Jerusalem: The making of a Holy City - BBC4

[naomi24]

I've just watched the third and final part of this excellent series that traced the history of that lovely old city throughout the ages, and culminated in its current continuing bloody religious conflict - and I just thought STOP! For the sake of humanity STOP! The Orthodox Eastern Church at odds with the Church of Rome, in turn at odds with the Protestants, and all at odds with the Jews who in turn are at odds with the Muslims - everyone at odds with everyone else - and all for nothing except the totally unsupported tripe found in ancient books! Bloody religion! What stupid futile nonsense it all is! Bloody depressing!

[Count-A-Strong]

C'mon don't sit on the fence. Tell us what you really think.

[ll_billym]

I will download that I think if you recommend it...

Don't let it get you down, people weren't fighting about religion then they'd be fighting about something else, that's for certain.

[naomi24]

It would be one less thing to fight about though, wouldn't it. And this isn't even a worthy cause!!

[jno]

if it wasn't for religion it wouildn't be a lovely old city.

[naomi24]

jno, I don't know how you work that one out, unless you consider dividing walls, checkpoints manned by armed soldiers - and tacky souvenir shops to be lovely.

[lcg]

that's religion for you. one of the topics that can ruin a dinner if you talk about it! morning, naomi. x

[naomi24]

Morning Icg. :o)

[sandyRoe]

No talk of religion or politics in the mess was an old army rule.

[sandyRoe]

Salvation Army meals were remarkable dull.

[emmie]

that's why i don't believe in any of it, and that anyone who argues, fights, kills, over religion, and religious books that have any number of interpretations, written thousands of years ago, makes no sense.

[emmie]

i watched one episode of the programme, somehow missed the others, but hope they repeat it all, and will definitely watch, as Simon Sebag Montifiore is an excellent presenter.

[NOX]

Didn't see it but just tickled by the presenter's name. 'Simon Sebag Montifiore' is like a character from Monty Python or Pratchett- how wonderful, weird things cheer me up;)

[lcg]

true, em and i agree. anyone who uses there faith in that way is not truly religious, but more an arse. it is not a tool to cause others misery or make somebody superior. that's why i'm not catholic anymore - i'm ashamed to admit i even was at one point. i direct my own moral compass these days.

[webbo3]

They're basically fighting each other to see who has the best imaginary friend.



Dave.

[naomi24]

And it turns out they all have the same imaginary friend - and they all think he's on their side! Utter madness!

[emmie]

naomi, madness indeed.

[beso]

The big mistake was the declaration of holy places. The Jews have Jewrusalem, the Mohammadans have Mecca. In Australia the aboriginees have their scared places.

So what is so wrong with everywhere else? When people realise the planet is a sacred place perhaps we will start making some progress.

[naomi24]

As if the problems between the Muslims and the Jews wasn't enough, just look at the Christians.



Potty!

[jomifl]

11th commandment..Thou shalt not kick thy fellow monk (even if he does wear a different robe)

[Elderman]

This may present some Bible readers with a puzzling thought. In the past the shortened name of Jerusalem was Salem, which means “peace.” (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 76:2; Hebrews 7:1, 2) You may therefore wonder, ‘Why in recent decades has a city with this name had such a lack of peace?’
To answer that question, you need to go far back in history and learn about the Jerusalem of ancient times.

Then only accurate knowledge of Jerusalem’s early history has value for all of us. The Bible indicates why in these words: “All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) Bible knowledge about Jerusalem can give us comfort—hope of peace, not only in that city but throughout the earth.