For Evangelicals, Supporting Israel Is ‘God’s Foreign Policy’

[lealdragon]

<p>I have this silly dream of people being able to understand each other even if they don’t agree with each other.</p>

<p>I regret that you still miss my point. My point being that I really DON’T have a problem with your religion’s beliefs; only when those beliefs are imposed upon others. I don’t even care if you privately think non-Catholics (or non-born-agains or whatever) are going to ‘hell’ - I only have a problem with Christians rudely telling non-Christians they’re going to ‘hell.’ </p>

<p>I also admit that it does bother me when people are unable or unwilling to even comment on ANY validity in ANYTHING I say; they are unable or unwilling to have any compassion for another point of view; or to even acknowledge any reaching out, and when they insist on calling someone nasty names just for having a different point of view.</p>

<p>But, whatever. It’s my problem since I shouldn’t let it bother me. You’re just someone online; why should it matter whether we ever reach any understanding?</p>

<p>Yeah, it’s that silly dream of mine, that thinks if just 2 people with opposing viewpoints could somehow reach an understanding, then that would create a force so powerful that it would ripple out into the rest of the world, and move mountains. </p>

<p>Silly dream.</p>

<p>PEACE</p>

[lealdragon]

<p>"its the oldest religion. "</p>

<p>Actually, Taoism and Paganism (among others) predate Judaism.</p>

<p>But thanks for sharing, golani. Best wishes.</p>

[golani89]

<p>Right. Well its one of the oldest</p>

[lealdragon]

<p>Well I’m glad we can agree on something!</p>

[lealdragon]

<p>Christmas trees are still Pagan, though, to whoever said they were Christian. ;-)</p>

[citygirlsmom]

<p>And the Easter Bunny? </p>

<p>Once my D had to write a story about Easter, she was in second grade, somehow it was about the Easter Bunny and Jesus and they were brother and sister…</p>

[golani89]

<p>However, they do represent Christianity more so now than they represent Paganism, and certaintly they do not represent Judaism. Can we agree on that too?</p>

[lealdragon]

<p>Well, in this country only because there are more Christians than Pagans. But in communities where Paganism is more common, the tree is called the ‘Yule’ tree.</p>

<p>In a sense, one could say that the Pagans lost touch with their roots by converting, or assimilating into Christianity, or one could also say that Christianity assimilated into Paganism…could be looked at either way…just as you said you didn’t think Jews should do. Many customs are the result of some such assimilation. It would be difficult to trace something back to a time in which there were no outside influences.</p>

[conyat]

<p><a href=“http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=gvKVLcMVIuG&b=395115[/url]”>http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=gvKVLcMVIuG&b=395115&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

Moreover, in Theresienstadt where only 1,000 of the 15,000 Jewish children survived, the Jews assisted the small Lutheran and Catholic communities in helping Christian children celebrate Christmas. (The Lutheran and Catholic communities consisted of converts, Mischlinge, and even some Jews arrested with forged identity papers that nominally changed their religious affiliation.) In late 1943, the Jewish Elder Dr. Murmelstein assisted the Lutherans in finding and decorating a Christmas tree with handmade ornaments and candle stubs; he also arranged the performance of Christmas carols by a children’s choir, several children’s plays, and even a magic act to entertain the children.

</p>

[golani89]

<p>Notice this line “Jews assisted the small Lutheran and Catholic communities in helping Christian children celebrate Christmas” Noone is adapting a religion, they are just helping others get through with theirs.</p>

<p>So let me ask you. If you peopole really feel these are racist thoughts that I am putting forth here why should the Jews fiish the job that Hitler started?</p>

[lealdragon]

<p>???</p>

<p>huh?</p>

<p>golani, what ARE you talking about? Who said anything about ‘finishing the job?’</p>

<p>You really are distorting my words.</p>

<p>I repeat: I was simply trying to make the point that whether you are speaking of keeping a race ‘pure’ or a religion ‘pure’ it is still an attitude of separating a particular group of people from others.</p>

<p>Of course, I very strongly believe in the value of sharing wonderful things, including traditions, rather than hoarding one’s own things at the exclusion of other things.</p>

<p>No single race, religion, or tradition is perfect. That’s why I believe in the value of seeking out the best that humanity has to offer, regardless of the race, religion, or culture it came from. We can all improve if we seek the best in one another, preserving traditions because they have value, but not just for the sake of tradition.</p>

<p>There is a huge amount of beauty and value in the Jewish tradition, as well as many others.</p>

<p>Lighten up, golani! No one is insulting you or your religion! Yes, Jewish people have been persecuted. But so have many other peoples. I am part Cherokee and my ancestors were slaughtered. Yeah, well, life carries on. I’m alive today and rejoicing in the beauty of this world our Creator has created. Yes, there is ugliness in this world. Let’s focus on the beauty and maybe it will attract more beauty, love, peace, compassion and harmony, instead of separation, division, violence and hate.</p>

[golani89]

<p>“No single race, religion, or tradition is perfect.”</p>

<p>I disagree. For me Judaism is perfect. For you, your spirtuality is perfect.</p>

<p>You are wrong. You should keep your religion you pure. If you believe in the word of God who are you to change your religion. By wanting to pereserve the Jewish nation, i am wrong?</p>

<p>Here is a nice saying. Assimilation is when they love Jews so much they want to marry them. Anti-semitism is when they hate Jews so much they want to kill them. Both of those have the same finish-the end of the Jewish nation</p>

[Drosselmeier]

<p>

Both of those have the same finish-the end of the Jewish nation

What if they want to marry Jews and convert to Judaism?</p>

[golani89]

<p>Ok thats great. Converts are no less Jewish than Jews born Jewish.</p>

[emeraldkity4]

<p>Glad we agree on something :)</p>