A SURVEY FOR CHRISTIANS:


Consider the Muslim extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere who believe that they are killing and maiming people for Allah. Do you believe that their actions conflict with the Koran's instruction "Kill not one another?" (4:29)




We can hardly turn on our televisions today without being informed of new suicide bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vast majority of these are conducted by radical Muslims who believe that their own deaths (and the murder of hundreds of other people in the process) is Allah's will. Do you believe that their actions conflict with the Koran's teaching "Whosoever killeth a human being... it shall be as if he slaughtered all of mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind?" (5:32)




Some Muslims believe in the concept of a Holy War against those who do not serve Allah (and many American people fall under that category). Do you believe that the violence these Holy War advocates engage in is indeed holy and the will of God, or do you think it it immoral, unethical, and cruel?




Do you think that the two Koran verses quoted previously, "Kill not one another" (4:29) and "Whosoever killeth a human being... it shall be as if he slaughtered all of mankind" (5:32) conflict with other verses in the Koran such as "Kill disbelievers wherever you find them" (2:191-2), and "Believers in Allah shall fight for Allah; they shall slay and be slain" (9:111)?




Do you think that all of the world's Muslims (there are currently 1.3 billion of them) believe that Allah communicates with them through prayer, guides their actions in daily life, protects them and watches over them, and answers their prayers?




Why do you think Muslims believe that Allah communicates with them, answers their prayers, guides their actions in daily life, and watches over them?




Do you think that if you were to ask a Muslim person to give you several examples of times that Allah has answered their prayers, guided their actions, and/or protected them in some way, the person would be able to give you some?




How do you think Muslim people view your belief in Christ?




Do you think that if you had been raised in a Muslim household and taught by your parents to believe in Allah, you would be a Muslim right now?




What is your personal opinion of superstition?




Suppose a black cat crosses the path of a superstitious person (a sign of bad luck in the American culture), and then shortly afterwards something bad happens to the person. Does this prove that his/her superstitious beliefs are correct?




Do you think that if you asked a superstitious person to give you several examples of times that bad luck has befallen him/her due to events such as walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, or any others that conform to the culture's superstitious beliefs, the person would be able to give you some?




Do you think that if you asked a superstitious person to give you several examples of times that good luck has come to him/her due to events such as seeing a lucky number, knocking on wood, or any others that conform to the culture's superstitious beliefs, the person would be able to give you some?




Do you think that if you had been raised in a superstitious household and taught by your parents that things like breaking a mirror are unlucky while things like knocking on wood are lucky, you would be a superstitious person right now?




Every culture in the world has its own set of superstitious beliefs, and superstition has been in existence almost as long as mankind itself. Why do you think this is so?




The ancient Romans attributed gods and goddesses to various natural processes that they did not understand at the time. One such process was the explosiveness of volcanoes. They believed that Vulcan, the god of fire, was inside the volcanoes doing metalwork, and that was why they sometimes spouted fire. Do you believe in the god Vulcan, or do you think he is a myth?




If you think Vulcan is a myth, how and why are you sure of this?




Do you think that the gods and goddesses worshipped by the ancient Greeks (such as Zeus and Athena) were created for the same reason historians and scholars say that the Roman gods were, to explain what they did not understand at the time?




Do you think that the ancient Norse deities (such as Aesir and Vanir) were created for this same reason as well?




Do you think that the Hindu gods (such as Shiva and Krishna) were also thought up for this reason?




The ancient Greeks believed that whenever lightning flashed in the sky, it was because Zeus, the king of all gods, was throwing each bolt. Do you believe that this story was created to explain the phenomenon of lightning, which was impossible for people to understand at the time?




The ancient Greeks also believed that Dionysus, the god of wine and merriment, was responsible for the intoxicating properties of alcohol. Do you think this story was created to explain how alcohol could make a person drunk, which people did not scientifically understand at the time?




Do you believe that the Christian story of Noah and the Ark, in which God sends a rainbow as a symbol of his promise to never again flood the earth, was created to explain the existence of rainbows, which people did not scientifically understand at the time, or do you believe it is a true, factual account of an event that actually took place?




Do you believe that the Christian story of the Tower of Babel, in which God creates different languages as punishment for those who tried to reach heaven, was created to explain the existence of differing languages, which people did not comprehend at the time, or do you believe it is a true, factual account of an event that actually took place?




If you do believe that the Christian stories of Noah and the Ark and the Tower of Babel are true, factual accounts that actually took place, why do you believe this?




If you had been born in ancient Greece to parents who worshipped Zeus and taught you to do the same, do you think you would have believed in Zeus and worshipped him as well?




Do you think that verses in the Bible such as Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, stating "Thou shalt not kill," conflict with other verses such as Numbers 15:35, which reads "And the Lord said unto Moses, The man who was found picking up sticks on the Sabbath should surely be put to death; all the people shall stone him with stones?"




Do you think that verses in the Bible such as 1 Corinthians 14:33, "God is not the author of chaos but of peace," and 2 Thessalonians 3:16, "The Lord of peace himself shall give you peace always," conflict with verses like Exodus 15:3, "The Lord is a man of war," and Psalm 144:1, "Blessed be the Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, my fingers to fight?"




Suppose a Muslim man murders one of his children and then says, "Allah told me to do this." Should this man be punished for his actions?




Consider the biblical account in which God commands Abraham to kill his beloved son Isaac. Suppose God had not stopped him at the last moment, and Abraham had murdered his son as a sacrifice to God, according to God's will. Should Abraham have been punished by the law?




Would you murder one of your children if God asked you to?




Do you think the Koran's instruction "Kill disbelievers wherever you find them" is morally acceptable?




Do you think that the Bible's instruction, "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord is to be destroyed" (Exodus 22:20), is morally acceptable?




Would you engage in a Holy War if it was commanded by your god?




Consider these excerpts from the Koran: "Women have rights similar to those of men, and men are a degree above them" (2:228), "Marry the women who seem good to you, two or three or four" (4:3), "Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one to excel above the other. Good women are the obedient ones... As for those from whom ye fear disobedience, admonish them, banish them, and scourge them" (4:34), and "The treachery of women is very great" (12:28). Do you believe any of these commandments are morally acceptable, or do they promote sexism and the cruel and unfair treatment of women?




Do you think that the Bible promotes sexism and/or the cruel, unfair treatment of women?




Consider these excerpts from the Bible: "When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening" (Leviticus 15:19), "If... no proof of the girl's virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death" (Deuteronomy 22:20-21), "If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity" (Deuteronomy 25:11-12), "It is good for a man not to touch a woman" (1 Corinthians 7:1), "This is what the Lord says... Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will be intimate with your wives in broad daylight" (2 Samuel 12:11), "Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands... For the husband is the head of the wife" (Ephesians 5:22-23), "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent" (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Do you believe any of these commandments are morally acceptable, or do they promote sexism and the cruel and unfair treatment of women?




How do you personally know that God is real and that your religion is true and correct?




What do you think a Muslim person would say if asked that same question?




Please include any further thoughts and opinions if desired:

Llewksgood, I respect people of all religious beliefs, and that most certainly includes you. Once again, I will repeat myself to be sure that you understand: I respect you and your views.

However, because I respect you, I must be completely honest with you. The statement "I don't think, I accept" is a dangerous and foolish one. People should never blindly accept anything without thinking it through. It is preposterously unwise to not "think," but simply just "accept."

Consider the September 11th hijackers who believed they were killing other people and sacrificing themselves to please Allah. Perhaps if they had taken the time to think this idea through in a reasonable and objective manner, they would have realized that no rational, loving god would ever want them to cause such destruction. They did not think. They just accepted. And look what happened.

Consider the time not so far from the present when African American people were treated as subhuman and were subjected to torture and injustice. Nowadays, it is politically incorrect to be racist, and racism is an unpopular view. But this was not the case in the American 1950s, or the 1900s, or the 1850s, or the 1800s, and so on. People supported slavery during those times because their parents did, and the people around them did, and the Bible seemed to condone it. If these racist people, whose views were once the norm and the overwhelming majority, had stopped to think, "How exactly does it make sense that because this person has a different skin color than I do, he deserves to have all rights stripped away from him?" there would have been a lot less cruelty during those times. But they did not think. They just accepted. And look what happened.

Llewksgood, if you have come to accept a certain view, it should be because you have thought about it and have come to a reasonable conclusion based on the facts. That is the bottom line. No one should "not think" and simply "accept."


Why? Why do you not speculate? It is certainly not because you are unable. If you wished to, you could think to yourself, "Hm. If I had been born in a Muslim culture to Muslim parents, and was taught as a child to believe in Allah, would I be a Muslim right now?" You could do this. But you choose not to. Once again, why?


Llewksgood, if you took the time to think about things rather than just accepting them, you would realize that any Muslim would tell you, "I believe in Allah because he has worked actively in my life, and still does," even though, according to you, Allah is not real. You would realize that any superstitious person would tell you "I am superstitious because I have seen the way good luck and bad luck actively affect my life, and I could give you numerous examples," even though, according to you, there is no such thing as luck, but only the will of your god. You would realize that any devout believer of any religion anywhere in the world during any time period would tell you, "I believe in my god because he has worked actively in my life, and still does," and they could all give you examples of such times. Yet according to Christianity, none of these other gods are real. Only yours is. And according to all other religions, your god is most certainly not real.

Sadly, I feel I cannot even have a meaningful discussion with you on any topic, because you "do not think." You accept.


I am aware of this. It is quite obvious to me that someone who accepts certain things to be true without thinking will never change his or her mind.

I am absolutely not trying to change your mind or anyone else's.

But, Llewksgood, I do think about things. I think about them very hard, and I always try to come to reasonable conclusions. My mind can be changed. I am trying to converse with Christians so that I can better understand the way religious people think and reason. Perhaps one day, after thinking about things, I will change my mind and come to accept Christ as you have. If not? At least I opened the doorway for interesting and enlightening discussion.

I have all the respect in the world for your views, and I would love to learn more about them. Please, answer five questions from my survey. Answer ten. Or more. Just answer some, instead of saying to me that my questions involve "too much thinking" and that you "do not think."

According to your beliefs, God fashioned you a brain superior to all the other animals on this planet, and he did so with a purpose in mind. Use what your god gave you. Think first, and then accept.



Sincerely, Batman.

Howdyboyalan, thank you very much for responding to a few questions from my survey. I always enjoy reading other peoples' insights. I do not know if you are a Christian or not; judging by some of your responses, it seems you tend to disagree with Christianity. But since this is technically a survey for Christians, I will respond to you as if you are one, just for the sake of discussion.


I wonder why either God of either text would not be specific about this. It seems rather important.


Yes, the Bible has undergone much alteration. What I have trouble understanding is how some Christians admit that this is true, but then go on to say that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. How can it be inerrant and trustworthy if humans have changed it for their political, historical, and sometimes even personal reasons? How can any of it be believed? If man wrote it, and man changed it, how can we be sure than man did not also fabricate it?

I was speaking to one of my Christian co-workers the other day about some of the absurdities contained within the Bible, and he looked at me as if I were a small, stupid child and said, "God did not write the Bible! Humans did!" I responded, saying, "I know!" Then, he said, "Therefore, the Bible is corrupt!" I was shocked and dumbfounded. How can a Christian state that his own holy book, his moral guide for living, the divinely-inspired word of his god, the best and most complete record of his god's life and works, is corrupt? How can one say that and still maintain faith in the god of the same exact text?



Sometimes I think it does more harm than good.


Yet many Christians describe examples in which they have prayed to God for something, and that very thing has happened. Therefore, they say, God must be real, and he must be looking out for them. I often wonder why this sort of "proof" applies to Christians, but not to people of other religions (who could give just as many examples of their gods working actively in their lives), or to superstitious people (who, again, also have real-life examples and reasons for being superstitious).


That is why I don't trust it.


Interesting. I will see if I can get my hands on a copy.

Thank you again for your response, Howdyboyalan. It is always nice to hear other peoples' views and engage in discussion about them.

Yes, I usually like to follow peoples' answers with more questions, or with insights of my own. That is how discussion is generated.


I do not intend to ask you such unanswerable questions as, "Where did God come from, if he is real?" That question is pointless. There is no answer to it. I intend to only ask questions you will actually be able to answer, like ones regarding your opinion, or ones asking you to "speculate."


I will not ridicule you for asking me difficult questions. Difficult questions are intriguing to me.


I'm not quite sure what you mean. What could I actually even do if I wasn't sincere? Simply mock you? I have already said I won't do that. And if I do not keep my word, you could always just ignore me, or report me. I realize that some people come on this forum simply to attack those of different beliefs, but that is not why I have come. Thank you, though, for agreeing to consider my questions.

A wall of text is hard to read. 

Wycliffes_Shillelagh, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions in a thoughtful and educated manner. It is truly appreciated. I will continue to mull over these, and if I come up with any more questions or comments for you that I think would contribute well to a healthy discussion, I will post them soon. Mostly, I am just glad to have received a glimpse into the mind of an intelligent, well-rounded person, one who just so happens to be a Christian. Thanks again for your insights.

A SURVEY FOR CHRISTIANS:


Consider the Muslim extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere who believe that they are killing and maiming people for Allah. Do you believe that their actions conflict with the Koran's instruction "Kill not one another?" (4:29)

I don’t know. It could be taking it out of context. I do not know the Koran, and haven’t read it.


We can hardly turn on our televisions today without being informed of new suicide bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vast majority of these are conducted by radical Muslims who believe that their own deaths (and the murder of hundreds of other people in the process) is Allah's will. Do you believe that their actions conflict with the Koran's teaching "Whosoever killeth a human being... it shall be as if he slaughtered all of mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind?" (5:32)

As above, I do not read the Koran. It may depend on how you interpret what “human being” and “mankind” mean.


Some Muslims believe in the concept of a Holy War against those who do not serve Allah (and many American people fall under that category). Do you believe that the violence these Holy War advocates engage in is indeed holy and the will of God, or do you think it it immoral, unethical, and cruel?

No, I cannot believe it is the will of God since I am not a Muslim.


Do you think that the two Koran verses quoted previously, "Kill not one another" (4:29) and "Whosoever killeth a human being... it shall be as if he slaughtered all of mankind" (5:32) conflict with other verses in the Koran such as "Kill disbelievers wherever you find them" (2:191-2), and "Believers in Allah shall fight for Allah; they shall slay and be slain" (9:111)?

Once again, one would have to know the majority, and believe in the Koran to sincerely answer that question. I do not.


Do you think that all of the world's Muslims (there are currently 1.3 billion of them) believe that Allah communicates with them through prayer, guides their actions in daily life, protects them and watches over them, and answers their prayers?

Most likely they would, in some way.


Why do you think Muslims believe that Allah communicates with them, answers their prayers, guides their actions in daily life, and watches over them?

Prayer becomes pointless without such belief.


Do you think that if you were to ask a Muslim person to give you several examples of times that Allah has answered their prayers, guided their actions, and/or protected them in some way, the person would be able to give you some?

I have never heard of one, but I trust there would have to be.


How do you think Muslim people view your belief in Christ?

I don’t know, I’ve never spoken to one – except a young convert in Zimbabwe, who never said much more than he had become Muslim.


Do you think that if you had been raised in a Muslim household and taught by your parents to believe in Allah, you would be a Muslim right now?

On the basis of why I am a Christian? No.


What is your personal opinion of superstition?

I merely disregard it.


Suppose a black cat crosses the path of a superstitious person (a sign of bad luck in the American culture), and then shortly afterwards something bad happens to the person. Does this prove that his/her superstitious beliefs are correct?

In itself? Probably not.


Do you think that if you asked a superstitious person to give you several examples of times that bad luck has befallen him/her due to events such as walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, or any others that conform to the culture's superstitious beliefs, the person would be able to give you some?

I have had such examples given without asking.


Do you think that if you asked a superstitious person to give you several examples of times that good luck has come to him/her due to events such as seeing a lucky number, knocking on wood, or any others that conform to the culture's superstitious beliefs, the person would be able to give you some?

As above.


Do you think that if you had been raised in a superstitious household and taught by your parents that things like breaking a mirror are unlucky while things like knocking on wood are lucky, you would be a superstitious person right now?

No.


Every culture in the world has its own set of superstitious beliefs, and superstition has been in existence almost as long as mankind itself. Why do you think this is so?

Sin.


The ancient Romans attributed gods and goddesses to various natural processes that they did not understand at the time. One such process was the explosiveness of volcanoes. They believed that Vulcan, the god of fire, was inside the volcanoes doing metalwork, and that was why they sometimes spouted fire. Do you believe in the god Vulcan, or do you think he is a myth?

A myth.


If you think Vulcan is a myth, how and why are you sure of this?

It hasn’t stood the test of time.


Do you think that the gods and goddesses worshipped by the ancient Greeks (such as Zeus and Athena) were created for the same reason historians and scholars say that the Roman gods were, to explain what they did not understand at the time?

No, and I don’t believe the reason historians and scholars give.


Do you think that the ancient Norse deities (such as Aesir and Vanir) were created for this same reason as well?

No.


Do you think that the Hindu gods (such as Shiva and Krishna) were also thought up for this reason?

No.


The ancient Greeks believed that whenever lightning flashed in the sky, it was because Zeus, the king of all gods, was throwing each bolt. Do you believe that this story was created to explain the phenomenon of lightning, which was impossible for people to understand at the time?

No.


The ancient Greeks also believed that Dionysus, the god of wine and merriment, was responsible for the intoxicating properties of alcohol. Do you think this story was created to explain how alcohol could make a person drunk, which people did not scientifically understand at the time?

No, but it was a poor excuse for bad behaviour.


Do you believe that the Christian story of Noah and the Ark, in which God sends a rainbow as a symbol of his promise to never again flood the earth, was created to explain the existence of rainbows, which people did not scientifically understand at the time, or do you believe it is a true, factual account of an event that actually took place?

I believe it is a true, factual account of an event that actually took place.


Do you believe that the Christian story of the Tower of Babel, in which God creates different languages as punishment for those who tried to reach heaven, was created to explain the existence of differing languages, which people did not comprehend at the time, or do you believe it is a true, factual account of an event that actually took place?

As above.


If you do believe that the Christian stories of Noah and the Ark and the Tower of Babel are true, factual accounts that actually took place, why do you believe this?

Because I believe that the Bible is the Word of God.


If you had been born in ancient Greece to parents who worshipped Zeus and taught you to do the same, do you think you would have believed in Zeus and worshipped him as well?

No.


Do you think that verses in the Bible such as Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, stating "Thou shalt not kill," conflict with other verses such as Numbers 15:35, which reads "And the Lord said unto Moses, The man who was found picking up sticks on the Sabbath should surely be put to death; all the people shall stone him with stones?"

No.


Do you think that verses in the Bible such as 1 Corinthians 14:33, "God is not the author of chaos but of peace," and 2 Thessalonians 3:16, "The Lord of peace himself shall give you peace always," conflict with verses like Exodus 15:3, "The Lord is a man of war," and Psalm 144:1, "Blessed be the Lord my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, my fingers to fight?"

No.


Suppose a Muslim man murders one of his children and then says, "Allah told me to do this." Should this man be punished for his actions?

What is the law of his chosen homeland?


Consider the biblical account in which God commands Abraham to kill his beloved son Isaac. Suppose God had not stopped him at the last moment, and Abraham had murdered his son as a sacrifice to God, according to God's will. Should Abraham have been punished by the law?

According to the law of the land.


Would you murder one of your children if God asked you to?

A very hypothetical, and unlikely question; but in hypothesis, yes.


Do you think the Koran's instruction "Kill disbelievers wherever you find them" is morally acceptable?

I don’t believe the Koran.


Do you think that the Bible's instruction, "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord is to be destroyed" (Exodus 22:20), is morally acceptable?

It is God’s law, yes.


Would you engage in a Holy War if it was commanded by your god?

Actually, he has; but he has also described what war it is: that it is not fought with natural weapons, nor is it against natural man. Therefore to take one’s life is not fulfilling that command of war.


Consider these excerpts from the Koran: "Women have rights similar to those of men, and men are a degree above them" (2:228), "Marry the women who seem good to you, two or three or four" (4:3), "Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one to excel above the other. Good women are the obedient ones... As for those from whom ye fear disobedience, admonish them, banish them, and scourge them" (4:34), and "The treachery of women is very great" (12:28). Do you believe any of these commandments are morally acceptable, or do they promote sexism and the cruel and unfair treatment of women?

I don’t believe the Koran.


Do you think that the Bible promotes sexism and/or the cruel, unfair treatment of women?

No.


Consider these excerpts from the Bible: "When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening" (Leviticus 15:19), "If... no proof of the girl's virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death" (Deuteronomy 22:20-21), "If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity" (Deuteronomy 25:11-12), "It is good for a man not to touch a woman" (1 Corinthians 7:1), "This is what the Lord says... Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will be intimate with your wives in broad daylight" (2 Samuel 12:11), "Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands... For the husband is the head of the wife" (Ephesians 5:22-23), "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent" (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Do you believe any of these commandments are morally acceptable, or do they promote sexism and the cruel and unfair treatment of women?

Another double-barrelled question. God’s word cannot be immoral, nor can it promote humanly devised definitions.


How do you personally know that God is real and that your religion is true and correct?

By faith that has experienced.


What do you think a Muslim person would say if asked that same question?

I have no idea, I’ve never asked.


Please include any further thoughts and opinions if desired:

As stated in my first reply, I believe, by the layout of this survey that it lacks integrity, and seeks only to distort, and confuse. So, my real reply to this survey is a question of the surveyor, what are you trying to prove?

Are you sure they're different deities?

Allah is the generic Arabic word for god, and comes from the same root as the Hebrew word meaning God used in the Bible.  The Islamic word "Shariah" contains the root of the proper name of God (Yahweh) the same as used in the OT.  And the word has an identical meaning to the name "Israel."  I've heard that Muhammad studied Judaism prior to the time when he began his reforms (in Medina I believe), though he did not accept the Torah as-written.  Did you know that early on, Islam accorded a seperate status to both Jews and Christians, which was superior to "infidel" yet inferior to "believer."  They were known as "peoples of the book," and they were not subject to destruction as were infidels, though they were considered lower-class citizens within Islamic states.

Not that I think that Islam is spot on.  I think they missed the boat on much of the continued revelations of God, because they were so fixated on an old one.  Much like Judaism.  Except they started with an even more corrupted and altered text before fixating on it.  And imported some unfortunate cultural behaviors (ie jihad) into their religion.

I didn't say they don't have any opinions, I said their opinions aren't based on observation of me.  And in Muslim countries, there really aren't any Christians to actually observe, so...what can think other than what they are told to think?

Well what religion?  To me, religion means the establishment of a set of actions which are done on a continuing basis.  They are performed to improve the lives of myself and others in my environment.  Not for salvation, but for merit and increase.  So for me, not so much.  But certainly much of what is called religion is based on traditionalism.

Well, did it come about as a result of following directions that God has given?  If it did, I think its fair to attribute it to Him, don't you?

Yes, but she still can't demonstrate that the one caused the other.  In the case of my answer above, you can. 

It makes sense to me, but maybe I'm using the wrong term.  In practice, magic or superstition basically involves doing one thing (however rational or irrational that may be), in order to cause an intended effect.  Science takes an effect and attempts to explain what causes it.  The practice of magic inherently will either prove effective or ineffective, so each time you practice it, you have basically "tested" a hypothesis dealing with the nature of how things work, even if that were not the intent to start with.


The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were, I believe, the same structure - an immense terraced pyramid constructed in the form of a Persian Pardac'.

I fail in seeing a contradiction.  The commandment not to murder was not a blanket statement - "never ever kill any person under any circumstances."  It was a civil regulation intended for the regulation of a peaceful state.  Trying to apply it to, say, a war, is just outside the scope of what it was intended for.  Nor was it meant to constrain real civil authorities from exercising the death penalty.

You own belief in an absolute right to life is coloring your thinking.  What did the author mean?

Are we really reading this as history?

Think I did that earlier. 

The answer is "I don't know."  The sarcasm was just for fun. =)