Conventional wisdom suggests that the antidote to religious fundamentalism is more secularism. That’s a very big mistake. The best response to bad religion is better religion, not secularism.

I was thinking as I was listening to Karen Armstrong on public radio, that we need a big dose of “bring it on” as far as religious debate goes in this country. Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, do not speak for all Christians. In fact, I would argue that they are not Christian-like themselves by their daily actions and how they speak ill of others. They want to be Superior. They want their dogma. If that ain’t anti-Christian.

And O’Reilly has to cut this baloney out.

Comment by Wayne A. Schneider — April 15, 2006 @ 11:49 pm

Well said Wayne! I think there’s little that’s more sobering to one vet than the logical words of another. Hopefully this one is no expection and he’ll hear you.

It appears someone took the time to check into O’Reilly’s claims of how many viewers he gets, and it seems that Mr. O’Reilly is not being accurate. (Now there’s a surprise!)

http://www.oreilly-sucks.com/politics/cablenewsratings.htm

And as an atheist, registered Independent voter and five-year veteran of the US Air Force, I agree with what unbelievable said in the prior post. Do yourself a favor and stop believing ANYTHING O’Reilly says, because more often than not, he’s full of shit. And the people you clearly support in power are ruining what this country is all about. You want to serve your country again despite your physical inability? Write to your Representative and demand he or she support impeaching both the President and Vice President. To continue to supprt either of them is to spit on the Constitution we both took an oath to support and defend. President Bush and Vice President Cheney (who once shot a 78-year-old man in the face) are enemies of that Constitution.

Comment by Uncle Togarma — April 15, 2006 @ 10:23 pm

Well said Uncle!

Elohim. Occurring about twenty-five hundred times in the OT, Elohim is one of three common generic names for deity in the OT. The term is plural and on occasion means ‘gods’ (e.g., Exod. 20:3), but most often it is a plural of majesty for Israel’s ‘God’ (e.g., Gen. 1:1). Unlike the term El, Elohim is not found in other Semitic languages. While originally possessing polytheistic associations, Israelite theologians transformed the meaning of the term and used it to refer to God. While the name was used in most traditions, periods, and regions, it was especially favored in Northern Israel.

Eloah. The second generic name for deity in the OT is Eloah (Heb., ‘God’), though it is found only fifty-seven times, the great majority of which occur in Job. The poet of Job may have used this generic word for God to avoid the specific Israelite conceptions of covenant and salvation history associated with the name Yahweh. Job, a part of wisdom literature, prefers to speak of the universal dominion of creation theology.

El. Occurring more than two hundred times in the OT (including compounds), El (Heb., ‘god’) is the common Semitic name for deity in ancient Near Eastern cultures. Every divine being was properly designated by this generic name. El is also the name of the head of the pantheon of Ugarit, however. As creator and father of the gods, El possessed the authority of the divine decree that ordered the world of gods and humans. Polytheism and the worship of El were major components of both Canaanite and Israel’s ancestral religions. In the settlement of Canaan, the tribes of Israel began to assimilate Canaanite religious centers and associate those religious traditions with Yahweh, the one who liberated them from Egypt.

El Shaddai. According to P (Exod. 6:3), El Shaddai (Heb., ‘God, the One of the Mountain[s]’) was worshiped by the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the mythologies of the ancient Near East, gods often resided on a cosmic mountain that was the center of the earth. Shaddai came to be identified with El, the head of the Canaanite pantheon, and then with Yahweh (Exod. 6:3; Ezek. 1:24). The lxx translated Shaddai ‘Almighty.’ Thus many English Bibles translate El Shaddai as ‘God Almighty.’

El Elyon. El Elyon (Heb., ‘God Most High’), originally a compound for the high god El, was worshiped in Jerusalem before David’s conquest (ca. 1000 b.c.). In Genesis 14, Melchizedek is the priest-king of Jerusalem who blesses Abraham in the name of ‘God Most High, Maker of Heaven and Earth,’ the ‘God who gave Abraham’s enemies into his power. In J’s rendition of this story, El Elyon is identified with Yahweh. After the Israelite takeover of Jerusalem, the El Elyon tradition is associated with Yahweh (Ps. 47:2-3).

El Olam. El Olam (Heb., ‘God of Eternity’) was the Canaanite god of Beersheba. After this religious center was incorporated into Israelite religion, the title came to designate Yahweh (Gen. 21:33).

El Berith. El Berith (Heb., ‘God of the Covenant’) was the Canaanite god of Shechem (Judg. 9:46). In Joshua 24 the Deuteronomic historians placed the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem following the conquest of Canaan. In the D history the covenant became the basis for the tribal league during the period of the Judges (eleventh century b.c.).

El Roi. El Roi (Heb., ‘The God of Seeing/Divination’) was a localized deity of a sacred spring (Beer-la-hai-roi) whose water sustained Hagar in the desert and inspired her to see a divine vision (Gen. 16:13-14). J connects this story with Yahweh, who promises Hagar a son (Ishmael) who will have many descendants.

In summary, the local Canaanite gods and El, the head of the pantheon, were worshiped in sanctuaries eventually taken over by Israel. Canaanite religious traditions were eventually applied to Yahweh. In this theological process, Yahweh, the God of liberation from Egyptian slavery, merged with Canaanite gods, including the high god El, who legitimated a stratified social system of city-states ruled by local dynasts. This combination provided the critical tension that characterized Israelite religious expression throughout the OT.

Social Titles for God: The changing social constructions of Israel also provided important titles for God.

Adonai. Adonai (Heb., ‘My Great Lord’) is a plural of majesty derived from the singular Adon (Heb., ‘lord’), a title of respect used to address a social superior (e.g., king, husband, slave owner). In the postexilic period, Adonai came to replace the name Yahweh in common worship because of the increasing sanctity associated with the latter name (e.g., Job 28:28).

Baal. Baal (Heb., ‘lord’) is a title designating a social superior (e.g., leader, owner, husband). In Canaanite religion, Baal is the name of the storm god of fertility who brought rain and military victory. This god rivaled Yahweh for Israel’s devotion, as especially noted in prophetic literature (e.g., Hosea). While certain theomorphic names may indicate that some Israelites identified Baal with Yahweh (e.g., Meribbaal, the son of Jonathan), the term was generally avoided because of strong pagan associations (cf. Hos. 2:16-17).

Royal Titles. The political matrix of Israel and other ancient Near Eastern cultures provided a host of titles and images for God. Among the more important are royal titles: king (Ps. 95:3), judge (Gen. 18:25), and shepherd (Ps. 23). These titles signified God’s position and function as ruler over Israel.

Family Titles. Other important titles derived from the Israelite family, including father (Deut. 32:6), brother (Ahijah: Heb., ‘brother of Yahweh,’ 1 Sam. 14:3), kinsman (‘kinsman [fear] of Isaac,’ Gen. 31:42), and redeemer (Ps. 19:14). These titles may have originated in patriarchal religion where the personal deity of the head of the clan became the protector of the group (‘The God of My Father,’ Exod. 3:6). The ‘redeemer’ was the next of kin responsible for delivering the relative from hard times (Lev. 25:25). While God is not explicitly called ‘mother’ or ‘sister,’ the OT does use female images to speak of God. God is depicted as mother who conceives, bears, and gives birth to Israel (Num. 11:12; Deut. 32:18) and as midwife (Ps. 22:9-10). These images demonstrate that the OT does not limit and confine God to the masculine gender
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Basically people have been at War, of one form or another, for what appears to be the same ‘GOD’ for thousands of years Now.

Intelligent Beings my ASS.

You are clearly retarded, and as a general rule, I don’t argue with severly brain damaged megalomanics. Go change your diaper. It’s stinking up the room.

——
I understand AL. The Dominionists are the Falwell, Robertson, Rushdoonies. The Neo-Cons, such as Wolfowitz, Feith, Perle, follow a Hegelian Ideology where a societies religion is used as a means of control. Wolfowitz is a Straussian. Often the Straussians are called Lie-o-cons becasue they lie with intent. Grouper doesn’t seem to understand ‘Hegelian’

That means watch this hand over here Grouper I am performing a magic trick, mean while I kick you in the Nads cause you aint looking.
Thats Hegelian Neo-Cons. Liars.

You have managed in one paragraph to both acknowledge and avow your inability to comprehend and state in a clear and concise manner your thoughts. Maybe Prozac would be in order to correct your thought process.

Neo-Cons are from past likes such as Jean Kirkpatrick, whom flipped parties.
Grouper the ‘Liberal’ DUPE!

Damage to this country? For your information, I was defending this country long before you had the opportunity to express your distasteful opinion, or becomes a glob in a sperm count. My honorable service to this country was exemplified by Duty, Honor, and Country, and if I were physically able, I would be serving her again.

The number of seditious liberals in this country is truly shameful, and when it comes to defending this nation, the majority of citizens realize they cannot trust a liberal with national defense. Your ilk continually blusters about nonsensical and unworkable solutions such as “defining root causes”, and “understanding the enemies rage.”

As we demonstrated in WWII, just kill the sons-of-bitches and let God sort it all out later. Thankfully, the nation doesn’t have to depend on a person such as yourself and others in your shameful mold. Pussies one and all!

Comment by Grouper — April 15, 2006 @ 1:58 pm

You obviously don’t get out much. His ratings have been declining. No matter how much you pray or lie to yourself, like just about everything your religion and Republican Party have been doing to damage this country. Go back to using your head as a door stop. It was more effective there.