just a short reply to desertfox7, on my ignorance, if what you call
ignorance is actually a shortage of facts, i have read the bible
probably 15 times or more, studied different doctrines of the church of
christ, catholic, baptist, pentecostal, seventh day adventist,
methodist, jehovah's witness. Have studied islam, judaism, and wiccan.
I have read church history, and religious History books, and catholic
history, i have studied the greek and hebrew languages, the fact is i
could go on and on, and the end result is this, God doesn't have to make
things complicated to prove to us He is God, he made it really simple so
simple a child could understand it, John 3:16. and regardless of what
your "educated" mind thinks, if you know the facts, christianity is the
oldest religion on the face of the earth, goes back to a conversation
that the creator had with the very first man on this planet, and his
enemy.

Hi Guitar

So what did people worship before Christanity? Idols and Goddesses. Is
that not a religion too. Maybe not by todays standards but I'm sure they
thought that it wasn't a religion or maybe they didn't use the term
religion but I'm sure they practiced and worshiped.

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of
beliefs or attitudes concerning an object, person, unseen being, or
system of thought considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine or
highest truth, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions,
traditions, and rituals associated with such belief or system of
thought. It is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief".

There are many definitions of religion, and most have struggled to avoid
an overly sharp definition on the one hand, and meaningless generalities
on the other. Some have tried to use formalistic, doctrinal definitions
and others have tried to use experiential, emotive, intuitive,
valuational and ethical factors.

In summary, it may be said that almost every known culture involves the
religious in the above sense of a depth dimension in cultural
experiences at all levels — a push, whether ill-defined or conscious,
toward some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms
and power for the rest of life. When more or less distinct patterns of
behaviour are built around this depth dimension in a culture, this
structure constitutes religion in its historically recognizable form.
Religion is the organization of life around the depth dimensions of
experience — varied in form, completeness, and clarity in accordance
with the environing culture."
(Winston King, Encyclopedia of Religion, p 7693)

So how can one say that Chrstianity is the oldest when the Romans, the
Egyptians, the Celts, oh and the Hinhus.

Hi Guitar

So what did people worship before Christanity? Idols and Goddesses. Is
that not a religion too. Maybe not by todays standards but I'm sure they
thought that it wasn't a religion or maybe they didn't use the term
religion but I'm sure they practiced and worshiped.

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of
beliefs or attitudes concerning an object, person, unseen being, or
system of thought considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine or
highest truth, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions,
traditions, and rituals associated with such belief or system of
thought. It is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief".

There are many definitions of religion, and most have struggled to avoid
an overly sharp definition on the one hand, and meaningless generalities
on the other. Some have tried to use formalistic, doctrinal definitions
and others have tried to use experiential, emotive, intuitive,
valuational and ethical factors.

In summary, it may be said that almost every known culture involves the
religious in the above sense of a depth dimension in cultural
experiences at all levels — a push, whether ill-defined or conscious,
toward some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms
and power for the rest of life. When more or less distinct patterns of
behaviour are built around this depth dimension in a culture, this
structure constitutes religion in its historically recognizable form.
Religion is the organization of life around the depth dimensions of
experience — varied in form, completeness, and clarity in accordance
with the environing culture."
(Winston King, Encyclopedia of Religion, p 7693)

So how can one say that Chrstianity is the oldest when the Romans, the
Egyptians, the Celts, oh and the Hindus.

Hinduism is generally considered to be the oldest religion still being
practiced today. This ancient religion was born when the Aryan peoples
migrated to Northern India and first put their religious tradition into
writing. The texts they created are the Vedas, which were written around
1,500 B.C.E. (before common era) and have greatly influenced Indian
culture ever since.
And then you have the Jews. Who worshiped long before Christanity.

Sorry It printed twice.

hey ghost, no disrepect at all, i enjoyed reading what you wrote, just
checked this out today, that's why it took so long to get back to you,
sorry
the entire Jewish history, religion, etc. was all about Christ.
That is why He was so hurt when they rejected Him, but He knew it would
happen.
All the other religions are just man's best attempt to find God, what a
slap in the face that He sent His best, and we reject Him for our own
ideas.
It would be like me giving my only son to die for you, and you say,
thanks but no thanks, i like this way better.

that's why i like the scripture that says, "God uses the foolish things
to confound the wise"

Hi Guitar

No problem man.

Well, I thought the Jew's were all about a messiah and they just don't
believe it was Christ.
But he was supposed to be rejected. That's the whole tale of how we got
to be in God's favor after the Jew's rejected God. It was all
predestined. How could Christ be disappointed in us if he knew we would
do it and that was support to happen anyway according to the Christian
faith.

Kind of like a Joke. You know the punch line even before the comedian
says the joke. So how could you be disappointed already knowing the
story and how it ends, Unless the comedian throws a curve ball that was
unexpected. LOL

If that's true of God, not really knowing how we will react, then You
have to think that God isn't all knowing and all powerful.

In your response to "what did people practice before Christianity?"
Christianity didn't really get started until several years before Christ
died. In another thread I've seen about Christianity borrowing things
from pagan beliefs BUT, one of the biggest and oldest pagan rituals was
taken from the Jews. The animal sacrifice. Before Christ, this was how
ppl asked for forgiveness from God, buy sacrificing a "pure" animal to
him.
One last point about the Bible too...why is it that ppl who read Roman
history take it to be fact? And yet half the Bible was written during
Roman times and yet "we" denounce it because all the writers are dead or
we use the "translation" excuse. So does this mean that Roman history is
also subject to the same arguments? That's right, the history of Rome
cannot be believed because the authors of it are dead and the original
texts have been translated so many times that the history we know about
it today can't be trusted.
Never mind the Romans, I guess ALL acient history is bullshit and made
up stories if one uses the same criteria that is used to judge the
Bible's accuracy.
Really..could someone PLEASE tell me what makes one ancient historical
account more reliable than another???

No animal. I think a lot of history about the Romans were written by
much modern ppl Archeologists. And yes they probably are dead. But I
think we keep better records in more modern time then a 2 thousand years
ago. And yes they probably aren't a hundred percent accurate, but
neither is the bible. They had just found though excavation now that
when the temple of the Jew's was destroyed by the Romans, thay all fled.
Well, they found evidence that show that not all the Jew's fled. That's
just one example. And maybe not a great descovery. They have still to
find Noah's Ark. Some claim to have found it. But there are always going
to be just claims and no real evidence. So if you don't want to believe
in Roman history, then that's your right. So maybe Rome was built in a
day. LOL After all if god could do it in six, why not Rome in a day?
Much less to contend with then trying to create a planet I guess.

I will post the finding about the The Romans and the distruction of the
Jewish Temple.

people evolve,as do their beliefs,
but faith,and hope stays true...........

food for thought........................M.

but...... the greatest of these is love

Yes, I agree with you both Michael and Guitar. We evolved not only to
our physical presence but to our belief as well. Our rules and code of
ethics too. They all evolved due to a need to construct order in our
existence. But we are still evolving in our social conscious. The
Internet has allowed even the layman too communicate this social
exchange of thoughts and ideas were as before it was only for the elite
of Universities and government to exchange ideas.

And also love is another wide spread use of the Internet.

But unfortunately though the Internet is a dumping ground for people to
use to scam and cause havoc by hackers and scammers though viruses and
spyware.

But maybe we shouldn't consider the negative side of this evolving
interaction with each other.

Ghostrecon

Sorry in the delayed response Ghost. Don't believe in satan or hell and
have different view of "god" so I can't really answer wether "god" would
forgive satan. If I were to look at Christian belief I would have to say
that he would - if I followed Christian tenets. You crack me up Ghost,
but you have made some people think. PROPS! roflmao

Thanks Pool.

I'm just doing my job. waht ever that is. LOL

I thought I resurrect a 776 day old thread. It is actually interesting to read if you find the time to do so