The majority of American Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity, the latest Barna survey found.

Nearly six out of ten Christians either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that Satan "is not a living being but is a symbol of evil," the survey found.

Forty percent strongly agreed with the statement while 19 percent of American Christians somewhat agreed.

In contrast, about 35 percent of American Christians believe Satan is real. Twenty-six percent strongly disagreed with the statement that Satan is merely symbolic and about one-tenth (9 percent) somewhat disagreed.

The remaining eight percent of American Christians responded they were unsure what to believe about the existence of Satan.

Interestingly, the majority of Christians believe a person can be under the influence of spiritual forces, such as demons or evil spirits, even though many of these same people believe Satan is merely a symbol of evil. Two out of three Christians agreed that such forces are real (39 percent agreed strongly, 25 percent agreed somewhat).

Likewise, most Christians in the United States do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a living force. Fifty-eight percent strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement that the Holy Spirit is "a symbol of God’s power or presence but is not a living entity."

Only one-third of Christians disagreed with the statement that the Holy Spirit is not just symbolic (9 percent disagreed somewhat, 25 percent disagreed strongly). Nine percent expressed they were unsure.

Interestingly, about half (49 percent) of those who agreed that the Holy Spirit is only a symbol but not a living entity, agreed that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches. The Bible states that the Holy Spirit is God’s power or presence, not just symbolic.

"Most Americans, even those who say they are Christian, have doubts about the intrusion of the supernatural into the natural world," commented George Barna, founder of The Barna Group and author of books analyzing research concerning America’s faith.

"Hollywood has made evil accessible and tame, making Satan and demons less worrisome than the Bible suggests they really are," he said. "It’s hard for achievement-driven, self-reliant, independent people to believe that their lives can be impacted by unseen forces."

But a large majority of American Christians agree that a person must choose to side with either good or evil. More than six out of ten American Christians strongly agreed (61 percent) with the idea that a person must either side with God or with the devil – that there is no in-between position. Another 15 percent somewhat agreed.

Just one out of ten adults disagreed somewhat (10 percent) and a similar proportion (11 percent) strongly disagreed. Only a few adults (3 percent) did not have an opinion on the issue.

Barna explained that because of the "sheer force of repetition" many Americans "intellectually" accept the idea that you either side with God or Satan and there’s no in-between, even though this idea does "not get translated into practice."

Other survey findings include a significant number of self-described Christians believing that Jesus sinned when he lived on earth, contrary to the core teaching of Christianity that teaches the divinity and perfection of Jesus.

More than one-fifth (22 percent) strongly agreed that Jesus Christ sinned when He lived on earth, with an additional 17 percent agreeing somewhat.

However, nearly half of American Christians (46 percent) strongly disagreed with the idea that Jesus sinned, and 9 percent disagreed somewhat. Six percent did not have an opinion on the statement.

The Barna report is based on telephone interviews for two surveys among people who described themselves as Christians. A total of 1,871 adults were randomly selected from across the 48 continental states, with the first 873 interviews conducted in January and February 2008, and the remaining 998 interviews conducted in November 2008. Jesus shown us the facts about Satan and the Holy Spirit. Can a Christian be a "Christian" if they don’t believe in Satan or the Holy Spirit? I say NO, they are not a Christian…

The ones who dont believe are not a true christian. The bible speaks of these ones that appear to be and hold the "form" of but are not real. Just because someone goes to church every Sunday doesnt make them a christian. A lot of people claim to be a christian then say they dont believe whats(some of) whats in the bible.

don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story…

Although I believe in God and Jesus, does this make me bad ? Or does anybody feel the same way ?

Yes, because there are several accounts that just cannot be taken as literal, for example: getting a camel in the eye of a needle? The Samaritan. Lazarus and the rich man. Jesus told a lot of truths through illustrations of the day, knowing that this is the best way to get to peoples’ hearts and leave an imprint in their mind.

The bible is definitely a complexed book but there is most certainly no myths or legends. The people are real and what they experienced was true.

I am not a numerical person, but I can say that the bible was made up of several different books and it is this that makes it a miracle. The writers came from all walks of life and yes, written at different times.

When you say: written later for perhaps political reasons. Am I correct in thinking what you mean is that due to politics, it was often banned from translations?

Funnily enough, most of the higher archy who were against the bible, where from the religious section because they did not want the "common" person to find out the lies they were saying.

The fact that you believe the bible to be the Word of God and seem to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, how can that make you bad? If anything, you are searching and that is wonderful. Also to question the bible is good. This makes us grow as christians.

There are several passages in the bible that I have had a hard time coming to terms with, but as I get to know my Creator – through His Word – I begin to get a glimmer of understanding as to why these things happened.

the book is about a psychic teen,Ryan, who struggles with seeing ghosts, his best friend is a vampire hunter who he is connected to on a telepathic level– possessed by a demon. Ryan is atheist, since he couldn’t seek god with his powers and later on realizes that there is a nonexistent being, called god in the end.

another is a girl ,DD,who has evolutionary powers, who people may see as god. at first she doesn’t want to be called that, but gives in and becomes an emotionless anti-christ.

the religious aspect isn’t te main plot but there are many types of belief in my book because i want to portray the world’s diversities. i fear that if i write books like this i wiil be discommunicated by the church, and shunned by my family. i do bring my notebook to work on it between services, though.

they said in the bible that you musn’t think evil thoughts. Would it be evil to write it down?
if you have any quotes from the bible, please use them

Well – The Bible does not directly address writing fiction, though there are passages about keeping your thoughts on godly things.

As a Christian, I think that you should be careful not to belittle Christianity and to not aggrandize non-Judeo-Christian beliefs. In other words, if you make evil seem powerful, it should be clearly evil. If you have "good" people rely on supernatural forces other than those from God, they should fail or be shown as employing immoral means to achieve good ends

In other words, the *plot* of the story should agree with your Christian beliefs, even if lots of the characters do *not* agree with your Christian beliefs.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com.

Christians (INCLUDING PROTESTANTS) have killed so many because their scholars have written plenty of commentary outside the Bible to justify the killing of ALL Heathens.

If anyone gives respect and praise to Martin Luther after he said these words, then they have to acknowledge their acceptance of all of his teachings.

Just like Muslims cannot take a few sentences of Osama Bin Laden and ignore the rest of his rants..

Agree ?

—–
Did I not tell you earlier that a Jew is such a noble, precious jewel that God and all the angels dance when he farts?—Martin Luther (Germany)

What then shall we Christians do with this damned, rejected race of Jews?
First, their synagogues should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over with dirt so that no one may ever be able to see a cinder or stone of it. And this ought to be done for the honour of God and of Christianity, in order that God may see that we are true Christians.
Secondly, their homes should be likewise broken down and destroyed.
Thirdly, they should be deprived of their prayerbooks and talmuds in which such idolatry, lies, cursing and blasphemy are taught.
Fourthly, their rabbis must be forbidden under threats of death to teach anymore. Martin Luther

If I find a Jew to baptize, I shall lead him to the Elbe bridge, hang a stone around his neck, and push him into the water, baptizing him with the name of Avraham!.. I cannot convert the Jews. Our lord Christ did not succeed in doing so; but I can close their mouths so that there will be nothing for them to do but to lie upon the ground. Martin Luther

Jesus did not call them Abraham’s children, but a "brood of vipers" [Matt. 3:7]. Oh, that was too insulting for the noble blood and race of Israel, and they declared, "He has a demon’ [Matt 11:18]. Our Lord also calls them a "brood of vipers"; furthermore in John 8 [:39,44] he states: "If you were Abraham’s children ye would do what Abraham did…. You are of your father the devil. It was intolerable to them to hear that they were not Abraham’s but the devil’s children, nor can they bear to hear this today.——Martin Luther

They [rulers] must act like a good physician who, when gangrene has set in proceeds without mercy to cut, saw, and burn flesh, veins, bone, and marrow. Such a procedure must also be followed in this instance. Burn down their synagogues, forbid all that I enumerated earlier, force them to work, and deal harshly with them, as Moses did…
If this does not help we must drive them out like mad dogs.—-Martin Luther

Martin Luther: [ in his last sermon, four days before he died, ] called for practical measures: burn their synagogues, confiscate all books in Hebrew, prohibit Jewish prayers, force them to do manual labour, and drive them out of Germany.

I do insist on the certainty that sooner or later once we hold power Christianity will be overcome and the German Church established. Yes, the German church, without a Pope, and Luther, if he could be with us, would give us his blessing. (Adolf Hitler, Hitlers speeches, edited by Prof. N.H. Baynes [oxford, 1942], pg. 369.)

///

Martin Luther was definitely anti-semitic. His comments influenced Hitler and other German Nazis.

by

Dr. Zakir Naik

1. QURAN PLAGIARIZED FROM THE BIBLE :

Question

Is it not true that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has copied the Quran from the Bible?

Answer

Many critics allege that Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) himself was not the author of the Quran but he learnt it and/or plagiarised (copied or adapted) it from other human sources or from previous scriptures or revelations.

1. MUHUMMAD LEARNT THE QURAN FROM A ROMAN BLACKSMITH WHO WAS A CHRISTIAN

Some Pagans accused the Prophet of learning the Quran from a Roman Blacksmith, who was a Christian staying at the outskirts of Makkah. The Prophet very often used to go and watch him do his work. A revelation of the Quran was sufficient to dismiss this charge – the Quran says in Surah An-Nahl chapter 16 verse 103:

"We know indeed that they say, It is a man that teaches him, The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear."
[Al-Quran 16:103]

How could a person whose mother tongue was foreign and could hardly speak little but of poor broken Arabic be the source of the Quran which is pure, eloquent, fine Arabic? To believe that the blacksmith taught the Prophet the Quran is some what similar to believing that a Chinese immigrant to England, who did not know proper English, taught Shakespeare.

2. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) LEARNT FROM WARAQA – THE RELATIVE OF KHADIJAH (RA)

Muhummads (pbuh) contacts with the Jewish and Christian Scholars were very limited. The most prominent Christian known to him was an old blind man called Waraqa ibn-Naufal who was a relative of the Prophets first wife Khadijah (r.a.). Although of Arab descent, he was a convert to Christianity and was very well versed with the New Testament. The Prophet only met him twice, first when Waraqa was worshipping at the Kaaba (before the Prophetic Mission) and he kissed the Prophets forehead affectionately; the second occasion was when the Prophet went to meet Waraqa after receiving the first revelation. Waraqa died three years later and the revelation continued for about 23 years. It is ridiculous to assume that Waraqa was the source of the contents of the Quran.
3. PROPHETS RELIGIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS

It is true that the Prophet did have religious discussions with the Jews and Christians but they took place in Madinah more than 13 years after the revelation of the Quran had started. The allegation that these Jews and Christians were the source is perverse, since in these discussions Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was performing the roles of a teacher and of a preacher while inviting them to embrace Islam and pointing out that they had deviated from their true teachings of Monotheism. Several of these Jews and Christians later embraced Islam.
4. THE PROPHET LEARNT THE QURAN FROM THOSE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS THAT HE MET OUTSIDE ARABIA

All historical records available show that Muhummad (pbuh) had made only three trips outside Makkah before his Prophethood:
At the age of 9 he accompanied his mother to Madinah.

Between the age of 9 and 12, he accompanied his uncle Abu-Talib on a business trip to Syria.

At the age of 25 he led Khadijas Caravan to Syria.

It is highly imaginary to assume that the Quran resulted from the occasional chats and meetings with the Christians or Jews from any of the above three trips.

5. LOGICAL GROUNDS TO PROVE THAT THE PROPHET DID NOT LEARN THE QURAN FROM JEWS OR CHRISTIANS

The day-to-day life of the Prophet was an open book for all to see. In fact a revelation came asking people to give the Prophet (pbuh) privacy in his own home. If the Prophet had been meeting people who told him what to say as a revelation from God, this would not have been hidden for very long.

The extremely prominent Quraish nobles who followed the Prophet and accepted Islam were wise and intelligent men who would have easily noticed anything suspicious about the way in which the Prophet brought the revelations to them – more so since the Prophetic mission lasted 23 years.

The enemies of the Prophet kept a close watch on him in order to find proof for their claim that he was a liar – they could not point out even a single instance when the Prophet may have had a secret rendezvous with particular Jews and Christians.

It is inconceivable that any human author of the Quran would have accepted a situation in which he received no credit whatsoever for originating the Quran.
Thus, historically and logically it cannot be established that there was a human source for the Quran.

6. MUHUMMAD (PBUH) WAS AN ILLITERATE

The theory that Muhummad (pbuh) authored the Quran or copied from other sources can be disproved by the single historical fact that he was illiterate.

Allah testifies Himself in the Quran
In Surah Al-Ankabut chapte

I highly appreciate ur answer to the questions which are in the minds of non muslims.Great job done.

Okay, girls. So, I’m not going to pretend that I know everything there is to know about being a teenager. Because I don’t. As a matter a fact, I’ve just got a taste of it. But I hope that I can still do something worth you reading.

I’m also not going to pretend I’m a saint. Because I’m not. I screw up like a gazillion times a day and sometimes I’m not too happy with God. But, that’s okay because God’s got my back (Deut. 31:6).

There’s also a few other things. I’m not going to tell you what to do. That’s up to you. No matter what you read in this book, the choice is yours. So whether or not you decide you should have a boyfriend or if wearing knee length skirts is too revealing, is up to you.

So, now that I told you what you are NOT going to find in these pages, I’m going to tell you what you are going to find. Which hopefully, will be more interesting. I hope.

If you are that type of girl who buys those "How to Deal with Life Books" I hope that this isn’t like that because that’s not what I’m going to write about, so if that is what you are expecting, stop now. If you are one of those girls who just needs some help, I hope I can give it. If you are one of those girls, who don’t know why you are reading this book, that’s cool too.

I’m hoping that I can relate to you guys (I mean girls — we’ll get to guys later). So, I can’t say I’ve succeeded in the relationship with my boyfriend (I’ve never had one), I can’t say I lost 22 pounds on a I-Don’t-Eat-Anything-Diet (we’ll get to that later, too!) and I can’t say I have a great sense of style. But what I can say, is that I’m on a journey to find God and find me. Which if you think about it, is the same thing. God created us, after him (Gen 1:27) so finding God is finding ME. But, I’m getting way ahead of myself. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I’m an average Christian girl on the same road the rest of you are. Just different experiences.

So, grab a cup of mocha or cocoa (or whatever you drink) and let’s start.

So, what are we here for? That’s probably the question of life. If you look at Ephesians 2:10 it’s says:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

And in 1 Peter 2: 8-9:

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

So, if you look at these verses, basically, God is saying,"I chose YOU. I have a plan for YOU. YOU are special to me and I have some pretty awesome stuff for you, if you follow my commands." God put aside something special for you. He didn’t just say while he was creating the world,"Emily is going to be a doctor and Sarah is going to be a librarian." Something like that would kind of be like a having a director put Ashton Kutcher to play the unimportant nerd in the film. Stupid. Well, God isn’t stupid. So, I have a feeling that you won’t end up being that "unimportant nerd" in the film.

Okay, so what now? God has plan for me. You think he can hand me down some blueprints? That would be nice. Unfortunately that isn’t how it works. In Proverbs 16:9 it says:

In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps.

So, we may plan our life be the perfect girl who marries a millionaire and has enough money to get a butt implant. But, God might have some other ideas. Maybe he wants you to go and become a teacher in a third world country, live a humble and happy life. I don’t know. I’m not God. I don’t even know what God planned for me. I told you in the beginning. I’m just the same as you, but with different experiences.

So God gave me good works to do and all, where do I start? So, first things first is you need an attitude. Not the one that gets you grounded on weekends, but the one that is started by the Holy Spirit working within you. That’s the good one. Second of all, you have to want to do what God asks of you. If your doors aren’t open to let Christ in, he’s not going to break through the window and demand that you do something for Him. He gave you that option to open the door for Him.

Next step. God my not have handed us the blue print to out life, but he did give us something to work with.

B asic
I nstruction
B efore
L eaving
E arth

I’d love to say I made this up. Unfortunately, for me, I didn’t. I found it on the internet. But I thought it was worth putting in here! That is what the Bible is. It’s kinda like a "Survival Guide" for the present and the future. It’s pretty cool it you think about
I
I’m going to be honest, I haven’t read the WHOLE Bible. I wish I have. I have made it one of my personal goals to read the whole Bible. After all if I can consume a seven hundred page Harry Potter book in two days, in between school and classes, I think I should devote a bit more time to the Bible. I just want to note, although you read the Bible, you still might not understand everything. I once asked my dad about that. "I don’t understand the Bible! Why should I read it?" He told me a story he had heard once.
One day a monk asked his father,"Father, I do not understand the Bible. I have read it three times and I still do not understand!" The Father gave him a woven basket and told the monk to go to the river and fill it up with water for a week. So the monk did this. The basket was not able to hold the water by the time he returned from the long walk from the river. He went to the Father on the last day and said,"Father, I did as you said, but the basket did not hold water, every time I tried. Why have you asked me to do this, if it is so?" The Father replied,"Look at the basket. It was a dirty basket before you carried water in it. Although the water did not stay in the basket, it is now clean."

I really liked this story. You may not understand everything in the Bible, but you are reading it and it is cleaning you either way. That’s what is going to count.

We’ve covered a few things. First, God has a plan for us. Second of all, he gave us a tool, the Bible.
. Second of all, he gave us a tool, the Bible. He gave us one more tool though. Guess what it is? You probably guessed it. Prayer. So prayer is basically a cell phone with speed dial to God. You have unlimited minutes and text on this phone. It never ever has a "Message Box Full" recording. Girls, I think we have it made here. God wants to talk to us. And he paid for that phone of yours, so you should use it. One of my favorite quotes that I’m constantly reminded of is:

"When life knocks you down to your knees, you are in a perfect position to pray."

I’m not saying when things are going bad, we start using our phone saying,"Hey, God, it’s me. So finals week is around the corner — " Uh-uh. God isn’t a back-up plan. He IS the plan. Building a personal relationship with God is important and prayer is the key to that. There are periods in my life where I should have been paying attention to my spiritual needs, but instead put them in a box inside my head and forgot about them.
That was a mistake. And then I’ll have some event that will give me that little "nip in the butt" and send me on my towards God. Sometimes that will happen to you too. Just remember that God is always at your door waiting for you to open up or give a ring on his cell.

We covered basics. There is so much more that I could elaborate on. But that isn’t what I want to concentrate on in this book. This is just something to keep in mind. That was serious stuff. It’s really hard for me to stay serious for long periods of time. Let’s get to some fun stuff.

Ok, so in the introduction I gave you just some tools for life. Now, we are going to actually talk about life. We’ll talk about everything. Clothing, School, Physical and Spiritual Beauty and Boys.

I promised some fun stuff. And what I’m going to talk about is going to show in most of the other subjects too. Let me give you a hint. They make up a good portion of the world. Yes. Boys. Boys effect lots of things.

Nothing seems wrong with it to me. Well-written, good quality.

Hitchens says that Christianity Poisoned Everything, as if the Rulers of Europe were model citizens before Christianity was invented. LOL. I am sure that if Christianity was in fact never invented, the same ruling class of Europeans would have continued to oppress and torture and enslave their subjects, just as they ALWAYS had.

Again, some of Rome’s history was pre-Christian, and they in fact tortured and murdered Christians. And then they became Christian when it suited them.

I am not even a practicing Christian, but i don’t understand why Hitchens and those like him seem to ignore history to suit their agenda (and sell books). Can u explain it better for me?

I don’t blame the theology, I blame the people responsible… Christians have a dark history like other tyrannical empires. I’ll even admit that even my ancient people were crazy mofos that sacrificed many innocent for their gods…

Marcia

Try his website.

The message of God in the Quran is consistent, it talks about the Prophets of God and the sin of Israel and the sins of the people who led astray the message of Jesus.

Here’s Chapter One

+One+

Almost every Sunday, I fall asleep in the middle. If I havent passed out, I fidget in my seat and bite my nails and Daydream.
Mum gave me a lecture about church, and I just ignored her. The only thing that took my attention was that she said that I would have to back to stupid Sunday School. I never told her that I got kicked out of stupid kiddie class after I yelled Boring out at the teacher as they were reading some stupid illustrated Bible.
I cant possibly go back. Im four years over the limit. Im a Troubled teenager, or a nowadays puberty member, as they say at school.
Today, although, I have drunk five cups of coffee, read the bible twice this week, and I sit in the uncomfortable chair and fidget, trying to hide the glare mum is giving me. I chew on my lip and look at the preacher.
Suddenly, I get, not bored, not tired, I dont fall asleep, I dont daydream . . . but I get interested. How could he do all that?
My back arches forward and my eyes go wide, and I think my face looks so absorbed I might look crazy.
I reach for my pen and notepad and take down notes about Yahweh and almost groan when Reverend says farewell. When I look at mum, she is shocked, her mouth wide. She is smiling.
Later on, at nine at night, I am studying my bible, understanding. I just cant figure out the stinking Thee and thys but I take it Thee is They, and Thy is the. Hey, they could make a dictionary at the back, but I just guess.
Suddenly mum is knocking on my bedroom door, and I welcome her in.
Im proud of you. Mum says, a proud tone in her voice.
I decide to tell her my decision. I want to get baptised. I say, shaking, wondering if Im ready. May I?
Mum is laughing. Honey, its youre decision, not mine. I dont care if you decide to become an Pricilla Presley impersonator! She is now giggling. But, remember one thing . . .
Hmm?
a smile slides over her face.
Dont forget to hold your breath. She sniffs and fakes a sneeze and tingles her nose. Then laughs and walks away.

*

My heart is pumping hard against my chest. I look at mum, who gives me a thumbs up. I step up. There is three more people with the Reverend. This one is a little scared, trying to hold her breathe and not block her nose.
The reverend decides to let her fall in with her hand on her nose and she almost falls into the towel. She stumbles up to the oil man.
The next one is just as worse, and I am happy, because Im scared. Not that Im giving my life up, but Im afraid Im going to smash my head into the bath.
But when the boy in front of my falls in, fully clothed I have a panic attack.
The Reverand prays, and I guard my heart with my arms crossing and The reverend whispers
Ready?
I make a groaning sound which replies as a yes and the Reverend counts up to three.
Then I fall into blue water, and rise, drenched and cold and Satisfied.
I wrap a Towel around my body, wiping my nose. Now I know what mum meant about holding my breath. I walk up to the man with a bucket of olive oil, floating on holy water.
We have our own little way to get baptised. You fall into the long bath behind the stages and walk over to the man with the oil and holy water and get anointed.
By the power of the father. I say, taping water and oil on my forhead. son. My cheek. and the holy spirit. my left cheek. I dont know if it was in the right order but I still feel happy. amen.

(P.S. Any girl names that have a meaning like "Walking with Jesus" or whatever.)

I think it’s an amazing Idea and you should totally try and get it published along with your other books. I don’t think authors should have to stick to one topic. Variety is a blessing. Down below are some baby names. Christina means follower of Christ.

We have been told in the Quran that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the seal of the prophets. There will be none after him.

There has been many people that have claimed to be prophets. Some of the in the time of Muhammad (saw) and many after.

Some such as Jospeh Smith and elijah Muhammad. However, they do not fit the criterion of a prophet. Also, one must look at what Prophet Muhammad has left behind. We have a book which will last till the Day of judgement and covers every aspect of human endeavour.

I dont know enough about the book of Mormon, however, I dont think it will cover every aspect of human life. Perhaps we can discuss this in more detail by email.

So I have wondered, has the growth in popularity in YEC Creationism in the U.S. over the past 50+ years been dependent upon the growing influence of radio and TV Christian ministries (both broadcasts and books)? Or is it more a matter of the growth of Dispensational Theology in the U.S.?

(I have also found that even though there are plenty of Old Earth Creationist Christians in the U.S., YEC are virtually alone in considering the age of the earth as a vital doctrine for Bible believing Christians — while OEC Christians usually consider such questions entirely secondary to matters of faith.)

Blame Bishop Usher, he calculated the date of the Creation to have been nightfall preceding 23 October 4004 BC.

http://www.bibleuniverse.com/

http://www.whitehorsemedia.com/

Kirkus Reviews – Editorial review
This shocker will linger in memory like the echo of a scream. Bridget Chauncey unexpectedly inherits a small castle (actually it’s a ""biggish house"") on the bog of Killabeg in Ireland. Over the protests of her fiance Daniel, she decides to turn it into a summer tourist hotel. In the meantime she discovers that her mysterious relative had an unusual hobby–he kept a village of complete dolls’ houses in a locked tower. Later she and the guests–a masochistic American couple and their strange daughter, a self-effacing German and his Jewish wife, a drunken young Irishman and Daniel, discover the reason. And they enter into a contemporary Gothic nightmare, a hangover from WWII when an experiment in cytogenesis has produced perversion, terror and a strange power. Ultimately they are faced with the kind of self-knowledge that can lead to madness. It’s Christopher at his best.

And lo! The trick works. The questioning Hindu becomes defensive. He never tries to probe into the origin of so-called Sati-Pratha, or at least about its rumours. So, let us try to do it here, what the typical-Hindu always refrains to.

Sati-Pratha is nowhere mentioned in Hindu scriptures. Not a hint of it. There is no case of forceful widow burning in any of our scriptures. News about Sati-Pratha started surfacing only with the advent of Christian Missionaries in India. They with their mission of converting the wretched idolaters, i.e., Hindus to Christianity started slandering Hinduism. For they quickly perceived that Hindus were an unyielding, staunch lot. They would not yield to the treacherous methods of Christian Missionaries. So they devised a new way for accomplishing their Harvest. They decided to slander Hinduism in front of Hindus, so as to shake their belief in it, and also in front of global community so as to justify their demonic agendas of Conversion. And for that they had a new tool in their hands to which Hindus had no access. This tool was the combined institution of Modern British Education System and the newly born media, i.e., the propaganda machine. (How they developed these mediums in India is another topic, related to Macaulay and many others and too long to be discussed here).

So, they started their well-planned campaign against Hinduism. A very good example of this is the English word ?Juggernaut?, meaning, ?a huge and overwhelming force?. It is originated form the Rath Yatra of Jagganath. Christian Missionaries said that there goes one evil Yatra among Hindus, in which wretched idolaters take out a procession of three idols. In the Yatra, they take intoxicating drugs, dance nude in front of the chariot, make obscene gestures to each other and then in a fit throw themselves in front of the chariot to commit suicide. Hence, the word with its meaning of an ?overwhelming force?.

Swami Vivekanand also mentions this at one place along with many other calumnies heaped over Hinduism and Hindu civilization by the designing Christian Missionaries. Here is an excerpt of that, ?What is meant by those pictures in the school-books for children where the Hindu mother is painted as throwing her children to the crocodiles in the Ganga? The mother is black, but the baby is painted white, to arouse more sympathy, and get more money. What is meant by those pictures, which painted a man burning his wife at a stake with his own hands, so that she may become a ghost and torment the husband?s enemy? What is meant by the pictures of huge cars crushing over human beings? I have heard one of these gentlemen preach in Memphis that, in every village of India, there is a pond of the bones of little babies? What have the Hindus done to these disciples of Christ that every Christian child is taught to call the Hindus ?vile? and ?wretched? and the most horrible demons on earth?? Swami Vivekananda, The Complete
Works, Vol. IV (1945 ed.)

Any person even most slightly acquainted with the Rath Yatra needs no explaining about the truth.

Similarly, they harped on Sati, and invented the very term and phenomenon of Sati-Pratha, citing some allegedly eye-witness accounts of widow burning on the funeral pyre of their husband. So, what was the truth in those accounts? If, there was any truth in those accounts, then what was their origin?

For finding their origin, we have to stretch our memory some centuries back to the Medieval Ages, the era of great unprecedented rape, pillage and looting of India by Muslims and their armies. Among the very first provinces to bear the brunt of Islamic sword were Sindh, Punjab and Rajputana. Sindh being Buddhist in majority and Punjab also having a considerable population of Buddhists, succumbed soon to the unprecedented barbarous Islamic invasions. But Rajputana being completely Hindu held out for centuries. Even now there are only 9% Muslims in Rajasthan. But this resistance cost them a great deal. They had never faced such barbarous invaders and looters. All of the wars which they fought until then, were fought with a moral ethical code. Being synonymous with the Hindu philosophy, wars were fought only between warriors and concerned only them. Civil populace was never even touched, let alone molested.

But the new Islamic enemy they were now facing was an unprecedented evil force, which did not rely on valour for victory, but instead on treachery, deceit, malice, crookedness and all other evil means. Those Islamic armies instead of fighting chivalrously with their opponents, chose to decimate the civilian populace, by laying siege to the country side, thus decimating the social, cultural and economic fabric of the nations. They massacred and butchered complete populations of Hindus, broke their idols, desecrated their temples, butchered the Brahmins, converted them forcibly to Islam (by making them eat beef!) destroyed their corps, poisoned their wells, burned their houses, abducted their children and raped their women. They took their inspiration from Quran. Ayats 2:193, 8:39, orders them to break idols. Ayats 8:12, 22: 19-22 exhorts them to massacre the religious leaders of the other religion. Ayats 33:59 and 4:24 encourages them to commit sexual transgressions without compunction with the non-Muslim women.

This, this last atrocity done to the local populace by these Islamic marauders was without precedence in cruelty. (No one in Hindu era even thought of touching another woman, let alone raping her). It was a greater calamity on women than their family men. They did not think of such calamity befalling them in their wildest nightmares. They were free women under Hinduism with an equal say in society as men. They were not used to the sexual, and mental humiliation and torture to which Muslim and non-Muslim women under Islamic rule were subjected to. Chastity for them was everything, the prime value of life. They could not imagine an unchaste life. The very concept was unthinkable to them. And for preserving their chastity they were prepared to do anything, to break every barrier, to sacrifice every tying, even their life. And so they did.

Facing these Islamic molesters, the brave Hindu women chose death. They built big cauldron like pots, lit then with fire and jumped into them, to die voluntarily and happily in order to save their honour and chastity. They chose and embraced death themselves and nobody forced them to do so. They with their very feminine bravery defied whole armies of Islamic marauders with all of their evil means and intentions. This phenomenon was called ?johar?, meaning giving themselves to fire in order to be saved from disgrace.

So, this was ?Johar?, later practiced by Hindu women in every part of India in order to save themselves from the dirty hands of Islamic marauders. There was no forced immolation in that process, no malign Brahmins, no cruel priests, thus no ?Sati-Pratha.? And for suicide no other person can be blamed, other than those Islamic marauders whose threat forced Hindu women to suicide.

?Sati? is an ancient Sanskrit term, meaning a chaste woman who thinks of no other man than her own husband. The famous examples are Sati Anusuiya, Savitri, Ahilya etc. None of them committed suicide, let alone being forcible burned. So how is that that they are called Sati? The word ?Sati? means a chaste woman, and it has no co-relations with either suicide or murder. The term ?Sati? was never accompanied by ?Pratha?. The phrase, ?Sati-Pratha? was a Christian Missionary invention. Sati was taken form the above quoted source and ?Pratha? was taken from the practice of Johar?, (by distorting its meaning from ?suicide? to ?murder?) and the myth of ?Sati-Pratha? was born to haunt Hindus forever.

So ?Sati-Pratha? (in its modern avatar of forcible widow burning) is not a fault of Hinduism but a crime of Islam. Islam is the perpetrator of crime here, and Hinduism, the victim. It is a joint crime of Islam and Christianity. The crime of Islam was transposed on Hinduism (absolving Islam in the process) by the historical connivance of anti-Hindu forces (Islam, Christianity and Marxism).

To insert a spiritual clause here, it is very important to say that in modern times whenever is there a case reported of voluntary immolation of a woman on her husband?s pyre, it is never reported that the dying woman shrieked in the unbearable pain of the burning flesh. Sucha case is reported by Mark Tully in his book ?No Full Stops in India?. He tells of a woman Roop Kanwar in the village Deorala, district Sikar of Rajasthan who in Sep 1987 voluntarily died by burning herself with fire, without emitting any cries or shrieks. So what does it signify? No mortal can remain calm when his flesh is being burnt. So what is the reason of this superhuman quality of these women? The answer lies in dharma, Yoga and meditation. There are umpteen stories in Puranas and Vedas in which both men and women voluntarily accept death by immolating their mortal bodies by various means, including fire. The power of Yoga makes them oblivious of the pain of the decay of the mortal body. So women who voluntarily gave up their life in fire were empowered with the power of Yoga. Pain did not touch their chaste bodies.

Hindus being oppressed for centuries have developed a mental state called ?Dhimmitude?, which means a mental slavery to its long time oppressor Islam. So, now even those Hindus who stand against Islam are timid, defensive and guilty of some hypothetical crimes, imagined for their chagrin, for them by their enemies. They still can?t think freely, analyze history objectively and recognize the true nature of Hinduism, i.e., Dharma.

But, if they want to re-generate Dharma, Truth and Goodness then they will have to view History in its true light, with Courage, Resolution and with Objectivity. Then only they will be able to re-discover their Dharma and do something for its regeneration.

History being ?Dharma? itself hopes them to do so.

No, provided they are not converting people by coercion and are only conveying their religion to people. islam says that every person should be free to explore the truth about something conveyed to him. i don’t understand why are people so insecure about just hearing what the other religion contains. locking doors at missionaries is not going to solve anything. we should trust the mental capacities of people and let them choose what they want to follow. mind you, they should also have correct and full knowledge of what each religion says and not half truths, like how some pretentious psychologists answering questions on this site do.

The Codex Theodosianus was a compilation of the laws of the Roman Empire under the Christian emperors since 312. A commission was established by Theodosius II in 429[1] and the compilation was published in the eastern half of the Roman Empire in 438.[2] One year later, it was also introduced in the West by the emperor Valentinian III.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Theodosianus

LAW BANNING ALL RELIGIONS OTHER THAN CHRISTIANITY

"It is Our will that all the peoples who are ruled by the administration of Our Clemency shall practice that religion which the divine Peter the Apostle transmitted to the Romans. According to the apostolic teaching and the doctrine of the Gospel, let us believe in the one deity of the father, Son and Holy Spirit, in equal majesty and in a holy Trinity. … The rest, whom We adjudge demented and insane, shall sustain the infamy of heretical dogmas, their meeting places shall not receive the name of churches, and they shall be smitten first by divine vengeance and secondly by the retribution of Our own initiative." — Codex Theodosianus, XVI.1.2.

THE BURNING OF NON-CHRISTIAN BOOKS

"All writings whatever which Porphyry or anyone else has written against the Christian religion, in the possession of whomsoever they shall be found, shall be committed to the fire." — Emperor Theodosius I.

Source: Lardner, Works, vol. vii., pp. 206, 396.

"Whenever there is found a meeting of a mob of Manichaeans, let the leaders be punished with a heavy fine and let those who attended be known as infamous and dishonored, and be shut out from association with men, and let the house and the dwellings where the profane doctrine was taught be seized by the officers of the city." — Codex Theodosianus, XVI.5.3.
After the English Reformation and establishment of the Church of England, from the 16th to the 19th century those guilty of such Nonconformity, termed "Recusants", were subject to civil penalties and sometimes, especially in the earlier part of that period, to criminal penalties. Roman Catholics formed a large proportion of Recusants, and were those to whom the term initially was applied. Non-Roman Catholic groups composed of Reformed Christians or Protestants who dissented from the Church of England were, later, also labelled "Recusants". The recusancy laws were in force from the reign of Elizabeth I to that of George III, though they were not always enforced with equal intensity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recusancy

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Elizabethan England – Elizabethan Recusants and the Recusancy Laws
The Elizabethan Recusancy Laws directly effected all English Catholics. Elizabeth succeeded her Catholic sister Mary I on November 17 1558 and immediately re-established the Protestant Anglican Church. The Elizabethan Recusancy Laws were established due to the 1559 Act of Uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacrament in which attendance at church became compulsory and non-attendance was punishable by fine or imprisonment. The Elizabethan religious settlement was passed by Parliament on 29 April 1559and the Elizabethan Prayer Book was first used June 24, 1559

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-recusants-recusancy-laws.htm

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The earth goes around the sun ? Yep death sentence for you

Didn’t go to church — jail or a fine

From —- the 300′s to the riegn of King George the 3rd

Believe or else –

Now spread the loving word of Jesus or be whipped

Should we tell the children as we indoctrinate them into believe Adam and Eve had no belly button and women were made from a rib that one of the principle reasons this religon of love got off the ground was the threat of whipping death being lit on fire or being fined ?

Or should we continue to gloss over that part and concentrate more on how the entire new testament was written well after Jesus died ?
1) Gospel of Matthew
Date Anywhere between late 50s and 80s AD.

2) Gospel of Mark
Either 50s AD or shortly before 70 AD.

3) Gospel of Luke
Date Anywhere between late 50s and 80s AD.

4) Gospel of John
Date Traditionally, 85 AD or later, especially c. 100 AD; some have recently suggested no later than 70 AD.

5) Acts of the Apostles
Date Probably c. 63 AD,

6)Epistle to the Romans
Date 57 AD

7) 1 Corinthians
Date c. Spring 55 AD

2 Corinthians
Date c. Summer 55 AD

9) Epistle to the Galatians
Date c. 48-57 AD

10) Ephesians
Date:c. 60 AD

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Wait a moment — >????

Jesus was born ( 1 BC because there was no year zero) and began his ministry at about 30 dying about 3 yrs later at the age of aprox 33 —

34 —- oh 35 AD

And the entire bible was written how many yrs after the fact ?

Should we keep the kiddies in the dark about that one too and just tell them

Believe or eternal burning for you little boy?
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Celtic ? Saxon ?Scandinavian? Slavic ? Mediterranean ?European? An Angle? Or some poor slob who ran into a colonizing force when these laws were being enforced

You’re religion was made illegal your books burned your holy men imprisoned or killed

—- Non belief was punishable by various methods of extremity depending on who and when you happened to be born

—- You’re fore fathers if British — European or even some Southern American or African nations —- You’re forefathers either adopted Christianity or were killed whipped had their property taken or maybe just had to pay fines

The only reason this religion has been handed down to you — Is it was enforced by the sword the whip and the dungeon

You lost you’re heritage and the religion of your ancestors to the sword of conquest

And it was all happened in less than 300 yrs after Jesus died —

Or should we continue to ignore that ?

Yes or no?

Maybe not, the poor kids head’s are already filled with terrifying thoughts and images if they have been indoctrinated, we would have to take it really slowly.