But Philo, you haven’t put forward a positive case for your own position (i.e. that there is a God) because you can’t. That is what is being criticized (by me anyway). There is no evidence to support your beliefs so your argument rests on thin air, brainwashing and old wives tales.

I agree with you that the alchemist is a bit over the top. And I disagree with his claim that it is religion that *causes* war etc. Economics cause war, religion is used as the cover and the justification, and as an opiate of the masses. However religious leaders do have a vested interest in what is going on and politic for their own interests. You can’t deny that. Political leaders also use religion for their own interests.

And the fact that religion is not based on any evidence means that followers must have “faith” in what they are being told. This leaves them wide open to being manipulated.

It also means that people are not learning how to think rationally, logically, scientifically and critically. As a result they are prone to believing anything they are told without questioning it sufficiently.

Have you ever questioned your religious leader about fundamental tenets of your faith? What happens when the questions get too hard? I bet that in the end you are just told that you must have faith, and that God moves in mysterious ways, all will be revealed etc.

That is the main problem with religion – it leads the natural inquisitiveness of the human mind into a tunnel of irrational and untrue answers which dulls peoples capacity for clear thinking. Once that is done, you are plasticine to be moulded by anyone - politicians, the media, your employer, Al Queda, David Koresh.

And religion itself creates fear – what is Hell if not something to be afraid of?

Philo, you destroy someones argument by putting forth a positive case for reality. It's monotheists who need to establish a “position of worth”.

“So by continually misrepresenting others position with lies and blatent infantile bashing in an attempt to create fear and hostility in the listening public is a precurser to war - North Korea is an example.”

This is how monotheists approach others, using fear and hostility. Iraq, Afghanistan, African countries, the America's, many in Asia, the pacific, all monotheistic controlled by invasion, either militarily or missionary.

We're in a precursor to war, another monotheistic one. You accuse Nth Korea of promoting war, but it'll be monotheists imposing sanctions, blockading and forcing them to defend themselves. I don't like Nth Korea's approach to life, they're only a problem because the followers of god are threatening them.

Its monotheists misrepresenting others positions, declaring them false because you can't understand the truthful pleasure of investigative evolution.

Tao, economics is a religion controlled by monotheists, an excuse to wage war upon the populace under the lies of improvement and growth. Economic growth is designed to disenfranchise the populace and enslave them, they can't do it by stealth and lies, (god). So they use another fallacy, economic rationalism and globalisation brings happiness, we all know thats another lie and illusion.

God and economic growth are lies in relation to the future, both give false hope and faith. Who promotes these lies, politicians, the rich, all following god. They use slave labour from the countries they've invaded to provide them with cheap resources, labour and increase profits.

Who owns the monopolies dumping tobacco and other destructive processed junk upon these fragile people, destroying their health in the name money. Missionaries set the scene for their enslavement, destroyed their way of life and environment, then handed them over to their elite worshipers to exploit.

Gods history is full of lies and deceit, as a pretext to wage war against people and the planet. Philo, name a historically verifiable positive contribution your god has made to the world.

Part One

Here we might say that both corporate wheeler-dealerism and government spin has caught us up in the old controversy about freedom of choice - which in history as regards Christianity was finally partly solved by one of our most famous Christians as well as one of our greatest Western philosophers, St Thomas Aquinas.

It was Aquinas who accepted precepts of Ancient Greek philosophy introduced to the West by Islamic students. Apparently Aquinas had already decided that Christianity had to be lifted out of the doleful period we now know as the Dark Ages. Thus it came about that Christian faith became tempered with Aristotelian Reason, which not only greatly influenced the Rennaissance with thoughts more of earthly progress besides an afterlife, but which also gave great impetus to science and the Age of Reason followed by the the Age of Enlightenment-then into the exciting but problematic Democratic Age we are living in now - sensible reason, according to sociologists having become replaced once again with the crude animalistic doctrine of the survival of the fittest.

It was Darwin himself who died condemning former compatriots like Herbert Spencer and Walter Bagehot for helping to form what we now know as Darwinian Socialism, which not only gave more impetus to an already rampant colonialism later proven by the British invasion of South Africa and American imperial adventures into the Spanish possessions on both sides of the Pacific, as well as capturing Hawai.

Further, it was the so-called Darwinistic survival of the fittest concept which historians say not only helped begin WW1, but after Versaille, the angry revival of the Germanic Wermacht, giving sanction to Hitler to give command for all the horrendous Nazi Germanic atrocities of WW2.

How impressive it was for America and her victorious allies to forgive the German people for following the fanatical Hitler, gifting them with the Marshall Plan along with Japan. Also ridding the world of Soviet Stalinism placing the US by then in the global academy award status

Part Two

Unfortunately, corporate greed and hegemon has now trapped the US like a huge fester, as it has trapped Britain, as well as Australia, and has really trapped us in Iraq. Like the blind leading the blind, our leaders have been too blind to see that corporatism is really nothing new, as proven by the East India Company which finally gained control of the whole of Ceylon.

Simply the economies of scale, as Adam Smith knew all about, play along carefully and you will have the lot. But it was Adam Smith who warned to remember you are dealing with people, who as a social philosopher thought also about the proletariat as part of his Wealth of Nations.

Maybe Bill Gates is another one who thinks about people, though some say he will get back more than he gives away - though he at least gives indication how with corporatism most of the wealth will rise to the top like junket does to milk.

But after thousands of years, as Darwin made clear before he died. For humans, we surely should have found a kinder and more compassionate way to live our lives different to the animals.

The point is, even through the ballot box, with economic rationalism and corporate power mesmerising both sides of government with lies or spin, we lower ranks have now lost the license to make the choice?

Alchemist and Tao,

Yes you are both right - trying to explain God to you two is impossible not because He does not exist (plenty of evidence for those who care to look) but because it will be futile.

It takes FAITH.

If God could be explained in a test tube by His creation - that would defeat His work on the cross for humanity.

Since no one can honestly deny Jesus’ existence, death, and resurrection; and since everyone has access to the infallible word of God – that withstood centuries of criticism and attacks – there is no longer any excuse for anyone to discover all the proof needed to make a factual and logical decision to believe – unless they chose not to.

My “duty” as a Christian is not to convince you but to point you to the truth. I know that to you this is not credible because you feel “cleverer” than God; and that’s OK. God in His infinite wisdom accepts people as they are.

If it feels I am patronising – it’s definitely not my intent. But be assured that I speak from a position of perfect and intimate knowledge of the Supreme Being.

______________

Back to article – not withstanding the fact that leaders lie to advance their causes; I am interested in finding out what would be the secular plan in regard to the rising world Islamisation.

It is easy for you unreligious worldly people out there to criticise Christians for engaging the Islamic conflict and governments for implementing tactical corrections (wars) – but what would YOU suggest (apart from a full-on religious war) against this eminent aggressive Islamic threat?

coach,

If you analyze the situation in the Middle East you will find the injustice that the Arabs particularly Muslims have suffered from the "West" as a secular cause.

In the Palestinian/Israeli dispute: Israel flounts UN security resolutions as it continues its bloody campaign of occupation using the most advanced and deadly arms supplied by the USA. No one says a word to Israel and turns a blind eye to the carnage and havoc they rain down on unarmed and predominately Muslim civilians in Gaza.

Iraq was invaded, by the so called 'allies of the willing' for possession of WMD. Israel doesn't only have conventional WMD it also has nuclear weapons. Why the double standard? Why is Iraq invaded but not Israel? Why is it permissible for Israel to ignore the UN but not for Arab countries?

Today, Iran is facing the wrath of the USA and the UN for its development of nuclear weapons but it wasn't Iran that introduced them into the Middle East, it was Israel. Iran has every right for concern to defend itself as it has USA forces on its doorstep (who have already supported a war against Iran) and a belligerent Israel in its vicinity. Let Israel disarm its nuclear weapons and let the USA depart Iraq and Iran wouldn't need to develop any weapons.

Syria also on President Bush's list of the 'axis of evil' sees Israel, USA's erstwhile ally, recently 'buzzed' the President's palace with war planes as it publicly pronounces Syria's 'private plans to attack Israel, Israeli speak for a planned attack on Syria.

Just a few examples of the West's double standards and threatening attitude to Muslims who's lives are somehow more expendable.

I don't agree with what the jihadists are doing but they do have an argument which the West refuse to acknowledge.

Right the wrongs inflicted on the Arab world and the jihadists would have no argument that gives them such credibility among the down trodden and poor Arabs which are today a breeding ground for jihadist recruits.