worrying times

[AndrewT]

Boldie is right - this situation has nothing to do with religion, that's just a red herring.

There is no inherent religious hostility between Jews and Muslims - they lived together quite peacefully and both cultures blossomed when what is now Spain was under Islamic rule 1300 years ago. Indeed Islamic Spain became a safe haven for Jews who were persecuted in other areas.

The current situation is mostly due to people being driven from their homes by an invading country - of course that's going to cause resentment and anger. And, if the oppressed people are poor, and their enemy has tanks, nuclear missiles and helicopter gunships, of course they're going to suicide bomb civilian targets - they have no firepower with which to hurt Israel militarily.

In the long-term things are only going to get worse. The Arab states surrounding Israel are on borrowed time economically (that oil's not going to last much longer) and when the oil goes, the US will lose interest in the region - there'll be no reason to keep giving Israel big sticks with which to keep the Arab states under control when the oil has gone.

You'll have the Israelis and the Arabs still at each other, but with no US President bothering to pull them apart when they start fighting. The Arabs trying to push Israel into the sea + the Israelis having nuclear weapons = a lot of mess.

[AdamM]

There is no such thing as God. I'm unshakably sure of that.

But you know what, sometimes I wish I did have faith and envy those who do.

you do, that's what faith is. being absolutely sure that what you believe is so, regardless of others trying to convince you otherwise. As I said, I defend an individuals right to believe whatever they want spiritually. The only thing that does bother me is members of Evangelical faiths that see atheism as a void to be filled by their belief. One day when I have time and the Jehovah's witnesses knock the door I'll invite them in and try to have them leave atheists.

[boldie]

There is no such thing as God. I'm unshakably sure of that.

But you know what, sometimes I wish I did have faith and envy those who do.

you do, that's what faith is. being absolutely sure that what you believe is so, regardless of others trying to convince you otherwise. As I said, I defend an individuals right to believe whatever they want spiritually. The only thing that does bother me is members of Evangelical faiths that see atheism as a void to be filled by their belief. One day when I have time and the Jehovah's witnesses knock the door I'll invite them in and try to have them leave atheists.

I have actually done just that when I was quite a bit younger (about 21)...just sat down with them and had a discussion. The interesting thing was that the "trainee" jehova's witness actually seemed more interested in the debate then the older one who was showing the younger one the ropes.

Had a good chat with them actually. I completely disagree with them ofcourse, I am close to being an anti-theist, but a good conversation nonetheless and well worth a couple of hours of my time..Atleast it gave me an insight into the world that is Jehova's witness.

[Sark79]

You can't really blame Israel for retaliating.  Hezbollah do have two of the countries soldiers captive.  I have noticed that many of the news reports paint Israel as the bad guys.  In my opinion they are only doing what is necessary to put their message across.

[ariston]

If you trace religion back to its origins it was used to control the masses, now certain elements of "the masses" use religion as an excuse to destroy anything they dont agree with. What will be will be imo and leave them all to do what they wish. If the end of the world is coming I am not gonna spend my last days worrying about it.