-- (religion@synonym.for.hatred), November 22, 2000

Answers

Jesus said =love 1 another--some don,t hear well!!

-- al-d (dogs@zianet.com), November 22, 2000.

Caption: A Palestinian girl holds her father's hand as she walks by a stone thrower (L) near Rachel's Tomb in the West Bank town of Bethlehem during sporadic clashes between Palestinian rioters and Israeli soldiers November 21, 2000. Egypt recalled its ambassador from Israel on Tuesday in protest at 'Israeli aggression' against Palestinians, dealing the biggest diplomatic blow to the Jewish state since a Palestinian uprising began eight weeks ago.

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This picture struck me with a deep feeling of sadness. The expression on the young girl's face says it all... fear and confusion. Why is an innocent child raised into a belief system in which she must fear other human beings? Do you think religions will always be this way, forever hating each other? Is it really worth it?

-- (will.religions@ever.stop.hating?), November 22, 2000.

Religions per se do not hate. It's unspiritual people who use religion to bolster their already existing opinions on matters which is bothering you.

God is good. But some people will try to use anything good or bad for for their own purposes and ego if they think they can get away with it. Religion becomes spiritual when I come to understand that taking the log out of my own eye is more important than taking the speck out of my brother's.

If I don't believe in forgiveness for my enemies, then I may not believe in forgiveness for myself whenever it us that Judgement Day finally arrives.

-- Forgive others the way you'd like (to@be.forgiven), November 22, 2000.

"Forgiveness" is a religious copout, a way to rationalize hatred for others...

example: "It's okay to throw rocks at other people, because they believe in the "wrong" God. Our God will forgive us if we have wronged others, we did it for Him."

Baloney. No one will be forgiven, we live with everything we do for eternity. It is time to stop doing things that need to be "forgiven".

-- (we.are@never.forgiven), November 22, 2000.

It is time to stop doing things that need to be "forgiven".

Exactly. Where do we find the will and courage to do what's right?

There was a supreme example 2000 years ago of what faith and perseverance to the end will accomplish. If we don't "get it" when it comes to Love, then we keep being stuck in that rut of hurting others before they have the chance to hurt us.

-- Forgive others the way you'd like (to@be.forgiven), November 22, 2000.

Prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; were there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.

Oh, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

-- Prayer (of@St.Francis), November 22, 2000.

That prayer's a keeper, eh? JG

Rich

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), November 22, 2000.

"religion" is NOT a "synonym.for.hatred". The only hatred comes from those who would USE religion as a justification FOR their hatred.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), November 22, 2000.

While I am an atheist, I must disagree with you on the topic of religion and theism as a catalyst for humanity's inhumanity to itself. If it weren't for religion, we would not have a peaceful society, we would simply find some other basis for war and conflict. Think about it: the Inquisition was a dark chapter in the history of the world, but were Cambodia's killing fields somehow less horrible because the justification was politics rather than religion?

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithouta.net), November 22, 2000.

Don't know if you were responding to me, but I agree with you Tarzan. My words were meant in the context of the original poster's handle. I should have been clearer on that point.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), November 22, 2000.

hate breeds=hate!! mankind needs a new=heart!!

-- al-d (dogs@zianet.com), November 22, 2000.