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Dr Strangelove
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quote:
Originally posted by Sava
It worked for the Romans, considering they dominated the world for the better part of over a thousand years.  |
Prior to the conversion of the Roman republic into an empire gladiator sports were actually not that frequent. They could only be held after the death of a prominent public figure. It was Julius Caesar who came up with the idea that games could be held to commerate the historical death of a prominent Roman, thus opening the way for games anytime the emporer durn well pleased. The original games weren't that bloody, in most cases gladiators were spared if they had given a decent performance. Of course, there are no statistics on the number who died of wounds after a fight. The emporers introduced lavish spectacles, which were the real blood festivals of the games.
The power of Rome was definitely on the wain by 400 AD. The date of Rome's ascendence to world power can be debated. I would choose somewhere around 50 BC, about the time when Gaul and Egypt were incorporated into the empire. Someone might argue for an earlier date, after all even by 100 BC the empire already included Italy, Greece, Iberia, Illyria, and much of North Africa. By 50 BC however the empire had grown to completely encircle the Mediterranean Sea.
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Namaste
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New Jersey
Nov 2003
time: 00:33
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From what I understand, LaVeyan Satanism is basically about the complete absence of any God altogether and uses Satan as essentially a symbol for freedom. The "religion" is generally anti-spiritual and entirely centered on the physical world and an embrace of it. Ayn Rand (yep, that goofball again) was a major influence on LaVey when he wrote the Satanic Bible.
The Yezidi of Kurdistan on the other hand, believe in a chief angel called Melek Taus (The Peacock Angel) which corresponds to the Judeo-Christian satan, but it's not quite the same thing. Melek Taus is seen as the supreme power on Earth and the creator of the material world.
As for Wicca, I actually had a discussion like this with one of my friends. Wicca really cannot claim any serious continuity to druidic practices. I forgot exactly what she told me that day, but basically wicca utilized essentially only the scraps of known pagan beliefs and the gaps were filled in with quite a bit of imagination in the 1950's. That doesn't make it a false religion though, so if you find spiritual fulfillment in it, then by all means go with it.
Last edited by Namaste on 18-01-2004 at 23:45
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Albert Speer
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Puerile Polemic
Mar 1999
time: 00:33
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quote:
If God is omnipotent, what is Satan? How can this implacable enemy of God exist? |
easy... God allows Satan to exist to make things more interesting...
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Albert Speer
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Puerile Polemic
Mar 1999
time: 00:33
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quote:
Speer's rants are worth something? |
says the liberal...
really, mr.fun, stop with this nonsense like taking racial awareness classes and reading on the effects of the civil war on race relations... that **** is just plain silly. i noticed something in my college's course catelog called "Hispanics in Philadelphia", a class discussing exactly what the title says.
i showed that to a few people and the reaction was all the same... what the hell kind of class is that? what could you possibly learn from that? what could you learn that had any use? is this just one of those anthropological things where sheltered white intellectuals 'study' the fascinating species of 'brown humans'.
please, leave behind this liberal bullshit and be normal!
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Bereta_Eder
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interesting how the devil came to be depicted as a creature with horns and clafs cloves cloafs???!! hwat the english word? anyway he's the spitting image of the ancient god pan. demonizing them they did the older religions. very funny. and then i guess it spread throughout the world
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Albert Speer
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Puerile Polemic
Mar 1999
time: 00:33
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Laz:
perchance... actually, he probably is just a jerk who either 1) is obsessed with us following his orders so he puts in the devil to make it harder for us to do as God wants or 2) he just doesn't give a damn and wants people to go to hell
of course, assuming these, which are perhaps the most likely explanations for the existance of Satan, assuming these, God can not possibly be "love"
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Bereta_Eder
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whereas poor pan was not the devil, running around pulling little pranks he did. playing his flute in the forests and generally enjoying himslef. but then again i guess demon also got a bad conotation after christianity, whereas before it just meant spirit. it was a systematic badmouthing of the older religions and satan came to be identified with them. in shape, terminology etc. then it spread and now its freakin everywhere.
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Ben Kenobi
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McGregornobi!
Oct 2002
time: 21:33
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quote:
Simply put, freewill cannot coexist with omniscience.
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I think the debate here has more to do with omnipotence, that why does an omnipotent God allow evil to exist? It's the same reason why men are allowed to make decisions contrary to God's will. God voluntarily constrains his own power, for in allowing men to sin, it also allows them to worship God with their heart, rather than being mere automatons.
Now there are several explanations for omniscience, one starts from the question of how can God hear everybody's prayers? The answer is that God is outside of time. To God, everything happens before him. he may see your actions in the future, but that does not mean he controls them. For God, it makes no sense to talk of a present or a future.
Now, as for God requiring Satan to exist, such a god would not be God. God requires nothing, for his own existence outside of himself. If God creates all things, why would he need a creator?
This explanation allows for God to remain perfectly good, while also allowing for the existence of evil in the world.
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18-01-2004 20:24
though 
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