Devil - I wouldn't say to anyone don't post here - no matter how much I may think their posts are foolish.

Anyhow.. Coach... I see you went with F) then.

I think it's kind of sad you can't even acknowledge Christianity is a religion.

It certainly isn't a croquet club.

Fleurette, I strongly agree with your statement that the worlds great powers are becoming reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

The holocaust was meant to be something that the world would never forget, and we havn't forgotten that it did happen, but we do seem to have forgotten how Germany came to be in that position.

It seems some people like to believe that facism, in one form or another, is something we are immune to, but we are not.

Stripping away civil liberties, suppressing labour unions, concentration of media, the manufacturing of threats and perhaps most importantly, dehumanising our supposed enemies, this is happening here and around the world and it is very similar to what happended in Germany in the 1930s.

Sheree, I think your article is suitable to be submitted to the teacher, to obtain school marks. But as far as a rigorously intellectual assessment of the situation goes, it is far from adequate.

Indeed, one needs to be truthful and say it is idealism (in company with most merely humanistic thought). Other posters ought to have acknowledged as much. 'Let's all just be friends' is a good idea, and I am all for it. And would like to see some peaceful dialogue. But lasting peace doesn't, and will not happen that way.

Clearly, you fail to grasp the dynamic at work in the middle east, and amidst nations, and in a human heart - concerning the interplay of belief, and unbelief.

Your cursory historical overview - such as your summary of the Crusades - lacks depth.

When Islam conquered Asia Minor, Christian churches in many places were turned into mosques, and were given an inscription directed against Christians who still might be present: 'GOD DID NOT BEGET AND IS NOT BEGOTTEN'. Belief is a prime factor.

The utter unity which the eternal Son has with the eternal Father, through the power of the eternal Spirit was revealed and imparted to humanity - slap bang in the middle of the Middle East. 'Salvation is from the Jews', said Jesus, and then he poured out his life, so that it would be so, through forgiveness, and peace, flowing to us - now!

People and situations, and solutions with 'sweet appearances' of peace, repeat the mistakes of old, saying: 'Peace, Peace', where there can never be peace'.

Only the Prince of Peace can bring such to the human heart, and to nations.

Coachy boy,

Good to see some things (& people) never change.

Didn't stir you for a while but here is one:

You claimed 'Allah is not God'.

The Arabic bible of Van Dyk, God is called "allah" and Christian services and prayers pray for 'Allah'. So is the Bible 'wrong'?

In a way I admire you: you always get caught red handed but for some reason you hate of Islam and muslims keep bringing you back.

Can I suggest a hobby or yoga classes?

Fellow human,
the word "Allah" certainly means God.
I believe Egyptians Christians use "Allah" as the word for God.
But what they mean, then is 'The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ'.
This is NOT what a Muslim means, when speaking of "Allah".
To every Muslim 'Allah' does not have a Son.
Since you feel a need to give Coach some advice, perhaps you could do with some too:
Why not do some Trinitarian and Chrisitan theology in your spare time!

Sage said:

"My religion asks me to believe that a man of about 100kg could walk on water. Can anyone top that?"

I thought Gough Whitlam did.

Surely the real point about the current troubles is that young men love fighting. And it has always been so. Shakespeare said that the main interests of young men in his time were "stealing, fighting, and getting wenches with child". Those who think that human nature will change are, in my opinion, the deluded ones.

Human nature has evolved over the last million years (many of our territorial and other instincts are found in apes and other animals), and is not about to change any millennium soon.

The role of religion is mainly as a label to identify the conflicting forces. Poverty and unemployment can exacerbate the love of fighting, but it is always there. Look at business. A large part of business activity is related to a form of warfare, albeit usually war without blood. Look at "price wars" "sales wars" and similar business terms.

The need to fight, to take risks and live dangerously, which characterises much of humanity, has resulted in us rising to amazing technical levels, and could also lead to our destruction.