Practically speaking, BC and AD are a time referance (sp.) to arguably the most important event in humanity from which everyone can then talk about the history or the future. If AD and BC are changed to something else, then the referance point has to be changed as well in order to avoid confusion. If that happens, then what referance is to be used, WWI, WWII, The Crusades, The Spanish Inquisition, The Discovery of the Americas, the rein of the Egyptian Pharo's, the fall of the Roman Empire? Which event in man's history has had more impact on humanity than the birth of Jesus Christ?
In the places that I saw the change to CE (common era) and BCE (before common era) only the labels were changed and the referance to the years stayed the same. The only puropse that I see in this change is to decrease or elliminate the referance to Jesus Christ. This referance has been used for centuries and I just don't see the need to change simply because a few people have decided that they don't like the referance point.
I think one should be very clear on the definitions of tolerance and acceptance. Acceptance is agreeing with and supporting something (religion in this case) while tolerance is allowing something to exist unmolested, independantly of how you may feel about it. Personally, I tolerate all of the other religions that I don't practice (no matter how silly or wrong I personally think they are) and I accept the teachings of the religion that I do actively participate in.
Other religions and cultures are more readily tolerated in the USA than most other countries due to the freedoms granted to the citizens of this country by the Founding Fathers in the documents that established this country. One of the freedoms is the freedom OF religion, not the freedom FROM religion. Unfortunately the meaning of the statement Fredom Of Religion has been so twisted by some individuals and courts that it has lead to an intolerance of Christianity in public places. This has then lead to students in public schools having Bibles and christian prayer books conficscated by school officials.
As far as "Modern Christianity" as espoused by Pauline is concerned, I am unfamiliar with him and as such can't respond to his acusations. I do suggest, however, that his figures MAY be incorrect. You might want to check his figures and definitions before parroting his charge that "Modern Christianity (Pauline) has caused more suffering, genocide, and murder than Communism and all the "terorrist" grouos combined." After all, the last I heard, communism throughout the world has, conservatively, lead to the deaths of over 41 million people in the 20th century. That doesn't include all of the people who were enslaved, imprisoned, and tortured in those countries by and for those communist governments. Perhaps one should investigate how communist governments treated their people before asserting that "Modern Christianity" was worse. Being fair, I must remind you that I don't know what is meant by "Modern Christianity" and with that qualifier your statements may be true.
"Actually America was largeley founded by Freemason Deists, and a scattering of christians, and financed by a Jew." This may be true, but as I stated in my last post, the principles that were used were Christian in nature. I never alluded to the religious practices of the Founding Fathers.
The only problem I have with other religions is when those followers insist by threat or force that I must follow their practices. As far as I am aware, INDIVIDUALS in every religion have at one time or another tried to force others to follow them. I don't know of any religion based on God or the teachings of Jesus Christ as outlined in the Bible, that actually condones or teaches doing harm to others.
Sincerely,
Gregory
