Why so many atheists etc here?

Geeze, Neo, you should know better than to just make a statement about Revelations without actually quoting the verse to which you refer. Why don't you pony up, let others judge for themselves is the verse to which you refer actually does predict an event as you characterize it? . . .

One of the posters here on this forum was Timberlandko, a fellow with vast background knowledge on theology and much more. May he rest in peace.

But anyway, chapters 17 and 18 of the book of revelation describe the destruction of Babylon the Great, which can be nothing other than the aggregate of all perverted and God dishonoring religions.

Out of curiosity, I notice as I've read these forums that many people who don't believe in God regularly post in this forum 'Spirituality and Religion', and I was curious as to why you do so (if you don't believe in god or a religion)?

neologist wrote:

But anyway, chapters 17 and 18 of the book of revelation describe the destruction of Babylon the Great, which can be nothing other than the aggregate of all perverted and God dishonoring religions.

I know that you are honest enough to admit that even were the likelihood reasonably rated at 99.995%, there is no good basis for you to say that chapters of scripture, and especially of a book of scripture of so ambiguous a character as is Revelations--there can only be one meaning to anything. However, even if one stipulates your meaning, you still have the problem of the very subjective nature of saying that this or that belief is "perverted," and "god-dishonoring." Such a point of view can only be predicated upon religious particularism and a religious supremacist point of view.

More to the point, in the context of you having quoted Vikorr, who referred to Islam--your comment to the effect that there were a: powerful worldwide organization will nearly succeed in wiping out religions entirely--could only refer to Islam. But that is not necessarily what i thought you had in mind. Do you care to elaborate, and to tell us what the character of such an organization would be, or is?

Do you think that politicos telling Democrats that Jesus would be pleased if the US expanded programs to combat poverty is acceptable? Is it using a religious issue as a wedge?

BTW I do not favor the faith based initiatives of GWB.

And I commonly use his middle initial, as well as the middle (maiden) name of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Do you find the use of a middle name unacceptable? It is very common in politics (think JFK, FDR, Richard Milhous Nixon -- all often referred to with middle name or initial).

That's a plausible point of view, Neo, and one in which i would be unlikely to dissent with you. I see that you are dodging the question of what is the worldwide organization to which you refer--if, in fact, you have any currently existent organization in mind.

If Jehovah is a God of love, as I believe, then those acts would certainly be God dishonoring and perverted.

Setanta wrote:

That's a plausible point of view, Neo, and one in which i would be unlikely to dissent with you. I see that you are dodging the question of what is the worldwide organization to which you refer--if, in fact, you have any currently existent organization in mind.

One of my earliest topics, long since dead . . . http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1315471#1315471

What group is most likely to become fatally disgusted with the clergy's attempts to manipulate the world situation . . . and be in a position to do something about it? (emphasis added)

neologist wrote:

What group is most likely to become fatally disgusted with the clergy's attempts to manipulate the world situation . . . and be in a position to do something about it? (emphasis added)

Leaving aside that the UN is full of nations with strong relgious motivations--Muslim nations, Catholic nations, Protestant nations, at least one Hindu nation--i say leaving aside the absurdity of suggesting that you'd ever get a majority of the United Nations to agree to make the effort--what i Dog's name leads you to believe that the UN could do anything about it, even if they would ? ! ? ! ?

I am reminded of Cjhsa's paranoia that the blue-helmets are gonna come to take his guns away from him. Get a grip, Neo, you're smarter than that.

That is still no good reason to assume that there is any world-wide organization devoted to the extirpation of religion. And of all the candidates for such an evil plot, i personally find the United Nations the most laughable.

Priests have been around for many thousands of years, Neo, and the evidence is that they have always done very well, and likely will continue to do very well. Nobody has put them out of business yet.

real life wrote:

Do you think that politicos telling Democrats that Jesus would be pleased if the US expanded programs to combat poverty is acceptable? Is it using a religious issue as a wedge?

No and no, but the answers would be yes and yes if a politico expressed that he/she would press for expanded programs to support poverty BECAUSE Jesus would be pleased.

mesquite wrote:

real life wrote:

Do you think that politicos telling Democrats that Jesus would be pleased if the US expanded programs to combat poverty is acceptable? Is it using a religious issue as a wedge?

No and no, but the answers would be yes and yes if a politico expressed that he/she would press for expanded programs to support poverty BECAUSE Jesus would be pleased.

Really? You are saying 'yes it is acceptable if a politico expressed that he/she would press for expanded programs to fight poverty BECAUSE Jesus would be pleased'?

Why would it be acceptable to you for a politician to propose a program (or expansion of a program) on the grounds that doing so would fulfill the commands of Christ? (That is what they are saying when they say 'Jesus would be pleased with this.')

Does government really have a legitimate role fulfilling the commands of Christ, or doing something in order that 'Jesus would be pleased'?

I would not think that you would agree with that.

What group is most likely to become fatally disgusted with the clergy's attempts to manipulate the world situation . . . and be in a position to do something about it?

The group Megadeth?