For the sake of their souls…

Status
Not open for further replies.
I find it interesting how the Bible has been, and continues to be, used to justify some of humankind's worst atrocities. For example, the following quote, taken from the Bible, Romans 13:1-2, was cited by Christians in Nazi Germany to justify their allegiance to Adolf Hitler:

"Let every person be in subjection to the government authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves."

But, on a lighter note, the Bible also tells us, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake..." I Timothy 5:23.

What does this have to do with khukuris? Perhaps everything, perhaps nothing. It's all a matter of perspective.
 
Its very strange to me that Christians would back Hitler, since he denounced Christianity as "A religion for weaklings." I think he also wanted Germany to start worshipping pre-Christian Germanic gods.

------------------
Well NOW you tell me!
 
In just about any holy book I've ever read I can find three or four words which will justify just about anything I might want to do. The secret and moral obligation is -- take the book in whole and don't take just three or four words that suit your purposes.

------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html


[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 26 October 1999).]
 
And that, Uncle Bill, was precisely my point. An interesting book on how biblical quotes have been used in attempting to justify positions (both pro and con) on issues ranging from slavery to the environment is, "The Bible Tells Me So -- Uses and Abuses of Holy Scripture" by Jim Hill and Rand Cheadle.

In the words of William Shakespeare: "Even the devil can cite scripture for his purpose."

[This message has been edited by Steven F (edited 26 October 1999).]
 
Big Bob, if you're really interested in the relationship between Germany's Christian churches and Hitler, a good book to start with is "Hitler's Cross," by Erwin W. Lutzer.
 
Thanks for the tip, Steven, but I'm not really interested. I had remembered learning those facts somewhere back in school.

------------------
No I don't give a crap, but if I did, you'd be the first person I'd give it to.
 
:
Mohd I am going to answer this one by e-mail.
I wish to protect Uncle Bill and the forums from anything I might ignorantly say.

These things we discuss are sometimes most difficult to say the least.I do think the worlds leaders could take lessons in many areas from most of the people who frequent these boards.
I am beginning to believe that "Namaste" is the best greeting one fellow traveler can give another.
It signifies the respect we have for the God within and the person without.If all people did that perhaps the world's problems would be solved overnight.



------------------
>>>>---¥vsa---->®

If you mix milk of magnesia with vodka and orange juice do you get a phillips screwdriver?

Khukuri FAQ


 
Its good to see this kind of discussion can go ahead without any real venom being dished out.

Uncle Bill and I have recently been discussing my background so he has some idea of who I am and what I do.

I,like most people, inherited religion from my parents, and after 12 years of Catholic schooling (note: as I understand things the term 'catholic school' has huge differences in meaning between the US and Aust., here at least its pretty much like any other Govt. school, except about three times a week there is a 1 hour "Religious Education" class) I made a conscious decission to leave that way of thinking, and now reguard myself as an atheist.

After all the study of scripture, both as a holy book and as literature (a subject which I still enjoy) I found the one thing of use in the Bible was the idea of:

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you"

I have not yet had the chance to study the holy books of other faiths, that will come in time, but I gather that its an idea that is part of many faiths.

While I may be a dedicated larakin and a bit of a smart-arse at times, I do try to do things by that idea.

Andre

------------------
"Although it is said that faith can move mountains, experience has shown that dynamite works better."
 
One of the foundations of the US government and one that I fervently personally support is freedom of worship -- or not to worship for that matter. A person's religious convictions no matter what they might be as long as they do not interfere with others should be his own and his alone.


Andre, you are still young and have many years ahead of you to mull over the various aspects of religion. You may laugh at this today but I am willing to bet that before you find yourself at life's end you will have found your own faith and way of belief and it will not be agnosticism.

------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
Bill,

You may well be right, and that is something I have often thought about. I have found that many so-called 'organised' religions (or philosophies for that matter)have some good points and admirable ideas but have elements that I cannot accept or do not agree with and so cannot follow that path.

I also belive that there is a distinction between 'religious' and 'spiritual' that they are not necessarily the same thing.

Andre

[This message has been edited by Andre Simpson (edited 26 October 1999).]
 
Andre, I will pass along some advice given to me by my guru many years ago. He said, "take what you can use and leave the rest."

Find what works for you.

I became very disillusioned when I was a young man and felt very much like you. The problem was I did not have inner peace or happiness -- so at age 40 I set out looking for just that. It was a long and arduous journey but I found something that worked for me that gave me what I was lacking in my life. A religion can have a membership of only one if it works for you.

I know what you believe now but I think this will change. This also might sound crazy to you but I would advise you to pray. Yes, that's right, pray. But when you do don't talk but listen. You may be surprised at what you might hear.

Never give up the search.

------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
Andre, you are so right when you say there is a distinction between religion and spirituality. The way I look at it is that religion is for those who are afraid of hell. Spirituality is for those of us who've been there.

------------------
lifter
Phil. 4:13

 
The old meaning of the word religon comes from the word, religio. (latin, I think?)
It means: Linking Back. The connotation is that there is something else there, to link back to. Thus, the original meaning of religon did not translate to: organized religon. Spirituality and religon may not be that far apart.
 
Rusty:
Will no one rid me of this troublesome thread?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Rusty, that's exactly who you need -- no one. You need no one to reply and someone keeps replying instead.
smile.gif



------------------
Paul Neubauer
prn@bsu.edu
Join the NSSSA (Nationial Short-Sleeve Shirt Association) -- Support the right to bare arms!

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top