Yet you did. Then you tell me that there is no point trying to engage with me.
There it is again, playing the man. And I said, "not much point". So there is some point.
You're a scientist, so you'll understand the distinction between, "no point and not much point".
I responded because you drop these little comments to nobody in particular, that most people choose to ignore and I thought that maybe somebody should at least try to engage with you.
. . . . instead I chose to make a statement in the form of a question. Suggestive rhetoric, if you like.
Suggestion is the purpose of rhetoric. You posed a question and I responded to with an answer. I thought about your question and responded to the best of my limited ability. You could have shown some respect by forgetting about a few clumsy bits that got up your nose and answered with something more than a snide comment. Which you have now done superbly, thank you.
Now, humans are violet, divided and have lived in conflict since the dawn of time. We used to eat each other. Indigenous tribes had no problem totally wiping out other tribes if they got the ascendancy. Tribes have been constantly at war, so why single out religion. Religion has played the long game of subduing the violent nature of humans and I believe has been the major force in bringing the world as it is today to the most peaceful time in world history.
As far as the Bible is concerned, it represents perhaps four or five very different religions. Several in the OT and one in the NT. Those religions were developed in an extremely violent age so they reflect the times. They are not the only model of religion. They are religions for a time and a place and a people. They are religions unsuited to this version of the world, they have served their purpose. They are thousands of years old.
If you want to take on a religion then I suggest you rip into the Baha'i Faith, because this is a religion that can very ably defend itself. It is the newest version of religion and still represents all the religions that went before it. This religion embraces science, logic, reason, has no problem consulting experts outside its membership, encourages the individual to challenge all truths, even its own.
So this is the religion that you should try to pull the wings off because the other religions are long past their used by date.
As for Paul, I'm not a fan. Jesus said, Simon I call you Peter and upon this rock I will build my church. A statement of fact and a lovely play on words and yet the church was built upon the teachings of Paul. So just like Islam, Christianity started to fall apart right at the beginning. Much of the problems with Christianity today can be traced to Paul. But this was 2,000 years ago. The world has spun a few times since then.
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