Hawaii passes “Islam Day” law

[Diane Amberg]

You do understand that Jesus was born and raised Jewish. He was a young "teacher" in the synagogue part of the time.  Because his thinking was a bit different, he collected Jewish followers, who indeed became his disciples and the rest really is history.  Even today there are various branches of Judaism ...Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and others, including "Jews for Jesus" who have adopted Jesus but keep the Jewish tradition too. I find it all very interesting, historic and spiritual at the same time.  I think Shintoism and Taoism are interesting too. I don't feel threatened by them at all, it's just different.

[indygal]

Diane, funny you should mention Taoism, as I was thinking about this earlier today while reading the "Hippie" thread. I wasn't quite old enough to actually be a hippie, but I was definitely a wannabe! What I understand about that cultural movement is that, in addition to its ties to the Beat Movement ("hipsters), part of it was rooted in Taoism, which involved a return to nature, self-sufficiency, respect for earth and all living things, living in the moment, etc. In other words, peace, love and grooviness 

Interest in Eastern religions was really taking hold in this country about that time, and several adopted a Tao way of life. As more people learned of this movement, it morphed into something more mod (i.e. British Invasion), esoteric (Beatles and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi), and experimental (TM, LSD and other mind-altering practices) and what once was a spiritual back-to-nature movement transformed into a commercialized Flower Power generation. Even middle-aged people who thought the world was coming to an end eventually accepted the cultural shift and started wearing love beads, bell bottoms and flowers in their hair. It was the Age of Aquarius, and Madison Avenue made a fortune perpetuating the image.

It's hard not to see the perfect storm of that time period. It was a true paradigm shift, from those who didn't question authority to those who didn't trust anyone over 30. It was a youth movement with effects that crossed every aspect of society: music, fashion, politics, mores, language and religion.  No one alive today was not touched in some way by the hippie movement.

[Varmit]

I think that the problem with "interesting" is that it draws people away from the right path.  We cannot forget that satan is a very slick, and cunning adversary, and that his greatest trick was convincing people that he doesn't exist.  Shintosim, taoism, buddaism, hindu, islam, astrology, numerology, scientology, are all his making.  If he can keep people involved in these false teachings then he can keep them from God.

[redcliffsw]

There can only be one true religion - the rest are false.

Matthew 7:13-15

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

[Varmit]

redcliffsw, you forgot one of the most important...John 11:25

"Jesus said unto her, I AM THE RESURRECTION, AND THE LIFE: HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE"

[Diane Amberg]

I doubt the Shinto monks care much about  what any of us think. If God didn't want them to exist, they wouldn't.

[Wilma]

There is a reason for everything and only God knows what his reason is.  It is for each of us to live the kind of lives that he sent his Son to teach us.

On the other hand, God works in mysterious ways.

[redcliffsw]

The Shinto are on this earth with a free will and they have choices to make too.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

[redcliffsw]

4.3 billion years!

Wilma, how could the earth be over 6,000 or 7,000 years?

[sixdogsmom]

How could it not be that old?