O'Reilly is a proven liar. He isn't creditable, not that any of the mainstream media is. There is also something wrong in the world when religion attacks books like Harry Potter because of witchcraft, but don't attack the Bible for excessive use of violence.

The Bible's not meant to entertain.  Most discerning people can make a distinction between historical accounts of violence that are meant to inform and depictions of violence meant only to appeal to people's bloodlust.  i.e. newsreel footage from WWII is not the same as a graphically violent movie, even if they both show someone getting shot.

Then why is there such outrage over a book like the Harry Potter series which is meant to entertain.

I guess I didn't make my point clear enough.  Not just that there's a difference, but that depictions of violence/spiritism meant only for entertainment aren't acceptable, according to the Bible.

You're right.  I wouldn't want a kid to see either.  But if he's going to, at least have it serve a purpose or get a message across...  'War is bad, and killing people is bad' is better than 'that guy was a 'bad guy,' so killing him was fun.'  *shrug*

Quote (Agent007 @ Dec. 11 2006, 5:01 pm)

Not just that there's a difference, but that depictions of violence/spiritism meant only for entertainment aren't acceptable, according to the Bible.

Really?  yeesh.

(Psalm 11:5) . . .Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one, And anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates.

(Galatians 5:19-21) 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, 20 idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, 21 envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning YOU, the same way as I did forewarn YOU, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom. . .

(Leviticus 19:31) 31 “‘Do not turn yourselves to the spirit mediums, and do not consult professional foretellers of events, so as to become unclean by them. I am Jehovah YOUR God.

(Leviticus 20:6) 6 “‘As for the soul who turns himself to the spirit mediums and the professional foretellers of events so as to have immoral intercourse with them, I shall certainly set my face against that soul and cut him off from among his people.

(Deuteronomy 18:10-13) . . . There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, 11 or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. 12 For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable things Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you. 13 You should prove yourself faultless with Jehovah your God.

(Notice how it's not just spirit mediums themselves, but those who just consult them.)

I've never claimed that true Christianity wasn't restrictive.  But it's for your own good.  If you don't consider yourself a christian, then hey, do what you want.  But if you claim to be one, then do what the Bible says.  *shrug*

O'Reilly who, Keep it real or it is time to hang it up (die)

Quote (Agent007 @ Dec. 12 2006, 10:29 am)

I've never claimed that true Christianity wasn't restrictive.  But it's for your own good.  If you don't consider yourself a christian, then hey, do what you want.  But if you claim to be one, then do what the Bible says.  *shrug*

But how do you reconcile that with some of the Bible's more antiquated notions?  I won't drag the specifics back up again.

Well, I'm not sure what specifics you're referring to, but the odds are they're in the law given to the Israelites.  That law, while still important in that it gives us principles which show God's view of matters, doesn't apply to Christians anymore.  So we don't stone people or offer sacrifices anymore.

And Jesus was the one who made those changes, not modern day theologians.