I guess you're right on the buddhist point, I'm toralarant of people being christians, but I just don't like how the religion is made, I guess i should have backed up my points.
lesser of two evils, I agree that evil should be prevented, why by violence and war? I'll use the Iraq war as my example, being fairly new and all, Saddam is an 'evil man' yup, kills his own people, hurts them a lot, and would use WOMD's if he could. So the intention was that to remove WOMD (that weren't there but they caputed Saddam therefore fitting under the Just war theory) but the real point is, was War necessary for it? Did loads of soldiers, innocent people and home have to get blown up/shot in the process, killing at a higher rate than saddam, just to get something thats not there and then manage to catch Saddam, A. Getting weapons out of a country, even if well defended, doesn't require violence to get through (well maybe a little in cases) well first they would find out if he actually has the weapons, if he had weapons, then negotiate terms, if it doesn't work then send a group of people with a lot of artillery as defense then remove the weapons (so there fore only killing people who are shooting at them, not the innocent) for removing saddam, just send a load of people to find him and capture him, I know he's got high security, that can be broken without the use of war or anything too big. If you are not convinced on my point there, say so and I'll do a version on WW2 and other wars.
I'm sure I didn't say that god in the bible is taught as a metaphor, but is a metaphor as its self, didn't john say 'god is love' doesn't that imply god is a metaphor of love? and to me using god in that concept make a lot of sense, others could say, love is the metaphor god, god loves everything and only shows love (although he has is forgiving and veangeful, I never got the point of that) so I guess I made the point of Ambiguoty too.
About the bible, maybe storytelling over time has been a tradition, I can see your point, the bible does teach a lot of things that teach loving caring etc. I agree thats its teaching, but the bible isn't exactly direct on its points either, if its was then our history would be a lot differant, English/American history is based a lot around Christianity (well depending on the period) and these christian 'riteous people' were complete a-holes, a child misbehaves, whip 'em (some still do) in times people were severely punish for small sins, and what about witch craft, no one conjured spells with the devil it was magic mushrooms (in places) superstitions and greed, and christianity taught them punish them. Oh and, what did christians do to Pagans? wiped em out with violence, intolerent of other beliefs, so the teachings of not killing were sympathesised with other teachings, ok thats christain input on history, and today, christianity isn't like that because well, people see more of the real teachings, are able to understand it better (although people still are extreme) also how can you trust a source that had a couple of centuries story telling before written down, (improvements aren't necessarily true, bad people couldv'e told the stories too)
About Jesus being the rebel, well think about it, is it possible for some one to have magic healing powers? Nope, so look at Jesus without his powers and try to think of what could be true and what isn't, the picture I've managed to see him as is a rebel. I'll try to explain, The king was an evil git right? bit of a tyrant, if the story of him killing every boy baby to get jesus (although in reality he wouldn't know of him or what he'll do) well there must be an influence in the though, so the kinf was an a.hole, and jesus probaly thought of the rules he had as a problem for the people, initially, he taught people to care and love and taught some great things, like love thy neighbour and only to punish sinners only if you have not sinned yourself (or 'he had not sinned throw the first stone') well the King was not much of a goody was he, well incidently Jesus had a lot of support from his teaching, so basically he had some sort of cult, enough to stop the wicked king, (kinda like a protest.......) and well the king saw that as a threat, and well had to eliminate him, because he's the leader, he had to loosen morale, so he crucified him, the rebirth to me is either Jesus was replaced by a look a like on the cross and Jesus layed low for a while, or was just a story.
@Jimmy, Anti-christ school? I don't hate him, if what truth that is possibly drawn from Christianity is that Jesus was a great man, before I started discussing my anti-christian ways I hated Christ, because I saw him as the guy who was responsible for the religion and taught its many faults (of course thats my opinions the -faults- bit) but now I don't.
Looks like I'm flamebait now
I know what to expect, knew I was gonna get it, but if I was given a more 'christian' arguement about it the better, like I had with some people who are paid to be christian and are experts (being teachers of the matter, I've left them without a comeback, and visa versa) , but if it helps me understand why people follow christianity and maybe change a few minds along the way, all the better
