Empire building has always been supported by religious hype and extremism, from "Manifest Destiny" in the U.S. and beginning as early as the Burning Times and Inquisition. The Roman Empire persecution of the early Christians was also religiously motivated. The Roman Empire was a bad example of paganism, it shows that ANY religion can be used by tyrants for purposes of expansive militarism and occupations.

The reason that religion and empire are hopelessly linked is that the citizens of empire must be delusional enough from religious extremism to support such criminal acts by their government against people in other nations.

The source of the religious extremism are some minority extremists from both sides that push easily influenced people into becoming soldiers. Most young people in the U.S., Israel or Iran would not willingly sacrifice their lives to go and kill some strangers unless they were tricked by their respective leaders into believing that these strangers wished them harm.

Resources like petroleum may be the true source of the Middle East military conflicts, though for our leaders to openly admit this and to demand the youth of the U.S. sacrifice their lives for cheaper oil would not be acceptable, so our leaders must devise some religious based threat to motivate our nation's impressionable youth to give up school, family and work to become soldiers.

There are plenty of lies coming from Islamist extremists, especially those who seek to cover up their own past links to paganism. The daughters of Allah; Al Lat, Al Uzza and Menat are ignored and insulted by the right wing fundamentalist Islamists despite their importance to early Muslims as intercessors between humans and Allah. How can a true Muslim claim to love Allah while simultaneously denouncing Allah's daughters as "infidels"?



Background on pre-Islamic Arabic Paganism;

Daughters of Allah:-



It is an undeniable fact of history that before Muhammed was born, in the Pagan Arabian religion, Allah was the name of the principal deity in Mecca who had three daughters (S53:19/20): Uzzah; Lat; Manat. According to their traditions they acted as Allah's INTERCESSORS.

The Goddesses Al-Uzza, Al-Lat and Manat formed a triad in pre-Islamic Arabia.

The three were worshipped as uncut aniconic stones. They were widely worshipped: from Nabatean Petra in the North to the legendary Kingdoms of Arabia Felix in the South, including Saba, the Biblical Sheba; as far east as Iran and Palmyra; and the three of them were very popular Goddesses in Mecca at the time of Muhammad.

Sometimes the three of them are referred to as the daughters of Allah; sometimes Manat and Al-Lat are considered daughters of Al-Uzza.

Al-Uzza, "the Strong One", "The Most Mighty", "The Mighty One" was as mentioned earlier, a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess, the virgin warrior and youngest in the triad of goddesses was one of the most venerated Arab Deities, and the Goddess of the morning and evening star, the planet Venus and was a blood-thirsty goddess which requires sacrifices; both animal and human.





Despite the 'Islamization' of pagan Arabian religion, the 'Muslim' version of Allah did not escape his two daughters al Lat and al Uzza since they appear on top of almost every mosque and on the flags of several 'Muslim' countries. These are the Crescent (al Lat) and the Star/ Planet (al Uzza).

Muhammad, in the final analysis, had no choice but to keep almost 99% of pagan Arabian traditions and fetishes and only succeeded in destroying all the other rock gods and goddesses associated with Allah.

The same followers of Muhammad who rage against the pagans and Christians as idolators, are actually idolators 'par excellence' themselves, since they still venerate the same Arabian pagan symbols of their ancestors whom Muhammad and his Quran so assiduously insulted and consigned to Hell and Perdition.

20: 109 On that Day shall no intercession avail except for those for whom permission has been granted by (Allah) Most Gracious and whose word is acceptable to Him.

In Arabian paganism, the idea of subordinate divine beings acting as mediators and intercessors with Allah is a recorded fact. That Muhammad actually once thought of the three goddesses as interceding angels is shown by his later addition to the aforementioned

Sura 53.26-29:

53: 26 How many so ever be the angels in the heavens their intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He pleases and that he is acceptable to Him. Verily it is they who believe not in the life to come, who name the angels with names of females: But herein they have no knowledge: they follow a mere conceit; and mere conceit can never take the place of acceptance of truth.'

Here Muhammad implies, that the goddesses are in reality angels, to whom the pagans in their ignorance have given feminine names (comp. 37, 149-50: 43.18). He also recognizes, albeit with strict reservations, the right of the angels to make intercession.



http://www.inthenameofallah.org/Daughters%20of%20Allah.html



The Chrisitans have covered up a great deal of their own history with paganism, such as the unknown birthdate of Jesus being celebrated only a few days away from the pagan celebration of Yule.



In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ's birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.

http://www.essortment.com/christmas-pagan-origins-42543.html

These were both political decisions by Mohammad and Pope Julius to ease tensions between the majority pagans and the "newcomer" religions of Islam and Christianity.

So yes, empire building was the true goal and religion became the mask worn to support the building of empire.

IF we removed religion from U.S. empire and applied only pure logic based upon the scientific method, how many people would still be willing to sacrifice their lives, limbs, eyes or other significant body parts to obtain cheaper oil??



My new food source are the religious extremists, starting with Christian Zionist John Hagee from Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Hagee has repeatedly encouraged excessive military action against Palestinians through lobbying his politician allies such as GW Bush and Mitt "47%" Romney.

Anyone who claims that Mr. John Hagee and his merry band of Christian Zionists do not have any influence in Middle Eastern politics is living in a state of pure ignorance, blissful or otherwise



Background on Hagee and CUFI (Christians United For Israel)



Rev. Hagee Does AIPAC

A real historic turning point came for aipac when it opened up its coveted platform to Rev. John Hagee, who is founder of the organization "Christians United for Israel" (CUFI) at their annual Policy Conference (March 2007) in Washington DC . He was a keynote speaker on Sunday night, and the response to his speech (that can be read in full here) was enthusiastic overall. Yet even among aipac faithful there was trepidation. After all, Hagee's agenda, like that of the Christian Zionist Right in general, is extremely militaristic (he believes that the coming "nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty"). He even has implied support for Yigal Amir, the assassin of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He opposes any compromise with Palestinians. Hagee's ideology also is anti-Semitic in that he believes that the "rebellion" of the Jews caused the Holocaust, and that the Holocaust was God's way of forcing Jews to move to Israel. So this is a new and dangerous alliance, an embrace of a real loony ideology. Thanks to the leadership of AIPAC, the likes of Hagee has now been brought to the mainstream. He shares a stage not only with Dick Cheney but also with "liberal" Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Strange bedfellows indeed.

http://www.stopaipac.org/christianright.htm

"Hagee pretends the relationship between Christians and Jews in biblical times still applies today.

He uses ‘mushroom management’ methods – keep ‘em in the dark and keep shoveling horse manure at ‘em. If his Cornerstone church followers bothered to take an independent trip to the West Bank and Gaza – and I do mean independent, not an Israeli bus tour with guides trained by the Tel Aviv propaganda department (or by Hagee) – they’d quickly discover the unpalatable truth. The glitzy Hagee empire, and others like it, would then crumble."

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/03/30/the-zionist-cuckoos-in-christianitys-nest/.



This Christian Zionist nonsense spouted by Mr. John Hagee and his ilk is directly responsible for inflaming tensions and brainwashing youth into thinking they are sacrificing life and limb for some "Holy" cause.



So yes, i am on the hunt and Mr. John Hagee is my favorite food source.

Dedicate this verse to Mr. John Hagee;

"Mouth is alive, juices like wine

and i'm hungry like the wolf

You'll feel my heat i'm just a moment behind.

In touch with the ground, i'm on the hunt i'm after you!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOg5VxrRTi0&feature=related

Sabeel and Naim Ateek Factsheet

NGO Monitor



Background

•Sabeel describes itself as “an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians,” which “encourages Christians from around the world to work for justice and to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.”

•Donors in 2010: ICCO, Kairos, Kerk in Actie Global, General Board of Global Ministries NY, Mennonite Central Committee, Svenska Mission Kyrkan, Presbyterian Church of Canada, United Church of Canada, United Church of Christ. See NGO Monitor website for more funding details.

•Sabeel is active in anti-Israel political campaigns, including church divestment campaigns

•Supports “one state solution,” meaning the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state.

•Director Naim Ateek employs themes and imagery that are antisemitic according to the European Union Working Definition of Antisemitism.

•Ateek uses this offensive rhetoric particularly in sermons promoting his “Palestinian Liberation Theology.”

•Refers to Israeli “apartheid that is much worse than what was practiced in South Africa.”

Sabeel and Liberation Theology

•Sabeel claims that Palestinians represent a modern-day version of Jesus’ suffering, using “liberation theology,” supercessionist rhetoric and the concept of deicide to demonize Israel. According to the European Union, this is seen as a modern, politicized version of historical theological antisemitism.[1]

•“As we approach Holy Week and Easter, the suffering of Jesus Christ at the hands of evil political and religious powers two thousand years ago, is lived out again in Palestine…In this season of Lent, it seems to many of us that Jesus is on the cross again with thousands of crucified Palestinians around him. It only takes people of insight to see the hundreds of thousands of crosses throughout the land, Palestinian men, women, and children being crucified. Palestine has become one huge golgotha. The Israeli government crucifixion system is operating daily. Palestine has become the place of the skull…” [sic]

•Criticizes Christian Zionism as “a prime example of the misuse of the Bible to promote violence, racism and injustice,” based on “mistaken premises” which are “not authentic to the Bible.”

Political vision without Israel

•Under the heading “The Vision for the Future” Sabeel announces on its website: “Indeed, the ideal and best solution has always been to envisage ultimately a bi-national state in Palestine-Israel…[…]…One state for two nations and three religions.”

•Sabeel advocates the “right of return” of Palestinian refugees, implying the end of a Jewish majority in Israel. Sabeel’s Principles for a Just Peace state that “The right of return to Palestinian refugees must be guaranteed according to international law.”

•Sabeel published an article on its website in November 2010 which states; “But Israelis might also consider an alternative, one with roots in history and recently developed by Jewish, American and Palestinian intellectuals: a one-state solution.”

Naim Ateek’s inflammatory rhetoric

•Naim Ateek is the former Canon of St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem.

•Ateek has allegedly stated that “if the Jewish people had a right to a homeland it should be in Germany, not Palestine.”

•In his book, Justice and Only Justice, Ateek writes, “It has taken me years to accept the establishment of the State of Israel and its need – although not its right – to exist.”

•In a February 27, 2011 speech during a Sabeel conference in Bethlehem: “The establishment of Israel was a relapse to the most primitive concepts of an exclusive, tribal God.”

•Blames Israel for suicide bombers: “It was in the crucible of the occupation that they were shaped and formed. And if Israel labels them as terrorists, they are, after all the product of its own making.”

Endnotes:

[1] “Using the symbols and images associated with classical anti-Semitism (e.g. claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis” is seen by the European Union as a way in which “antisemitism manifests itself with regard to the State of Israel.”

"•Sabeel is active in anti-Israel political campaigns, including church divestment campaigns "

excellent

"•Supports “one state solution,” meaning the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state. "

you mean the elimination of a two class state of Jewish only upper class and a universal due process for all without regards to any religion.

and the remaining wank in the article is in support of the two previous idiotic statements.

The Sabeel conference is coming to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sabeel demonizes Israel using offensive Holocaust imagery and spurious theological arguments and is a driving force behind the campaign to pressure mainline churches to divest from Israel.

FOSNA Philosophy Just Anti-Semitism was written by Sam Sokolove / Executive Director, Jewish Federation of New Mexico and Todd Goldblum / Chair, Israel Action Network, New Mexico

As the Sept. 15 Albuquerque Journal article detailed, Friends of Sabeel in North America will be holding a “Justice & Peace in Palestine and Israel” conference in Albuquerque later this month. What the article failed to convey, however, is that while Sabeel hides behind a language of peace and reconciliation, FOSNA – listed by the Anti-Defamation League as one of “The Top Ten Anti-Israel Groups in America” – actively promotes a rejection of Israel as a Jewish state.

An integral part of the global anti-Israel Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement, Sabeel promotes the idea that Zionism is based on a false reading of the Bible and that it stands for injustice and in opposition to God.

In addition, Sabeel often compares the Palestinians to the crucified Jesus, and Israel to his murderers, alluding to the ugly deicide charge against all the Jewish people. Examples include referring to Israeli actions with deicide language such as “The Israeli government crucifixion system is operating daily” or “Israel has placed a large boulder, similar to the stone placed on the entrance of Jesus’ tomb. This boulder has shut in the Palestinians.”

Sabeel conferences are notorious for featuring speakers who vilify Israel and routinely lift the voices of anti-Zionist Jews as a means to disingenuously suggest that they bring Christians, Jews and Muslims to the table. They continually reject almost all mainstream Jewish voices, including progressive or dovish Zionists.

When the Jewish Federation of New Mexico and Jewish clergy first became aware of the FOSNA conference last summer, we also learned that friends in the interfaith community had been approached to serve as conference sponsors. Given the positive history of interfaith relations between Christians and Jews in Albuquerque, it was our responsibility to offer a mainstream Jewish perspective on this conference.

As a result, it was heartening to garner the support of friends like the New Mexico Conference of Churches and Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. John who distanced themselves from FOSNA in demonstration of sensitivity to Jewish community concerns and civic discourse.

Characterizing these conversations as “bullying” and “harassment” is profoundly incorrect, but an expected part of the BDS campaign. We are confident that other church representatives who have lent their endorsement to the Sabeel conference will come to recognize the one-sided, inflammatory and destructive nature of the movement.

To be sure, the Jewish community of New Mexico is in no way monolithic, and many of us often vocally criticize the policies of Israel’s government. However, the overwhelming majority of Jews in New Mexico and around the globe recognize Israel as a miraculous return of our homeland after a 3,500-year exile, and a vibrant, if young and imperfect, democracy for people of all religions within a region surrounded by intolerance and brutal dictatorships that conspicuously escape Sabeel and BDS scorn.

The conflict in the Middle East is about finding a peaceful path to establish two states for two peoples, not about preventing a group from exercising its right to self-determination.

There are appropriate and meaningful forums for interfaith discussion on all issues pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that engender dialogue and increased understanding. Sadly, Sabeel’s commitment is not to promoting this goodwill, but instead to spreading vicious propaganda to assault Israel’s legitimacy

Sabeel, and FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel North America) wrap their old fashioned anti-Semitism in the feel good rhetoric of " peace ". To those of you in Albuquerque and elsewhere- if you believe our best hope for peace are two states living side by side, then keep your distance from this extremist organization

since when has the rat israeli state ever lived peacefully with any of its neighbors as it ever strives for its 'Greater Israel' from the Nile to the Euphrates.

From 1949-1967 the west bank was administered (occupied) by Jordan. During that period, Gaza was administerred by Egypt. After Israel defeated both jordan and Egypt in the 1967 war, (this is the part you dont know)

During the 1970's, the West Bank and Gaza constituted the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world -- ahead of such "wonders" as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea, and substantially ahead of Israel itself. Although GNP per capita grew somewhat more slowly, the rate was still high by international standards, with per-capita GNP expanding tenfold between 1968 and 1991 from $165 to $1,715 (compared with Jordan's $1,050, Egypt's $600, Turkey's $1,630, and Tunisia's $1,440). By 1999, Palestinian per-capita income was nearly double Syria's, more than four times Yemen's, and 10 percent higher than Jordan's (one of the better off Arab states). Only the oil-rich Gulf states and Lebanon were more affluent.

Under Israeli rule, the Palestinians also made vast progress in social welfare. Perhaps most significantly, mortality rates in the West Bank and Gaza fell by more than two-thirds between 1970 and 1990, while life expectancy rose from 48 years in 1967 to 72 in 2000 (compared with an average of 68 years for all the countries of the Middle East and North Africa). Israeli medical programs reduced the infant-mortality rate of 60 per 1,000 live births in 1968 to 15 per 1,000 in 2000 (in Iraq the rate is 64, in Egypt 40, in Jordan 23, in Syria 22). And under a systematic program of inoculation, childhood diseases like polio, whooping cough, tetanus, and measles were eradicated.

This is about religious extremism not a lawyer's mind fuck about boundaries that the people living on the land had drawn about them without their consent after they helped to throw off their Ottoman rulers. A history of betrayal from the London banking houses and western interests. Nothing more.

Religion is a flimsy excuse for genocide and ethnic cleansing by force of arms.

Only an imbecile would expect a people marked for extermination as having to get along with the criminally insane which surrounds it.

It types

Yada, only a true psycho thinks they're marked for extermination and kills everyone around them to feel safe.

How can an "intellectual" not know of Hitler's attempts at the extermination of the Jews, especially a self anointed know-it-all that claims to be originally from Germany?

Number 1

I'm an American. Single citizen. Saw the horrors of ruin that a serious war can bring. Yuk.

Number 2

Hitler had help. Warberg, another [ like you ] psychopathic zionist, was a major handmaiden for his creation of Auschwitz to service his I. G. Farben

but it would be redundant

Warberg was a money hungry zionist who fed his lower class brethren into the work / death camps. And was a charter member of the Fed.

You don't say!

The nazis had a lot of affiliations where ever they could.

Doesn't make Warberg [ another psychopathic zionist ] an innocent party in the death /work camps since he had Auschwitz built to serve his business interests. It's how things are done.

Nothing to do with religion save the worship of Mammon.