: : So, I guess that the widely known lack of natural materials in Africa account for the lack
of cathedrals (even if they would've been built to the Zebra God), Your contempt for religions other than your own is really astounding. Look at me; I'm a
Hindu, but I recognize that the African religions, though soemwheat different than mine, were
no less valid or good. It would be nice if you had the courtesy to do teh same. Your flippant
rference to teh Zebra God is similar to cases of Pacific Islanders who interpreted teh
Christian God as a three-headed god of a cannibal people. (the last is a reference to teh
ceremonial eating of Christ's body and blood.) In both cases the desire to understand a
religion on its own terms is virtually absent.
African religions are, for the most part, polytheistic, nature-reverent, ancestor-reverent, and
accepting of reincarnation and mediation between teh supreme god and humans. They
certainly did build statues and temples to their gods, particularly among teh ethnic grousp of
southern Nigeria (the polytheistic Yoruba, for example) and teh Vodoun Temples in Benin.
The stone city of Zimbabwe, and teh oracular cave shrines, were also built largely for
religious purposes. And of couse, as far as cathedrals go, the massive sunken cathedrals of
the Ethiopoian Orthodox Church deserve consideration, as do teh Muslim Mosques of
Djenne and Timbuktu. Ethiopians, incidenmtally, were Christianized by St. Mark after the
death of Christ, centuries befroe the northern Europeans ever rose out of barbaric savagery.j
My contempt for other religions pales compared to your contempt for differing points of view.
Look, to me it's impossible to ignore what the Bible has to offer, not in terms of salvation, but in terms of solid evidence that Jesus' appearence was predicted, that he would be killed, that he would be resurrected. The miracles he performed are also recorded. The testimony of the four gospel writers is nearly identical. Was His life a fraud? Did he and his Apostles fake his death?
The thing is is that His life was witnessed and recorded with references to specific historical events of that time. To me the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus lived, that he performed miracles, that he died and that he was resurrected. I'm not asking you or anyone else to believe that because that's your business. I don't care. But if my religion states that reincarnation is not in the cards, then how can you or anyone else reasonably expect me to say that reincarnation is not possible? Is that insensitive? Or is that being frank?
What do other religions have to offer as proof of their truth? The Koran offers itself. That's it. Additionally it recognises many of the precepts of Christianity.
Shintoism is a nature religion, similar to the Greeks and Romans in their beliefs of different Gods for different aspects of nature; a thunder god, a mountain god, a lake god, etc. My religion says there is one God, not a dozen. Why in the world is it 'insensitive' to say what you believe in?
If people don't understand what Christianity is, if they think that it involves a three headed God being the object of worship by cannibals, that's fine w/ me. but their wrong.
Somehow I don't have a problem with saying that. Is it because I beleive in absolutes? I don't know, probably.
If I'm guilty of anything, it is of saying 'there is no there there'.
Now, in your case you claim to be tolerant of all religions, except in the case of a person like me who believes very deeply in my religion. Then you feel compelled to play the race/ethnic card. I don't have any use for indifferentism, the belief that all religions are equally valid, that one God can be substituted for any other God. If that spins your prop, good for you. I am under no obligation to alter my beliefs for the sake of stroking your ego.
Besides, when you say that "Look at me; I'm a
Hindu, but I recognize that the African religions, though soemwheat different than mine, were
no less valid or good."
I assume that your acceptance of other religions includes the one that says it is the true religion. If that presents a problem, you figure it out.
