[Vision2020] Religious Diversity Education

Luke lukenieuwsma@softhome.net
Fri, 30 May 2003 23:45:26 -0700


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Mr. Arnold,

>Since all "religions" not faiths are based on human creation, would you =
then not say that all religions >are false?

It depends on how you define religion. If you mean man-invented truths, =
moral codes, and theologies written down without inspiration from the =
superior Being, (a def. which excludes Christianity), then yes. By that =
definition, Christianity would be a faith, not a religion.

>You seem to contradict yourself with the following two statements:

>"But you could say the same about numerous issues on which people hold =
opinionated and inflexible >views: gay marriage, the death penalty, the =
war in Iraq, topless women. Why waste time discussing >these issues when =
it is rarely anyone budges from their opinions?"

and =20
>"If you found yourself locked in a huge maze with millions of confused =
people and you found the one way >out, then what's wrong with retracing =
your steps and helping others to find the exit too?"



I believe you missed something. Ted Moffet wrote the first statement, I =
wrote the second.

To briefly answer some of your comments, the German race in the 1930's =
adopted social Darwinism and explicitly stated that the Germanic race =
was the most evolved of the species and deserved to rule the world. It =
was because of Social Darwinism that WWII was started, NOT because of =
Christianity. (Italian Fascists also claimed that the Italian race was =
at the top of the spectrum.)

You stated that when you went to school, then God was recognized in =
public education. However, that was probably before the Supreme Court =
made it illegal to pray in school, before they made it illegal to read =
the Bible in school. Things have changed, Mr. Arnold, things have =
changed.

> The first story of creation says that all the animals were created =
first, then humans. The second story of >creation says that Adam was =
created first then the animals. From a spiritual viewpoint this makes =
total sense, for a "Science" point of view this makes absolutely no =
sense.=20

Well, Mr. Arnold, it's not quite like you think. One of the aspects of =
Hebrew narrative is their division of the books into various groupings, =
short sections of history which each deal with one particular topic =
(usually annotated by "this is the history of" or "this is the =
generation of".=20

The first account of creation tells of God's specific actions in =
creating the whole world. The second account, which in now way =
contradicts the first, restates the basic history very rapidly, then =
launches into the particular history of man. In the first, the =
step-by-stepwhole world, including the animals, was the focus and the =
point of the passage. Chronology is very important. In the second, it is =
not ordered completely chronologically, because chronology is not the =
point. The nature of man is the point.=20

Ergo, Genesis does make sense literally.



>>"Right, and people need to realize there is only one true religion".=20

>They do, their religion. :)

You seem to have still missed the point, sir. There can only be one way. =
This may sound narrow-minded, but it is true. Either Jesus Christ reigns =
above, or He doesn't. Either Joseph Smith was inspired, or he wasn't. =
Either Allah is god or he isn't.=20

If you wish to claim every single religion as truthful, then you deny =
absolute truth. And if you do so, you can't really, because to say that =
there is no absolute truth is to establish an absolute truth. You =
follow?

Respectfully and sincerely,

Luke Nieuwsma



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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mr. Arnold,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&gt;Since all "religions" not faiths are based on human creation, =
would you=20
then not say that all religions &gt;are false?</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It depends on how you define religion. =
If you mean=20
man-invented truths, moral codes, and&nbsp;theologies&nbsp;written down =
without=20
inspiration from the superior Being, (a def. which excludes =
Christianity), then=20
yes. By that definition, Christianity would be a faith, not a=20
religion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>&gt;You seem to contradict yourself with the following two =
statements:</P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>&gt;"But you could say the same about numerous issues on which people =
hold=20
opinionated and inflexible &gt;views: gay marriage, the death penalty, =
the=20
war&nbsp;in Iraq, topless women. Why waste time discussing &gt;these =
issues when=20
it is&nbsp;rarely anyone budges from their opinions?"</P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>and&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR>&gt;"If you found yourself locked in a huge maze =
with=20
millions of confused people and you found the one way &gt;out, then =
what's wrong=20
with retracing your steps and helping others to find the exit too?"</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>I believe you missed something. Ted Moffet wrote the first statement, =
I wrote=20
the second.</P>
<P>To briefly answer some of your comments, the German race in the =
1930's=20
adopted social Darwinism and explicitly stated that the Germanic race =
was the=20
most evolved of the species and deserved to rule the world. It was =
because of=20
Social Darwinism that WWII was started, NOT because of Christianity. =
(Italian=20
Fascists also claimed that the Italian race was at the top of the =
spectrum.)</P>
<P>You stated that when you went to school, then God was recognized in =
public=20
education. However, that was probably before the Supreme Court made it =
illegal=20
to pray in school, before they made it illegal to read the Bible in =
school.=20
Things have changed, Mr. Arnold, things have changed.</P>
<P>&gt;&nbsp;The first story of creation&nbsp;says that all the animals =
were=20
created first, then&nbsp;humans. The second story of &gt;creation says=20
that&nbsp;Adam was created first then the animals. From a spiritual =
viewpoint=20
this makes total sense, for a "Science" point of view this makes =
absolutely no=20
sense. </P>
<P>Well, Mr. Arnold, it's not quite like you think. One of the aspects =
of Hebrew=20
narrative is their division of the books into various groupings, short =
sections=20
of history which each deal with one particular topic (usually annotated =
by "this=20
is the history of" or "this is the generation of". </P>
<P>The first account of creation tells of God's specific actions in =
creating the=20
whole world. The second account, which in now way contradicts the first, =

restates the basic history very rapidly, then launches into the =
particular=20
history of man. In the first, the step-by-stepwhole world, including the =

animals, was the focus and the point of the passage. Chronology is very=20
important.&nbsp;In the second, it is not ordered completely =
chronologically,=20
because chronology is not the point. The nature of man is the point. =
</P>
<P>Ergo, Genesis does make sense literally.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>&gt;&gt;"Right, and people need to realize there is only one true =
religion".=20
</P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>&gt;They do, their religion. :)</P>
<P>You seem to have still missed the point, sir. There can only be one =
way. This=20
may sound narrow-minded, but it is true. Either Jesus Christ reigns =
above, or He=20
doesn't. Either Joseph Smith was inspired, or he wasn't. Either Allah is =
god or=20
he isn't. </P>
<P>If you wish to claim every single religion as truthful, then you deny =

absolute truth. And if you do so, you can't really, because to say that =
there is=20
no absolute truth is to establish an absolute truth. You follow?</P>
<P>Respectfully and sincerely,</P>
<P>Luke Nieuwsma</P>
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