Free Republic

"Your "onslaught" is to change "words" to prove your point."

Not at all. Christ was hammering an ATTITUDE. That attitude was "We really don't care what God's Word plainly and clearly says, we're going to believe what we want to believe, and push our anti-scriptural beliefs on others."

That is exactly what the scribes and pharisees did, and that is exactly what christianity does today, just as every other religion out there does.

So yes, it is quite appropriate to put "christians" there, because they, for the most part, have the same attitude the scribes and pharisees had.

By the way, if this comment goes through moderator censorship before being posted, it will be my last comment here, and my last visit to FreeRepublic. I absolutely won't tolerate a supposedly conservative freedom-loving website practicing censorship.

. but it would be hard to argue their failure will be painless."

It would be quite painless ...well... except for their stockholders. I suspect those folks might hurt a little.

But the rest of us wouldn't feel a thing. We'd hardly even notice it.

By the way, I'm not endorsing bailouts. The essay doesn't endorse bailouts. I believe bankrupt banks should go bankrupt. The essay makes that quite clear.

"I haven’t cut anything out of mine especially when Christ answered the questions put to him. Even by satan."

Then I stand corrected. Are you (and others) ready for the onslaught?

Perhaps you (and others) should go read Matthew 23:13 - 38, and where you see "scribes and pharisees", put "christians" there. That will give you some idea of my sentiments.

The reason Christ ignored most people who said "No, you're wrong, here's how it is." was due to either (a) they made really stupid foolish arguments that were not worth responding to, or (b) He could barely contain his anger at them for speaking blasphemy against God and God's Word ...as many christians do today.

Christianity's "Jesus" is an immaginary weak little limp-wristed man who frankly isn't worthy of anyone's respect.

The REAL Jesus could, and would, and did, verbally hammer people to pieces when it was called for.

But one thing will have to happen first. The moderators must stop censoring my comments. They must stop doing their "submit-for-review-before-being-posted" stuff.

"... and religious holiday."

I'll take that as a "yes" answer to my question.

(This is not directed at you) Then why should anyone have a problem with some bank doing Sharia stuff?

"The company I work for had no Christmas party for 2 years..."

Why would any company sponsor a Christmas party? Is that not endorsement of a particular religion?

“1rudeboy” is appropriate.

"Are you Thomas Jefferson and cut out parts of the bible you don’t like?"

No worse than Christians cutting out parts of the Bible they don't like.

You walked right into that one. :)

"The bank is clearly discriminating against non-Muslims and more will follow. This is a long term plan."

I suppose that's no worse than religion moderators on FreeRepublic discriminating against non-Christians.

"I’ve had a good life while feeling safe and secure here inside America’s borders. I guess that’s about to change."

More than you realize. WAY more than you realize.

When Christ spoke to crowds of people, there is no record of Him listening to people say “No, you’re wrong, here’s how it is.”

There is no record of Him doing that even when speaking with an individual person.

There is no record of the Apostles doing that either. Not with a crowd, nor with an individual person.

They simply spoke God’s word, and let it go at that.

Christ said He set an example for us to follow. I’m following it.

7) Faith is trusting God enough to do what God says, i.e. trusting God enough to keep His Commandments.

Now that several of you have indicted your intelligence by equating Christianity with God, allow me to set the record straight.

1) Christianity has nothing to do with God nor Christ.

Christianity is a set of beliefs and practices that contradict just about everything about God and Christ.

2) Christianity opposes just about everything in the Bible.

Nearly every single Christian belief diametrically opposes what the Bible clearly says.

3) Christianity is anti-God and anti-Christ, for reasons stated in #1 and #2.

4) America was not built upon Christian beliefs.

America was built upon Godly principles set forth in the Bible. Christianity opposes nearly every one of those principles.

To put it in simpler terms for you intellectually-challenged Christians out there, America was built upon following God’s Commandments. Christians universally believe following God’s Commandments is not necessary, and universally believe said commandments have been “done away.”

Following God’s Commandments, those higher-principles I mentioned in the other thread, is what produces honesty, integrity, and high character, as God clearly stated multiple times from Genesis to Revelation.

It logically follows that ignoring God’s Commandments, believing said commandments have been “done away”, as Christianity teaches as one of it’s basic doctrines, as Christians universally believe, would result in lack of honesty, lack of integrity, and lack of character, as God clearly stated multiple times from Genesis to Revelation, and is universally displayed by people who call themselves “Christian.”

5) Christianity’s “God” is not the Real God.

6) Christianity’s “Jesus” is not the Real Jesus The Christ, the Messiah, and soon-coming KING OF THE UNIVERSE, with all the power and authority of God Himself, who will destroy Christianity and all other false religions, as is clearly stated in the Bible.

The REAL Jesus kept His Father’s Commandments perfectly, told us to keep His Father’s Commandments perfectly, and made God’s Spirit availabe to us so we CAN keep His Father’s Commandments perfectly.

The REAL Jesus said “If you love Me, keep My Commandments. Do what I say. Those who keep My Commandments, who do what I say, are those who love me.”

... and yes, the REAL Jesus told us to keep His Father’s Commandments also.

"How much integrity does it take for a bitter old atheist to post a thread bashing every religion in the Religion Forum, and then disappear and not respond to a single post?"

You obviously can't read very well. Your thin-skinned religion moderator ordered me to leave that thread.

Jumping to conclusions without checking the facts (as you did here) shows lack of integrity, just as I said.

"Leave the thread."

You just tarnished the integrity of FreeRepublic.com by limiting free speech.

I'll be glad to leave this thread and rejoin the real world.

"And do NOT make it personal."

That's BS. You let personal attacks slip through all the time.

FYI it wasn't a personal attack. The comment I responded to stated beliefs based on someone's "faith". I stated that neither I nor anyone else cares about their "faith". That is not a personal attack.

It amazes me how people can believe in a real live living spirit being they call “God” who is supposed to be all-caring and all-loving.

If such a being does exist, then how do these people explain massive suffering and death around this planet? Wouldn’t such an all-caring, all-loving, all-powerful “God” step in and prevent it?

The existence of massive suffering and death is all the proof any rational person needs that said alleged all-caring, all-loving, all-powerful “God” does NOT exist.

The more likely manifestation of “God” is higher principles. A set of higher principles.

That set of higher principles can exist in a world full of suffering and death. They are simply being ignored.

Love is one of those principles. Perhaps the highest one. Love for fellow man. Love for the planet we live on, the air we breathe, the water we drink, etc. “Caring” is a better word. Caring for fellow man. Caring for the planet we live on, the air we breathe, the water we drink, etc. That principle is being ignored.

How many people who claim to believe in “God” and in some cases “love God”, turn right around and routinely ignore the principle mentioned above?

Which would produce better results? Believing in “God” and even “loving God”, or following the principle mentioned above?

Some of the lousiest people I’ve ever met, the most dishonest people I’ve ever met, the lyingest people I’ve ever met, the most irrational and unstable people I’ve ever met, believe in “God” and claim to “love God.”

“God” is nothing more than a convenient excuse to be a lousy person. People who believe in “God” typically believe said “God” is going to give them a free pass into some “next life”, so they don’t have to put forth any effort to follow the higher principles I mentioned, and be good people in this life.

"Buffett's interview centered on President-elect Barack Obama and the tough task he faces in fixing the U.S. economy."

This is the entire problem in a nutshell. Government screwing up the economy, then trying to "fix" it.

"But in this specific instance, the Michigan Consumer Sentiment actually did go up this week: Consumer Sentiment"

No serious investor gives a rat's ass about touchy-feely nonsense like that. Serious investors watch the financial fundaments. Financial fundamentals say consumers are cutting way back on spending. That is corroborated in frighteningly dismal 4Q retail sailes numbers, and is continuing into '09.