Amazing again how the self righteous non religous people are happy to blame the world's violence on religion while they condone the murder of innocent unborn children by the thousands.

Have not people woken up to the fact that the problem lies with the heart of man. Some of the vicious posts of some so called non religous and religous here just confirm that. It seems to me that the forum has turned into a points scoring event. The anti Bush/Howard/religous (pro Israel) people versus the athiest/green religous people (pro Arab) or at leat anything anti US.

The Bible describes accrurately how the heart of man is wicked. Only Christ can change a heart whether Jew, Arab, athiest, Catholic or Protestant, Buddist or Hindu.

I suppose by blaming religion, governments or anything else it stops you from asking yourself uncomfortable questions.

well said Irfran, I'm glad you could say it, I didn't wish to dignify those posts with any sort of response.

Runner, you are clearly confused :)

A child is not a child until it has been born. Similarly, your
bible must be wrong it seems. The heart is a humble pump.
We can remove your heart and replace it with a baboon's heart,
your personality will not change. The emotional centres of
the mind are located in the limbic system, something that the
people who wrote the bible, were not aware of.

Relying on religion for your understanding of the world is
clearly dangerous!

A little more intelligence and a little less religious rhetoric
on these threads, would be highly appreciated

The hopes generated for the locals with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and of Turkish rule after World War One have vanished. Rights to ownership, of that place then, were promised to two different groups - though these are "brothers". Jews, Lebanese and palestinians - they are all of "Middle Eastern appearance". No "racial" disparity exists here. The current murderous rampage is Cain and Abel revisited.
The religious fundamentalism of "an eye for an eye" and "may your tribe increase", from both sides, pervades the conflict. And external manipulation adds to it.
Lebanon's forests of Cedar, those the pharoahs journeyed from Egypt to harvest, have long gone. Now, already-scarce water supplies dwindle; the land becomes increasingly debilitated, and cost of energy for maintenance of society escalates. All this, while resources have to be distributed among an increasing population.
The combined numbers for Israel, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Territory, currently stand at about 15 million, of which Israel makes up some 46 per cent. The projected numbers for 2025 are 22 million, with Israel making up 42 per cent.
The God who watches over the children of Moses, of Christ, of Mahomet, - is he just enjoying the fireworks? Has he set a Brunnhilde-type Wagnerian self-immolation (nuclear variety) as the finale for his triumvirate of chosen people in that land? If not, it is going to be a very long-drawn-out affair.

Thanks Yabby

I agree that relying on religion for ones worldview is dangerous. Just as dangerous as relying on ones own small minded view of things. However relying on Jesus Christ seems a far better option than any other I have ever heard of or seen. I wonder what it is however in His life or teachings that make His followers so dangerous. Please spare me a history lesson of what many of His so called followers have done in His name. A similar list for for produced for athiest/communist/facist etc.

Sorry if you can't understand what many do in regard to the heart of man. Whether you want to call it the emotional centre of the mind (sounds a lot more complicated) or the heart of a person.

I am sorry that as a believer in your eyes I disqualify myself due to my lack of intelligence. The problem I have is that I am yet to find a more intelligent and humble teacher than Jesus Himself

Well, doesn't everybody think this is terrible news for world peace?

Anyone who is looking for a less gloomy view of things should read the comment thread on Last Superpower, where arthur thinks that this exchange signals the endgame - the Israelis are getting ready to leave the West Bank to the Palestinians.

"Israeli internal morale is greatly improved by shouting at Iran a lot while having to accept the ignominy of actually being defeated by the Palestinians."

and

"Meanwhile the lesson that Israel has no strategic options is being drummed in. They can't occupy Lebanon, they can't get Syria to occupy Lebanon, they can't occupy Gaza so what CAN they do apart from pointless bombardment and even more pointless sonic booms?"

http://www.lastsuperpower.net/disc/members/805094250462