We are having a lively debate. That is terrific. In its totality, the Holy Bible is a Template for living, and a record of what not to do wrong. Yes it was written by the Jewish scholars living at the time, and most copies nowadays are dated about 1600 AD. The advent of the Printing Press, made it massively available, to those who could read, and the best place to hear the stories told and learn the lessons in it is in Church.

This is still true, even though the quality of the story tellers is a bit patchy. Lousy unimaginative story tellers, don’t fill Churches. We all love a good yarn.

The Jews were worshipping law, 2000 years ago, and God Almighty sent someone to put them right. The New Prophet Jesus Christ preached that there are only two laws, not the endless regulations and ten commandments of the Old Testament. Unfortunately, the printing press also made mass entertainment possible, and to be able to read is to be entertained, and now we have the internet and mass media, all competing to tell the best yarns.

In very few words, the lesson of the four Gospels, adopted by the English, and the United States is that there is only One God, and only Him shall you worship, and secondly, if you aint hurting anyone, you aint breakin the law. With the advent of the heretical, “Doctrine of Parliamentary Supremacy”, which is a Jewish Idea, the Parliament, not Almighty God is the God. In Exodus 32 the consequences of making a “Golden Calf” are explained. To enforce the Jewish Law, there had to be a Magistrate, and we have adopted that law too. The Federal Court of Australia is a Jewish Magistrates Court, with no electors allowed. I don’t remember a referendum seeking permission to introduce Judaism, as the State Religion? Do you? Abraham Gilbert Saffron, asked for and got what he wanted. Christianity is not just about forever, it is for now. It is not a fear Religion, and should be catching members with honey, not vinegar

Crickey you sheeple still going on about this?
Christianity is Black Magic, black mail.. it's like the second coming of Jeb " either you're with us, or your with the terrorists" better kow tow to the imaginary and be devious on the sly, you have to 'sin' to be forgiven by the imaginary.. If you don't realise it's all whacko then you need a brain transplant. I'd say go to Jonestown and be a chosen one. The bible is very popular esp among third world indigenous cultures that have had christian idiots forcing that rubbish upon those poor people, stuffing up their way of life forever, oh yes christianity rhymes with insanity.
I say " more jonestowns one in every state, why wait? a 'mecca' macca's take your kids.
Ah I feel better now....

"The 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth is scheduled for 12 February, 2009. Celebrate the day! On 25 December I intend to do something appropriate to celebrate Isaac Newton's birthday. He has inspired many more than three wise men."

Jesus Christ suffered the most painful death possible, and conquered this horrific death by rising from the dead. He's inspired billions of people. Quite a few more than Darwin or Newton, I'd imagine.

"If you don't realise it's all whacko then you need a brain transplant."

If anyone needs a brain transplant, perhaps it's the person who seems to lack a basic grasp of spelling and grammar? ie: You!

Ok, perhaps that was a bit harsh, but your comment certainly warrants criticism. If you'd like to expand on it a little, I'd love to hear more about where you're coming from.

Inspired them? Probably. Informed them? No.

I would suggest Newton and Darwin have had more effect on today's world than Jesus, for the simple reason there is only one science while there are multitudes of faiths, even within Christianity. What's more, science is consistent in every language, every culture, every age. If someone makes a silly claim you can prove them wrong.

With religion, if someone says something you disagree with you either kill them or condemn them to spend eternity in burning flames. Or something else according to [insert dogma here].

Regardless of where or when you were born the laws of physics and evolution are the same. On the other hand the biggest determinant of one's faith is the time and place of birth. Does that never strike you as odd?

Oversimplification is a disease, and it's made an appearance right here. Your post is loaded with presuppositions and assumptions, and they aren't necessarily ones I share, so it may be difficult for us to find common ground.

When you talk about one's faith, you need to distinguish between the faith one claims and the faith one proclaims. Example- according to the census, 68% of Aussies are Christians. In reality, the vast majority are "practical atheists".

Christianity is worldwide, just as science is. There isn't another faith which is as evenly spread around the world as Christianity.

In 1900, there were 7 million Christians living in Africa. By 2000, there was closer to 400 million. I guess no one told them that everyone keeps the faith of their parents.

So that's Africa, a poor and uneducated land. Then take a look at America- it's the most powerful nations in the world and one of the most educated, yet has more Christians than any other country.

Amazing, isn't it?

Many groups in the United States promote Christianity.

http://www.now.org/nnt/08-95/christco.html tells what the Christian Coalition is promoting in the US:

1. abolish the long-held Constitutional doctrine of separating church and state;
2. endanger the quality of education for low-income and special needs children by abolishing the Department of Education and installing voucher programs that divert dollars from public to private schools, which can reject students for numerous reasons (it is presently illegal to use taxpayer funding to support non-public schools);
3. threaten children's basic human rights by rejecting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;
4. end federal funding of the NEA (National Education Association) and PBS (Public Broadcasting System (like Australia's ABC)), thereby endangering educational and cultural exhibits, workshops, and programs;
5. return prayer to schools;
6. deny children potentially life saving sex education under the guise of parental rights to regulate school curriculum;
7. endanger millions of families by transforming the bureaucratic welfare state into a system of private and faith- based compassion;
8. make birth control, family planning and other women's health services unavailable by denying funding to health clinics;
9. and undermine the right of all women to choose abortion.