Tuesday:

> If everyone followed the teachings there would be no war but not everyone is going to follow so what do we do to protect ourselves.

There is no solution because religion is a tool in the hands of the wealthy and the powerful. As long as there is religion there will be those who abuse it and exploit it for their own ends.

Communists tried to solve it by getting rid of religion completely. When the Soviet Union came into Afghanistan they tried to change that place, but between the CIA and Mujahideen the Soviet Union failed and now we have the Taliban and Al Qaida (both the Mujahideen's bastard children). Interestingly, at the time the US saw it as its duty to stop the Godless communists (obviously out of some sense of Christian duty).

The Communist solution (elimination of religion) was bound to fail because without religion people feel lost. People need to believe in something other than the physical world. Without God there is no salvation, and people fear death and non-existence more than anything else. It is that fear that is used by the powerful to manipulate the masses. "If you do what I, your religious leader, say, you will go to Heaven. If you don't, you will be damned in the fires of hell."

Christianity is not immune. And these days we replace religion with ideology. "If you don't go to war, your freedom and democracy will end and you will be condemned to anarchy and dictatorship." "If you don't go to war, socialism and the revolution will end and you will be condemned to capitalist exploitation and the abuses of the bourgeosie." It is all the same thing, fear packaged under different wording.

Übergeek 바둑이: Yes it does. But a realistic Christian will appreciate they will not go away overnight... unfortunately.

Übergeek 바둑이:

It may not be right to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons but it does seem necessary (as a deterrent). Is it against Christian teaching? Not really. The Bible doesn't address this but it does suggest that the State carries the sword for a purpose. Still it would be better if we could all live in peace. But we know that won't happen. Has it ever? .

Government do what governments do. That has little to do with the Christian faith. Murder is clearly wrong so if what you are suggesting is actual "murder" then it's wrong. But killing the bad guys isn't wrong. We could debate all day on who the bad guys are and I'd liklely agree with you on many points. But I'm speaking generally here - as a principle.

Al Qaida has killed far more than 3000. And in retrospect, Iraq was likely a mistake. Innocents do die in war. When that happens, it's a tragedy. But just because civilians died, that does not automatically mean that it was unjust. It could be unjust, but that civilians died isn't a sufficient factor in determining if the war was justified. Show me a war where civilians didn't die.

There is NOTHING in the Bible that speaks against wealth. It's not money that is evil. It's the love of it that leads people astray. But Jesus was not against people being rich. It's when people trust in their riches that God is not pleased.

You are right that Christianity has a history that is shameful in many cases. Men do shameful things in the name of many ideas.

"Jesus was a man who praised love and kindness above all. Christians are supposed to follow the teachings of Jesus. Those teachings go out the window when it comes to wealth and power."

No, they do not. They go out the window when those with wealth and power abuse that wealth and power over others. But wealth and power are not the enemies. I have power over my students and could abuse it. I don't. I consider myself a servant, as the Bible teaches. There are many people with lots of money that give give give. There are many people in power who actually are there to serve others. Sadly, this doesn't seem the norm. But that speaks to the evils of man and not the evils of power or money.

I really don't think you know what people think when they are in their homes. I certainly don't think the way you have protrayed people.