Boomhauer

If people were genuinely more like Jesus, they could actually help the world .The problem is the Christian Right over here just use Jesus/God to push their own intolerance. The pro segregationist South was very religious too. Christianity was also used to argue against slavery but the Christian Right (in the US) is more a descendent of the pro segregationist camp. Obviously not all the self identified Christian Right but the hierarchy and a heckva lot of the grass roots.
They (Christian Right) are more like Gulf Arabs who use religion for expansionist and ethnic supremacist goals but the former are just amateurs compared to Gulf Arabs.

Millhouse

I don't normally regret my decisions, but I probably should have made a smaller bet on the world ending than I did.

Bahtatboy

How's your arse?

littlejimmy

Exactly. I don't know many Christians who follow Christ's teachings. A lot of the American churches particularly seem to be more interested in the nasty, intolerant Old Testament stuff.

Norm_uk

You're right and there's still a lot of that mentality in the "Christian Right" today. Christianity was also at the forefront of the abolition movement as well though to be fair (mostly people like the Quakers though).

What annoys me the most is how having right views on certain issues seems to mean automatic associate with these fundamentalists...it seems you have to buy your politics as a package in the US. There's a narrative that is being followed by the media - that's why they don't show you the black people who are party of the Tea Party movement, or the Atheist Republicans etc. I suppose this happens everywhere though - the UK has a lot of assumptions on a person based on who they vote for.

Yes to a lessor degree. They combine politics and culture with their version of a religion that specifically forbids it (Jesus did say "give to Caeser what is Caesers, and give to god what is gods" - a pretty clear indication of his stanch on Church/State separation methinks )

To be fair to Christianity it has no world domination ideology in it's original writings - beyond being charged to preach the word Christians were encouraged to help the poor, serve their leaders and pray in private (not wearing their religion on their sleeve)...there's a lot of evidence to suggest Jesus never intended Christianity to be separate from Judaism as well...that seems to an invention of his followers. I know the reality is often very different but they can't point to verses which say (set up theocratic government, tell everyone how to behave and destroy civillisations who won't convert).

Islam by comparison does have these things in it's writings. That's why I worry more about Muslims who want to be more like Muhammad than Christians who want to be like Jesus...

N.

Norm_uk

Rather odd since the Jews follow the (I hasten to add 'unaltered and untranslated') "Old Testament" yet when was the last time you heard of even an Orthodox Jew promoting stoning or eye for an eye type justice anywhere?

Also, most of the Churches in the world follow the writings of Paul more than anything else...Jesus never even advocated a separation from Judaism.

N.

Autonomy

Looks like were not out of the woods yet.... the world is still going to end....

"Harold Camping says his prophecy that the world would end was off by five months, and the Rapture will actually take place on 21 October"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...ing-apocalypse

Bahtatboy

Right. So that's 150 days left. Just as well, coz my inbox is full again, and it will give Millhouse a bit more time to find some bum action. Mind you, he has been quiet on that front...

Meow

That 'front'? Back, surely?

Bahtatboy

Its the way he was standing.

Millhouse

words cannot describe it. There is only a letter different between rapture and what I'm experiencing. Next time, I'll stay at home with a fake DVD.

Bahtatboy

You're listening to a rap tune? Jeez, think I'd rather get buggered.

Meow

Has he put some new batteries in his calculator then?

I am waiting to see if any of his followers decide to sue him - it being America after all - for giving false information leading to them losing out in some way, financially or otherwise.

Bahtatboy

I'm pretty sure it would be actionable. Anyone giving advice, free or not, with either explicit or implicit recommendation that it should be followed, is potentially liable if someone follows it, the advice is wrong or bad, and that person suffers. And I would imagine he qualifies for the first rule when considering suing someone: Can he pay?

Millhouse

Isn't this how the church acquired all its land?