Why is the The Dome of the Rock sacred?

[edhopper]

Cause that's where Abraham almost killed him a son.

Yes, dying over a fairy tale.

Almost as silly as the Church where in Jesus took his three day nap.

[HopeAgain]

1. I know, religion is almost as stupid as patriotism, right?

Think of all the Americans who were wounded and died in Irag because they thought they were being good patriots by fighting in a nonsensical war.

[edhopper]

3. Oh,

I would say religion is much stupider than patriotism.

You think falling for lies about 9-11 is the same as fighting for a myth from 3000 years ago?

America realized Iraq was a big mistake quickly. When are the believers going to realize Abraham didn't exist and killing and dying for a rock is isane.

[HopeAgain]

9. Actually yes, I do think it is the same

And dying for a cause that doesn't even make sense is also insane.

[edhopper]

14. I think we only disagree

on degree of bad and stupidity, but not both having a negative impact.

[trotsky]

5. You mean the Iraq War that god told George Bush to wage?

That one?

[HopeAgain]

8. God?

George Bush didn't wage war in Iraq because God told him to. Religion can't be blamed for everything.

[Voltaire2]

10. He said he was told by god to go invade Iraq.

Why shouldn’t I consider that as valid a religious statement as any other?

[trotsky]

15. Yes, he did.

That's what he said.

I'm not blaming religion for everything, I'm noting the religious component of the Iraq War, which you wanted to totally absolve religion from any responsibility for.

I'm saying it most definitely played a role. Do you disagree?

[FiveGoodMen]

18. God's "representatives" cleared it for him, though

The Southern Baptist Convention officially blessed Dubya's war.

Said god would approve.

[mountain grammy]

11. Yeah that one.

With the Bible references engraved on the made in America weapons used by our good Christian soldiers. Yes, religion was a factor in 9/11 and so was the response.

[3Hotdogs]

12. The Iraq war was worth it. We Won! The smoking cloud never got turned into a mushroom gun.

And besides, Sadam was a bad man!

[dameatball]

2. The sad thing is that some people in that era probably really did kill their sons. My opinion.

[edhopper]

4. Could be

but did they talk to God beforehand?

[dameatball]

7. I would think so. Their "God" covers a lot of territory.

Human sacrifice in some cultures has been practiced. I can't quite put myself into that position of wondering what people thought when it was their own who were being sacrificed. How does anyone make a decision like that? Or...maybe it ws thrust upon them....more likely.

[trotsky]

6. Hell, people in THIS era have killed their children because they thought god told them to.

With the story of Abraham planted in their minds, it gives them justification to believe the voices.

And that's just tragic.

[3Hotdogs]

13. Yeah, we read about the wankers who killed their kids, getting the devil out of them.

And it worked. The Devil ain't in them no more. He's now in the White House.

[edhopper]

16. we went off the rails a little here

but that's fine and usually brings up other things of interest.

But what do people think of my original point, that this "holy site", one for which wars are fought, is believed to be the actual location for a fairy tale from the bible?

[MineralMan]

17. Well, it's silliness, of course.

Even assuming that the incident in question actually occurred, which seems very unlikely, knowing where it occurred seems impossible. So, they picked a rock and commemorate an event that probably never occurred at that place.

Same thing with the church standing where Jesus was supposed to have been entombed. Nobody knows that to be the place. That's impossible. So, they pick a place and just say that's it.

It has been estimated that if all the relics of the "true cross" on which that supposed person were supposedly executed were gathered together, you could build a small house with them.

So little is true that is thought to be true that it calls into question whether any of it is even close to being true. And for all that, countless people have died. What a shame!

[lindysalsagal]

19. It's where the Great Pumpkin delivers the unicorns to earth. From the YGREDTKSVK universe.

Honest. Would I lie to you?

[edhopper]

20. you never lied to me

before.

[lindysalsagal]

21. I'm lying right now

[edhopper]

22. I believe you are

since you always tell the truth.

[lindysalsagal]

23. How would you know???

Can you see through the internet? What am I wearing?

[edhopper]

24. Anyone who admits they lie

must be telling the truth.

[Iggo]

25. Nothing's sacred. (n/t)

[DetlefK]

26. Derp-derp-derp. Let's laugh about those stupid theists. Derp-derp-derp.

[edhopper]

27. So you think people

who kill over fables should be respected?

[DetlefK]

29. I think, atheists can do better than behaving like condescending and arrogant you-know-what.

"Haha, they are so stupid! Let's laugh at them!"

Very mature.

[edhopper]

32. And what should we do about people

with ludicrous ideas?

let them write school curriculum, like they are in Texas and Arizona?

[NeoGreen]

34. "behaving like condescending and arrogant you-know-what"...

...yeah, I know what: condescending and arrogant individuals who are willfully deluded with theological fantasies.

In an era swimming with free and accurate and collaborated information on the state of the world and universe and humanity's place in it all, unlike no other time or place in human history, these condescending, arrogant and deluded individuals revert to ideas and concepts that are so anachronistic and backward, that anyone alive today who doesn't loudly and voraciously condemn these bronze-age fantasies with every intellectual tool available, whether it be logic, reason, humor, ridicule or simple condescension, should be, and should not be surprised to be, harshly judged by future generations.

[Cartoonist]

28. So what should we do?

We can't beat sense into them. We can't go along with their silliness. Can we stop them from killing each other? You think we haven't tried? All that's left is to laugh at them.

[stopbush]

31. One can respect the right of people to believe whatever they will

while at the same time holding in utter contempt those same beliefs.

Whenever someone says we need to respect religious beliefs I ask if we must also respect political beliefs. Are Ds really expected to respect the political beliefs that drive RW policies? Didn’t think so.

[Iggo]

33. Thanks, I will.

Was gonna anyway.

[stopbush]

30. Why is anything sacred? Because fantasy trumps reality when it comes to religion.

Pretty simple. It’s all make believe, and it can mean whatever one wants it to mean.