Christianity ruins families.

[Elok]

The Word has far more emotion and mystical in it than how a lot of Christians and non-Christians tend see it (though props to the Orthodox Church, which has always embraced the mysticism of God).

Awesome, somebody here appreciates us!

I think calling BK a bigot is an oversimplification. While he certainly qualifies, the word implies a blind rage, while the impression his posts give off is one of deliberate, carefully considered ignorance. There are no doubt many facets to his personality, but the part responsible for his most loathed behaviors appears to be a deep submissive streak; he is simply uncomfortable with the idea of thinking and acting on his own behalf, so like some sort of deranged ronin-philosopher he latches onto his ideology for mutual defense. It's only a partly-formed theory of mine, but it would explain his curious detachment from consistency and basic sense, not to mention the lack of shame.

Now stop arguing with him, all of you. You're just making yourselves look ridiculous.

[Al B. Sure!]

Oh yeah and Ben, would you care to share with Apolyton the consequences of not paying "Peter's Pence"? Tithing was MANDATORY in Christian Europe. You would get killed if you did not pay God's due!

[Al B. Sure!]

Muslim in Islamic lands... pay Zakat at 2.5%
Christian in Islamic lands... pay Jizya (less than pre-Islamic tax rate), avoid military service

Christian in Christian lands... pay 10% of year's product (agricultural or crafts)
Muslim in Christian lands... N/A

Simple.

enlightening fact on Jizya...

It seemed, however, that from the economic point of view, it did not constitute a heavy imposition, since it was on a sliding scale, approximately one, two, and four dinars, and thus adjusted to the financial capacity of the taxpayer

The Jizya was a progressive tax even!

[EPW]

Umm, just the opposite. They are arguing that the death penalty was misused wrt to the albigenesians.

“The death penalty was, indeed, inflicted too freely on the Albigenses, but it must be remembered that the penal code of the time was considerably more rigorous than ours.”

moral relativism.

[duke o' york]

Only having read the first page, I'd like to ignore everything that has been said since, but to wish Imran all the best with his girlfriend. She must be really something.

[Al B. Sure!]

Only having read the first page, I'd like to ignore everything that has been said since, but to wish Imran all the best with his girlfriend. She must be really something.

Everything since then will only infuriate you.

[duke o' york]

That's why I didn't read it.

[giblets]

Awesome, somebody here appreciates us!

I think calling BK a bigot is an oversimplification. While he certainly qualifies, the word implies a blind rage, while the impression his posts give off is one of deliberate, carefully considered ignorance. There are no doubt many facets to his personality, but the part responsible for his most loathed behaviors appears to be a deep submissive streak; he is simply uncomfortable with the idea of thinking and acting on his own behalf, so like some sort of deranged ronin-philosopher he latches onto his ideology for mutual defense. It's only a partly-formed theory of mine, but it would explain his curious detachment from consistency and basic sense, not to mention the lack of shame.

Now stop arguing with him, all of you. You're just making yourselves look ridiculous.

He doesn't care about truth. That's why he buys into fairy tales for adults, psychological drugs and disapproval of people who are different from him. It makes him happy. He's some sort of hedonist.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Please lets not argue with the person who believes the Crusades were justified, the United States didn't conquer Native American lands, and that Israel's claims over its land are ok because, basically, they exterminated the prior inhabitants...

Saying that, it's hard to pick the interesting posts...

Plomp - that post involving the conversation you had with the Muslim was just wonderful.

Ozzy - thanks for the well wishes. I know its early, but its just something that I can feel is not going to change soon.

Elok - Yay Orthodox mysticism . I think most denominations (if not all) have something to teach us.

duke o'york - she is . It's why I'm planning to marry her.

[SlowwHand]

You forgot one. Sloww, , on general principles.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I must have missed your posts in the Ben-gribbler-Al B Sure sparring match .

[Al B. Sure!]

Sparring match?

Here's gribbler and me:


Here's Ben:

[rah]

You have moved the goal posts multiple times, and backpedaled quite a bit, and now we're at the point of you arguing with me over the definition of "whitewashing".

Standard Ben debate. You can expect no less. Eventually he makes one good point and declares victory after being an idiot on the previous 100 points.

[Elok]

When did he make a good point? Seriously, I'm not just being snarky, I genuinely can't recall such an event.

[rah]

In this thread, not yet. He's only had just over a 100 posts. Give him another 100 and eventually he'll say something totally out of context like 2+2 = 4 and then crow that no one can dispute it and he must be right about everything else.