The existance of Jesus

OK, I just wanted to share this artical with everyone. OK, I do not have the time or the brain power to comment on this, but I will say this is very stupid.

ROME -- The American debate over intelligent design versus evolution is merely stuff for Sunday school scholars. An Italian court is considering whether the Roman Catholic Church is breaking the law by teaching that Jesus Christ walked the earth 2,000 years ago. The case pits against each other two men in their 70s, who are from the same central Italian town and went to the same seminary school in their teenage years. The defendant, Enrico Righi, went on to become a priest writing for the parish newspaper. The plaintiff, Luigi Cascioli, became a vocal atheist who, after years of legal wrangling, is slated to get his day in court later this month."I started this lawsuit because I wanted to deal the final blow against the church, the bearer of obscurantism and regression," Mr. Cascioli said. Mr. Cascioli says Father Righi, and by extension the Roman church, broke two Italian laws. The first is "Abuso di Credulita Popolare" ("Abuse of Popular Belief"), meant to protect citizens against being swindled or conned. The second crime, he says, is "Sostituzione di Persona," or impersonation. "The church constructed Christ upon the personality of John of Gamala," Mr. Cascioli said, referring to the first-century Jew who fought the Roman army. A court in Viterbo will hear from Father Righi, who has yet to be indicted, at a Jan. 27 preliminary hearing meant to determine whether the case has enough merit to go forward. "In my book, 'The Fable of Christ,' I present 'proof' Jesus did not exist as a historic figure. [Father Righi] must now refute this by showing proof of Christ's existence," Mr. Cascioli said. In an interview, Father Righi, 76, sounded frustrated by the case and baffled as to why Mr. Cascioli -- who, like him, came from the town of Bagnoregio -- singled him out in the crusade against the church. "We're both from Bagnoregio, both of us. We were in seminary together. Then he took a different path, and we didn't see each other anymore. Since I'm a priest and I write in the parish newspaper, he is now suing me because I 'trick' the people." Father Righi says there is plenty of evidence to support the existence of Christ, including historical texts. Besides, he says, justice is on his side. The judge presiding over the hearing has tried, repeatedly, to dismiss the case -- prompting appeals from Mr. Cascioli. "Cascioli says He didn't exist. And I said that He did," Father Righi said. "The judge will have to decide if Christ exists or not." Mr. Cascioli concedes that the odds are against him, especially in Roman Catholic Italy. "It would take a miracle to win," he said.

http://washingtontimes.com/world/20060109-122832-3991r.htm

Well so much for "civilization" as we knew it...

Political Issue :(

Well I think I have figured out the political thing, at least for now! I shall move to the point where I will fight for the Catholic Church ideas. My problem was that it would be ok if the government accepted religious ideas that matched with my own, but I wanted them to stay out of the religious idea incase another segment of religion took over (such as Hindu). However, I will just have to fight for what I feel is right. This is easy for the idea of abortion, but not on birth control. I think I am fighting with this idea because I do not quite agree that it is the same. I understand that it may be a way for individuals to attempt to “stop” God’s will, but then again we do it all of the time.

I know I have posted on this before, but the idea of medical advancement, in my opinion may be doing the same thing. We as a society are manipulating nature so people who cannot have children can, people who can have children can not, people who should have died do not, exc. Where does this fit into his plan. Where do we as a religious society say that this is God’s will/ this is our own will. I am not saying to stop all medical research. However, if we allow people who were not intended to have children to have them, what does that mean about the genetic code we are allowing to stay in the gene pool? Does God want these people to have children? If so why did he not make it so they could? Now I am also not saying that we should NOT help, because it could be in the plan to do so. I am just not sure if I believe that we can truly know for sure where the cycle ends.

The argument could be made that birth control (or using human means to stop God’s wishes for a baby) and artificial insemination (or using human means to stop God’s wishes to stop birth) would be in the same category. However, both work on the assumption that we know that it is God’s will for the child to be born. I think that that assumption is false. Then again that is just my humble opinion.

Soon I hope to write some comments about the abortion issue, and try to stay away from the issues I have not yet figured out.

Ok, I am having another religious vs. political dilemma. I read something from church (http://www.holyrosaryindy.org/ in the bulletin) about "personally apposed but" Catholics. It stated that too many people feel this way because they do not want to impose their beliefs on someone else; however, if this is the outlook then the person is not really opposed to it. Well now I have a problem. I believe in "radical" personal freedoms. I do not think that the government (especially federal) has the right to interfere in personal lives. Well now we have abortion and birth control. Accordingly I should be opposed to these things because it is murder, or the intent to keep a life from occurring. Therefore, I should work to get the government to pass laws against these things. However, I am struggling because I do not want to allow the government to have that control.

What is a person to do?
I wonder if this is just another one of my issues of not wanting to give up control in general. One of my many faults is that I do not trust in the Lord enough and I want to take matters into my own hands. I also find that handing over my problems to Him is something I struggle with. Could my political views be just another side effect of that problem?

'Book of Daniel'

Ok, not sure how many have seen the recent advertisements for the "Book of Daniel", but I have. My first idea was that I could not believe TV would show such a thing, but then I remembered it is America and the American people look for excuses for their actions, to justify their sins. I would hope that this does not lead the common sheep of people to think that this is what real Christianity is, but then again they are sheep! Man I would so love to know what they were thinking. There are articles on Yahoo about the show and I would encourage everyone to read them to see what the show is about to obtain your own ideas. However, mine is set... I will not watch it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060106/ap_on_en_tv/book_of_daniel;_ylt=Aolumuz4zu8N_CAKgVDqouqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-