Posted on 09/22/2001 10:00:05 AM PDT by BibChr
I gathered that.I (obviously) believe you are seriously wrong.
Let me try to explain...
In relation to the recent attacks on America I believe the bible gives a very vivid description of reality.
In order to ultimately win the war on terrorism every angle must be looked at.
America is going to respond to those terrorists with military force and pursue those who harbour terrorists.What people seem to be missing is that ultimately they are dealing with an enemy that is now entrenching himself within people...and you can't bomb something like that.This type of enemy feeds and grows on fear.It is evil and it feeds and sustains itself on evil.
When folks talk about making the area a glass parking lot for instance (and there has been tons more said on this site alone)they are showing total disregard for many innocent people including women and children who may well die as a result.It would not be difficult to go back over a few threads from the last few days and come up with the sort of list of posts that Bin Laden himself would gladly hold up to muslims to show them his interpretation of what Americans think of them....and thereby strengthen his position...and that of other terrorists.People need to realize that in many subtle ways they are empowering their enemies with what they are saying.
The apostle Paul understood this well....Romans 12:17 "Repay no one evil for evil..." To bring Bin Laden and all other terrorists to justice is not evil.However...to have any disregard for innocent people's lives is.To totally destroy terrorists operations (if neccesary with war,which inevitably leads to innocent casualties)is not evil.To be gleeful over the fact that many are going to die is.
Many think not repaying evil for evil is a soft touch approach...I rather think it is unemotional and calculating...something you need to be when planning tactics.
Military might can destroy those who use terror as a weapon....but it can't fight terror itself....it isn't a gun or a knife,it isn't a bomb,it isn't chemical reactions or electrical impulses...it is not physically quantifiable...yet it is very real....and it can make economies crash (amongst other things).
Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
I see this reality playing itself out right now...and the bible helps me understand what is going on...and where it is headed...and why it is headed that way.
"Therefore the question which religion is the more realistic one doesn't even arise for me."
I sincerely hope that it does arise for you.
" Religion itself is the problem."
Rather: religion can be the problem.You've probably heard this before but I will add that Christianity is not so much about religion as it is about knowing God personally.I know that many people believe they know God....maybe even Bin Laden as well....but it's not neccesarily what people say they believe that is actually what they do believe.
Matthew 7:20 "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
thank's for your reply and May God bless you.
I know, I read these statements and I absolutely reject these tactics (this "eye for an eye" and "let God sort them out" isn't quite my world). Of course, those who were responsible should be brought to justice but that's not the issue here.
You've probably heard this before but I will add that Christianity is not so much about religion as it is about knowing God personally.
The problem with this is that you can apply it to other religions as well. Others also know their god(s) personally and it is definitely not your god (and there are myriads of deities that were personally known by their worshippers). So what makes you so sure that this god-experience isn't an artifact of your brain?
Concerning the beliefs of bin Laden and the terrorists I am sure they are respectively were genuine. Fanatics are not only convinced of their beliefs (what's quite normal) but they lack doubt - the doubt that they may err. Strong held convictions are prone to turn into blinders and this is often the case with religions (but also secular ideologies) because they claim inerrancy for themselves.
What I meant when I said that religion is the problem was that the concept of religion (with its beliefs in deities, the supernatural, etc.) doesn't make sense to me. To pick a certain religion without being convinced that the concept behind religion is reasonable is doing the second step before the first.
Regards
Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived.
[Oscar Wilde]
The fate of American has always been in the hands of God's people and He speaks to us not the unsaved when He saids..
If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven and heal their land. 2 Chr 7:14
This was the Scripture on my calendar for September 11
This is the closest explanation to the truth. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the Muslim faith believe in the same God of the Bible ?
Isn't their Allah and the Christian God of the Bible one and the same ? Except of course Islam does not recognize Jesus being the Son of God. From what I understand, they recognize Jesus as being a good man and a prophet.
They did until Mohammed showed up and declared himself THE prophet. Mohammed wrote the current version of the Koran and he used to have "visions". From historical descriptions, he had epilepsy and had the "visions" during seizures.
Isn't their Allah and the Christian God of the Bible one and the same ? Except of course Islam does not recognize Jesus being the Son of God. From what I understand, they recognize Jesus as being a good man and a prophet.
I've never read The Koran for myself, only heard others quote it. I was told it does mention Jesus as a prophet.
I figured out the Italian problem. It was tricky!
< smug grin >
Dan
You seem to be going around in circles.You are saying basically the same thing you said in #111 to which I answered in #123.I gave you a reason why I believe what I believe,not something based on an experience.You obviously didn't see it that way hence you say the same thing again.I hope you are not arguing on atheist auto-pilot here.
" Concerning the beliefs of bin Laden and the terrorists I am sure they are respectively were genuine. Fanatics are not only convinced of their beliefs (what's quite normal) but they lack doubt - the doubt that they may err. Strong held convictions are prone to turn into blinders and this is often the case with religions (but also secular ideologies) because they claim inerrancy for themselves."
So..."they lack doubt - the doubt they may err" which would make them prone to going right past any rational statements and continue in their dogmatic viewpoint yes?
and "Strong held convictions are prone to turn into blinders and this is often the case with religions (but also secular ideologies)..."
They certainly are and to be honest I think you have just demonstrated that yourself by going straight past my reason and saying the same thing again....ie:"what makes you so sure?"
"What I meant when I said that religion is the problem was that the concept of religion (with its beliefs in deities, the supernatural, etc.) doesn't make sense to me. To pick a certain religion without being convinced that the concept behind religion is reasonable is doing the second step before the first."
You are doing it again friend..."to pick a certain religion without being convinced" is not what I am doing or have done and the fact it has come up three times already in spite of my explainations tells me that you have "Strong held convictions are prone to turn into blinders" more right than you obviously realize.
Do you believe you are immune to this?
thanks for the reply,at the least I will call you friend.
May God bless you and God bless America.
ps thanks Dan! you're a champ!
Sure there is evil here, but we need to fight the good fight to overcome evil, not "take our punishment."
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