jester
"The US is not like the Roman empire." I would most strongly disagree. What is the difference between putting Herod into power and putting Saddam into power? The US supports China which is communist but decries Cuba which was ruled by a corrupt dictator Batista, supported by the US, who was defeated by Castro. That is pure hypocrisy. I could list dozens of others but have already done so elsewhere. Who put the Taliban in Power? Who supported a dictator named Sharrif in Pakistan? Why the intense interest in the past in getting rid of Daniel Ellsberg? Was someone actually afraid of the truth.
The American supreme court has declared Guantanamo prison illegal but it still exists. The American empire refuses to join the world court. I wonder why? Once again are they afraid of the truth coming out?
Roman imperial theology was peace through victory. American imperial theology is exactly the same "peace through victory.
Jesus program was peace through justice and not peace through victory.
In ancient Rome the rich lorded it over the poor and stacked the cards in their (the rich's) favor. In American the rich lord it over the poor and make sure the laws favor the rich.
Many Americans including American scholars refer to America as an evil empire. This was done as early as the 1830" by a great American poet whose name escapes me at the moment as well as the 1930 by another great American poet.
"Today the income of the richest 225 people in the world is equal to the income of 3 billion poor people" Matthew Fox. Many of these live in the US. Christ came to assist the poor and the disenfranchised that existed in his day. How many Americans are poor, disenfranchised, without any health care, live in poverty or are homeless.? Matthew Fox says quite openly that rural America is "third world".
I heard the news tonight and literally roared with laughter that now that North Korea has handed in a paper it is no longer evil. Unfortunately this is no joke.
As for Robertson, I list Falwell, Phelps etc. in the same category. The Christian right does exert a lot of power and continually want more. It is only time until they do control the government. It is coming unless of course the empire collapses first. I cannot remember specifics from Falwell but have listened to him enough.
We may say that these other churches are not true Christians but that is only the judgment of some. Those other churches indeed believe they are Christians.
Shalom
Ted