What is the most powerful empire ever to grace us?

Originally posted by IamJoseph All human rights come from the OT - exclusively. Name me another source? All womens rights and animal rights also come from the OT.

No doubt the Bible played its part when the first declaration of universal human rights was written, but I would say the rationality of the enlightenment played a far greater role. If the OT was the sole source of human rights then we would still have irrational prohibitions against homosexuality and premarital sex among other things. In any case the NT provides a far better basis; the OT was what medieval kings cited when they needed to justify war, the NT just wasn't useful for that.

Originally posted by IamJoseph Zealous [fastidious; requiring truth] The OT is true to history - ancient times were like that - nations engaged in wars of anihilation, out of a superstitition. The OT's historical stats are factual and vindicated - the NT is not, despite being 2000 years later.

Wild exaggeration. Any scholar in the field will tell you that the OT is a difficult source and that it's hard to determine how much we can actually know about the events it describes, and that's not even including the mythological aspects. I recall a friend of mine, an archaeologist, who specialises in this area and who has done much excavation work on the ruins of ancient Israel and Assyria. She maintains that we are dependent on archaeology because the OT is too unreliable.

This is of course disputed; there is the school of the minimalist scholars who believe the OT can tell us very little, and there is the school of the conservative biblical scholars who accept the veracity of most OT narratives. Neither school however believes the OT is completely historical, that much is established.

Originally posted by IamJoseph More innocent humans were killed under the Gospels and in JC's name than any other - so how can you even assess the OT?

The historicity of the OT if not affected by how many people were killed in the name of NT. Weak deduction.

Originally posted by IamJoseph Christianity does say that, and act out is deeds covertly today, at the UN:   'WE WILL NEVER SUPPORT THE RETURN OF THE JEWS TO *THEIR HOMELAND* - BECAUSE THEY REJECTED JESUS' - Pope not so Pious.   That is a genocidal doctrine, notwithstnding it also persecuted Jews in Europe. I doubt JC will tap him on the shoulder...he was not a christian u know!

Isn't it ironic then that modern Israel would be both Arab and Muslim today without intervention by the traditional Christian nations.

Originally posted by IamJoseph Its correct that Rome went down. as did the Pharoahs - all roads did not lead there, and humanity was inclined in a wrong path. You should be hailing, not rediculing Jews for their stand against the world's greatest super-power: there is no greater example in history of the defense against Rome.

Actually there are several who not only made a stand but won.

Originally posted by IamJosephus But you probably been fed the false versions of History the past 2000 years, and now appear shocked some alternative truths are emerging - but how can the NT & Quran both be true against their claims of the OT - they're mutually exclusive, in their beliefs as well their depictions of History, remember?

Absolutely. This is because all three works are part historical, legendary and mythological.

Russia's water gymnastics at the Beijing Olympics was a difference in kind than degree. There was no equavalence.

So, after reading all of your posts IamJoseph there is nothing left for us good citizens of the world to do but repudiate our current beliefs, pick up the pages of the bible only relating to  the old testament and become Jewish.

I don't see how premarital sex makes a man alone or celibate, it's quite the opposite. If you're that concerned about populating the already overpopulated earth you should be in favour of any kind of sex as long as it's unprotected.

Edited by IamJoseph - 16-Oct-2008 at 17:19

So the conclusion is we should colonize space and create a galactic Jewish empire. Well I for one is glad we cleared that up.

IamJoseph, please stop talking relgion.This is Earths most powerful empire.NOT the relgion forum.Please go some whre else for that.

Shoo, go, faster!

Originally posted by IamJoseph So the conclusion is we should colonize space   As opposed to....WHAT ELSE? - faster and more efficient de-pops and more powerful contraceptions? For how long? Then what? The china syndrome will soon have the west screaming blue murder if their right to not have a child or to have one - is messed with.     Your problem is hardly the miniscule dot of a Jewish empire. 2B Christians and 1.2B Muslims are going to have a face off - that will be a far more exciting affair. One rests on resurrection, the other denies it. And both claim to rule the world by their being the only acceptable path for humanity - and woe unto those who disagree. With issues of land - who's going to tell Muslims not to repro - and where will they fit when the west becomes negative population based? And there's nothing in the Hebrew bible which even mentions any of your two - the space time factor ensures this.   Call me when you two have decided if Jesus was a palestinian and the Jewish temple a myth - because these negate your gospels.   Life is what happens to you while your busy making other plans.

Now you're a sage, too?

Originally posted by IamJoseph So, after reading all of your posts IamJoseph there is nothing left for us good citizens of the world to do but repudiate our current beliefs, pick up the pages of the bible only relating to  the old testament and become Jewish.    'There is wisdom and rightious in all nations and all places'   because:   'THE UNIVERSE WAS CREATED IN WISDOM'   ...And wisdom is a place.   Please forgive me if that blatant logic comes from the Hebrew bible.

Yes and Creationism apparently is logical, too. Anyway obviously this is a non-theological thread as the OP wanted a temporal discussion of Empires.

Originally posted by IamJoseph Rome was a depraved bulldog which declined humanity; the precedent Greek empire was greater and contributed much more. Tarred roads was only a tool to futher Roman attrocities quicker and more resourcefully. Humanity does not honor anything learnt from the Romans: Catholicism should seriously think of dropping this prefix - same as it did its heresy doctrine. Not reality anymore. I would nominate N. America as perhaps the greatest empire - worts and all she wins hands down.

You are aware, of course, that the US political institution is inspired by the Roman republic. There are other parallels as well.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/sep/18/usa.comment