Comments (11)

Try going to
http:///AR/R356/html

i do not get any of this plz explain

The info on a split between Eastern and Western Christianity contains some correct info and some information that could mislead some or many readers; the overall portrayal could--contrary to a writer's intentions--mislead some readers.

For the real skinny, click here for a short essay: http://www.orlapubs.com/AR/R344.html.
While this short piece is addressed to the evolution controversy,it shows
(i) how E and W paradigms differ
and
(ii)the history of how E abd W have come to be indebted to such conflicting presuppositional paradigms.

It is easy to conclude that different particulars are moulded by different presuppositional axioms.

Anyone searhing for the truth could do worse that take a gander at the page linked above.

No one is infallible, but I will stand behind what is posted there.

TO: Formerly Doubting Thomas,

A thousand pardons Sir. I was caught up in responding to Mark and I failed to thank you for responding to me. I appreciate it very much.

One other thing. I am a simple man with a simple mind and a Cleveland education. For this reason I need an easy read. In love, I am saying that you are a tough read. I got a different interpretation of your message than Mark Eaton did. If that's OK with you...cool. The only point I make here is that you might want to simplify. Thanks again.

"Rapture", one of Blondie's early tunes. Good song, but a weak basis for religious beliefs. Lots of fairy tales are "scary."

And then there was the Council of Florence in 1472. But for the death of the patriarch of Constantinople this would have quite possibly seen the reunification of the two sides.

Mark Eaton:

I feel that you are on point mostly and I have comments pertaining only to your last paragraph. The answer to peace is tolerance...plain and simple. However, Satan is interested in a continued movement.

Because the Muslim population is the 2nd largest of ideologies, and because, as you have pointed out, Islam opposes Christianity (the largest), there will be a final showdown between the two. Unfortunately, we have leaders who cannot understand that Democracy doesn't fit in Islamic ideology, and so they think that there can be a "strategy" for obtaining Democracy in Iraq. I am so sick of that word "strategy".

I have come to learn that Islam is a religion, a culture, a government and a total way of life for Muslims. King George (Dubya)and company just don't get it. I refer to him as King George instead of President Bush because like Kings of the past, he took reign and did his thing, in spite of all of us and in spite of the law.

Anyway, the extremist Muslims will grow in numbers while the "passive" Muslims will support them via non-action. Where the Book of Revelation talks about persecution etc., Al Queda and Islam in general are clearly in the picture. Western countires all practice tolerance, and os what persecution will we bring?.

I just don't think that we can stop that train Mark. The Book of Revelation is clear and scary, and we had all better hope for being caught up in the Rapture.

Good day Sir.

Sounds like DOUBTING THOMAS is still doubting.

How can we speak about God without knowing something of His revelation? If you are a Christian and you do not at least read the Bible, how can you intelligently talk about God? If you are a Jew and do not read the Torah, what do you know of God? If you are a Muslim and do not read the Quran, how much do you know of Allah? When we take God and try to portray Him as just another human father with flaws, moodiness, pettiness, distrust, etc. we do Him a big disservice. If He was just like us, He would not be God. And we are not like Him, because we are not God. If He truly is God, the creator of all things, we should be in awe of Him. Can any one of us create something from nothing? Can anyone of us place a single star in the sky? Can anyone of us truly know our own bodies and how they work? Please, let Him be God and learn about Him. Read the books that I have listed and others besides. Form you own conclusions from them. But please, do something. Having knowledge and being wise are two different things. Being a "Christian" and knowing God are also two diferent things.

For our Muslim friends, both of us need to repent and be sorry for the attrocities committed in the name of religion. If we both did this, would we live in peace? I strongly doubt it. Our religions are not compatible. We cannot coincide without argument. We both strongly feel that our faith is true, while the other is not. The stronger we feel about this, the more we will disagree. Perhaps, our disagreement can stay just that. Perhap we could have a mutual agreement to disagree, but in peace. We need to leave the hurt feelings and revenge in the past. Discussing what we did to you and what you have done to us must stop if we are to live together.

I saved a link to it:

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2006/11/keep_god_within_us.html

I repeat the one post I made for your perusal:

==========================
Please consider:

1) Many roads lead to Rome, but not all -- some go to Chicago (and then only if you're not heading toward LA).

2) Regarding the blind men all examining the different parts of an elephant and drawing their various accurate but incomplete conclusions, had there been yet another imaginative, hungry, and semi-daydreaming blind man in the corner of the room who subconciously thought of spaghetti and offered that the elephant tasted like sun-ripened tomatoes and basil, well, he would have been simply wrong about the nature of the elephant.

3) It violates logic to have an effect without a cause, e.g., not merely to say the universe exploded into being from the big bang but to further state that nothing preceded the big bang.

4) No logic is violated (and it is therefore compellingly argued) that something has existed eternally -- whether God, the universe in an endless cycle of big bangs, the potential for creation, or something else, reason alone cannot discriminate amongst.

5) The statement there is no absolute truth contradicts itself! Belief does not create absolute truth, nor does disbelief nullify it.

6) Pi (to several digits) = 3.1412592 or so. Pi does not equal 4 (like the state of Indiana taught in public schools briefly by legislative decree). To say pi is not equal 5 is intolerance for error. To say pi is not equal to 4 is intolerance for inaccuracy. To say pi is not equal to 3 is intolerance for imprecision. To state ANTHING unequivocally is to disaffirm all that is contrary to it. Is there any consequential area of knowledge or wisdom where error itself merits respect, with all due respect to the well intentioned legislators in the state of Indiana! Ought not all people be respected but all error exposed to the light of discourse and reason? The color a bridge is painted may be primarily an aesthetic matter but the truth of its architecture had best prove out!

7) A father has a unique relationship with each of his children. And yet each child's opinion of the father is variably informed by firsthand knowledge of the same man (some possibly more accurate than others). Even so, those who claim all ideas of God equally valid really deny that anyone has a genuine relationship with God. Those who claim tolerance while they do this are either very intolerant, or very arrogant in their aetheism.

8) IF you don't happen to see ultimate justice, but there really is a loving and omniscient God, then perhaps it could be there is justice but you just don't see it. (I implore you to leave open at least that possibility).

9) IF there is a loving, all powerful, and all knowing God who revealed himself to you personally, whose will was good and perfect, would you be willing to surrender yourself to that good and perfect will, best for you and all those you love? Or would you choose otherwise instead of submitting yourself, as best you could, to what is truly right?

10) IF God grants free will and IF the answer to the last question (as you answer it in your heart of hearts) actually impacts your ability to know God, would not God be just? If you choose not to think about it, would not God be just? If God forgives all but apathy of and intentional avoidance of the right, would not God be just?

Just a few thoughts,
Tom

Wow. I joined in dialogue here for the very first time yesterday, 11/29, and it was a thrill-a-minute. Big difference today. Too bad. Does anyone know what happened to yesterday's dialogue?

Starting now I will be more distinctive in identity than "Michael".

It is worthy to note that the First Crusade was launched in part to aid the Eastern Church and thus was a curious kind of "olive branch" offered forty years after the schism.