christians scare me

[Moonraker]

I majored in History at school and I remember my teacher saying no war was over religion. The classroom challenged him and in every case we came up with he showed that politics or profit were the true motives. Cloaking the real motives with religion makes war more acceptable to people and more willing to fight. You may be willing to die for God and a heavenly reward but would you die to make somebody richer? There is a great scene in movie Braveheart when the Scotish soldiers see the size of the English army doubt sets in:

Young soldier: I didn't come here to fight so they can own more lands; then I have to work for them.
Veteran soldier: Nor me. Alright lads. I'm not dying for these bastards! Lets go home.

But when Wallace appealed to a higher motive, nationalism, they stayed and fought. Religion, like nationalism is just a motivator for the masses. Incidentally for those soldiers it didn't really matter who won, English or Scots, they would still be "working" just a different nobleman owning the land.

[icey]

I majored in History at school and I remember my teacher saying no war was over religion. The classroom challenged him and in every case we came up with he showed that politics or profit were the true motives.

and in every case in history its shown that the church reigned over both money and politics and even ruled the monarchs.

regarding the laws in Ireland until the late 1970's which isnt all that long ago, who decreed contraception was wrong and made sure it was illegal all those years? the catholic church.
luckily religion doesnt have quite the same power in politics now but it still has a hell of a lot of sway and my guess is it always will do.

[Thorne]

and in every case in history its shown that the church reigned over both money and politics and even ruled the monarchs.

regarding the laws in Ireland until the late 1970's which isnt all that long ago, who decreed contraception was wrong and made sure it was illegal all those years? the catholic church.
luckily religion doesnt have quite the same power in politics now but it still has a hell of a lot of sway and my guess is it always will do.

It will, as long as people are willing to pay their hard earned money to support a church which is very reluctant to give it back. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Catholic churches around the world which are struggling to keep their heads above water, with priests who are truly concerned about the welfare of their parishioners. Yet the Vatican, the Catholic Church, is one of the wealthiest entities on the planet. And that is where they get their power from.

If the people would insist that their donations to the church STAY with their church, and not go to line the cassocks of every red hat in Rome, they would be a lot better off, and so would the rest of the world.

[mkemse]

It will, as long as people are willing to pay their hard earned money to support a church which is very reluctant to give it back. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Catholic churches around the world which are struggling to keep their heads above water, with priests who are truly concerned about the welfare of their parishioners. Yet the Vatican, the Catholic Church, is one of the wealthiest entities on the planet. And that is where they get their power from.

If the people would insist that their donations to the church STAY with their church, and not go to line the cassocks of every red hat in Rome, they would be a lot better off, and so would the rest of the world.

Or take away their Tax Exempt Status, that would change things