don_riggins - thanks for the response. I wasn’t completely aware of all the double dealing that led to the “Appeasement of Hitler”. It’s amazing how many times before the war’s start Hitler could have been stopped. That devil had some luck…
Posts made by Field Marshal
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RE: Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
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RE: The end of the world
As for the justification for killing, I really don’t see any reason that justifies it. Self defense is the only real reason for doing so without being subjected to criminal procedings. This really splits into 3 areas: defensive war (as in against the Nazi’s); personal self-defense in which deadly force is the last resort in preserving your own; and lastly, capital punishment to protect society against real proven predators. This may seem like just the same as the other post and perhaps I’m just uncomfortable with the word “justification”. Unnatural death is always a bad thing even for the best of reasons. I question anyone’s ethics who is happy when someone dies no matter who well they deserved it. I’m sure few Americans worried little about justice after 9/11. Face it, we’re out for revenge. Hitler needed to die to save civilization. I’d feel it would be my duty to pull that trigger with Bin Laden in my sites. How do you feel after he drops? Relieved, probably. Euphoric, hopefully not. Something that had to be done. Something you have to live with, but so will his potential victims that are safer. Duty to one’s self, country, civilization. Unnatural death is bad, but as above, reluctantly necessary…
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RE: The end of the world
The triumph of the final battle of Good over Evil is too linear and vague a concept to have any real bearing on humanity. Unless this means humans are extinct (Good is victorious ?!?!?). If humans exist there will certainly be good AND evil, the plague of the intelligent species. There’s always going to be someone out there that will kill you for a cause, your possessions, revenge, war, etc., etc…
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RE: The Existence of God
CC - I’ll agree with that. Many self-professed “saviors” or revolutionaries made a stand in Roman occupied Judea. People were rebelling in any form the could against the Empire and their own leaders who were “going along with them” (not that they had much choice, looking for some sense of survival). Some were killed or disappeared if making a big enough stink. Jewish authorities would not stand for any troublemakers to take what little they had left away…
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RE: The Existence of God
I’ll agree to both your responses for the ancient empires. Rome, although converted, was already falling apart. The newer monarch’s saw the marriage of church and state as a powerful tool in controling the masses. One God helped this tremendously. Enter the “Divine Right of Kings”. Monotheism made this possible. Strict laws of government and God fused together. Taxes galore. Enter fuedalism.
I’ll agree that Christianity’s rise was do to Rome’s politics. This is achieved way before the rise of the large Muslim Empires… -
RE: The Existence of God
CC - Lastly, Jesus was a realist. Persecution was part of any religion’s history, especially in the Roman Empire. Time for change was clear for him. Judea’s situation in world events was always difficult (militarily, mainly) now things were boiling over. Looking at his adult life from a political point of view, he new his days were numbered as soon as he took a certain form of action against the Jewish authorities…
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RE: The Existence of God
CC - Schism between the replaced religions and the new Christian ways for a populace was quite necessary not to totally alienate them. Especially in the event of a conquered territory where the people needed to turn to their original faith to help them through the political and social transitions. Our modern concept and traditions associated with Christmas are excellent examples.
I believe that without the heavy political influence of the Vatican over the centuries Christianity would not be as, for lack of a better word, “divided” into various groups (Catholics, Protestants, etc.). I’m not suggesting that it would still be just one group, but far fewer than now in comparison.
I believe history saw a “shift” to monotheism to better accommodate period laws and monarchs. Multiple Gods worked well for the city-states in Greece, throw-backs from more ancient beliefs. Later, unifying countries under one monarch-one God with real law codes was more feasible (increases in trade made a lot of this necessary). Kings wanted a piece of it all, especially to pay for the armies keeping them where they were…
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RE: The Existence of God
I wonder how Christianity would be viewed today if it were NOT made the official religion in Rome by Constantine. Think of it, remove the political aspects of the Vatican over the past 1700 years. What a different world we would have. No Crusades or the Inquisition; that would be just the beginning. Christianity would probably struggled for existence like Judaism, searching for identity and a country. Historical impact is difficult to speculate…
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RE: The end of the world
After humans I can only hope that no species develops into an intelligent species. This would avoid unnecessary pollution, overpopulation, disease, and earth defacing wars…
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RE: The Existence of God
How is the “young earth theory” supported? Why would the moon need to be several miles of dust thick if it were millions of years old? Volcanic deposits on the earth are subjected to the effects of erosion. How does your theories counter plate tectonics? Errors for carbon dating run into the tens of thousands of years. More than sufficient for dating within a million years. I’ll agree carbon dating should be skeptically employed for the last million years of earth’s history. Beyond that it’s error offsets are irrelevant…
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RE: Risk Sucks
I always hated the “cards for armies” deal. Out of nowhere and presto! 40 armies !!!
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RE: The Existence of God
The overall evolutionary theory of slow gradual change due to environment (survival of the fittest) and gradual solar based mutations works well most of the time. However, some scientists still refuse to accept that at certain times in evolutionary history that certain groups will mutate at varied rates, appear or disappear, or radiate differently than the above. They also rule out cosmic or earthly mass disasters as “factors” to the process. Agreed that there is not sufficient information to explain this. This also does not demand a need for a “divine” explanation. Theism is outside the scope of this response for this specific question…
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RE: The Existence of God
I’ll agree that propaganda fuels most of what we believe the “truth” is. In this modern day we tend to want to believe that news agencies are “neutral”. As we see in US elections, this is not entirely true. This is why most historical books are desired to be written 100 to 150 years after events so that most facts come to light so that the real truth comes to be revealed…
I’ll accept most of the evolutionary “theory”. It is clearly not exactly the “truth” as well. However here in this case, the truth is far more elusive…
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Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Friends,
Currently engrossed in the above book by William L. Shirer. I’ve had the book for years and finally made the point to read it. I’m currently at the point where Hitler has proclaimed himself “Fuhrer” and the Nazi’s are nationalizing all aspects of German life (1933-1937). The history is rivoting. Has anyone read it? Comments? -
RE: New Player, Any Advice
When starting out, have some real fun and kick but. Once your more familiar with the rules and motions, and get some experience in, then you can worry about in depth stategies. First off, enjoy…
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RE: What the USA Can Do to Save the World . . .
How about a trade. Oil and Alaska for beer…
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RE: The end of the world
A few mere million years after we destroy ourselves and most of the earth, the planet will regenerate itself…
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RE: The end of the world
Drumstix - agreed. A K/T type asteroid or comet mass extinction is acceptable…