Fourteen years ago the world embarked in a "War on Terror" a war that continues indefinitely to this day. One of the biggest criticisms of the war on terror, launched by several leaders in the Western World after the attacks on September 11, 2001, is that its target appears to be somewhat nebulous and ill-defined.

Who Are We Fighting?

As the world prepares its strategy to respond to the newest global threat, the Islamic State (or IS, or ISIS, or ISIL, or Daesh) it's perhaps prudent that we analyze carefully exactly what force we are truly fighting. We could write at length about what these different names mean and why you might use one or another but we'll spare you that lesson here. For the purposes of this blog we will refer to the organization as "Daesh".

war against islam

Daesh, no matter what you call it, is a loosely affiliated collection of extremist groups whose stated mission is to establish a worldwide caliphate, a Sunni Islamic empire dominated by a "Caliph", the successor to the prophet Muhammad. The current leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is said to be able to trace his personal lineage directly back to Muhammad, the prophet of the religion. The group is infamous for the violence it employs toward its ends.

Daesh adheres to a relatively radical and obscure interpretation of Sunni Islam referred to as "Wahhabism" which advocates extreme conservatism and applauds the use of violence as a global Jihad for good. Wahhabi Islam considers all those who do not adhere to their thinking, including moderate Muslims, as apostates (a crime punishable by execution).

Individuals attached to Daesh have been tied to violent beheadings, the bombings in Paris, and most recently the shooting of several individuals in San Bernardino, California. Rhetoric against the group continues to heat, and physical attacks against locations thought to be hot-spots for IS activity have picked up as well.

Attacking training camps is one thing, but at a certain point it becomes difficult to completely ignore the fact that a simultaneous and more distressing war is being waged against a violent ideology. Many military analysts agree that until that second, more ideological war is won, the Daesh will continue to be a deadly threat to the world.

Is Islam Responsible?

bomb in syria
A deadly Daesh bombing in embattled Syria

While some leaders have been quick to point the finger at the religion of Islam as being responsible for the wave of violence against the non-Muslim world, others are more wary. In his latest address to the American people, U.S. President Barack Obama attempted to make clear that he was not seeking to wage a war against Islam, and that the leaders of Daesh were not representatives of the Islamic faith but "thugs". Both President Obama and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton have been blasted by critics for their refusal to directly implicate "Radical Islam" in the wave of attacks against the Western World.

Meanwhile, candidates on the other side of the aisle are swinging in the opposite direction. On Monday, Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump called for the travel of all Muslims into the United States to be completely halted "until we can figure out what is going on".

Which is the more accurate assessment? Certainly, the violence actualized by Daesh is derived from their interpretation of Islam but is Islam truly to blame? Is their religion the source of their war? Or merely a weapon exploited toward world domination? The distinction is a crucial one, and not one that it will be easy to make for anyone.

What do you think? Are we at war with Islam?

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Daesh?

Some leaders have advocated that mosques in their countries be heavily monitored by outside entities, while others encourage increased cooperation and neighborhood with Muslim members of their communities.

war against islam
This is what the world worships, via the Pew Research Center, 2010

The Universal Life Church believes itself to be the natural next step for human religion an amalgamation of all human faiths into a global collective for good. Islam is the second largest religion on Earth, adhered to by 1.6 billion people (approximately 22% of the population). If we truly are all children of the same universe and if we hope to progress as a society, it is necessary that at some level we are able to coexist with one another.

Regardless of how you think the Islamic faith plays into the workings of Daesh, what is abundantly clear to nearly everyone is that they must be stopped.

Where they choose to divide and terrorize, we choose to unite and empower.

Where they choose to fear-monger and harass, we choose to inspire and liberate.

Where they choose death, we choose life.

196 comments

  1. George R Taylor's Avatar George R Taylor

    When the individuals that choose to kill others using any reason it is wrong. No religion I know performs this kind of terror. When the kkk hangs black men they are terrorizing. Never in the name of Christ or God. There are so many people in the world now that a small group ,And that could be 10000 people, and then combined with the 24/7 media they will terrorize millions. I think prayer is a wonderful way to calm yourself and your family and church members. God did not create this mess. People did. We must solve it.

    1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      George the KKK do kill in the name of God and base their bigotry right out of the Chtistian Bible

      1. Thomas William Cornfield's Avatar Thomas William Cornfield

        what

      2. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

        Give me chapter and verse, St. Peter Dabila Interfaith Minister, this got to see exactly where the Bible says: KKK, go forth and kill in the name of God.

        You sir, are a nut case. Please tell me you don't vote and have not procreated.

        1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Hoagie, that's very mean of you to say. But when I lived inn the South you would be surprised by how many so called conservative Christians are members of the KKK and they use the bible specifically the old testament where it speaks of not mixing with the people who are not of God.

          1. M's Avatar M

            You know it does not matter if you think it is mean, life is tough, if life goes by nice, evil would not exist and we would not know right from wrong. so it is just too bad that you think something is mean, life is not here for you and what you think or feel. As far as the kkk having Christians as member is just like saying all native american are heathens and should be killed, that is a red herring or something, just because some are Christians belongs to the kkk does not mean it is a christian thing. a lot of so called Christians in the bible act non Christianity, that is what many people don't understand about the bible and the people in it. and why they condemn Christians, talking abut judging people, you have no room to talk.

        2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          You are aware that this not a right wing christian blog? The monastery ordains pagans, wiccans, buddhist and yes Muslims and probably Satanist too...

          1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

            We are all aware it is not a "right wing (C)hristian blog but that was not the question posed, now was it? I'm answering the question not debating your politics.

        3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          These commands aren't just for the KKK….

          Deuteronomy 17

          Deuteronomy 13:6-16

          Numbers 31 has everyone killed except the virgin females who are kept as spoils of war.

          Thankfully civilization has progressed beyond this Bronze Age barbarity for most people.

          1. M's Avatar M

            does that actually say God says to kill everybody but the virgins... or does it documenting that that is what happened? after all so much of the bible is but a history, and just because it was done did not necessarily mean that God approved of it.

          2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            You should get yourself a Bible, mary, so you could confirm things yourself rather than guessing or believing what someone's told you.

            Numbers 31 begins… ""The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites"" Moses was carrying out the Lord's command so he obviously had God's approval. He was sent by the Lord to execute vengeance. The rest is, as you say, history ( a very disturbing history)

            Verse 18 is the bit about keeping the virgins if you'd care to read it yourself.

          3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            I thought you'd respond after reading Numbers 31 for yourself, mary. I quoted verse 1, but Verse 7 is a confirmation… "They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male. It goes on to include the non-virgin women as well, and keeping 32,000 virgins for themselves, if you read on. Even if God didn't give Moses these clear instructions, he did choose Moses as his spokesperson and as an omniscient God, knew what would happen.

            What do you think?

      3. Rev. Gary Shade's Avatar Rev. Gary Shade

        The KKK is not and never was a "Christian" faith based organization. And nowhere in the Bible does the Bible sanction bigotry or murder. Not even in the old testament.

        More of the leftist hate against Christians being demonstrated by you Dabilia. How can you call yourself an Interfaith Minister when you don't even come close to understanding Christianity?

        1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          Although most Christians would rightfully deny that the KKK or the Westboro Baptist Church represent their religion, the fact is that the KKK is a fanatical, mainly Protestant organization.

          http://www.christianpost.com/news/kkk-leader-were-a-christian-organization-claims-the-klan-is-not-a-hate-group-116614/

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism (see Ku Klux Klan entry but it's worth reading the entire document)

          Deuteronomy 17:2-7 and 13:6-9 leave little room for interpretation and are both examples of why strict adherence to religious dogma can result in horrific results. While you're verifying these passages, also read Numbers 31 for an example of what happens when people believe the words of a man (Moses in this case) who claims to have instructions for them directly from God.

          You may choose to label this as more "leftist hate" Gary and others, but some of your statements are overly defensive and simply not accurate. Labelling someone who presents information contrary to your beliefs as a "nutcase", Hoagie, does little to promote open, honest discussion. Although Dabila could have included examples for his statements, your attacks were unwarranted and ill conceived.

          1. M's Avatar M

            i do actually own a bible, in fact i own more then that, i own that and i own the book of Mormon, and the mystical life of Jesus, I own many many other books, too. I also have monographs from AMORC and the Rosicrucian.

        2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Sorry I didn't realize this was a Republican website

        3. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          I know it's hard to believe Gary Shade but there christian groups that are filled with hate and racism like yourself.

        4. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          The old testament does

      4. Henry Kroll's Avatar Henry Kroll

        Thank you very much for the Credentials of ministry. Am making plans to construct a 30 by 60-foot steel building to have weddings, exercise classes such as Ti Chi, music lessons and building trades. Did you know the Catholic Church created the Muslim Religion?

    2. Thomas William Cornfield's Avatar Thomas William Cornfield

      May the lord walk with you and your family

    3. Rev. Nancy Willingham's Avatar Rev. Nancy Willingham

      Greetings Fellow Ministers! This is my first post. I know that we are all one with the One as I write this little comment. Throughout history there have been many groups who rejected mainstream society in one way or another. The first Christian martyrs, all the monks and nuns of any religion, the Amish, etc. I think the radicalized terrorists fall into this category. I think they see Western society as a flat, two dimensional, soulless, and meaningless version of human existence, which they have rejected. This view may have been fostered by incomplete or false information about the West. So, what I propose, in addition to prayer, is that we reach out and communicate to the Muslim world the Truth as we see it, as well as do whatever we can to eliminate the conditions which foster desperation. People who see no hope, who feel trapped by a soulless, heartless system, are the ones who reject the material world and put all their eggs in some spiritual basket. And they naturally choose the basket that is put in front of them. They are low hanging fruit for any extremist organization. Blessings!

      1. Phoenix Morgaine's Avatar Phoenix Morgaine

        Thank you Nancy. Well said.

      2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

        Amen Minister Nancy!

      3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        Good advice Nancy, but equal time should be given to understanding Muslim's perception of Truth. As you say it's "as we see it", not a black and white "as it is". Most Muslims would not welcome proselytizing Christians and vice versa. Both systems are based on beliefs, not facts, and both holy books were written by men, not by god.

        1. M's Avatar M

          but the muslims words are from Satan and should not be encouraged esp by any decent civilized society.

          1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            That is an ignorant and disrespectful comment, mary. Spend some of the time you're devoting to your "spiritual books" and read some actual history. While Christians were burning "witches and heretics" at the stake in a flat world at the centre of the Universe during the Dark Ages, Islam was thriving in it's Golden Age.

            During this period, artists, engineers, scholars, poets, philosophers, geographers and traders in the Islamic world contributed to agriculture, the arts, economics, industry, law, literature,navigation, philosophy, sciences, sociology, and technology, both by preserving earlier traditions and by adding inventions and innovations of their own. Also at that time the Muslim world became a major intellectual centre for science, philosophy, medicine and education. In Baghdad they established the “House of Wisdom“, where scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, sought to gather and translate the world’s knowledge into Arabic in the Translation Movement. As an aside, much of this was destroyed in the appalling "Shock and Awe" campaign of the first Gulf War by the "civilized" Western nations that took part.

            There's no excuse for self imposed ignorance when information is easily available without even making a trip to the library.

          2. M's Avatar M

            brother John i frankly do not care it that is a disrespectful comment,i also don't care if you perceive it as arrogant, respect HAS to be earned, those monsters HAVE NOT earned respect. I do spend much time reading spiritual books i just read three chapters yesterday in the mystical life of Jesus. i have been doing that all my life, i got my believes from many of the books i read like the fact that respect HAS TO BE earned, not handed out like lolly pop. nobody appreciates thing they get for free and that goes with respect.

      4. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        Your suggestion to reach out to Muslims is excellent Nancy. The purpose, however, should be to achieve a better understanding of their beliefs, not to promote "the Truth, as we see it", and certainly not to proselytize. Your addition of "as we see it" demonstrates the acceptance of beliefs other than your own and should be commended.

    4. Kathy Kovachick's Avatar Kathy Kovachick

      It is my frim belief the Devil walks this world. He does not care who you are. He will find your weakness and use that to distroy all we hold dear. As people we all hurt. I have no hatered.I can't do that. God won't let me, neither will his little boy. I believe with all I am that The Father wants us to strong together. The Devil is loose. We all must Stand Up Together. Make the FATHER PROUD. I will not a hate people. JESUS DIDN'T.

    5. Vee's Avatar Vee

      First time responding here What a lively discussion. Has anybody read the islamic holy book? You should keeping in mind it's not read like the Christian Bible. If a latter edict it in conflict with a previous one the latter takes president. So the peace and love is overwritten with kill the infidels. You do realize that to a Muslim your not even considered human. 64 percent of the total Qur'an addresses that relationship while 81 percent of the Sira (chronological biographies of Muhammad) and 37 percent of the Hadith (sayings attributed to Muhammad) focus on this as well. In sum, nearly two thirds of Shari'a (Islamic law) is devoted to the infidel. The Qur'an dehumanizes infidels: They are vile animals and beasts, the worst of creatures and demons; perverted transgressors and partners of Satan,to be fought until religion is Allah's alone. They are to be beheaded;terrorized,annihilated, crucified,punished, and expelled,and plotted against by deceit.Believers must be in a constant state of war with the infidel.

      Having been to the Middle East and fought against them, and having seen what they are doing in and to America. In trying to understand my enemy, I read his holy book. I have no love for In my heart for any Muslim.

  1. Miranda Allison Young's Avatar Miranda Allison Young

    I believe that all people worship the same deity. I also believe that most of the people of all religions are good. Unfortunately, however, there are a lot of people in each religion who are evil and must be stopped. This is going to be very difficult and will take an extremely long time, if it ever does happen.

    1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      I agree with you Miranda! And as you know life is a constant battle between good and evil all the way to the end

    2. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

      Miranda you sound like a very nice young lady but regardless of what you "believe" all people do not worship the same deity. Ask a Muslim if he worships Christ. And as you mature you'll realize "most people of all religions" are neither good, nor friendly nor Godly. When you say the evil must be stopped and it will take a long time well, the Muslims have been at war with Christianity and Judaism for 1200 years so I guess that is a long time.

      1. Dr. David's Avatar Dr. David

        I will be more specific for you, Hoagie. Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe in one God and it is the same God. This omnipotent being is called by different names, but they all refer to the same being. The Muslims recognize Christ as a prophet, he is a part of their religion. Yes, all religions are always at war, perhaps because they are scared of something different or perhaps they cannot grasp the idea that a group of people can believe different things and still be holy.

        You write, "... the Muslims have been at war with Christianity and Judaism for 1200 years ..." I can write that the Christians have been at war with the Muslims for 1200 years. It would be longer, but Islam is one of the few major religions that is even newer than Christianity.

        We are all human beings and it does not matter who, what, or where they believe. If they are good according to their religion then they should be accepted. No religion preaches hate, killing and war. This is true, period.

        Go in Peace.

        1. lord Leto's Avatar lord Leto

          Kill them all and let Hashem sort them out

        2. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

          "I will be more specific for you, Hoagie. Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe in one God and it is the same God." No, David, they don't believe in the same god. Christians believe Jesus Christ is God the Son and Savior, Jews and Moslems do not. Jews believe YHWH is the One God and most Christian people accept Jehovah, the Christian Father the same as YHWH. Moslems believe in a god called Allah who is mentioned in nether the Old or New Testaments of the Bible and therefore is not God to Christians nor Jews but rather a false god which are even mentioned in the Ten Commandments as a sin to worship.

          "You write, “… the Muslims have been at war with Christianity and Judaism for 1200 years …” I can write that the Christians have been at war with the Muslims for 1200 years.". Yes you could David, and while technically correct you would be evading my point that the Moslems started the war by invading Christian lands and putting them to the sword. The Christians being there first as you pointed out. The Christians were in fact fighting back against a barbarian horde. Therefore, it is the barbarians who attacked and went to war against the Christians. Hence my statement stands.

          Then you mistakenly and naively add: "We are all human beings and it does not matter who, what, or where they believe. If they are good according to their religion then they should be accepted. No religion preaches hate, killing and war. This is true, period." Wrong, oh so very wrong again, David. Quran 2:192-193 "And kill them wherever you find them and turn them out...." That is one of 109 verses in the Quran requiring DEVOUT moslems to kill all who will not convert to Islam. Islam is not a religion of peace as you've been brainwashed to believe and has never been it's entire history being that of conquest, war, murder, rape and blood. The word itself "ISLAM" means submission or surrender. Does that sound like a religion of love or peace? It's a religion of oppression and it is a religion that is a government also. It's called Theocracy and it sucks.

          You know folks, I really don't have the time to teach you Christianity and read you the Quran go look it up yourself but please stop spreading false information and lies.

          Thanks for playing.

          1. Brother Tim's Avatar Brother Tim

            It is a shame to see that no one can tell me WHO the God is in these religious books. The Musies,Jewies, and Christys, do believe in the same God as well as many other cultures do. The one living God. But no one can tell me Who that God is. I have studied these religions for 50+ years and even I could not see just who they were speaking of until I spent some time at an Indian reservation. It all became clear to me just who this evasive God was and how to get in touch with Him Her or how ever you choose to recognize the deity. When you can answer that question then and only then can you call yourself a Christian, Muslim or believer of the Jewish faith. Until that time you are a person in training of that faith. Folks think that by picking up a bible and reading it or by praying to Mecca or by keeping the Sabbath true is the main way of their faith, this is just not true. These religions have so gotten away from God that to a true believer, well all we can do is love and try to help others understand. I know who the God is in these religious books, I have had an encounter with this God. These books have been organized to keep the average person in the dark and away from the one living God. Jesus spoke in parables for a reason, to attract the true believers not followers. Many are called but few are chosen. the flock is misguided and unknowing of the true living God. Most folks have not had an encounter with the true living God. Once you do, you see how all of this is unnecessary, we are all one and until you as a person realize this we are doomed to this kind of world. Until we as a human race stop all violence towards each other and control the greed of others we will never see the light as a whole, If you think know who the living God is please pray with me if you do not know who the living God is stop saying your a Christian,Jew or Muslim because clearly you are not.

          2. Pastor Steve's Avatar Pastor Steve

            Amen Brother!

          3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Your condescending comments do little to bolster your self proclaimed knowledge, Hoagie. And, no, most of us do not need you to teach us about Christianity, Islam or any other topic for that matter.

            You're partially correct about Islam meaning submission, but failed to mention that it's Arabic root is "Salema" or peace, purity, submission and obedience….. submission to the will of God and obedience to God's law. The same submission and obedience that's required of Christians. Allah translates from Arabic as "the God". Muslims revere Jesus as a great prophet, but believe there is only one God, not a trinity. And in arabic his name is Allah. You're no doubt reading the Bible in english so you won't see it there.

            http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/allah.html

            http://www.equip.org/article/allah-does-not-belong-to-islam/

            The fact that you've stated that Islam is not a religion of peace (in spite of the fact that's part of it's definition) and that it's history can best be described as one of "conquest, war, murder, rape and blood" without presenting any parallel biblical passages is curious and perhaps a little bigoted. It also sounds like you may be trolling, not adding meaningful content to our discussions.

            I'm sure you're as familiar with the following as you are with the quotes you've provided from the Q'uran

            Deuteronomy 3:1-7 Leviticus 25:44-46 Deuteronomy 21:18-21 1 Peter 2:18 Deuteronomy 20:10-151 Timothy 2:11-12 Numbers 31:14-18

            I suggest that in the future you make your comments more respectful and less condescending. Your knowledge could add more to our discussions without the attitude.

      2. Alice Elyaman's Avatar Alice Elyaman

        Ask a Muslim if he believes in Jesus, he will say yes.Ask a Muslim if he believes in his miraculous birth, he will say yes. Ask a Muslim if God sent Jesus to guide the people, he will say yes .A Muslim believes that God sent messengers to many nations in different historical times. A Muslim worships the God of Jesus, he simply does not worship Jesus.

        Ask an Arab Christian who he worships, he will say Allah, because Allah is the Arabic word for God, just as the Spanish Word for God is Dios, and the Polish word for God is Bóg.

        Also, fyi, brothers and sisters, Dash is terrorizing Muslims, and has killed tens of thousands of them. How do I know this? Because I am a Muslim.

        1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

          If you believe these two believe in the same god you're confused.

          http://www.americanthinker.com/images/bucket/2015-12/195735_5_.jpg

          1. Mike's Avatar Mike

            Hoagie, You are using Mother Theresa as a comparison to a terrorists. You are part of the problem. I have met and conversed with many Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and the U.S. Not one ever wanted to do me or the United States harm.

            I was born and raised baptist, baptized at age 21 as a Lutheran. Embraced Islam at age 35 by reading and studying the Holy Qu'ran and comparing it to the Bible. The more I read and studied the more I seen the contradictions in the Bible and that today's "Christian" church is no longer Christian, but more follow the Letters of Paul.

            Books and letters of other Apostles where left out for some reason. And those that were left out fall more in line with the teachings of Jesus and the Laws of Moses.

            But yet, "Christians" have forgotten the law. They feel that it no longer applies. This is not true. The entire Law of Moses still applies. Or do you skip over Matthew 5:17 - 20.

        2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Umyousef. Should you decide to continue participating in these discussions, you will find a large number of proselytizing fundamentalist Christians who believe they know more about Islam than those who live their faith on a daily basis.

          "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Martin Luther King, Jr.

          "'God's plan' is often a front for men's plans and a cover for inadequacy, ignorance, and evil." Mary Daly

    3. Thomas William Cornfield's Avatar Thomas William Cornfield

      Believe in the ;lord that there is a plan that has not come to be Lord be with you

      1. M's Avatar M

        Mike you can not compare the bible to what Jesus actually taught, as the bible is a history and not the words of how God wants people to behave, Jesus' teaching are the how God wants us to behave. the bible has been changed but the meaning of the words of Jesus is consistent. even the Quran mentions about Jesus. Muhammad was only a prophet, lesser the messiah, Jesus was the word, was the son and was the Creator, he created a living bird our of mud according to the Quran did he not, did Muhammad, no, Jesus raised the dead from the graves, did he not, Muhammad never did. Muhammad was nothing more the a prophet and there were many of them, he was no better than any other prophet. so get over it and move on to Jesus who was the only and real Messiah. and therefore was the Messiah. Jesus could calm the water, make the earth quaken and he could had done more if he wished, but he wished to spread the words of love not to hate and murder. Muhammad was possessed by a demon Jesus was not. And therefore there are many reasons to questions his competency. esp. since he was given the info from a demon. he did not even know how to read. Jesus did. furthermore what right does the Muslim nation have to think they have the right to control others who are not Muslims into what they do and how they behave. they don't have that right. the Muslims don't want to see things done they can only not do it themselves, they have no right to take the free will others away who want to do something other then what the Muslims want like the barbaric sharia law.

        1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          Your comment is so full of misinformation I'll only address parts of it, mary. Your statement that Jesus could read is debatable.

          http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/08/01/was-jesus-illiterate-author-reza-aslan-thinks-so/

          Here's a link to Dr. Aslan's credentials if you'd like to challenge his research with your beliefs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Aslan

          Regarding the messianic feats attributed to Jesus….

          There are no contemporary eyewitness accounts of them. Most were written decades after the events from stories that had been passed around, not by eyewitnesses.

          There are no original manuscripts of the Gospels. None. The only existing manuscripts (and fragments) are copies (of copies, of copies, of copies). All were written by fallible ill-educated men, not by God.

          There are tens of thousands of textural variations, errors, and contradictions between existing NT manuscripts.

          You can watch lectures and debates by Dr. Bart Ehrman, one of the world's most respected New Testament scholars to confirm this and more on YouTube and elsewhere. There's a world of difference between myths and facts, no matter how many people believe them. To use myths and misinformation to denigrate a prophet revered by a billion+ muslims as you have done is both disrespectful and ignorant.

          1. M's Avatar M

            you are quite mistaken, Jesus's mother Mary know how to read, she learned from her aunt Elizabeth, who was John the Baptist's mother. She taught Jesus how to read, it says so in All the women of the bible book. it is also know by AMORC. They have records where Mary wrote a letter to Jesus telling him of the death of her husband Joseph and how upset she was over it. and he wrote a letter back to comfort her.

          2. Minister Carey's Avatar Minister Carey

            Teach Brother John, teach. I am enjoying your comments and learning in the process. Just want to add something I read: "Research brings to light in the Hebrew writings much mythological astrology evolved from a study of the heavens, which afterward was given to the world as history and religion. Later sophistries garbled and falsified that ancient learning, which, primitive and very simple, had been founded on the laws of nature itself. Its very simplicity was unfathomable to later theorists. The knowledge of astronomy and the perfection which this science attained in ancient times seems beyond modern comprehension". The author also wrote: "Primitive human customs were interpreted and preserved in her (Egypt) mythology of the heavens, and were carved deep in the hieroglyphic symbols of her imperishable monuments, all held sacred and divine, as coming direct from God. This mythology was later called the Word of God". Taken from a book titled "The Celestial Ship Of The North" by E. Valentia Straiton.

          3. M's Avatar M

            actually, the lost years of Jesus was spoke of his studying in Tibetan monastery. the proof of that is in their guest books. Tuesday Lobsang Rompa was a Tibetan munk who did some studies in the Lhasa monastery before WWII days and wrote many book on his life and his lessons. In one of his books he told of how in one of the books which was used to check in students and guests, was Jesus's name, however it was written and spoken in those days and he noticed and commented on it, and they did in fact varify that it was indeed the messiah we know as Jesus the Christ who was there. so i still maintain that he could read and write, he read and studied much information before the started his mission.

          4. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Minister Carey… I couldn't reply directly to you so this may end up separated from your comment. If you haven't done so already, watch Zeitgeist, the Movie for a fascinating connection between the Christ myth and astrology. He surely took some liberties (as did the "ancient scribes"), but much of the information is illuminating.

          5. M's Avatar M

            i don't know where you are looking but you are apparently not checking information from AMORC and the Essene they have proof of his ability to read and write, go and read the mystical life of Jesus, and the secret doctrines of Jesus.

          6. M's Avatar M

            http://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/14679/did-jesus-know-how-to-read-and-write

          7. M's Avatar M

            http://www.alliancenet.org/christward/how-did-jesus-read-the-old-testament#.VsHMNvkrLrd

          8. M's Avatar M

            in the book of mormon, after Jesus was crusified and left the middle east he went and visited the natives in the Americas, and he asked for the records there, and informed the scribes of some changes that needed to be made in the records, he had to had been able to read and understand what was what in order to had done that.

    4. M's Avatar M

      not all worship the same deity, many like the muslims worships Satan, and he is not the same deity, also many worships Jovoha who i do not accept as being the same entity as I AM. I believe that Muhammad was possessed by demons and that what he taught was from Satan.

    5. Rev. Gary Shade's Avatar Rev. Gary Shade

      You said "I believe that all people worship the same deity." Read more at http://www.themonastery.org/blog/2015/12/are-we-at-war-against-islam/#BWsHY5oEoA5UL5fG.99

      How is that possible? Certainly the Norsemen worshiped false Gods as did the Greeks. Muslims like to tell us that Allah is the same as our Christian God. Until I ask them if their God Allah ever had a son named Jesus Christ. Mine did. So how can the two be the same. The answer is that they are not.

      While people of all religions (except a few) worship a deity, the deity is not at all the same as the Christian God who commands us NOT to worship false Gods and idols. And there are plenty to choose from.

      1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        That's what you choose to believe, Gary. It doesn't mean it's true. You are correct that there have been thousands of deities and their believers over many thousands of years. They all believe(d) that theirs were real and the others false. It's no different now and it's still based on belief, not fact. See my February 9 reply to "mary" above regarding the veracity of the Gospels.

      2. Minister Carey's Avatar Minister Carey

        Questions Gary Shade, or whoever can provide clarification: If God has a son named Jesus Christ, who was sent by his Father (God?) to save mankind, why is Jesus now called God? Did the most High (God?) die or retire and Jesus now sits on the throne and not on the right-hand side of the throne? Or was Jesus always a god vs. God (The most High/Father) like the folk addressed in Psalms 82:6 and John 10:34. In John 10:36, Jesus refers to himself as the Son of God, which is a child of God, so who is to be worshiped - The most High or Jesus? Is not the worship of the sons (children) of the most High false worship?

    6. M's Avatar M

      then you would be a fool because muslims do most definitely not worship the same God we Christians worship, they do in fact worship Satan there is much document to prove this, even with Muhammad admitting that he was possessed by a demon and given documents from Satan to worship and with that knowledge, his followers continued to follow him. here are some sites to justify my claims https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17W1mJsnzKc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GD4hEk3VYo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJr8tcqvuMg

      1. Minister Carey's Avatar Minister Carey

        Mary, please share which part of the QuRan/Holy Koran (whichever) states Muslims worship Satan. Btw - do you speak and read fluent Arabic? Hebrew? Muslims do not call God by the same name as Christians. Most faithful Muslims worship Allah as their God. And most Christians worship Jesus as their God. According to KJV, when Jesus was just the Son of God he encountered the one called Satan. So what if Muhammad had an encounter with the one called Satan. Supposedly he overcame it. Also heard that some Christians became possessed by a demon(s) and were cleared. And they still get to attend Church and fellowship with other Christians. NOTE: Please know that I can not prove anything about God, LORD God, Jehovah, Jesus, Allah, Muhammad, Paul, Saul, Satan, or the Devil. I only know what I read, heard, what was forced on me, and that which I choose to believe.

        1. M's Avatar M

          You know i am aware of their claims about Allah and God, but i have seen many documents where even Muhammad has said that he was possessed by a demon and he finally informed his people of this and they still choose to continue the believe, and other Muslim or former Muslim or Arabic scholars who do read Arab who do analyze the Koran and still makes claims that Allah is God and they back it up, i will try to post them. http://www.viewzone.com/noahx.html

          1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

            Allah is the Arabic word for God and once again this online church is a church of many different religions. It is not some right wing christian church.

          2. M's Avatar M

            SST PETER, ALLAH MIGHT BE THE MUSLIMS WORD FOR GOD, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE GOD THEY WORSHIP IS REALLY GOD, BECAUSE AS I HAVE SHOWN IT ISN'T. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS A A SIGHT OF MANY DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, BUT IT SHOULD PORTRAY THE RELIGIONS HONESTLY AND THE PEOPLE NEED TO GO INTO IT WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THE ENTITY THEY ARE WORSHIPING EVEN THOUGH OTHERS WANT TO CALL IT A GOD IS ACTUALLY SATAN. THAT IS NOT JUST A CHRISTIAN THING BECAUSE AS I POSTED EVEN MUHAMMAD HAD REALIZE THAT HE WAS TRICKED AND THAT THE ENTITY THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS WORSHIPING WAS NOT THE ENTITY AT ALL, HE HAD GOTTEN TRUCKED AND HAD BEEN LIED TOO. AND THAT LIE SHOULD NOT BE CONTINUED TO SPREAD, IF PEOPLE WANT TO WORSHIP ALLAH, THEN NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE ACTUALLY WORSHIPING SATAN AND IF THEY ARE OKAY WITH THAT, THEN THEY DO IT KNOWING THE CONSEQUENCES, AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE TRYING TO CONVINCE OTHERS, OTHERWISE.

          3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            TYPING IN ALL CAPS WEAKENS THE POINT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE, mary. You are obviously not qualified to portray Islam "honestly" even when YOU'RE SHOUTING. Saying that Allah is actually Satan is beyond ignorant and a glowing example of why there is so much divisiveness in our world today.

        2. M's Avatar M

          http://www.deonvsearth.com/who-is-allah-evidence-discove

          1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            I suppose you think the ridiculous picture at the head of the site you linked to be real, mary. Did you read the "credentials" for Deon, the founder of this source of nonsense? Does he sound like someone who is an reliable source of information about religion?

            Founder at DeonVsEarth Deon is a Thought-Leader, Philosopher, Researcher, Entrepreneur, Internet marketer, and Social-Media extraordinaire.

            After spending years studying the inner workings of the Cyber world, Deon has been given many titles as a direct result of his expertise on a wide array of platforms -- both online and off.

            But whether the subject is Marketing, Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Web Metrics, Systems Design, Advanced Social-Media integration, Research, or Investigation -- Deon has definitely earned a prominent name for himself within the cyber community.

        3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          Excellent comment Minister Carey. There is no proof of supernatural deities, only what we choose to believe (or have forced on us by family and culture).

        4. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Mary please use academic resources; not some idiotic YouTube video.

          1. M's Avatar M

            if you think you are going to find the smoking gun in the scorpions nest, you are a fool. of course they are not going to have it in the Koran, but the other documents are credible or credible enough for the experts because they are the ones who are making those u-tubes videos. i provided enough evidence, if you want any more, you hunt for it, as Jesus said after preforming miracles upon miracles, and people still want proof, just to have a show, there is not going to be any more proof provided, i did enough. you do some research. it is clear that you do not want to believe anything,, and no matter what i provide for you, you won't want to accept it, so i will not provide any more.

          2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            I think I found some for you St. Peter, although they are from YouTube and probably not academic. For all those promoting Christianity as the only Truth and Islam as satanic perversion, show me a link to any Muslim evangelists comparable to these jokers. You can deny that they're Christians, but look at the huge congregations of followers some of them have. If you've ever wondered why not everyone respects Christians, here are some good examples.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGTyC86eWbw

          3. M's Avatar M

            many u tubes are quite academic. those who do not want to accept anything, will criticize anything that is used. if i found academic info. you would still find reasons to reject it. many people use u tube videos all the time.

      2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

        Minister Mary in one of your earlier comments you quoted the book of Mormon. Just so you know in the Arabic translation of the book of Mormon any time they refer to God they use the word Allah. Because the word Allah means God. May the holy spirit enter you Mary and not just illuminate your mind... But also open your heart... ❤

        1. M's Avatar M

          they tell us the word Allah means God, to them Satan is a God, just because they are in denial about serving Satan does not mean the rest of the world is fooled by it. you might be but most are not. Allah is not God. No matter how many times they want to try to say Allah is a God, it does not make it God. Actually for Arabs Allah is a pagan God, the real God is not a God of a Pagan God, He is The God over all other Gods. if their God is anything other then Satan, it sure is not The God. This is what the definitions of their God is said to be. Currently, there is an ongoing debate as to whether the Allah of the Qur'an is in fact a pagan Arab moon god of pre-Islamic times. But is still maintain that they worship Satan. so since they do not worship The real supreme God, they need to stop saying they do.

          1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            I see that you have also found "the smoking gun in the scorpions nest" mbw. It seems you are in sync with mary and may be using some of the same sources of "information". No matter how many times you make idiotic, disrespectful comments, most rational people will still shake their heads in disbelief.

    7. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

      There are commands and laws in both the Bible and the Koran that most civilized people would consider barbaric and evil. The fundamentalists who adopt their holy books entirely and literally aren't necessarily evil, but rather devout followers of their religion. Both books should have substantial portions banned and eliminated as hate literature to the benefit of all of us.

      1. M's Avatar M

        i very much disagree, as the Koran is formed based on the words of a demon commanded by Satan, since when does any civilized society believe that any Satan worshipers have good follower. the Koran has also been analyzed by experts who has found that it is by far much more violent then the holy bible. the bible is only a history of some good and some bad people, the old testament is also the history of the Hebrew, Israelite and the Jews. the new testament is the christian part of the bible, that does not contain that much history of violence and God saying to go do all kinds of evil things.

        1. M's Avatar M

          i will do better then that, i will supply you proof from experts, proof for writings made by Muhammad wife on what happened while Muhammad was undergoing the transformation when he got the Koran, and i will supply you with info. where Muhammad tells his followers that the info he got was given to him by a demon. http://www.deonvsearth.com/who-is-allah-evidence-discove

          1. M's Avatar M

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relations_between_Nazi_Germany_and_the_Arab_world

        2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          But Mary you have not listed one credi n le resource?

          1. M's Avatar M

            all of them are credible including Muhammad himself, to you there would not be any such a thing as credible. so i am not going to be baited by you. i have given you many good reliable evidence, and we see how they are by seeing how they are acting too. that says a lot to me. that says everything. So i will not discuss this with you anymore because you will not see the truth. so there is nothing more i will be able to say to you that you will accept. but you know what, I DON'T CARE what you think. i don't have to get your approval for acceptance. because i know the truth and i know what is what. i have common sense.

          2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Come on, St. Peter. Did you visit the site mary linked? Do you think all those severed heads are fake or real? Is that one of them moslem estremidists or is that Deon? If he has his own website, he must be credible.

        3. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          The new testament does not contain as much violence as the old testament does but it definitely contains racism. When the Greek woman asked Jesus to. He s l her daughter intialy he refused and said he was here for the master not the dogs. This was in reference to the fact that Jesus was here for the Jews only. And only after the Greek woman said, yes master but the dogs eat The crumbs that fall off the masters table did he heal her daughter. So although I believe and love the bible teaches that it is okay to go and destroy another nation when God commands it and to seperate from races that don't follow the same God. God bless you Mary

          1. M's Avatar M

            You are quite mistaken, I had a metaphysical minister training meeting with other ministers and none of them came up with this definition that you came up with. Jesus has not shown any so called racism, not even when he eat with tax collectors and the leopards in fact he was here for all those who were ready for his message, if they were not ready for his message, then it is not racism or discrimination if they refused him, he never refused to help anybody else, even the possessed in the streets. The paragraph you are referring to you are taking completely out of context. the dog was the dog, he was talking about the dog. It was a case that he was talking about that usually he does not care for wild scraggly dogs, but this was like a lap dog, and that was different. He was also teasing that young woman, and she understood it, she teased back, and that is when he told her that if her friend had faith which was what he told them all that she would be healed, that it would already be done.

      2. M's Avatar M

        brother john people who know the fact as i have posted them, they are not idiotic, and disrespect for is irrelevant for people who are disrespecting everybody else in the world. they do not want to show respect by respecting the laws of the and, they cant even show their wife(s) respect so they do not deserve respect. the truth sometimes hurt and is ugly and no body does anybody any favors by coddling other people and it hurts others who are being victimized as a result of coddling different sects of disrespectful people. the coddling needs to stop. it is making the people who is being coddled worse. in fact that is why they are so bad now because they have had their evils indulged. i supposed you will call this idiotic, too even though it is history but i will post it anyway. this is the type of people you want to make look good, they are an extension of Hitler. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relations_between_Nazi_Germany_and_the_Arab_world

  1. Robert's Avatar Robert

    and to add, here is what kind of wonderful folks we are dealing with to drive home the point that they are nothing but filth!

    black muslim Americans (although the latter have been relatively peaceful).

    1. Alice Elyaman's Avatar Alice Elyaman

      I assume that the Lord God gave you the permission to decide what is filth and what is not.

    2. Alice Elyaman's Avatar Alice Elyaman

      I wonder if any of you Ministers know any people of the Muslim faith personally. Or, do you just digest everything that the media is feeding you? And did your Creator make you judges? Or is HE supposed to be the judge? To dismiss 1.5 billion people as evil because of the actions of a few radicals....If their religion told them to kill all non Muslims, no one would be left alive!

      I would not be surprised if your doctors were Muslims, or your neighbors. I thought you professed yourselves to be men of God. What is this?

      Be brave, get to know those people, judge for yourselves instead of sitting around arguing .Go to a mosque. Talk to them. See what they are about. For the sake of humanity! If you all are our Religious leaders, the world is doomed!

      1. Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.'s Avatar Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.

        Thank You Alice, a voicew of Christian reason

      2. Mike's Avatar Mike

        Many people like myself do not talk about being a Muslim. Simply because of what is going on.

        1. M's Avatar M

          yeah why talk about being a Muslim when you are happy with what you are if it is a Christian, or what ever, why the heck would somebody want to talk about it unless it was to tell others how they don't want to be Muslim or have it around. or you saw a move like men in tights which depict muslim. but without a reason to, why would or should anybody talk about it?

          1. Mike's Avatar Mike

            the point is more about having to keep my mouth shut and bite my tongue with the trash talking of my faith.

          2. M's Avatar M

            you know what Mike, you talk about you not like trash talking about your faith, but all of you guys in your faith think it is okay to trash talk other peoples faiths, do you really think we like you trash talking our faith any more then you trash talk ours. Do you really think you should expect that your religions should be treated any different or better than anybody elses? Ive got news for you, your faith is not any better then anybody elses is and we feel your faith deserves just as much respect as you want yours shown. The difference is that we are living and treating people better then you are in your faith. If you want change, in how people view your religion, then make the changes in your religions as needed to give you the respect. I mean start treating your women like they are equals for one thing, renounce sharia and start treating other people who are not in your faith as if they are equal to you also. then maybe people will start treating you with a little more respect. Then you will have every right to negotiate about being treated like you are humans and not some kind of beasts. If your people act like animals they should be treated like animals.

      3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        Amen Alice! Bigotry and Ignorance go hand in hand. The ULC promotes unity and understanding. Fundamentalist proselytizing from any stripe encourages division and conflict.

      4. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        What a novel and wonderful idea, Alice! If there are no Muslims in the vicinity to meet face to face, everyone here has internet access and there is every reason to educate ourselves about the beliefs of others instead of promoting discord and intolerance. This is particularly true here on the ULC site.

  1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

    You state: "One of the biggest criticisms of the war on terror, launched by several leaders in the Western World after the attacks on September 11, 2001, is that its target appears to be somewhat nebulous and ill-defined." The war on terror was not "launched" it was a response to the attack of 9/11. The uncivilized behavior of Islam goes back to Thomas Jefferson's administration as far as America is concerned. It goes back over 1200 years as far as the world is concerned.

    Jihad was declared on the US and repeated as recently as this year. When Muslims shout "Death to America" that is not an invitation to dance folks, they mean it. You say: "U.S. President Barack Obama attempted to make clear that he was not seeking to wage a war against Islam, and that the leaders of Daesh were not representatives of the Islamic faith – but “thugs”. That's nonsense. That's like saying we couldn't make war against Germany because it's leaders were not representatives of the German people but were Nazi thugs. That's plain stupid. Beside the fact that Obama won't even say "radical Islamic terrorists".

    Prom Queen is exactly the wrong guy to be preaching to us about how to respect Muslims. The Egyptians along with most other Arabs know full well the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization. As is CAIR, the front-group the MB created in the US to muddy the waters when it comes to Islamic terrorism, and advance their interests, which is why the FBI is still (or was until just a few years ago) defending their decision to name CAIR as an unindicted coconspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror funding trial and countries like Qatar have designated CAIR a terrorist organization.

    And consequently the Egyptians have been saying ever since the “Arab Spring” that the Obama administration is on the side of terrorists. Because they were so in the tank for the MB. Just as now the Iraqis are convinced this administration is on the side of terrorists, in the form of ISIS, due to their refusal to actually take any meaningful action against ISIS. These Muslims much contempt for Obama , and they’re amazed, confused, and disappointed we haven’t kicked him to the curb yet.

    MEMRI TV ^ | 12-5-15 | Sada Al-Balad (Egypt) Posted on 12/7/2015, 11:56:56 AM

    Egyptian TV host Ahmed Moussa said, in response to the December 2 San Bernardino terror attack, that he suspected that U.S. President Obama was “connected to the terrorists who carried out the attack,” and added: “They should take Obama and stick him on an impalement rod. This is what they would do in a respectful country.”

    Following are excerpts from Moussa’s address, which aired on the Egyptian Sada Al-Balad TV channel on December 5, 2015.

    "Ahmad Moussa: You should beware not to raise a lion, or it will devour you. You should never think that… It was America that raised and funded terrorism. We’ve said to them a hundred times, a million times, and we are still saying: America will pay the price in a way it cannot even imagine. Obama the liar, the ally of the terrorists… I call him a liar. He’s a liar! He is the ally of the terrorists. This Obama deserves to stand trial. If the American people…

    By the way, the American people is our friend. We are not against the American people, who are very respectful. They love Egypt very much. They teach Egyptian Pharaonic history in their schools. We have no problem whatsoever with the American people. But I would like the Congress to send Obama to the guillotine, because three days before the [San Bernardino] terror attack… The attack was on Wednesday. On Tuesday or on Monday, he appeared and lied, like he always does, that liar. All the allies of terrorism are liars. He said: “There is no threat to American citizens.” It is as if he was trying to cover…

    Today, I suspect that Obama is connected to the terrorists who carried out the attack. When he says something like this, he numbs the security agencies, the military, and the intelligence agencies.

    If this had happened in a respectful country, Obama would have been placed on trial. The U.S. Congress should ask: How come you said that according to your information, no terrorist attack was imminent? [Obama said]: Our intelligence agencies have no information or real threats against citizens on our soil. Less than 72 hours later, a terror attack took place. Yes, today you concluded that it was [terrorism], on the basis of information and surveillance. What is the worthy punishment? He should be sat on impalement rod. This what they would do in a respectful country.

    If Obama had any courage and dignity – which he has not – he would have said: I resign today to face trial. That is how it is done in respectful countries…"

    Obama wants to allow between 10,000 and 100,000 so-called refugees into America from Syria (and other countries unfriendly to us). The usual figure used for "radicalized" Muslims is 13% that means approx. 1,300 to 130,000 radical terrorists being imported to America to kill Americans by our president. Why?

    The "radicals" are not radicals they are practicing Islam to the letter of the Koran. We have Freedom of Religion but it does not mean when a religion has declared war on us and is trying to kill us we can't 1)identify the enemy and 2)kill the enemy and 3) not allow the enemy in. Would FDR bring in 10,000 to 100,000 Germans here in 1942? Hell, no! Why? He would rightly figure there would be saboteurs among them. To allow any Muslims into the US now is criminal negligence and those who do it should be removed from office.

    1. Larry's Avatar Larry

      Wow Really? To say oboma should be killed? Guess we all have our own believes. Me? I don't beleave in killing anyone or anything. Sounds like a lot of hate in everyone heart. Mine is clear of hate. THANK YOU GOD.

    2. Thomas William Cornfield's Avatar Thomas William Cornfield

      Boy you had a lot to say and for those people you talk about just remember, Judge not or you shall be judged and stricken from the book of life and that where these people are going believe in the lords plan that HAS NOT COME TO BE YET LORD BE WITH YOU

    3. John Wilson's Avatar John Wilson

      I'm certain, if asked, the man if pro-life.......except for Obama

    4. Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.'s Avatar Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.

      Haogie you are using your status as a minster to politicize a situation that calls for us to rise above the political. You want to use this forum to jump up on your soap box and rant about your views of the world. We are ministers. Our purpose is to promote peace and work for understanding always praying to our God or higer source of inspiration for healing and understanding.

      That siad let me point out that Muslems are not the first religion to use terrorism and wage war in the name of their religious beleifs. Why do you suppose for instance there are no remaining pagan religions or temples? Why were the wars of the Crusades fought? Why do radical groups such as the KKK use the Bible for an excuse for their actions? Why did the south use religion as a justification for slavery (And yes they did read the history)

      Our constitution guarantes freedom of religion in this country. It does not say freeedom to be Christian. That was the reason our first settlers came here because they were being persecuted for their beliefs. You sound as if you want to change our whole way of government. I hope and pray that you open youe eyes and heart to the fact that not all Muslems are terrorists,'

      1. Brother Tim's Avatar Brother Tim

        You should also mention that, Christians have their own evil extension called the Evangelicals. These folks have the bible all wrong and want to kill all of us because we don't believe in their way I know because my own family, I can not talk to are Evangelicals.

    5. William Waugh's Avatar William Waugh

      impressive that you have researched info to support your position-------feel you might want to pursue politics instead of a priesthood------it is well known that Yahwi(sp), Jehovah, and Allah all referr to the "God" of the old testament. Scholars submit that all religious beliefs are separate paths to the one true "God". From what i have read of your posts, you seem to be a one man army intent on converting the ULC priesthood into a christains only "country club". --you would be better received by a more (much) conservative audience.

      1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        Well said WW…. I left this forum last year due to the frequent fundamentalist ramblings, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN ALL CAPS. They seem to be more subdued now, probably due to increased moderation (Thank You, Moderators!!). I normally just scan the book length diatribes and scroll down for something more rational and informed. Ironically, most of the very extreme Christian evangelicals that proselytize here do more to drive people away from their religion than to convert. Here's a link that verifies that there is one God, but many different names, paths and interpretations….

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God

        1. M's Avatar M

          except that allah is not another name for God, allah is Satan, and to group allah in with God incorrect.

          1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            You could be right, mary. I read that same thing on the cover of the Enquirer while waiting in line at the grocery store the other day, so it must be true. The other headline was about another Elvis sighting.

        2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Thank you Brother John. Hoagie is a man deeply rooted inn hatred and ignorance and sadly thinks he's correct. The bible teaches compassion, kindness, love for thineneighbor

        3. M's Avatar M

          very funny, i for got i was supposed to be laughing, you need to go check out the information better, esp the information where it said that Muhammad know he was possessed my a demon and a year latter he told his people and they still continued to practice this belief.

      2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

        Thank you William! I agree with you 100%

    6. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      Once again Hoagie this is not a right wing web site get off! Your rantings are based on ignorance and hatred! Your rhetoric is not Christian! You are an embarrassment to Christians and your family and you should be ashamed of yourself!

      1. M's Avatar M

        for your information, the muslims have been actively targeting the rest of the world since the days of muhammad, as he is the one in which told them to go and force everybody to believe in their way of life or be killed, as Muslims is a religion of Satan and it would not matter what any other countries did or did not do the muslims would still be behaving they way they are. that is why none of the other countries have done anything to the Muslims and they still are committing acts of terrorism towards them. to stop blaming Americans because the only thing that american did wrong was to elect obama and kissed the ass of Satan and be politically correct. not the way to protect this country or to stop these evil monsters.

        1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Mary I haven't agreed with your other post but your last one I liked , what exactly are metaphysical ministers?

          1. M's Avatar M

            metaphysical ministers are those ministers who study and teach metaphysical teachings like what Jesus taught, the reasons why Jesus talked in parables and what his parables might have really been saying. from the stand point of the mystical world, or the spiritual meanings. not to take much of his teaching literally.

        2. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Mary I do know that most scripture. Is symbolic not literal. Are there any groups of metaphysical ministers out here in LA?

          1. M's Avatar M

            in San Jose there is the Rosicrucian Park, home of AMORC, they have branches around the country and around the world, they do have a branch in LA it is a perneas you can go here to find out. http://www.amorc.rosicrucian.org/californiarosicrucians/hermes-lodge

          2. M's Avatar M

            they are a metaphysical school

      2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        There are trolls like Hoagie on many sites, St. Peter. I find some of his comments quite entertaining, and will play in his self created sandbox sometimes, but usually just scroll down to something more adult and informed.

        1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

          Amen brother John!

  1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

    When people become war mongers they cease to be a peaceful religious group, whether they be Christians, Muslims or Jewish.

    Also it's very difficult to fight a guerilla warfare. The best thing to do is form our own undercover guerilla warfare troops to disrupt, gain intelligence on them, expose them and destroy them.

    It's better that one small group of evil people perish then to allow a whole world to perish.

    1. Thomas William Cornfield's Avatar Thomas William Cornfield

      oh ya

    2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

      That's one approach, I/M. Or leave people with their own beliefs/culture, deal fairly and equitably for their resources and quit promoting the massively profitable Business of War.

  1. Minister Rob's Avatar Minister Rob

    Christians, Jews, Atheists, etc. wage warfare and kill people too.

    1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

      When was the last time a Lutheran shouted "Praise Christ" and cut a Muslims head off? Or a Jew? Or an atheist? Not for centuries so forget the silly moral equivalency, it won't work Rob.

      1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

        Well Christians, Jews and atheist have committed such crimes here in America but you're right Hoagie not at such a great scale! Unfortunately I'm not familiar with the Muslim faith but they do seem to breed a lot of extremist groups

        1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

          Interfaith Minister I am unaware of any Christians or Jews who have committed crimes in the name of God in America. And atheists, not believing in God wouldn't anyway. Besides, these moslems are not committing crimes they are fighting a war. Failure to understand that is where our problem is. To them it is not a crime to kill an infidel, it's a religious obligation.

          1. Amy Todisco's Avatar Amy Todisco

            Hoagie, perhaps you are not aware of Christians killing doctors who perform abortions in the name of God. To name just one example...http://www.salon.com/2013/08/03/the_10_worst_examples_of_christian_or_far_right_terrorism_partner/

          2. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

            There is NOTHING in Christian dogma directing anyone to kill doctors who perform abortions. Therefore, they cannot kill in the name of God or Christianity. And if you are being truthful you will see that any person claiming to be Christian who has done so was immediately denounced by other Christians. Unlike the murdering scum abortion doctors who keep on killing.

          3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Apparently you are "unaware" Hoagie, and there's no good reason for it. The fact that most Christians would denounce these people and their acts of violence applies equally to the vast majority of Muslims who denounce their fundamentalist extremists. But to say that no Christians have committed crimes for biblical reasons is simply silly.

            http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/10-worst-terror-attacks-extreme-christians-and-far-right-white-men

            http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/christian-terrorism_b_8685138.html

          4. M's Avatar M

            brother John, everything that i have heard of the muslims is that the majority do not denounce the acts of isis and actually want sharia law. and that goes against everything you have been saying. and i have not heard of hardly any Muslim groups in any kind of large numbers that has done anything to stand up and talk against the Muslim state forming. in fact most of those coward Muslim men should be over in their country fighting against isis not running away.

          5. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Why don't you visit a mosque or seek out a few Muslims to educate yourself, mary, instead of the second or third hand sources you've been using? Here are a few tips to make the experience worthwhile… Present whatever questions and concerns you have, then be quiet and listen. Be respectful. Have an open mind and do not filter what they say to fit your strongly held beliefs. This could be a virtual revelation for you. This advice applies to everyone, and in particular to those who are spreading hysterical fear mongering. I guarantee you'll not be be-headed or set on fire.

      2. John Wilson's Avatar John Wilson

        'Murdering scum abortion doctors.....' Excuse me.... Abortion is legal in the United States and it's religion that finds fault with Roe v. Wade. That means that doctors are well within their rights. I believe in the separation of church and state and you do not. Besides, you've broadened the discussion because you have already lost the 'at war with islam' discussion. This is a typical tactic of redirection to cloud the original discussion.

        1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

          Well, John "abortion is legal in the United States" Wilson murdering Jews was legal for the Nazi's that didn't make it right. There is no separation of church and state in the Constitution it's a lie perpetrated by leftists. Show it to me. And I didn't broaden nor lose anything it was Amy Todisco who brought up abortion doctors, not me. Something wrong with your reading comprehension?

          Go Google separation of church and state, it's a letter not a law. I know you love Google.

          1. Mike's Avatar Mike

            Hoagie, It is in the first Amendment to the United States Constitution. Also loosely referenced in Article VI of he United States Constitution. Maybe you should read those.

          2. M's Avatar M

            I would like to add that the separation of church and state did not mean that Christianity was not good or was not the intended religion of most of the follower of this countries or even that it was not the religion for this country what it did mean is that they did not intend for there to be a government church ran church like so many countries did like in Russia where the only church you were allowed to attend was the government ran church. we have the freedom to attend any church or not but it was never intended to wipe religion or religious faith out of society and out of the leaders of the country because rather you might want to accept it or not Christianity has come a long way and it is one of the most civilized religions of the orthodox religions we now have. the proof of this is the many passive Christians out there who are being murdered in the name of false religious gods or no God religions.

          3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Although the following is common knowledge for many, the link below makes the fallacy of the U.S. being founded as a Christian nation very clear. Here's a quote from Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, that's contained in the article.

            Jefferson once famously observed to Adams: “And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.”

            You're right! It just took a simple Google search to find this!

            http://www.alternet.org/story/155985/5_reasons_america_is_not_--and_has_never_been--_a_christian_nation

  1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

    Exactly! And once they start war and murder they need to be disarmed and dismantled. Whether they are a religious group or a none religious group. We did that here in America with David Koresh and his so called Christian group in Waco, Texas. We disarmed and dismantled them.

    1. Tatiacha's Avatar Tatiacha

      More like our government murdered a group of people who had some guns, but had never done anything radical and we had no reason to believe they were going to do anything radical. They had the weapons because of visions that they would be needed in self defense from people coming after them. Sadly that is exactly what happened, their own government went after them and murdered them all on live TV.

      1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        I'm confused about what TV coverage you're speaking of, but it can't be the "Shock and Awe" campaign that launched the GWOT. It wasn't "their own government" doing the killing, it was principally the U.S. and the U.K. 6700 civilians were killed in just the first three days.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaU3ZiBmGw

        The count is much higher now…..

        https://www.iraqbodycount.org

        1. M's Avatar M

          For one thing brother john, i don't want to be raped and or murders, for another thing, i have no desire to go into and learn from vipers in the vipers dens, i know for a fact that they lie to infidels and i have no way of knowing that they wont still be trying to lie to me, and because i am happy with my own phylisophical b beliefs, why should i even try to make friends with monsters who do not want to give infidels rights to even live let alone women, even their own women basic human rights. i can see and learn enough from learning the same way people have been learning things for centuries. going out and looking for trouble will only make me find it and then i would have wished i had not been there. when they start to try to bomb masonic temples, esp i don't trust any of them. they are not my friends. if they want to be friends they will not try to change our cultures and society for their barbarians. i know they lie to infidels and i will never trust or believe anything they they have to say.

          1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            Keep it up, mbw, mary and others. Some of the more extreme, ignorant and bigoted comments posted here are probably being used by Muslims extremists in their recruiting literature. You're also doing a great job of creating more atheists and agnostics who don't want to be associated with fundamentalist extremists of any stripe.

      2. M's Avatar M

        wrong, the murdering muslims have been targeting the rest of the world since the days of Muhammad, they have demonstrated this by murdering many other people in another countries besides what every their stupid reason was, it was not a good enough reason for the muslims to be murdering anybody.

        1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          You should apply for a job as a writer for one of the sensationalist rags on display at store checkouts, mary. There's no requirements for fact checking and the more outlandish the stories are, the more often they publish them.

  1. Minister Carey's Avatar Minister Carey

    TV Programming - What are the folks behind media programming leading us to believe? Is the information being told to the public factual? Is there a call to fear to justify war against a nation(s) of people who are themselves afraid of the Christian crusade (oh, you thought that was over) and Judiasm? But, who the hell has the time to do due diligence? To dig deeper for the truth before innocent men, women, and children on this earth are murdered by drones, smart bombs, and bio warfare. It seems when Americans (correction - Europeans - those who immigrated to the Americas since the 1400's) are scared shit-less by what is said in the white media, it is easier to go with the bit (sound bites) rather than stop and analyze the situation. Why are these things happening? Is Islam responsible? Really? What about European Domination (oh, you thought that was over)?

    This is how I see it: Hold this in mind - what is required to make the world run? Raw materials, labor, and technology. Go back at least 500 years or more. Colonialism was used by the Europeans (Germanic people now called English, French, Russians, Americans, Jews - men who overthrew the Romans and Celts, and decimated large populations of other "white" European tribes, nations for control of their land. Read your history people) to steal and control what it takes to run the world they intend to this day to dominate. This was the strategy used to steal Turtle Island (America) and to build Europe and America into strong industrial nations. That strategy lasted a good while especially on the land mass once called Ethiopia, now named Africa, until the proliferation of too many Negus. That's right, I used the N word. The correct N word. It is an Ethiopian word. Check out the real meaning and see why folk in high places got together to stop the use of the N word. The intent of the use of the N word was to lower self-esteem, not raise it. Now these Negus won't stop using the word. I love it! Ok that's funny, but getting back to my main point - The next strategy used was the currently declining monetary system controlled by the Europeans. They would lend money to other nations, who in turn would use their resources (raw materials, labor, technology) as collateral. They would lend to uneducated nations or overthrow governments and install a fool to insure loans would not be repaid and take over the resources. But as the Creator of All would have it, some nations got hip to that scheme and started declining loans and the use of the US dollar. Now, some of these nations have large armies with advance military weaponry, and the bomb to protect their people and resources. However, some unfortunate nations feel trapped and may possibly carry out missions of the money lenders (banksters), perhaps to force other nations into monetary compliance. So enter another scheme - Trade Agreements developed by the Europeans. But now many eyes are opened and distrust of these Europeans ensue.

    Now, African nations are coming together and are taking back control of their people and their natural resources. They will use pick-fork, shovels, and spoons to build their roads and pipelines before they accept any more from the money lenders. So how will the Europeans stop these Negus in order to retain control of the vast resources on and under the landmass now called Africa). I mean VAST RESOURCES! Think! Get the fear out of your mind to think straight. Get the fear out of your eyes so you can see straight.

    Look! Think! What exactly is the dominate religion in Africa (and the so-called middle east is also Africa)? ISLAM. Based on their past and present war-mongering history, the Europeans will attempt to retain control by force. WAR, my friend. WAR. And with America being the major war monger, who will fight these perpetual wars? Your children and your children's children. Hate the Negus! Kill the Negus (sand Negus, nubian Negus, american Negus, island Negus) by whatever means necessary! And now you have the rationale behind the anti-abortion agenda for the "white" people. Uncle Sammie needs your children. But you will need to give him permission to take your children, just as you did with 911. Can you be tricked into giving up your children to kill other peoples children? They once had you believing that Africa was nothing but a jungle, with a bunch of jungle bunnies running around like savages until the "white" man (Tarzan) tamed it. Need I say more. Ask the Creator of ALL/Great Spirit/God to help us take a stand against the evil destruction of this earth and its people. No more war.

    My answer to these questions: Are We at War Against Islam? We are at war against people in high places and principalities. They honor no religion. They create them. Who Are We Fighting? We should be fighting evil, but we fight each other instead based on insignificant differences. Is Islam Responsible? Belief, and actions based on a particular belief around a certain perspective (interpretation) is the culprit. Such as the murder of women during the Salem Witch Trials and the mass murder of many people throughout the world during the Christian Crusades. How Do You Solve a Problem Like Daesh? If it is true that America has technology that can look down from the sky and read the date on a clay covered penny, how the hell can there be a problem with something, whether real of contrived, called Daesh? Is there a distinct possibility that people in these other countries are fearful and are rallying because they have been led to believe they have to protect themselves, their people, and their land from the European (also called Americans)?

    NOTE: In case you don't have a dictionary or don't know wikipedia, the word Negus means King. But don't take my word, check it out yourself the best way you know how.

    1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      Well put minister carey! The problem is much deeper than religion

    2. Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.'s Avatar Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.

      Well researched and correct. Hoagie needs to do a lot of reading and thinking as his viewpoint is very radiclized and if spread will be dangerous.

      1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

        Let me get this straight, Rev Deborah Dunkle (Raven Wolf Song), from Paris to California, from Madrid to London and in New York and Boston Muslims, in the name of their religious jihad are bombing and shooting people, mostly Christians and yet in your Kumbaya California style my ideas are "radicalized" and dangerous, and I need to do a lot of reading. My dear little leftist, I've been reading about Islam for longer than you've been alive and I think it is you who needs to read the suras of the quran which dictate killing Jews, Christians, apostates, homosexuals and those who will not "submit" by converting to Islam. Not to mention the clitorectomy's, amputation and slavery of women it indorses. You have zero understanding of exactly what the moslems would do to you under Sharia and that makes you a dangerous, ignorant snowflake.

        1. William Waugh's Avatar William Waugh

          whether true or not, you impress me as the man whose 3 bobbleheads on your dash are, Rush Limbaugh, any Bush, and Ted Cruz.....

          1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

            I can picture them bobbing, WW. Apparently as well as being the most knowledgable person on this site (and well beyond), Hoagie's psychic powers have revealed Rev. Deborah's age to him and verified the fact that he is, in fact, a wise and ancient sage. I find his posts disturbingly amusing.

    3. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

      minister carey said, "Is there a distinct possibility that people in these other countries are fearful and are rallying because they have been led to believe they have to protect themselves, their people, and their land from the European (also called Americans)?"

      It's more than a possibility. The U.S. and it's allies weren't invited to the ME countries they've been ravaging for many years, including Syria, Libya and Iraq. The "terrorists" that are resisting are fighting to defend and protect their homelands and families. They didn't have to be led to believe this… it's an everyday reality for them.

      They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Google "images of Iraq war deaths" (or Libya or Syria, etc.). Imagine if this was happening in your country, to your friends and family. Imagine the smell of death. Imagine the sounds of chaos and carnage. It's impossible to comprehend it all while sitting in the warm comfort of our safe and secure homes. This is the result of the Business of War and the belief in the propaganda that drives it…. nothing more, nothing less.

      Here's one to get you started. Scroll down and and as your eyes move from picture to picture, ask yourself if this is something you support or are doing little to stop. Most supporters of these "wars" are totally isolated from their reality. I encourage all of you to send links to sites like this to everyone you know and help them regain their own humanity. Another action we can all take is to use our ordinations to post letters to the editor or articles in the religion section of our local newspapers.

      http://mindprod.com/politics/iraqwarpix.html

  1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

    Carey I don't know what you're a minister of but all I read in your rant was anti American, anti Christian and anti white bigotry and hate. You seem to have a deep abiding resentment of all things Western and of all human progress. You are the quintessential victim. But you're a victim of your own mind, your own hate and your own bigotry. You need to seek professional help and you need to leave this place you hate so much.

    1. William Waugh's Avatar William Waugh

      wow, it took me a few posts to realize that you sir, do not comprehend the "enlightenment" that you previously mentioned

    2. William Waugh's Avatar William Waugh

      What do you call yourself a minister of? What was your purpose to join ULC? You going to bring all these multifaith ministers back into the fold of (Baptist Fundamentalism)?.........I'd buy that you may be a government insertion to the ULC priesthood on the chance there may be terrorists lurking there but nothing in your language indicates you have your own awareness of a one true god.

      1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        Hoagie is just another internet troll looking for attention, WW. There's a creepy sort of entertainment value to his comments, but they're obviously not meant to be taken seriously.

    3. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      Hoagie you seem like a man that belongs to the church Of hatred! Jesus Christ never taught hatred, discrimination or war...

  1. Minister Carey's Avatar Minister Carey

    Hoagie, I am American. Indigenous American. American Indian. I do not hate myself nor do I hate the land of my ancestors which happens to be in the West. Not only do I love the land of my ancestors, but I love this earth that God has created for all human life. I have an opinion just like you, however, I simply do not express it in a way that makes you feel comfortable. You have your perspective, I have mine. Your judgement means nothing to me. However, if there is something regarding the history I wrote about that is incorrect, feel free to correct it.

    Now, allow me to wipe some fog from your smoke-colored glasses - What I don't like is when one group of people feel the need to dominate the world at the expense of other people. Hear this Hoagie, "white" people do NOT hold a monopoly on conquering and war mongering. The white civilization, based on my understanding of history, is a young civilization. People black like me did these horrible things before white civilization became a strong nation. Black folk not only built mighty nations, they also conquered other nations, killed and/or enslaved other people (my ancestors included) and stole their resources. So when you falsely accuse me of " white bigotry", be sure to add "black bigotry". And if there were or will become green people who committed/commit such atrocities in the name of progress, feel free to add that to your list of my bigotry.

    1. Brother Tim's Avatar Brother Tim

      GOD bless you minister Carey Please feel free to express more, YOU are right on course ,its funny how wrong thinking of others justifies their bad actions

    2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

      Beautifully put, minister carey. I look forward to your future comments.

    3. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      Well put Minister Carey!

  1. Memirsbrunnr's Avatar Memirsbrunnr

    I think it is a matter of perspective. Repeating we are not at war with islam sounds warm, inclusive, and morally the higher ground. But it is not really helping and really ostrich politics when radical islam has already declared war on the enlightened free thinking and - speech world in the 90s of the last century. In the meantime this free speech analysing the core of the radicalisation of islam is being oppressed under the straw-man threats of bigotry, racism and islamophobia, claiming falsely that not the intrinsic intolerance which is part of the core of islam but social issues are to blame. Herein lies the problem; one can compare it to ignoring the school yard bully stealing money from other kids and demanding compliance to his views due to the fact he has a tough upbringing coming from a poor background with a lot of issues. Letting the problem fester until he grows out into a terrorising neighbourhood gangster. Acknowledging the facts about what the real problems are is crucial in tackling the problem.
    Yelling islamophobia and suppressing the freedom to point out core problems in islam essential supports radical islam into pressing the western world into the dhimmitude they want and demand. Respect for freedom of religion is no reason to bow to religious fascism. If there was no religious component to the radical islam isis would already have been met and spoken out against to the same extend as nazi germany.

  1. John Wilson's Avatar John Wilson

    Islam (Muslim) is the largest religion in the world. The terrorist faction represents 1/10 of 1% of the total number of Muslims. As noted in the blog, and as we see in the news, there is a group of politicians that want to paint all Muslims with the same brush. This is wrong and reminiscent of the internment camps for Asians during World War II. The difference this time is that are society is thriving on violence instead of peace evidenced by the recent upsurge in the purchase of automatic rifles designed to kill people and over 300 mass killings in this country in 2015.. The overarching issue for me is that the vast majority of Americans are being silent. These people could and should stand up the bullies trying to railroad the Muslims in this country and close our borders to refugees.

    1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

      Islam is not the largest religion in the world. Has everyone here lost contact with the truth? Christianity has 2.2 billion followers, Islam has 1.6 billion and Hinduism has 1.1 billion. Don't you guys understand how to Google? The terrorist faction is estimated to be 16-23% or 256,000,000 to 368,000,000. Yes, as high as 368 million. Then you have those who support terrorism which can go as high as 57%. Learn how to Google.

      1. Mike's Avatar Mike

        Not everything your read from Google is correct. And, no you are wrong. The Christian Science Monitor still only puts it at less than 1%.

  1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

    Minister Carey: First of all no one including you is "indigenous" to America. Indigenous means naturally occurring in a particular place. American Indians are immigrants from Asia. American Indians are also not "People black like me" which you stated. You can be a native American like me, I was born here so I'm a native.

    You proclaim for me to: "Hear this Hoagie, “white” people do NOT hold a monopoly on conquering and war mongering." as if a prophet making a world changing statement. Got news for ya, I never said they did. I am quite aware there have been black cultures, tribes and nations that were (and some still are) quite expert at killing, enslaving and stealing others resources. You seem to consider that a feature, I consider it a flaw.

    In my opinion your race based and ethnic centered diatribe speaks volumes to bigotry. But that's just my opinion. I would like to point out that just like war, killing enslaving and stealing bigotry is not only done by whites. Little Green men notwithstanding. And I have read about Africa and am well aware "Negus" is an Ethiopian king.

    1. Larry's Avatar Larry

      Love not hate. We are all gods children regardless of color or origan. What out forfather have done only we can change, with the preaching or our savour Jesus Christ. So regardless of color, let's give or fellow man/ woman/ boy/ girl a hug and promote the joy of love towards all fellow humans. Created in the image of our lord.

    2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

      It's amusing to see you, of all people, accuse anyone of posting diatribes and being a bigot.

    3. Minister Carey's Avatar Minister Carey

      Hoagie, it seems as if you will not cease to express your ignorance. Although I must say you sound like a young buck fresh out of high school kindergarten. Now I love to talk about my chocolate-brown, copper-tone self, although I do it most around so-called black folk who are ashamed of their skin color and are trying to somehow change it and their hair. So don't take offense to my pride. I talk the talk and walk the walk. You are hereby informed - My ministry is to help enlighten and uplift people to stay strong, stay calm, and be proud of who they are regardless of circumstances. I encourage these folk to learn all they can about their history and culture, and also about the science of melanin and the benefits of melanin, as well as the cons of bleaching cream and other chemicals. As for my pale-faced (so-called white) friends, I encourage them to get more sun if possible or to come on back home (meaning make some darker children), cause this sun is going to kick butt. We must rise and we must survive. ALL earthlings. Now bucky-boo, regarding your statement about Indians: You are correct, real Indians are from Asia, India specifically. The indigenous people on Turtle Island (the land mass called the Americas) did not call themselves Indian. Some don't-know-how-to-read-a-map liar called Columbus supposedly did because he said he thought he was in India. In my tribe we call ourselves 'of the Ancient Ones' or 'we the people'. I do not allow other people to define who I am. My mothers and grandmothers defined me and I listen to and honor them. And should I define myself as indigenous, aboriginal, or autochthonous that is my right, by divine right. Not by civil right or any other of mans' extended rights, or by what you or anyone else may want because of your insecurities. I Am an indigenous, copper-colored, aboriginal American. Got that? Now check this Hoagie - google 'ancient black Asians. Look at some of the Youtubes on the subject so you can see what they look like. Yes, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia. Specifically, watch the utube video "Melanesian people and so-called African American people similarity".

  1. Clayton Andrews's Avatar Clayton Andrews

    Christianity has had their forms of terrorism , there were the Inquisition where Jews , Muslims and some Christians were persecuted and executed for heresy and let us not forget the Holy Crusades. Even today there are Christians who persecute non-Christians, minorities and such for not believing as they do. If we are to truly follow the word of God then we must turn the other cheek, to forgive our trespassers no matter how vile, how heinous their acts of terrorism against us. But we live in a world where we must respond to such action with a similar amount of force, or perhaps even more violent acts such as carpet bombing of the regions these terrorists call home. Vigilance, keeping an eye open for those who would do us harm is the only way to protect against such violence, everything else is reaction to wrongs already perpetrated against us. The U.S. is extremely vulnerable simply because of the freedoms we enjoy, the only way we could keep safe is to become a police state and nobody wants this.

    1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

      Aside from the fact the Crusades and Inquisition were centuries ago and Christianity unlike Islam has since gone through a Reformation (you may have heard) modern Christianity has no dogma requiring any member to go around killing people. Plus, the Crusades were fought to drive out the Muslim invaders from the Christian world they conquered and occupied. In other words it was a defensive war of survival. Don't any of you folks here have Google? And "even today" there is no legitimate Christian church or sect which practices persecution of non-Christians or minorities. Where do you folks get this stupid nonsense. Google it for God sake.

      1. John Wilson's Avatar John Wilson

        Try telling the conservative Christian evangelists - like Jerry Falwell Jr. -they are not a legitimate Christian church. I would love be there for that. By the way. Google is a search engine not a definitive source of information.

        1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

          Are you saying Falwell and conservative Christian evangelists are calling for their followers to run around killing people in the name of God? I would love to be there for that myself. By the way, I didn't say Google was a definitive source of information but it is at least a source.

          1. Tatiacha's Avatar Tatiacha

            They fully supported (and still do) the post 9-11 attack on Iraq who had nothing to do with 9-11. The future will write that as the genocide that it is.

          2. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

            Tatiacha, are you stipulating that Falwell and every Christian evangelical leader called for his followers to war in Iraq in the name of God? If you are that is simply not true and it is anti evangelical bigotry. If you are just pointing out that Falwell himself supported war with Iraq, on a political level along with many Democrat Senators including Hillary you are correct. But I'd like to point out Falwell has no power to go to war. So his opinion, like yours or mine is just a personal opinion.

      2. Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.'s Avatar Rev Deborah Dunkle (Rayvyn Wolfsong.

        Hoagie, Islam has no dogma requiring people to go around killing either. Have you read the Koran? It is not all about killing. There are passages that radical Islamists (and I use that term lightly because most true believers who read the Koran know it to be a religion like ours which professes love) use and twist to call for jihad. But are they indicative of all Islamists? No. The truth is education of people to read whould help a lot. Being told by a radical islamists that the Koran says this and that when you cannot read yourself is a lot of the issue. You have said before that modern Christian churches don't discriminate. You think churches don't discriminate against minorities? Try being gay and going to a consrvative church and see how you are welcomed. Or have a mental illness and see how many of the churches treat you the same as every one else. Or a physical disability truth is human kind has a self distructive instinct to discriminate and hate anyone who is just not like us. It is our job as Reverends to guide people into Christs (Or whomever you choose to minister under) love. Turn the ther cheek. Love thy neighbor.

        Father, Mother, God of us all, we ask forgiveness for our brokenness, our inability to accept the faults of other. We humbly beeseach you to open our hearts to Gods love and kindness. Show us the way to live by Jesus' example giving love and guiding others by love and compassion always remembering that we are servants and creations of God above. Amen

        1. Alice Elyaman's Avatar Alice Elyaman

          Amen

        2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

          Thank you for your comment RWS! Although there are a number of commenters who believe themselves to be knowledgable about Islam (and many other topics), but cannot read Arabic, here's an interesting fact. The root word for Islam is Salema, which means peace, purity, obedience (to God's laws) and submission (to God's will). Those who are either uninformed, or bigots, or both, will interpret it as ALL MUSLIMS WANT THE WORLD TO SUBMIT TO THEM AND OBEY OR ELSE!! It's sad that there's so much self imposed ignorance when accurate information is so easily available. I suppose some people are too busy banging out ill-informed comments to take the time to educate themselves.

          The positive is that once we know who to avoid, we can simply scroll down for something intelligent to read.

  1. Prof. R A Desmazes's Avatar Prof. R A Desmazes

    Why are you all arguing amongst yourselves, you all come from the same God, no matter your color, no matter which religion you are from. The very problems that we face today are and have been created by the western Empire, Assimilation on every continent and upon all races on Earth. Wolves in Sheeps clothing, for they say they are for the good and yet they are the very core of evil. To God, it is not the color of your skin, not about your religion, it is about you and the love you have for God. To Satan, To divide and conquer, to bring hate amongst all brothers, To separate you from God, and to make judges of us all.

    I myself am not perfect but what I see is an Armageddon happen with all people of this Earth as it does affect you as well as all brothers and sisters around the world. Be thankful that God thought of you and gave you life and bestowed his very Image upon you and has given you the choice of good and evil. In return all he want in return is your love and to be worshiped for The God who gives life and who is life himself, Eternal. BELOW I HAVE POSTED THIS BEFORE. I Apologise if you don't like it;

    Ancient Rome was an Italic civilization that began on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world with an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's population and covering 6.5 million square kilometers (2.5 million sq. mi) during its height between the first and second centuries AD. In its approximately 12 centuries of existence, Roman civilization shifted from a monarchy to an aristocratic republic to an increasingly autocratic empire. Through conquest and assimilation, it came to dominate Southern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, parts of Northern Europe, and parts of Eastern Europe. Rome was preponderant throughout the Mediterranean region and was one of the most powerful entities of the ancient world. It is often grouped into "Classical Antiquity" together with ancient Greece, and their similar cultures and societies are known as the Greco-Roman world. The Romans are still remembered today, including names such as Julius Caesar, Cicero, and Augustus. Ancient Roman society contributed greatly to government, law, politics, engineering, art, literature, architecture, technology, warfare, religion, language, society and more in the Western world. A civilization highly developed for its time, Rome professionalized and greatly expanded its military and created a system of government called res publica, the inspiration for modern republics such as the United States and France. It achieved impressive technological and architectural feats, such as the construction of an extensive system of aqueducts and roads, as well as large monuments, palaces, and public facilities “Western World means Roman World”. Reservations encampments, concentration encampments, both to separate and segregate, captured or conquered people. Let’s face it, its imprisonment and Reservations are in fact, concentration camps, you see Hitler’s ideas for concentration camps for the Jewish people was from the American Indian reservations, which was the way of Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and British first. Poverty, resentment and outcast by those who are LIARS, WHO COME IN A CLOAK OF GOODNESS AND STEAL THEIR LANDS, SLAUGHTER THE ANIMALS FOR PROFIT, THEY MURDER THEM WHO WERE PEACEFUL AND GIVING, GATHERED UP THE REST AND IMPRISONED THEM ON THE WORST OF THE LANDS IN “RESERVATIONS” (CONCENTRATION ENCAMPMENTS), THEY POISON THESE LANDS AND SELL THESE LANDS WHICH ARE NOT THEIRS AND EXPLOIT THE PEOPLES THEY HAVE CONFINED. MURDERS, THEIVES AND LIARS THESE CIVALIZED PEOPLES THAT CAME FROM EUROPE ARE. EXPLOITATION OF EVERYTHING UPON THIS EARTH FOR MONETARY VALUE, INDIGINOUS PEOPLE MEAN NOTHING TO THE BEASTS OF THIS EARTH WHO’S VERY ROOTS REACH INTO THE BOTTEMLESS PIT(HELL FROM WITHIN). That Sow, that Beast with eight piglets (G-8) suckling from its tit’s, that 14% of the world population wines and squeals for more GLUTTONY, MORE FOOD, MORE OIL, MORE LAND, MORE MATERIAL GOODS AND IT SLOPS IN ITS OWN EXCURMENT AND OF ALL THE SPOILS STOLEN FROM THOSE WHICH HAVE BEEN STRIPPED, RAPED, ROBBED AND IMPRISONED UPON THEIR OWN LANDS. OCCUPY NEW YORK? FOR THOU ART A JOKE! FOR IT IS YOU WHO OCCUPY WHAT IS NOT YOURS, YOU ARE THE INVADERS, ITS YOU WHO STINK IT UP WITH YOUR FILTH AND GLUTTONOUS WAYS, YOU WINE AND SQUEAL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU DON’T HAVE? “HOW DARE YOU COMPLAIN YOU FILTHY PIGLETS?” FOR IT IS YOU WHO CONSUME THE SPOILS OF ILL GOTTEN GAINS, FOR IT IS YOU THEY (G-8 AND G-20) KILL FOR, FOR IT IS YOU WHO POLLUTES THE EARTH WITH YOUR TOXIC’S AND WITH YOUR WASTE! WHY? THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE THEY DO IT FOR. THEY SANCTION, THEY THREATEN, THEY INVADE, THEY KILL AND THEY CONTROL OTHER COUNTRIES, LIKE UNTO PARISITES FEEDING ON ITS HOST (ALL WORLD RESOURCES) AND FOR WHAT DO THEY SAY ITS ALL FOR? WHY, FOR “YOU”THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE, AND WHAT DO THESE SO CALLED SPOILED AMERICANS DO? THEY PROTEST AND OCCUPY THE CITIES AND WINE AND SQUEAL FOR MORE. YOU SEE YOU HAVE TO KEEP THESE PIGLETS HAPPY OR THEY GET OUT OF HAND, BUT NEVER TO FAIL, THE BEAST OF THE SEA (GREAT BRITAIN AND EUROPE) AND OF THE EARTH (USA) WILL FEED THEIR GREED, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST! You who wine and complain, you who have show’s upon television for profit and fame, you who would kill, murder and maim Gods creature’s upon television, you who boast about your homes your lifestyles your gold and your things, also upon television, and those who would slaughter Gods children from within the womb of life. Abominations, you Murderers and you who are liars who call themselves actors, for all are wicked, all are gluttons and you feed upon the minds of all, with great deceptions. You make what is immoral, to be moral. For filth, wickedness and murderers are all the same. All come to this land from all over the World to this land of gluttonies, all worship its mark (monetary), you yearn for its western ways and you all come to Satan’s sweet spot made from milk and honey, as blind sheep being lead to slaughter. BOASTING IS EVIL. THOSE WHO ARE FRIENDS OF THIS WORLD ARE ENEMIES OF GOD! YOU SEE THESE PEOPLES THAT CAME AS FRIENDS (PILGRAMS) AND LIED, AND ARE THE SAME SINCE BABYLON, EGYPT AND NOW ROMAN WORLD (WESTERN WORLD), THEY INVADE, THEY CONSUME EVERYTHING IN THEIR PATH, THEY DESTROY CULTURES, ENSLAVE THEIR PEOPLES, THEY ASSEMILLATE THEIR CHILDREN INTO WESTERN (ROMAN) WAYS, AFTER THEY KIDNAP THEM AND KILL THEIR PARENTS AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES, THEY EXPLOIT AND USE AND THEN MURDER. THEY LET THE ONES CONQUERD, BORROW LAND THAT WAS STOLEN FROM THEM AND MAKE THEM LIVE IN SQUALLAR AND POVERTY, WHILE THESE PIGS REAP THE SPOILS AND RAPE AND TURN THE LAND TO A STY. INDIGINOUS THEY ARE NOT, AMERICANS THEY ARE NOT, FOR THEY ARE AN ABOMINATION UPON THIS EARTH AND ARE CLOAKED LIKE UNTO A LAMB BUT ARE IN FACT OF THE DRAGON. THESE ARE THE (G-8 AND G-20) RULERS OF THE WESTERN WORLD (ROMAN, WORLD) THEY ARE THE Babylonian’s THE FALL OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN LED TO THE RISE OF HELL!

  1. Minister Starr Mayo's Avatar Minister Starr Mayo

    I believe that we must look at the facts. While I have not made up my mind on who to vote for in the next presidential election in America, there are around 1.2 Billion Muslims in the world. Even if the militant, extremists only constitute 15-25% of that population, that is still 180-300 Million Muslims who have sworn to destroy anyone and everyone that does not believe in Islam. As Americans and mostly people of other faiths than Islam, why should we worry? American's population is only around 300 million. And, as we have seen and presented by the texts here and elsewhere and blogged constanly by radical Islamists, we all have had a target put on our backs and the backs of our children. We have seen only a part of what has happened to Europe in the past few months, massive riots, demands, rapes and murders by a major invasion of so-called refugees. America, Canada and South America are next in the sights of the weapons of Islam extremists. Yes, I believe we should all be very worried. If the American govenment cannot even weed out (1) one person on a Fiance Visa, how can we ever trust them to weed out the thousands of terrorists trying to run over our borders on a daily basis? I put to you that prayer, no matter how fervent or sincere is going to solve this problem.

    As presented by Mike Loft, the following is short fact sheet on Islam.

    Why a Muslim cannot be a loyal US citizen

    Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen... Theologically, no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia. Scripturally, no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Qur’an. Spiritually, no, because when we declare “one nation under God,” the Christian’s God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as our heavenly father, nor is he ever called Love in the Qur’an’s 99 excellent names. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Geographically, no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer 5 times a day. Socially, no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews. Politically, no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan. Domestically, no, because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him. (Qur’an 4:34). Can you see a court case brewing here? Religiously, no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam. (Qur’an, 2:256) Intellectually, no, because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt. Philosophically, no, because Islam, Muhammad, and the Qur’an do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic. Therefore after much study and deliberation perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both good Muslims and good Americans.

    Call it what you wish…it’s still the truth. If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more you understand this, the better it will be for our country. Mike Loft.

    In an interview with The Hill, Carson backed up his remarks and even doubled down, saying that the president should be “sworn in on a stack of Bibles, not a Quran.” “I do not believe Shariah is consistent with the Constitution of this country,” Carson said in the interview. “Muslims feel that their religion is very much a part of your public life and what you do as a public official, and that’s inconsistent with our principles and our Constitution.” Carson said he would make an exception for a candidate who “publicly rejected all the tenets of Shariah and lived a life consistent with that.” “Then I wouldn’t have any problem,” Carson said. Carson also brought up the concept of Taqiyya, a convention in Shia Islam that allows believers to conceal the nature of their faith to mislead. “Taqiyya is a component of Shia that allows, and even encourages you to lie to achieve your goals,” Carson said. “We are a different kind of nation,” Carson added. “Part of why we rose so quickly is because we wouldn’t allow our values or principles to be supplanted because we were going to be politically correct … Part of the problem today is that we’re so busy trying to be politically correct, that we lose all perspective.” Carson added that the question was largely irrelevant, since there is no Muslim running for the presidency in 2016. However, he also said the firestorm has “served a useful purpose by providing the opportunity to talk about what Shariah is and what their goals are.” “So often we get into these irrelevant things, because obviously if a Muslim was running for president, there would be a lot more education about Shariah, about Taqiyya,” Carson said. There you have it: Ben Carson, a man who remains unbowed by media pressure. Like him or not, he’s certainly not the malleable type the mainstream press is used to.


    Dr. Tawfik Hamid; author of Inside Jihad: Understanding and Confronting Radical Islam Ben Carson is a man who speaks the truth, according to a Muslim who now devotes his life to speaking out against radical Islam. “As a Muslim — and particularly as a former member of a radical Islamist group — I can state unequivocally that Dr. Carson is correct,” Dr. Tawfik Hamid, , wrote on Newsmax. “Without a single exception, the approved Islamic literature teaches violent principles such as killing apostates, beating women, killing gays, and enslaving female war prisoners for sexual purposes,” he said. Carson, when asked Sunday whether Islam is consistent with the Constitution, replied, “No, I don’t. I do not. I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” The comments touched off objections. “Unfortunately for the critics, ridicule, derision, and condemnation are not arguments,” Hamid wrote. “They are the last refuge of a defeated thought.” After citing ways Sharia law involves brutalizing women and dening others basic rights, Hamid suggested that Carson’s critics look for Islamic texts that contradict the Republican presidential candidate’s position. “Such a text does not exist,” he wrote. “Ben Carson is correct. These Sharia values and principles, which are so hostile to the American Constitution, are still an integral part of mainstream Islam,” Hamid wrote. “In other words, any Muslim who rejects killing gays and apostates, or beating and raping women is no longer considered a Muslim under Sharia. Such rules fly in the face of the Constitution.”
    Hamid was not the only prominent Muslim to support Carson. “Carson’s comments underscore a political reality in which Muslim communities, not only in far-flung theocracies like Saudi Arabia and Iran, but also in the United States, still struggle with existential questions about whether Islam is compatible with democracy and secularism,” wrote Asra Q. Nomani, saying the struggle between mosque and state is very real for modern, secular Muslims. In too many instances, we are seeing an erosion of those boundaries, in part led by some Muslims, increasingly using America’s spirit of religious accommodation and cultural pluralism to challenge rules that most of the rest of America accepts. Many of those incursions have been led by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a controversial self-described advocacy group for Muslims that, not surprisingly, called for Carson to step down this week. “The presidential candidate is talking against a backdrop of 9/11 and a reality in which political Islam expresses itself violently in the West and in Muslim countries from Iraq to Indonesia,” she wrote, arguing that it is not time to silence Carson, but rather “to continue the politically incorrect but critical conversation that he started.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leader of an Islam American Community says: “The U.S. Constitution comes from people. Sharia Law comes from Allah,” when responding to Fox News’ David Webb. “The Constitution governs this country. Sharia Law governs the whole world. Of course it is above.”

    1. Tatiacha's Avatar Tatiacha

      Judaism, Islam & Christianity are all Abrahamic religions whose holy books all include many of the same scriptures. They all worship the same God no matter what word they use.

  1. Rev John's Avatar Rev John

    If you want to live by Sharia law, go live in a Muslim country. We in the U.S. live and believe in Jehovah, the True God of the Universe. We don't cut people's heads off if they don't go to church and believe as we do. This has little to do with religion, but common sense. If you have an invasion of rats in your home you do something to stop it, you don't say Oh Well they have to eat too. Its not Buddist or Hindu or evangelicals or Catholics that are killing people in the streets or the army camps or the hospitals or police stations, IT'S MUSLIMS EXTREMIST. Do. WE REALLY MORE OF THOSE IN THE U>S>. Even though the President continually turns away from admitting that, in actuality we have not had a Hindu or a Buddist uprising in this country to my knowledge. If that's type casting or profiling , so be it.We don't need any refugees , because you have to know that a large portion of those will be extremist coming in with the true refugees.

    1. Tatiacha's Avatar Tatiacha

      That is simply not accurate we in the U.S. do not "live and believe in Jehovah". We are a country with freedom of religion and we believe in many different things. It is because of that freedom of religion that Sharia Law has no place here as that would deny freedom of religion to all who are not Muslim.

  1. Rev John's Avatar Rev John

    Again, I will repeat, if you take the time to look, our money , our buildings , have IN GOD WE TRUST, ,written boldly on them, our Bill of Rights was signed by no less than 17 CHRISTIAN ministers,who believe in GOD, Jehovah, I AM., not one single muslim is noted anywhere , so I am given to believe that we were a Christian nation, and a majority of us still are. You can believe in what you want, but we are a Christian nation and will continue to be.

    1. Jason's Avatar Jason

      You shouldn't be so judgemental.

    2. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

      As you said, REV. JOHN "I am given to believe", means you may be stating opinion rather than fact. If you're asserting that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, you are wrong. It does have the largest Christian population, but even that would need some clear definition to have any significant meaning.

      http://www.alternet.org/story/155985/5_reasons_america_is_not_--and_has_never_been--_a_christian_nation

      https://www.au.org/resources/publications/is-america-a-christian-nation

      You may want to brush up on your knowledge about Thomas Jefferson, the acknowledged author of the Declaration of Independence. Spend some time reading the many quotations provided here to clarify any commonly held misconceptions.

      http://www.nobeliefs.com/jefferson.htm

      1. M's Avatar M

        there is a good reason for that in which Thomas Jefferson found out. while taking a trip to the middle east, he was informed that the Arabs believed all non Arabs were infidels and were supposed to be killed, and he know that there was no room in this country for muslims. when he became president he had to deal with them kid napping american citizens and holding them hostage for ransom. and they continued to do that wanting more and more money until he had to create the navy and marines. we had to go kick their asses.

  1. A druid's Avatar A druid

    Daesh is but another in a long line of organizations who would exploit religion for power over others.
    As were crusades, witch burnings, and the inquisition. The pope once divided the world by longitude between the franciscans and the jesuits to evangelize the heathen. The united states, despite our constitution being written by christians, is a land of freedom of and from religion. So if, in self defense, we must war against isis, thry asked for it and we should prosecute this without stint, for the welfare of civilizastion. Just a thought.

  1. Tom's Avatar Tom

    "Are we at war against Islam?" I pray that the answer is NO! Haven't we had enough wars in history over who has the better God? Have we not had enough wars in history started and conducted by people who use their God to justify their actions? Enough is enough. We are doing this to ourselves and whatever God you or I believe in has nothing to do with it. Gods do not start wars, we do. Gods do not end wars, only we can if we have sufficient resolve. Have we forgotten that "we are all children of the same Universe"? When can we learn to treat our brothers and sisters better? I have posed many questions, but the reality is, only we have the answers.

    1. Rev. Hoagie's Avatar Rev. Hoagie

      Are we at war with Islam?
      Obama believes the nature of terrorism is changing. This is absurd. The violence today is executed by jihadists. They are motivated by a scripture-based doctrinal command to impose sharia -- Islam’s societal framework and legal code, which is the necessary precondition to Islamicizing a society and, ultimately, establishing a caliphate. That is why they kill today, it is why they killed in 2003, in 1993, in 1800, in 1565, in 1064, in 732, and so on all the way back to the raids Muhammad himself led in the seventh century. The technology and tactics of violent jihadism have changed over time; the nature of it has been the same for nearly a millennium-and-a-half.

      We may or may not be at war with Islam. But Islam is most definitely at war with us, and we live in what it calls “The House of War” (Dar al harb)

      1. Brother John's Avatar Brother John

        Most wars, including the current ones, are created by those who profit from it…. defence contractors, arms manufactures, stockbrokers/shareholders, resource corporations, etc. The actual dirty work of death and destruction is done by pitting groups of people against one another and religion has been one of the most effective methods of creating enough hatred and bigotry to over ride basic morality and common sense.

        To believe that today's violence is "executed by jihadists" and that Islam=Violence/Bad and Christianity=Peace/Good is straight from the Business of War playbook. Where is the bulk of today's violence? In the Middle East. Who is doing most of the killing and destruction? Western nations. Who provides the weapons that are being used by both sides of the conflicts? Western nations and their arms manufacturers.

        It's pitiful that it's still so easy to stir up hatred and bigotry in our "advanced civilization". Those sitting in comfortable board rooms creating the propaganda that controls the minds of the masses are laughing at how easy it's become with the advent of the internet to spread their lies and deception.

        Here's an excellent example of their handiwork to justify the death and destruction raining down on Iraq for the past 15 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPJCPcYCupY

        Here's the principal reason both Saddam and Gadhafi were eliminated. We're to believe the far more comfortable story of bringing peace and democracy to the citizens of those countries. http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/markets/item/4630-gadhafi-s-gold-money-plan-would-have-devastated-dollar

        To continue to believe this is about religious ideology is to continue to be ill informed pawns supporting endless wars resulting in the deaths of millions of innocent people.

  1. Michael Demers's Avatar Michael Demers

    As always there is an infinite musing that is possible on any subject matter just by it's nature of subjectivity. However, if we allow an agreement on a certain objective foundation; that for any truth to be, it must start at a right beginning for it to evolve at a right conclusion. So in observance of the word "religion", a right beginning is a common definition of religion: a "particular system of faith and worship". Next lets look at "system", a set of principles, an organized scheme or method by which something is done. And then "particular" granting us the defining attributes of: "great or intense action by which to single out an individual member, a specified group class".

    Islam like Christianity was and continues to be more than a religion. It entails religion, political ambition and spirit. The Sunni Islamic Empire is a thought form that has expressed itself into the greater idea of One ruler, One empire. It is based on a "loosely" affiliated collection of extremist groups whose stated mission is to establish a world-wide caliphate. These groups make up an even larger group that gives power to the 2nd largest religious religion in the world and continues to grow in both acceptance and extremism. To be brief in comment it must be considered that to reach any right conclusion anyone and all who give thought to his situation realize that each of our thoughts conformed by way of our own consciousness and awareness. And if that conformed thought is based on the right beginning, that being; The Creator and The Created, are ONE and the same in All-That-Is, it holds true to the Unchanging principle of The Permanent Good in All Things. When this is realized, we as The Created will recognize and acknowledge the right conclusion; "the first and final truth", the "same-central truth".... No individual religion; yours or mine has All the truth to the EXCLUSION of another.

    For those who read for understanding could look at Mark 13:7-8 and ponder the meaning of the words "wars and rumors of war, do not be frightened, those things MUST take place but that is NOT the end. Nations and Kingdoms Will rise up against each other... these things are MERELY the beginning of birth pangs".

    When we observe the deeper meaning of the word integrity, that of the soundness of the fibers that hold things together, that binds, we may start to acknowledge that Peace never restricts or restrains any-thing and a thing is always a "form" which includes thought and it's manifestation; the idea. So in the end and as the beginning; God Will Pervade over all that is; until that time and through all tribulation we are blessed to be able to turn to The Source of the ONE central truth; The Divine Mind's grande design to give us the opportunity to vanquish evil and wickedness.... simply by Re-"member"-ing that no individual, group or groups are separate and alone in any thought or action, it was already conceived by God's Pure Thought and manifested Creation and it was Pure LOVE. We are a "member" of One Existence given free will to turn towards God in all thought and action to heal the wound of the Original Sin; "that we thought we knew better" allowing doubt and fear to enter into our human existence thereby we find the seed of all human illness; delusion; known as the human-condition. It is through the moments of each day that we-all are given infinite opportunity to heal and become well, regardless of what we THINK, eventually and inevitably it will be the way that it is, it will NOT be by our doing and when we come to this greater understanding through all of the world's events, situations and circumstances we will have learned The Wisdom available that by returning to God in thought and conscious decision that the self and others are all one in PERFECTION... TRUE ATONEMENT; At-one-ment, will be manifested into the physical world merging matter and spirit in it's innate enlightenment and inner divine-ness. Which makes all O.K... even greater.... the state of eternal bliss..

    So look to the tribulations as the Way to turn towards the light... to be informed and to express God's First and All encompassing Principle... walk doing justice; where justice is making whole, making complete and upholding all impartiality, none greater than another nor less than another; be loving in kindness and walking with your God in humbleness; that you are here to serve The Creator's purpose.

    If you choose to war; so be it. If you choose to make peace; so be it. If you choose to be patient and tolerant, so be it. It will be without your doing in the end.

  1. Dolly's Avatar Dolly

    I don't understand why Mohammed who taught love as Jesus did, would want them to kill their fellow beings and trash their own neighborhood.

  1. Rev John's Avatar Rev John

    Micheal, what in the world are you snorting, You're preaching to the choir.

  1. Michael Fullmer's Avatar Michael Fullmer

    Are we at war with Islam... interesting question. I believe we are at war with RADICAL Islam for sure. I have been around numerous Muslims throughout my life, and the VAST majority are good people. As with most groups, it is the 1 or 2 % who make the rest look bad. That 1 or 2 % should and must be eliminated. Religion has been the main reason wars have been fought, since time begin. What does that say about ORGANIZED religion?

  1. Anthony Rager's Avatar Anthony Rager

    How can you tell the difference between Muslims and radical! They the so called peaceful Muslims where are they to speak against this radical deadly ways! They lie to your faces! Well, something needs to be done to get rid of the deadly radicals wanting Islamic Law everywhere!

    1. Pastor Davila's Avatar Pastor Davila

      Sad but true... Unfortunately It's hard to know who the radicals are because they hide amongst the good none radical Muslims

      1. M's Avatar M

        I see it this way, good people are good law abiding people until they aren't. Criminals are not criminals until they become criminal. So there is no way too tell, but I would say that if there is any doubt we should rule after safety after all, once a person is dead the terrorist cant and wont if they could say sorry and it brings that or those people back. they are mentally ill. until they pledge an elegance to America we will never be able to trust them. The Muslims in Russians are not causing problems because they are Russians first Muslims secondly. That is what these guys need to do, but those who don't want to should not be let in, and really that should go for all immigrants. I know they used to. but I don't know if they are required to anymore. Everybody who doesn't like this country rather they are Americans or not should be kicked out or not allowed to become citizens. It is that simple. If they committee any crime against the country they should be tried as traitors. and executed. That would put a stop to it quickly, but we have to stop coddling all these people, and stop letting the liberals have their way as they don't care about doing anything smart or that has common sense.

  1. Rev John's Avatar Rev John

    Micheal, very few wars were fought because of religion.Alexander the Great fought against the rest of the world and conquered it, nothing to do with religion,The Huns destroyed most of Europe , didn't have a thing to do with religion,The Romans conquered most of the known world, didn't do it for religion. World war one and two were fought about greed, not religion.The Korean war didn't have anything to do with religion.The civil war didn't have a thing to do with religion, it had to do with who would control the U.S..The war the Moors fought against Spain was religion, the Muslims, wanted control, all the conflict in Africa , the Muslims want to control. The civil wars being fought in eastern USSR are the Muslims wanting to control. The wars in Egypt, Lybia, Syria, and most of the middle east are caused by Muslims. But it isn't organized religion that does it, it's the misunderstanding of religion. Yes we are at war with the muslims in this country.

    1. M's Avatar M

      I was trying to say, that to use the worlds war on terror, is incorrect. terror is the root word, it is no being used correctly by just using the root word. the suffix needs to be added to it. we need to remember the proper use for the words ward on terror is war on terrorism. The persons, George Bush and the media that started that was very ignorant and that is why they did not know how to use the correct words. Lets start using correct grammar when talking about terrorism or we will sound just as ignorant as the stupid people who does not know it is terrorism, terrorists, terrorize and so forth. Lets show the politicians and the media we are smarter then they are, that we can use the correct grammar.

Leave a Comment

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:
Don't have an account yet? Create Account