To David Boaz.

Thank you for your invitation to read passages from the Bible, but I have already done that. As a 15 year old who had been indoctrinated as a Christian, I set myself the task of reading the Holy Book. I started at Genesis and by the time I got to Deuteronomy I said to myself. "What is all this crap?

There were stories about talking snakes, and blokes "begatting" of their daughters, and blokes living for thousands of years. It was pretty obvious to me that this book had been written by ignorant and superstitious people who did not have a clue. Right from the first passages of Genesis, my scepticism and critical analysis circuits began to kick in. Especially when God was supposed to have created the world in six days, then added the "stars" one afternoon, like the entire Universe was an afterthought.

To Philo.

All the churches around my area boldly proclaim their ethnic heritage with "Korean" churches dominating. My favourite is the "Ukrainian Adventist Church", just down the road from me.

The point I was making with my "heavenly" post is that religions can hardly promote Multiculturalism when they are by nature themselves secular. When all religions say that any good person can enter Paradise, regardless of their religion ( or lack of religion), then I might begin to take their promotion of Multiculturalism seriously.

BD, I agree with you regarding Ireland, two christian factions living in harmony and joy with each other. So whats new. I'm sure most posters don't want the gory details of the methods they use to kill each other, it's well documented. Of course we won't mention about both sides believing that their church is the true church, that would only muddy it further for you. Just read one account of what William of Orange said for a bit of fact.

I didn't quite understand your comments, regarding the other countries I mentioned.

All, I understand why you left, I had wondered where the fantasy library was situated. The Swastika goes back more than 3000 years and has been used in many countries during that time. It appears on many churches and was part of the insignia of a division of USA troops in the 1st world war. The Hindu swastika is different to the Egyptian, Sth American and European one.

I'd ask for a refund on your 300 book library on the subject, but then you are a devout christian, fantasy being your life. Mein Kampf would probably give you a more viable record of Hitlers devotion to christianity.

Rex that will be an interesting case. I expect that some time in the future the religious will be asked to provide evidence of fact to a court, that would be interesting considering how unprepared they are for the truth when they are presented with it. They get angry (normal religious reaction), then desperately spew forth fantasy after fantasy in desperation to support their delusions. Sadly like all the intellectually confused, they don't check the facts.

Rex,
I very much doubt whether the matter will go much further if what you say is the case. Christianity, unless I am wrong in the Italian arena, is a fundamental basis for their laws etc. If that is the case they would be judging an issue about which the law itself is a central character. I would imagine the conflict of interest would effectively remove the Italian Courts from hearing the case. One cannot make a judgement over ones own jurisdiction.
I am not a lawyer, it is just a possibility, I guess.

Did I stumble into a church?

"I'm not going to pretend I have an exhaustive sociological answer as to the root causes of the recent and continuing clashes."

Good, so keep your god-bothering rubbish to yourself. This is a political debate forum, not a place to find converts.

"So how should we, as God's people, live?'

I don't give a stuff how you live, as long as you don't tell me how to live.

Religion played a big part in the riots to begin with. The solution involves less religion, not more. Australia is a secular country, and the quicker the Jesus Freaks and Islamic Nutters realised that the better off we'd all be.

Even better, convert to Judaism. Jews may wear stupid hats and miss out on bacon, but at least they don't run around all over the world telling uninterested people to convert to their stupid religion.

The first Satanic Rule of the Earth (http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/Eleven.html) states "Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked". Nobody asked you, churchy.

I am with Shonga to a degree on this - we've done it to death: the only thing that keeps me watchfull is the extreme views that need constant surveillance; the usual suspects are still around.

Its good to see redneck back in the fray ; cant say I have seen much of him lately.

Remy has not once mentioned the word RELIGION in his article.

Religion says “DO” – Christ says IT IS DONE.

Religion starts when Jesus is taken out of the equation

Christ died for us and there is nothing we (the believers) could ever DO to repay him. In Christianity salvation has been dealt with once and for all on the cross.

Those who accept this free gift of salvation are eternally “in Christ”; they have by-passed the final judgement; God will no longer be counting their sins (or their good deeds) for they no longer live under the curse of the law.

I can understand why the Christian bashers get so predictably antagonistic to any notion of Christianity which is based on their observation of churchianity or religiosity. They are comparing Christianity with other “religions" no wonder they are embarassing themselves with laughable misconceptions. Bless them lord for they don't know what they are doing.

Their evaluation is derived from their own intellectual elucidation. What they don't realise is that FAITH is something they cannot begin to understand unless they can receive it from God.

God deserves all the glory and respect we can humanly give him. So brothers and sisters ‘in Christ’ let’s join Remy and show the world what Christ’s Church is: The one and only HOPE for humanity