There are fewer Christians in the European Parliament

oh I see.....dreadfully sorry.....we're being pedantic are we....I'll try again then shall I....you must be all of a quizzer now after your banal little self-righteous smuggly written comment.....I was actually being kind to you but hey....

lad, the bible is merely a book...it's a collection of allegories and references and prayers etc etc...for some it's a book pertaining to faith for others its scripture, the interpretation of ones association with it is up to them....what the f**k is there for science to "debunk" when it doesn't pretend to be bunked......the Bible is a cannon of books to which one defers to the people that read the book to decide what it's purpose is and what place it holds in their lives. As you may or may not know there are in fact scientists who are Christians...I assume you didn't know that....real live functioning mathematicians and physicists who go to church.....guess what....they appreciate (which seems to have passed you rather swifty by) the difference between and articles of faith and the scientific method.

..what a telling comment...the dull and ignorant are just so absolutely right....and everyone else is just so absolutely wrong.....

My favorite colour is blue....use science to debunk that....

 

...you might want to work on your people skills and try not to be such a knobend next time...

 

No. I was right – you are wrong. It’s as simple as that and nothing pedantic about it.

What’s that got to do with me? So, in your intro you admit you were wrong but now you’ve already reverted back to, well .. whatever this “I can’t be wrong” self-pampering reply of yours is.

There is nothing wrong with my people skills. NOTE that it isn't me who needs to express myself with words such as "f**k" and to falsely accuse me of lack of "appreciation". That sort of manner of speaking would be you, not me. I treat everyone on an individual basis. You were wrong and I told you why you were wrong (very important) in a manner you deserved. As I said before, “It’s as simple as that”. Perhaps you are feeling a sting over the fact that you were left behind despite English not being my first language ...... and you are taking it personally. But then why do you persist in making the very same mistake again? Is it gluttony for punishment that keeps you off the rails?

 

....ah bless you heart lad.........it's not that complicated a response to your post....have another go.....

 

I don't know who you think you are fooling but I'm not one of them.

 

....excellent....splendid....all good....

... so I'll expect your thoughts to the points made will I? Your scientific considerations......

 

just to remind you....

off you go....

 

It isn't a question of Christianity or some other religion or nothing,
but nihilism is the core of a group of philosophies, and it isn't just nothing.

Existential nihilism might have been ultimately the core belief of Adolf Hitler and
appears to be the core belief of the Biden Administration,

One thing both have in common is a hatred of everything, which may seem
an odd attitude to life, both want to fight every country they care about, and
everyone they meet.

It would be an improvement if they gave control over to someone who had a
positive vision for the future.

 

Just because a person or group claims to be Christian doesn't make it so, and
the false religious are usually easy to spot:

Matt 7.15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

No, I will not attempt to justify all decisions made at the top level in the Church
of England.

 

It would be nice if the majority of Christians cared about the planet, no
not the amount of CO2 but the people who live on it.

Like if the US weapons makers want to supply over a million 155mm
shells, and those are really big, and for a country to use them
and blow up a lot of the country and kill half a million people,
to make a point that every country has a right to join NATO,
just to make a point,

then it would be really nice if some Christians, even bishops
high up in the Anglican, Episcopal and Methodist churches
would put a bit of effort into working out what would be
right and what would be a humane and helpful sort of
way out of the problem instead of following the established
tradition of always voting for war.

 

I am a Christian and a Methodist and I don't support the war in Ukraine, a point I've made several times on this forum.

 

If you disagree with the United Methodist Council of Bishops that's great, because so do I.

 

Hi mswan, I would be interested in any comments you have on the following statement that appears to be authorized by The Council of Bishops - the spiritual leadership of the entire United Methodist Church - currently the largest Methodist denomination in the USA:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UMC bishops call for peace in Ukraine
2/24/2022 - Bishop News Ministries

A pastoral letter from Bishop Alsted in light of the tragic events in Ukraine

Bishop Christian Alsted, who serves in the Central Conference that consists of Nordic, Baltic and Eurasian countries, including Russia and Ukraine, is offering a profound pastoral word on the crisis in Ukraine.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." – John 14:27

There is war in Europe. Russia has invaded Ukraine, which is a free independent democracy.
War and violence are evil and always entail considerable human costs. The Christian message points to the path of reconciliation and never to war and violence, as a solution to conflicts.
In the face of this evil, we pray for a logic different from the one based on geopolitical competition. We pray for a change of hearts and minds of leaders, we pray for de-escalation and dialogue instead of violence and war.

The Social Principles of the Methodist Church say: “We deplore war and urge the peaceful settlement of all disputes among nations. From the beginning, the Christian conscience has struggled with the harsh realities of violence and war, for these evils clearly frustrate God’s loving purposes for humankind. We yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice.

Our central conference consists of Nordic, Baltic and Eurasian countries, including Russia and Ukraine. The Christian Church is not nationalistic and our relations with our brothers and sisters in other countries are not limited by nationality or culture. We have deep relations with Methodists in Ukraine and in Russia, and although we are influenced by our culture and the political realities, we must never allow this to hinder or break our unity in Christ.

We stand with the United Methodists in Ukraine in prayer for protection, reconciliation and peace. We pray for pastors, leaders and congregations in the United Methodist Church in Ukraine; may God grant that their witness of reconciliation and peace will bring strength and hope to the Ukrainian people.

We pray for Bishop Eduard Khegay, bishop of both Russia and Ukraine, may God give him the wisdom and grace that he needs in his ministry and leadership under these challenging circumstances.

In the Nordic and Baltic episcopal area, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all have borders with Russia, and in addition, Latvia and Lithuania have borders with Belarus. In the Baltic states, in particular, the invasion of Ukraine causes great concern.

The United Methodists in the Nordic countries stand with the Methodists in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in prayer for protection and peace. May the Church's testimony of reconciliation and peace in Christ offer hope and strength to the people in the Baltic countries.

In the coming week we will enter the season of Lent, which in the church is a time for prayer and soul-searching. I call on all our congregations to intercede for the people of Ukraine, and for the leaders in the world, who have the power to bring an end to war. I call on all our congregations to pray and fast for reconciliation and peace in the world. May God, in His grace, open our eyes to the things that make for peace, may He protect us all from the escalation and spreading of war, and may we follow Him on His path of truth and peace.

May Christ have mercy on us all,
Bishop Christian Alsted

 

Hi mswan,

I gave the whole context because they tend to do that on PF, but I really want a
comment or two on the opening paragraph:

There is war in Europe. Russia has invaded Ukraine, which is a free independent democracy.
War and violence are evil and always entail considerable human costs. The Christian message points to the path of reconciliation and never to war and violence, as a solution to conflicts.
In the face of this evil, we pray for a logic different from the one based on geopolitical competition. We pray for a change of hearts and minds of leaders, we pray for de-escalation and dialogue instead of violence and war.

- kindest regards

 

It certainly looks that way, but I'd suggest as the graph line of mainstream Christianity heads
ever downward, that some kind of religion is needed to give life meaning and to allow society
to function, so I'd suggest there is a limit to how far religion in total can decline before society
needs to repair and it goes back up.

 

The 'secular' decline has been due I would suggest to the national churches of the respective
nations in Europe giving unreliable advice to their congregations in WW1 - telling the British to
kill Germans, and the Germans to kill the French and British, sort of like a rooster fight but a lot
worse.

And they're doing the same thing right now on this side, the US in particular is egging on Congress
to send more weapons to Ukraine, and Ukraine is sending more people (males 18 to 60, and a
bit either side) in to battle, only to destroy themselves on Russian defenses.

Having lost nearly all of their congregations in England, I would hope the Anglican/Episcopal
Churches would think before deciding to back any side in the fight and to do some real strategizing
before announcing which side they back. But in 2022 but they just did it seat of the pants, believing
the media, so I have zero sympathy for them, making the very same mistake as in WW1.

If their congregations wither away into nothing it's because the church completely failed to notice
they were shepherding their flocks off a cliff, again.