A religious quiz.

[Spexvet]

Which do you mean? African or European?

Huh? I-- I don't know that. Auuuuuuuugh!

[braheem24]

(The reason that there are so many religions??)

The 3 Abrahamic religions comprise most of the world's religions and have a following of over 4 Billion people.

They're all the same message with different interpretaions.

[chip anderson]

Who besides God could part the dead sea. Restore sight with mud and spit. Create a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. Cause seven
deadly plagues? Cause 10 men to be able to defeat an army of 10,000?
Cause men and women to have children at over 90.
Do you know anyone who can walk on water? Anyone that can calm a storm with a gesture?
Instill the intelligence in men so that they could they could create the miracles we see every day?

Of course this could be the result of natural causes (name one).

Chip

[Spexvet]

Who besides God could part the dead sea. Restore sight with mud and spit. Create a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. Cause seven
deadly plagues? Cause 10 men to be able to defeat an army of 10,000?
Cause men and women to have children at over 90.
Instill the intelligence in men so that they could they could create the miracles we see every day?

Of course this could be the result of natural causes (name one).

Chip

Thor, Odin, Zeus, Apollo, etc. Allah moved a mountain!

Here's one possibility:

The first nine plagues "can be explained as natural phenomena, occurring as a result of an abnormally high Nile inundation between July and the following March...The Nile turning to blood could reflect the fact that its waters were filled with red earth carried in suspension from the highlands of Ethiopia. As a result, the river would then become polluted and frogs would infest the shores in search of shelter. Mosquitoes and flies would find ideal breeding grounds in the brackish ponds left behind by the receding floodwaters.
"The death of Egypt's livestock could be due to an anthrax epidemic spread by the insects with men and animals breaking out in sores. Hail ruining the crops of flax and barley could have happened in January, when such a climatic phenomenon, though rare, is most likely to occur. Swarms of locusts could have been blown into the Nile valley by winds from the Sudan and Ethiopia and the three days of darkness are typical of a severe khamsin, a sandstorm of unusual proportions."
- Great Events of Bible Times

[Christosfer]

In many cases evidence only of their existence. Outside of the bible, I'd say that evidence of God creating the universe, of miracles is lacking.

What's your explanation for the beginning of the universe?

How do you explain the rapid spread of the Christian faith in the early first century when there was so much opposition to it?

[Christosfer]

The 3 Abrahamic religions comprise most of the world's religions and have a following of over 4 Billion people.

They're all the same message with different interpretaions.

And what is the message?

The character of God is vastly different from Islam to Judeo/Christian beliefs.

[braheem24]

And what is the message?

The character of God is vastly different from Islam to Judeo/Christian beliefs.

Enlighten me, how?

[Spexvet]

What's your explanation for the beginning of the universe?

I've already said that this is beyond debate.

How do you explain the rapid spread of the Christian faith in the early first century when there was so much opposition to it?

My guess is that it wasn't a miracle. How do you explain the popularity of Islam, Hinduism, Communism, etc.?

[chip anderson]

Who do you think was there watchin at the Creation?

[gemstone]

Which do you mean? African or European?

Boff!

[1968]

Who do you think was there watchin at the Creation?

Easy... the Invisible Pink Unicorn!

[gemstone]

No, yelloooooooooooooooooooow!

In the words of an old hymn, you can go to hell.

[1968]

Who do you think was there watchin at the Creation?

Another possibility...

[LandLord]

In many cases evidence only of their existence. Outside of the bible, I'd say that evidence of God creating the universe, of miracles is lacking.

Actually there IS evidence of miracles. There are hundreds of documented eyewitness accounts of Jesus walking and talking after his death, for one example.

[LandLord]

How do you explain the popularity of Islam?

You were given a choice. Convert to Islam or be killed.

[braheem24]

You were given a choice. Convert to Islam or be killed.

Wrong religion, Islam taxed non-muslims.

[chip anderson]

Be killed especially if I can die with sword in hand. (I like to hedge my betts too.)

[LandLord]

Wrong religion, Islam taxed non-muslims.

Same religion. But another reason to convert.

[braheem24]

Same religion. But another reason to convert.

Indonensia at 200,000,000 Muslims is the most populated Muslim country in the world...

Explain to me when they were invaded and forced to convert by the sword

[1968]

In the words of an old hymn, you can go to hell.

I take it that you're not understanding the banter going on here. Maybe this will help you...

http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail-23.htm

[FullCircle]

How do you explain the rapid spread of the Christian faith in the early first century when there was so much opposition to it?

Good marketing. I'm not kidding. Aligning many of the christian holidays with pagan holidays was a brilliant move.

Feast of Samhain - All Saints Day
Winter Solstice - Christmas
Spring Equinox - Easter

Having some of the pagan rituals absorbed into the christian days was an added bonus.

Most of that, if I recall, can be traced back to Emperor Constantine and the Edict of Milan. I think I also rmember reading somewhere that he didn't just legalize christianity but also forced the pagans in his empire to become christians. But I can't find that right now.

[rinselberg]

You were given a choice: Convert to Islam or be killed.

At various times and places that probably happened. The only reason I say "probably" is that I have not taken the opportunity to read or see very much about the early history of Islam. If others are more certain, I wouldn't dispute it.

Same as the choice that Christians offered to pagan communities wherever they encountered them, after Christianity became the dominant religion throughout the Roman Empire. Pagan temples and artifacts were subject to widespread destruction, with generally little regard for preserving any of that long and often beautiful heritage for artistic and historical interest. At just about the time that Islam was starting to spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula, the Christian rulers of Europe were using their sword and hatchet-wielding armies as leverage to convert the last pagan populated areas of Europe into Christian enclaves. Many pagans were (perhaps) swayed by courteous invitation--the modern evangelical approach--but the armies of Christendom were always ready to take care of the remainder who were not so cordially receptive to the possibility of conversion.

Running alongside, on a parallel track to these events, were the long and violent conflicts among Christians involving the icons and relics that were adored in Western Europe and the iconoclasts of the East.

And that was just the period before 1000 AD.

"Convert or perish"--the forerunner of today's "an offer you can't refuse"--was never the unique invention of Islam and you can't fairly say that Islam was the only major religion that would ever go hog-wild with that idea.

[rinselberg]

Actually there IS evidence of miracles. There are hundreds of documented eyewitness accounts of Jesus walking and talking after his death..

How about this recent "eyewitness" account of a man being visited by Allah, just a few years ago?

Documented by the CIA ..!

[Spexvet]

Actually there IS evidence of miracles. There are hundreds of documented eyewitness accounts of Jesus walking and talking after his death, for one example.

There are thousands of documented eyewitness accounts of UFOs, aliens, Bigfoot, etc. Does this make them true/real?

You were given a choice. Convert to Islam or be killed.

The Spanish inquisition was a Christian institution - remember?

...Same as the choice that Christians offered to pagan communities wherever they encountered them, after Christianity became the dominant religion throughout the Roman Empire. Pagan temples and artifacts were subject to widespread destruction, with generally little regard for preserving any of that long and often beautiful heritage for artistic and historical interest. At just about the time that Islam was starting to spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula, the Christian rulers of Europe were using their sword and hatchet-wielding armies as leverage to convert the last pagan populated areas of Europe into Christian enclaves. Many pagans were (perhaps) swayed by courteous invitation--the modern evangelical approach--but the armies of Christendom were always ready to take care of the remainder who were not so cordially receptive to the possibility of conversion.
...

Don't forget what the Christians did to the Jews, who believe in the same God! And remember those Aztecs?

[Mike Fretto]

There are thousands of documented eyewitness accounts of UFOs, aliens, Bigfoot, etc. Does this make them true/real?


The Spanish inquisition was a Christian institution - remember?


Don't forget what the Christians did to the Jews, who believe in the same God! And remember those Aztecs?

What did the christians do to the Jews?