Re: Did Jesus claim to be God?

Hunter, I feel and understand your pain. I can't speak for Rainy, but personally, I suffered in my heart greatly when the U.S. killed millions of innocents in Iraq. I don't know if you and Rainy have debated this issue before, but there is nothing in Rainy's post that condemns Muslims in any way (unless maybe you have had other conversations where you have come to think that Rainy hates those of the Muslim religion). Of course we are supposed to love everyone and from what I have read, Rainy has never posted anything that contradicts this. I think that you are imposing experiences you have had from other self-proclaimed Christians that may have animosity toward Muslims. If any Christian hates anyone or any group of people, they are not a Christian.

I understand the anger that you feel, but more anger is only bringing more hate into the world. I hated George Bush and Dick Cheyney and others who are responsible for the genocide, and yes all those ignorant Americans who cheered them on. But how long do you want to hold onto that anger, how does it benefit yourself or humanity. People do terrible things all the time. The forces of evil are counting on hate breeding hate. Think about the chain of events:

Let's just take an example of a murderer. Say this murderer kills someone's child. The mother of the child is consumed with hate and anger (could anyone blame her for this reaction?) and the rest of her life she lives in bitterness and agony. She also ruins the lives of her other children because they are so affected by her hatred. Then those children have children and pass on the hatred to the next generation and when does it end? Now take the same example, but a different reaction, instead of living in hatred and anger, the mother chooses to forgive the murderer, is it possible for someone to do this? Yes, extremely difficult, but it happens. Then what happens? Love and forgiveness stops the force of evil in its tracks. Evil cannot defend itself when faced with pure love.

This is an extremely difficult task to love our enemy, and by enemy I don't mean the Taliban or any other terrorists. The enemy is all hatred and anger. Even that person on the road that beeps at you for no reason, will you reciprocate their anger and continue to pass it along, or instead let it be consumed by pure love.

Hunter, I am not trying to lecture at you with this post, all these words I am also writing to myself. This is my battle each and every day of my life to develop perfect love and to answer all hatred and evil with this perfect love.