Investigators Seek Motive Behind Tennessee Shooting Rampage

[Sarmatian]

Also, contrary to christianity, islam is a political ideology as well as a religious belief. Where Jesus said "Give to the government what the government expects" (my definition but also the upheld one), Islam has no such ideas about separation between state and religion.

In Islam, the religion IS the state.

That is entirely false. "Render unto Caesar..." means basically don't refuse to pay taxes to earthly government, a concept existing in Islam.

In fact, one of the reasons why rulers found it easy to embrace Christianity is precisely because of the concept of Divine Right - while before some ruler held to power through force or threat of force, now there was a divine concept that legitimized his rule. He was no longer a strongman, but someone sanctioned by divine power to rule over the common people and made it a sin to challenge his rule.

Not to mention that later Roman/Byzantine Emperors maintained a principle that their rule over entire Christian world was legitimate because they were viceroys of God on Earth.

[Gilrandir]

At the time the association between the gesture and the nazis was not set; American students were doing the same salute when doing the morning pledge of allegiance. That the queen was filmed doing the same when a child says absolutely nothing either about her, her parents or her country that comes even close to the point you are failing to make.

It seems to me you are failing to see the point I'm making.

I suppose Ukraine is the place to turn to if you want an example of a bulwark against Nazism, or an example of a wholly incorruptible government. How many Ukrainians served in the SS? Tens of thousands, wasn't it, with some of the worst units being Ukrainian? How many British served in the SS? Less than 50, wasn't it? And most of those cried off when it came to actually doing anything.

Government corruption perception results for 2014. Britain is 14th in the world with a score of 78, firmly in the first world category and ahead of some other indisputably first world countries, including France and the US. Ukraine is 142nd in the world with a score of 26, lowest ranking of all the major former Soviet states. If put into sub-Saharan Africa, which has the lowest general scores in the regions listed, Ukraine would be classed in the lowest third.

Methinks I prefer living in western Europe.

No problem, be my guest. But you, as well as Greyblades above, fail to see what I mean.

Your knee-jerk reaction is some thing like

- Excuse me, your shoe string went loose. Take care you don't step on it and trip over.
- Oh shut up. Mind your own shoes and strings.

What I want to you to do is to realize that in many respects the UK is not a lily-white impeccable democracy with unimpeachable reputation, both in the (recent) past and the present (as you seem to believe). You take ill any hints it might be otherwise adopting the style "You are fool yourself". And snobbery and isolationism you display is a poor help to own up to the truth.

I don't dispute that the UK has lower corruption than Ukraine or that more Ukrainians were fighting in SS divisions than Brits.
Yet let me remind you that if the leader of Britain (on behalf of those who voted for him and those who didn't) had behaved differently in Munich 1938, Ukrainians wouldn't have served in SS divisions.

A new-born Christian just told me that the Bible is partly rubbish, partially history, partially word of God mixed with pure propaganda. She de facto rejects the meaning of the Gospel, but refuses to go until the end of the logic.

Many smokers realize how pernicious their habit is, yet they don't go all the way the logic leads them and quit. The same with drugs, alcohol, gambling and McDonald's.
Human ways sometimes defy common sense.

As far as religious rites are concerned, some people follow them "to be on the safe side", if it turns out there really is something out there after death. Others do it because they like celebrating something. Still others because their environment do and they don't want to be looked askance upon.

Moreover, Bible (as well as other Holy books) are written by humans, so they are fraught with prejudices, mistakes, misconceptions and exaggerations. Any sensible believer must take them cum grano salis.

That is entirely false. "Render unto Caesar..." means basically don't refuse to pay taxes to earthly government, a concept existing in Islam.

And this is one more thing people are extremely fond of indulging in - interpreting Bible words. Partly because it gives tham a chance to say "No, you don't understand it" - and look sagacious.
There are no right or wrong interpretations of any scriptures - anyone can find in them what he likes and thinks correct and others can't prove him wrong because THEY DIDN'T WRITE IT. Only the author can.

[lars573]

That is entirely false. "Render unto Caesar..." means basically don't refuse to pay taxes to earthly government, a concept existing in Islam.

In fact, one of the reasons why rulers found it easy to embrace Christianity is precisely because of the concept of Divine Right - while before some ruler held to power through force or threat of force, now there was a divine concept that legitimized his rule. He was no longer a strongman, but someone sanctioned by divine power to rule over the common people and made it a sin to challenge his rule.

Not to mention that later Roman/Byzantine Emperors maintained a principle that their rule over entire Christian world was legitimate because they were viceroys of God on Earth.

Actually Divine right is a pre-chrisitan idea. Part of Diocletian's plan for stability after the crisis of the 3rd century. He propagated the idea that he was appointed by Jupiter to rule. Constantine, like early Christians oft did, scratched out the pagan god and scribbled in Jesus/Jehovah. Not to mention 2000 years of Chinese Imperial government was based on divine right. Religion in the specific has zero to do with how effective divine right is, but rather the large scale acceptance of a religion or religion-like philosophy that exposes divine right.