looseconnection (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

you are correct in many ways... and I'm not trying to say really that protestants were the cause of the renaissance, but rather trying to point the flaws in thinking something catholicism built the west. and yes isn't it interesting that Monotheism somehow promotes a two god theory: God, the Good God, and Satan, the Evil One.

jimmrrsnisgod (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

people can be influenced by satan. If they are influenced by satan then people can justify war and all sorts of societal destruction. the salem witch trials, the inquisition, crusades, modern disputes between christians and muslims, even racism( shem was cursed to eternal slavery and turned black according to the bible). its the same type of brainwashing that hitler used on germany, basically aryans=good jews= evil.though most modern christians aren't as crazy they still believe they are special

jimmrrsnisgod (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

it was not religion that brought us out of the middle ages it was secular and atheist philosophers. Locke, rouseau, montesquieu, hobbes, voltaire they had the original ideas that made up our constitution and philosophy of government which is why america and other western countries are so successful. but while i'm on the subject of christianity, it is a problematic system which promotes dualism a concept that there are two supernatural forces god and satan. It allows people to think that

looseconnection (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Yes, I want to applaud the Catholic Church for presiding over the dark ages, and the inquisition. And the protestants for bringing us the renaissance. And it was the British protestants who built the west.. in fact fleeing the Church of England's very catholic like Episcopal church.

Paddy234 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

what are you on about, prods only came about about 1000 years after catholicism by a catholic monk, it never became mainstream either till 18th century and was only big in Britain and holland, 70% of europe is catholic as catholicism is majority everywhere else especially in mine. Most prods emmigrated to america as catholic countries owned europe

looseconnection (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

And I have similiar issues with athiesm. It's another form of arrogance. The only God that is, I HUMBLY BELIEVE is the One -- The GREAT CREATOR OF BEING -- who dwells within. There is no god out there IMHO: only stars, cosmic dust, and the expanding universe. Humble American Mystic!

looseconnection (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Read your history. It was protestants who built the west; not the catholics. They had serious problems witht the Catholics. And then again the founders of this country were deists who had serious problems w/ organzied religion.

Paddy234 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

no we are the people who built the west, atheists played no part in building western society, only communist countries are athiest and look at them. Proud Irish Catholic!

looseconnection (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

what silliness have you been smoking??? I can't even take you seriously man. You're just as delusional as Muslim fanatics expecting to meet umpteen virgins in heaven.

Paddy234 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

also the previous generation were closer to him compared to this one