blackbird

These demonstrations ostensibly in support of "science", taking place today, Apr. 22, seem to have a strong political overtone. Most of it seems to be anti-Trump protests with various liberal or leftist causes thrown in such as climate change, anti Trump cutting budget in certain areas. I would say they are not much more than anti-Trump or anti-Trump agenda protests, which is nothing new.

There are estimated between 50,000 and over 100,000 illegals in Canada. How is it that people who came in and stayed in Canada without papers, or without any legal status are not committing an illegal act? Is this illegal occupation of Canada being encouraged by cities in Canada that declare themselves as sanctuary cities? Is it being encouraged by Trudeau who openly invited migrants to come in?

Altai, the Pope is a very influential political figure. The Vatican is actually a tiny country inside Rome and is completely independent. But because the Vatican has hundreds of millions of Roman Catholics around the world in many countries, it has a lot of influence and political power. It is also one of the richest organizations in the world with billions of dollars in wealth (real estate and money).

It seems like the "open" political types are losing ground in northern Europe. The subject of Muslim immigration and terrorism has become a hot issue in France right now and the election is tomorrow. After years of liberals and leftists having their way a sizeable portion of the population seems to be waking up and reacting. We saw this in the U.S. election and the Brexit vote in the UK. There seems to be a populist movement of nationalism spreading across northern Europe. Marine le Pen seems to be in strong position in the election in France. She wants to stop or reduce immigration and pull France out of the European Union. This could be the end of the EU as we know it since France and Germany are the major members keeping it going. Not sure how the election will turn out but we may find out tomorrow evening. What is puzzling is why ISIS would conduct terrorist attacks during the election campaign and stir up more anti Muslim sentiment in France. Why would ISIS and Islamic radicals seem to want to help a right wing nationalist party and leader like Marine Le Pen to win?

Isn't it odd that in a country like Canada which covers a vast geographic area with a very low population per square kilometer yet has a housing crisis in the major cities. House price are really through the roof. What average Canadian can afford to buy a home for a million dollars? In B.C. part of the problem is most of the province is very mountainous and there are limited valleys where people can live because of the need for employment. The Fraser Valley where greater Vancouver is situated has some good farmland that is constantly under pressure to be turned into some form of development or industry. I feel sorry for young people in the lower mainland to need to find a home and need to work somewhere in the lower mainland. The government has neglected this looming crisis for decades. We also don't have much choice in the coming election. We have the Liberals which mean more of the same but they favour the Trans Mountain Pipeline which I think is a good thing. The NDP I think is a poor choice because of their anti resource development ideology. They oppose the Trans Mountain Pipeline into Burnaby. I think this will cost them the election again. At least the Liberals are pro development and industry which means lots of jobs for B.C. workers even if they can't solve the high cost of homes in the lower mainland.

Seems to me it would be a good thing to include the right to own private property in the Constitution. Without that right, it makes it easier for the government to take away someone's property or maybe for a native band to claim it in court and have a judge take away someone's property.

God did talk to Abraham and perhaps was testing his faith. Many of the writers of the Bible died as martyrs for what they saw and believed. Nobody would die if it was phony or a lie.

Guess you must be one of the 'Open" types described in the subject article. Glad you enjoyed it all anyway. What would possess you to call Abraham a putrid maggot though? Seems to me he was a famous patriarch of much of civilization and a good man.

It is a cultural practice but it is mainly practiced in northern African Muslim countries. Check Wikipedia. The Quran does not teach it although there is apparently a place in one of the hadiths that recommend it. It is practiced for several reasons to do with control of girls, keeping them virgins, reducing their desire for sexual activitiy. All inhumane and barbaric. Many of those northern African countries are lawless, lack civilized government, have terrorist groups, massive poverity, civil wars, etc.

Just wondering if anyone knows why the Canadian Charter of Rights does not include the right to own private property in Canada? Was this deliberately left out for some reason?

I met a man once who worked on a contract in Saudi Arabia decades ago. He was riding in a car with a Muslim and expressed concern that the Muslim was driving on the wrong side of road in dangerous places. The Muslim told him there is no point in worry because if is time to die we will die. It is all in Allah's hands. Yes, we see the justice system in Saudi Arabia that executed 50 or 100 people a year or two ago, many for questionable things. We see the justice when people are sentenced to prison for years for speaking out against the government on social media or some other medium. We see the justice when people in recent years have had their hands or heads chopped off in a public square in some countries. We see the justice in Pakistan when a Muslim woman converted to christianity is sentenced to death for blasphemy. Great human values!

I concede that there are religious leaders who do use religion as a tool. But not all. There are many bible believing ministers who actually believe what they are preaching and put in long hours working on their sermons and doing other good works. According to Wikipedia, the practice of FGM is practiced mainly in a number of northern African countries. Some christians in Africa practice it as well. It is not taught in the Bible. It is not practiced by Christians today in the west as far as I know. I don't think it was practiced historically by christians. Africa seems to have problems with poverty, lack of education, and some continuing heathen practices, FGM being one.

Practicing Islam entails following the Five Pillars. These are certain rituals one must do for example praying five times a day. Fasting at a certain time. Travelling to Mecca once in a lifetime if possible. These rituals are required just for the sake of following a man-made ritual. Christians do not or should not be praying as a ritual. I think Jesus spoke against that. Muslims must prostrate themselves to the east , toward Mecca, the holy site, according to Islam. But there are many other practices they don't necessarily tell you about such as female genital mutilation, where they forcibly cut a young girl's genitalia. Over 100 million have this done in certain countries. Also, women must be covered and in some places not go out without a husband or chaperone. What about the value of a woman compared with a man? Does he say anything about that? Once when I was in the Trans Canada Highway in Manitoba, I pulled off for a rest. Shortly after I stopped, a man stopped on the road allowance on the other side of the highway, got out, and spread a carpet on the ground, then knealt down on it and started praying. First time I ever saw someone do that. Christianity is based on the Bible which was completed about 2000 years ago and the Quran was written contrary to the Bible's command to write nothing new. If Muslims really believed the Bible was a holy book from God, why would they reject that warning in the Bible against receiving another holy book? Of course I could the same question of the Mormons.

Can anyone see why a Muslim might make that claim? Of course there will be those gullible souls who will swallow that and then support Islamic immigration. Any evidence that religious leaders are "using religion as a tool"? Ever thought they might actually believe what they are preaching?

The third last verse in the Bible gives a warning. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:" Revelation ch22:18 Clearly, the Quran is claiming to be an addition to the revelation from God, but this verse in Revelation expressly forbids it. The Bible was completed about the 1st century or first one hundred years after Christ. The verse says clearly no other revelation from God can be added to what is already written. That means the Quran written 600 years later cannot be accepted as a revelation from God. That means only the Bible provides the only written revelation on how to get to heaven. It also means the Bible provides the only description of God and revelation from God. Mohammed allegedly received his revelation to write the Quran from the angel Gabriel over a twenty year period. But 600 years before this the Apostle Paul said "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him accursed." Galatians ch1 vs 8 This verse clearly forbids anyone to accept any new message allegedly from God even if it comes from an angel. Moreover Jesus himself made it clear there is no salvation through any other way that through him. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

Christian God has three persons in one God. So can't be the same God as Allah. Just saying he is the same doesn't make it so if he is different. Christian God sent his Son to earth to die on the cross for sinners and was resurrected from the dead. Islam rejects that. Christian God is will to forgive and receive sinners. Islam doesn't have anything about that. Do not accept that all are sinners and in need of being born again. Islam seems to be a violent God ordering people to do violent things in many places in the Quran. Chistian God does not do that. Islam has been spread by the sword of force through much of the middle east and world. Christian God's message is spread by the written word or gospel. God's love for man is emphasized. A Killer or homosexual who repents and accepts Jesus Christ as his saviour would get into heaven. King David had committed murder but was forgiven and saved. The apostle Paul had christians put to death before he was converted and saved. In the bible, good works is not what makes a person a christian. Many non-christians do good works but only faith in Jesus as one's saviour and mediator will get one into heaven. Islam has no similar saviour or doctrine.

Yes, I will look at those links more closely later today. I noticed the first link mentioned that the Pope had ordered Catholics not to obey the British authorities but to rebel. So some of them were tried and executed for treason. There is a memorial day called Guy Fox Day in which a number of Jesuits apparently planned to blow up the British parliament but it was caught at the last minute. I believe they were executed for treason.

Islam believes in Allah which is not the same god as the christian god. In Christianity they believe in one God but God has three person Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Islam rejects that and calls it three gods, although the bible teaches it is one God in three persons. I am not sure the bible says that women's role is limited to nurturer and child raiser. Possibly. Christianity does say man direct and control women. It says they must love wife as himself. Christian bible condemns homosexuality, but doe not say the person is cannot come to God. They can repent and believe. Is there any similarity to that in Islam? Don't think there is any way to repent and receive forgiveness for anything because there is no saviour. Since there is no saviour and God is an impersonal god in Islam, there is not way to be sure of salvation. There is no mediator between God and men in Islam. In Islam one's works is what counts to try to get to heaven. In christianity and the bilbe, salvation is entirely by faith which is a gift of God.

In Medieval times, don't forget the Roman Church was the main power in the western world (Europe) at the time. It was very powerful. It controlled kings and emperors. So it had no interest in giving up any of it's power. It was not just a religious power but claimed power over all spheres. Rome sponsored Crusades when it deemed useful. Anyone or any group that did not bow to the authority of the Pope and Rome would be considered as an enemy and needed to be destroyed. Pope "Innocent also sponsored a crusade under the leadership of Simon de Montfort against the Albigenses of southern France in 1208. The Albigenses were members of a heretical sect known as the Cathari. Because they claimed their beliefs were based on the Bible, the Roman church later forbade the people to possess the Bible. The crusade got under way in 1209 and virtually exterminated the Cathari in southern France after many bloody battles. This crusade was strongly supported by both the Dominican and Franciscan orders. Heretics as well as temporal rulers had to bow to the supreme head of the Roman church." page 216 from book "Christianity Through The Centuries" by Cairns. Has Rome ever apologized for all these massacres and exterminations or taken responsibility? Of course not. They believe it was all justified because they claimed temporal authority and believed in unlimited power over the Holy Roman empire.

I found a website that describes the differences between Islam and Christianity. They are quite different. What similarity do you see? " Compared to Christianity, Islam has some similarities but significant differences. Like Christianity, Islam is monotheistic. However, Muslims reject the Trinity—that God has revealed Himself as one in three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Muslims claim that Jesus was one of the most important prophets—not God’s Son. Islam asserts that Jesus, though born of a virgin, was created like Adam. Muslims do not believe Jesus died on the cross. They do not understand why Allah would allow His prophet Isa (the Islamic word for "Jesus") to die a torturous death. Yet the Bible shows how the death of the perfect Son of God was essential to pay for the sins of believers (Isaiah 53:5-6; John 3:16; 14:6; 1 Peter 2:24). Islam teaches that the Qur'an is the final authority and the last revelation of Allah. The Bible, however, was completed in the first century with the Book of Revelation. The Bible warns against anyone adding to or subtracting from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Galatians 1:6-12; Revelation 22:18). The Qur’an, as a claimed addition to God’s Word, directly disobeys God’s command. Muslims believe that paradise can be earned through keeping the Five Pillars. The Bible, in contrast, reveals that sinful man can never measure up to the holy God (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Only by God’s grace may sinners be saved through repentant faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2:8-9). Because of these essential differences and contradictions, Islam and Christianity cannot both be true. The Bible and Qur’an cannot both be God’s Word. The truth has eternal consequences. " https://www.gotquestions.org/Islam.html

I never said Catholics were not killed in Europe's religious wars. The religious wars would have had losses of life on both sides. They were probably partly political, partly religious. But the Inquisition was a religious persecution, torture, and genocide on a large scale over a long period of time run out of the Holy Office in the Vatican. The Reformation churches in Scotland, England, the Netherlands and Germany did not conduct a church based persecution, torture, and killing of people to the best of my knowledge and I have read quite a bit over the years. I am not saying there was not the isolated case of someone being killed, but I don't believe there was any church sanctioned killing of Catholic people. When you ask about Catholics persecuted in Britain and Ireland, I have not heard of it. If you have any information or links about it, you can give the links. There was no Reformation in Ireland; Ireland remained Roman Catholic to this day, with the exception of Northern Ireland, which became partly Protestant and remained partly Roman Catholic. To find out all you have to do is Google Inquisition or Spanish Inquisition to learn more about that.

With all due respect, what you are saying is completely false. I tried to explain as much as I could but obviously you either skipped over it and ignored it or just plain are unwilling to accept a different view. Christianity and Islam are as different as night and day. There is no comparison whosoever. Who was given the vote and when women were give the vote has nothing to do with christians. Governments are made up of a cross section of society, not necessarily christian although there may be some there. Christians dont run the government. In any church I have been in the last 37 years, I have never heard anything about husbands disciplining wives or raping them. That is bizarre and false. Christians do not engage in oppressive behavior. Another false statement. You obviously know nothing about christianity or the bible. You really should do some research or talk to some christians who study the bible and know what they are talking about. Maybe a baptist or presbyterian or reformed church minister might be able to help you. Your idea that christians are oppressive shows you are completely off the track.

That is completely false. Obviously you don't know the history. ..

I wasn't intending to rehash the Reformation, but because of Dialamah's allegations, it was necessary to go into some detail in order to properly reply. That's the way it is. If someone makes a number of comments, then it often takes a long reply. No, Luther and Calvin did not kill heretics. Try googling the Inquisition and then google the Spanish Inquisition. I believe the Inquisitions went on for hundreds of years. The Spanish Inquisition was particularly brutal. There may have been tens of thousands killed; some claim millions across Europe, but I am not an expert on the numbers. Luther and Calvin were not in the business of running inquisitions or burning heretics. I have no knowledge of Calvin or Luther killing heretics except for one case in Geneva where Calvin was located. An Arminian named Servitus was executed or burned at the stake for heresy I believe. But he was not a Roman Catholic; he may have been a baptist. But don't forget the Huegenots in France. They were a Protestant sect. The Roman Catholics rose up one day and by surprise slaughtered many or most of them on the St. Bartholemews Day massacre. Then there was the Albengenses who were also wiped out. Wikipedia says: The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition (Spanish: Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition (Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms and to replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under Papal control. It became the most substantive of the three different manifestations of the wider Christian Inquisition along with the Roman Inquisition and Portuguese Inquisition. The "Spanish Inquisition" may be defined broadly, operating "in Spain and in all Spanish colonies and territories, which included the Canary Islands, the Spanish Netherlands, the Kingdom of Naples, and all Spanish possessions in North, Central, and South America." .

1. "exactly the same excuse" It's not really an excuse. It is based on the interpretation of the Bible. There has to be a basis for a religion. In christianity, the basis is the bible because the bible contains the original teachings of Christ, the central figure of christianity. If a large denomination such as the Roman church chooses not to follow the basic teachings, then that church can hardly be described as a model christian church and one on which to form a legitimate opinion of what real christianity is. Would you agree? You can't compare this situation with Islam because the problem is different. In Islam, the basis of what they believe is the Quran and Hadiths. If the Quran and Hadiths have a major teaching which is repeated throughout the writings, and 75% or 95% choose not to follow it, that does not change the fact that the teachings are still there. Would you agree? So whether the 75% say the minority are not Muslims, in the end the teachings are still there in the holy books. It depends on how one wishes to interpret them. So trying to compare christianity with Islam is like trying to compare apples and oranges. They have different sets of issues that are not comparable. Point 3. You mentioned a number of cults. These are denominations whose doctrines are contrary to the basic teachings of the bible. Most mainline churches agree on what group is a cult. So there is not much point in mentioning cults as an example. They represent only a small percentage of christendom. They are not considered as part of evangelical christendom. I think Mormonism practiced polygamy in Utah at one time, but it has been outlawed. Two men in B.C. are presently being tried in court for polygamy in a small sect in southeaster B.C. These are only a few people and do not represent the hundreds of millions of nominal christians in the world. There are no churches that practice or approve of polygamy in the world today. Yes you are correct christianity believes that a woman should be submissive to her husband. This is taught in the bible. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." Then a very important verse follows: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" Ephesians ch5 vs 22-25 But the bible also teaches christians are to be submissive to each other. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Ephesians ch5 vs 21. Wives being submissive does not mean slavery. Each partner has their role to play. Husbands must love their wives as their own body (Eph. 5:28-32) I know this is contrary to women's lib and feminism, but this is how God created man and woman. Each has a special role in marriage for the success of the family, which is the building block of society. Point 4. Yes there are some perverse things going on in Uganda and other places in the name of christianity. Personally I reject the idea of laws against homosexuals. This is a cruel and hateful system we see there. I don't know what American preachers agreed with that. I have not heard of it. There might be the odd one, but I don't think it is common. It is heretical. I don't believe most christians would agree with imprisoning or punishing homosexuals in any way. It is not the way people should be treated. I know there are some people claiming to be christian in some African countries that have some very extremist views. It is sad really.