours with no one helping him.”

The young man regained consciousness, and a passer-by helped bring him home, where family members immediately took him to the 44 Military Reference Hospital, Ogbaje explained.

Stationed in Abuja with the National Defense College, the elder Ogbaje rushed to Kaduna and found his son at the hospital. A doctor treated him on October 12, a Friday, and requested that he be brought back to the hospital the following Monday for further examination.

“I went back to Abuja on Sunday, October 14, to enable me get a pass before returning to Kaduna the day Henry was to see the doctor again,” Ogbaje said. “But by Sunday night, my family phoned me that Henry’s situation had become worse and that he had been rushed back to the hospital. By 8 p.m. that Sunday, Henry died in the hospital and his corpse is now at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital mortuary, because the mortuary at the military hospital is being renovated.”

Ogbaje said the attack was doubly shocking for the family as they knew the young man had no known conflicts with anyone.

“Henry was a peace-loving person. He was straightforward,” Ogbaje said. “He was not a trouble-maker.”

A brilliant soccer player, Henry Ogbaje was a high school graduate seeking admission to university at the time he was killed, his parents said.

Resisting Retaliation

CAN’s Dogo said at least one Muslim attacked Basil with a sword at Gamji Gate while the Catholic w