BS: World peace possible.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: GUEST,shadygrove
Date: 05 May 04 - 11:15 PM

Does anyone remember the classic 50s sci-fi movie, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'? Klaatu managed to unite the world and bring about unity and peace -- but with the threat of overwhelming force and annihilation.
People have been at odds with each other and slaying each other long before the advent of Judaism and Christianity. My mother's people, American Indians, were constantly warring with neighboring tribes long before Christianity entered the New World.
And statistically speaking, secular or atheistic regimes, like those of Stalin, Hitler, and Pol Pot killed far more people than any religious system or regime. Human nature is the problem, not one single ideology or religion or bogeyman. 'We have met the enemy and he is us.'

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Bobert
Date: 05 May 04 - 10:31 PM

Hey, John, I am perfectly serious about the good that could come from a Department of Peace... Violent solutions are not solutions at all. They just continue the same ol' crap...

And who is it that is involved in the same ol' crap? Well, I'll tell you. Corporations that make arms. People in the Pentagon. Angry white guys. You know, the usual chicken hawk war mongers...

Now lets look at the folks who will work in the new Department of Peace. Theologians, psychologists, teachers, peace owrkers, therapists that deal with conflict management, advertising folks and maybe a few good used car salesman. You know, peace could actually become fashionable. Heck, Bog Macs are sold all over the world...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: beardedbruce
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:41 PM

Most present Buddhists are peaceful, and non-violent. But when dealing with imperfect human beings, all religions can justify some violence, against "heretics" at the very least.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: GUEST,John O'Lennaine
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:20 PM

Sorry, my mistake.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: robomatic
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:18 PM

GUEST John

"1984" was writ by George Orwell (Eric Blair) circa 1948.

H. G. Welles wrote "The World Set Free" very early in the 20th century in which he predicted the possibility of nuclear weapons uniting the world.

bearded bruce you interest me, I am not up on my Buddhist history. Thank you for dashing that last tenuous hope I had that any religion was worth a farthing.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: GUEST,John O'Lennaine
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:14 PM

Bobert,
That idea comes from H.G.Welles' book "1984", in which the Ministry For Peace had the responsibility for overseeing the war effort.
I'm hoping you are joking, but if what you say is true, it's the scariest thing I've read in a long time.

I think El Greko has hit the nail on the head.
The teachings of both Buddha and Jesus were hijacked and turned into something completely different before the boys were cold in their graves.

John

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: beardedbruce
Date: 05 May 04 - 08:46 PM

robomatic: Like the ones between monestaries, over points of doctrine? Yes, I have.

Almost all religions SOUND good- but one must judge them by the actions of those who are members.




Luke 22:36.... God wants armed nudests!

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Bobert
Date: 05 May 04 - 08:43 PM

Well, there is this fantastic idea that Dennis Kucinich, who just happenes to still be a candidate for president of the US, has come up with: a Department of Peace!!!

Yeah, as the world's only super power, what better way to lead?

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: robomatic
Date: 05 May 04 - 08:41 PM

Buddhism is looking better and better.....
You ever hear of a Buddhist holy war?

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: pdq
Date: 05 May 04 - 08:34 PM

dianavan...most people prefer "cute" or "funny" over "mean" or "hateful". You seem to be unaware how nasty you are.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: dianavan
Date: 05 May 04 - 07:07 PM

El Greko - Obviously, you have gained much from your own religion. I absolutely agree that peace begins at home, your neighborhood and your community.

brucie and pdq are just being rude because they have nothing else to say. They get alot of mileage out of being class clowns. You know, if you have nothing meaningful to contribute, just say something cute or funny so people don't think you're just plain stupid.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: pdq
Date: 05 May 04 - 06:56 PM

Zen Cowboy:

Omm

Omm



















Range

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Peace
Date: 05 May 04 - 06:39 PM

Omm

Omm

Omm

Omm

Omm

Omm

Omm

Omm

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 05 May 04 - 04:06 PM

In my kind, it is not religion, or system or government, that is making a peaceful world hard to achieve, but it is rather down to people, whether individually or collectively.

A religion, or system or government, may have teachings, or rules, that are benevolent. But it is its adherents that give it interpretations that suit their ends. And it is individuals that will call on their "god" willy-nilly to justify their actions - from crazed serial killers to leaders of nations, but individuals all the same. And it is individuals that will allow themselves to be led into a mob that lynches/condemns collectively.

That is why it is useless to condemn a religion (as in "a set of beliefs") based on the actions of its followers. It is an easy way of pigeonholing people we don't know, but it achieves little in our effort to improve things, because it focuses our efforts on eradicating/controlling/amending a system, and away from the need to improve people.

Every religion, and every system of government, has evil people purporting to be its followers. No exceptions, not even in the most overtly "pacifist" of systems. Evil has no religion and no country.

The only way to address the problem is to improve people's education levels. It takes effort, money and time. And it is often a thankless task, because human greed will always be there to cut through all the learning for its own aims. But education is still the only effective tool.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: dianavan
Date: 05 May 04 - 03:39 PM

Amergin is right - "Most of those so called religious wars (like the crusades) were really thin disguises for greed....because those in power coveted something that some one else had...like gold or land...war is based on greed and as long as one person remains alive there will be some one who covets something that belongs to some one else...and so violence will ensue."

You must admit, however, that the churches have been the instruments the governments use to control the people. Another divide and conquer strategy.

I think this started when the Frankish Kings could not bring Southern France under their control. They enlisted the help of the Vatican. Thus the slaughter of heretics began. It wasn't about religion, it was about controlling trade.

Whoever gains control of trade is the winner.

This explains the symbolism of the World Trade Center?

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Megan L
Date: 05 May 04 - 02:51 PM

Hey LH you wouldn't be so in favour of the nude bomb if you lived this far north. If anyone ever tells you the celts were blue because they painted themselves with woad don't believe them just you try fighting in the buff in Scotland all cheaks end up blue.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 05 May 04 - 12:09 PM

Ah, LH, you can always be counted on to take it to the next level!..xx..e

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 May 04 - 12:03 PM

Well, I'm peaceful and so are my friends. That's a start.

I think the nude bomb was a neat idea. It makes everyone's clothing vanish but doesn't harm anything else. People wouldn't take leaders like Sharon, Saddam, Bush and Cheney so seriously if they were naked. The nude bomb would be problematical during cold weather, though, so maybe not.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 05 May 04 - 11:41 AM

Amen to that..xx..e

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Pied Piper
Date: 05 May 04 - 11:37 AM

I think we should asses religions not on what they say they believe, but how there aderants behave.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: el ted
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:32 AM

A few nukes in the right places would settle things down. But what ever happened to those lovely neutron bombs that desroy living tissue but would leave buildings intact? They sound ideal!

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Amergin
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:26 AM

Most of those so called religious wars (like the crusades) were really thin disguises for greed....because those in power coveted something that some one else had...like gold or land...war is based on greed and as long as one person remains alive there will be some one who covets something that belongs to some one else...and so violence will ensue.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: GUEST,Shlio
Date: 05 May 04 - 08:29 AM

So is growing wings...technically. Can't see that coming, either.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 05 May 04 - 07:24 AM

Thank you for clarifying, Pied Piper, and I have to say I'm sadly in agreement about this. So much can be laid at the door of religion in it's divisiveness. Not just the religions which have built-in laws that can too easily be highjacked and interpreted as calls to arms against others not of their "faith" but the hierarchal structures themselves which breed a desire for power and territory above and certainly beyond the needs of their religious constituants.

How can we become a peaceful species when we set up so many barriers to our understanding of our similarities rather than our differences?..xx..e

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Pied Piper
Date: 05 May 04 - 07:03 AM

Sorry for leaping to inccorect asumptions about your beliefs.
I'm not actually worried about God, it's his minions here on earth that scare the shit out of me.
My suggestion wasn't a serious one but without these centers of the judao-cristian-muslim God maybe they'd come to their sensess.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 05 May 04 - 06:50 AM

Whose god are you referring to? Can't be mine, since I don't believe in one. And your statements are exactly why not. Seems that the idea of a human being made in the image of such a ruthless character as you so well described is exactly why we have little chance of becoming a peaceful species.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Pied Piper
Date: 05 May 04 - 06:12 AM

Actually I've never murdered anyone unlike your god whose crimes against humanity are manifest.
Lets take a little look at the record shall we?
Sodom and Gomorrah
Lots wife
Drowning the whole of humanity apart form a handful of your mates.
Killing all the Egyptian first born.

This homophobic genocidal child-killing misogynist makes Adolph Hitler look like nice guy.
The sooner we get rid the better

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 05 May 04 - 05:56 AM

Pied Piper and Amergin, you are living breathing examples of why the title of this thread will never come to pass.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Pied Piper
Date: 05 May 04 - 05:50 AM

I don't know what targets Amergin had in mind but the Vatican, Jerusalem, and Mecca would be a good start.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 05 May 04 - 04:40 AM

I like the concept, beardedbruce! Thank you, you gave me another perspective.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: beardedbruce
Date: 05 May 04 - 04:16 AM

Visualize whirled peas.

The world is ( fairly) peaceful- it is all of us humans who keep the fighting going.... As soon as everyone else gives up, we will have world peace. Not sure I would want to be here for it, though... Will it be majority rule? I don't know Chinese.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 05 May 04 - 04:12 AM

Aaahhhh...There goes another flying pig!

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Ebbie
Date: 05 May 04 - 02:57 AM

But Amergin, I don't want the USA to be nuked.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Amergin
Date: 04 May 04 - 11:30 PM

Of course it is possible...a few nukes in the right places around the globe...no more war....ever.

Subject: RE: BS: World peace possible.
From: Megan L
Date: 04 May 04 - 05:47 PM

:-)

Subject: BS: World peace possible.
From: GUEST,earthling
Date: 04 May 04 - 05:39 PM

http://domania.us/bcoff43/more_riverdance.html   

You may have seen this, or maybe not. Enjoy it if you haven't.