Subject: Re: Universalism revisited
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 14:47:39 +0800
From: Nigel Mitchell < 
Newsgroups:
aus.religion.christian,alt.christnet.theology

On Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:57:15 +0800, Andrew Bromage wrote (in message <80 >):
> G’day all.
> 
> Nigel Mitchell < > writes:
> 
>> Thanks for posting this, Ken.
> 
> Yes, thanks Ken.
> 
>> I propose that this quotation be added to the FAQ for these newsgroups.
> 
> I’m not sure that would be helpful.  It would be better if the FAQ
> encouraged tolerance than pushed Augustine’s point of view, even if
> Augustine’s point of view could be considered “tolerant”.
> 
> Work that one out. :-)

That’s OK, Andrew.
There are none so intolerant as those who disapprove 
of the “tolerance” of others.

I am writing a homily for tomorrow morning in which 
Antiochus Epiphanes IV features (The reading is 2 
Maccabees 7:1, 20-31) , which reads in part:

Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who comes in the middle of a 
line of Antiochus-es who go up to number 8, is listed 
in many history books as the cruellest tyrant that 
ever lived. He slaughtered several whole nations, 
along with most of his own family, and spent a lot of 
time thinking up ways to torture people who disagreed 
with his policies. He was also very religious, and 
believed that since there is really only one God, all 
people should give up their own laws and customs, and 
worship God together. That is where the Jews got into 
trouble, because they wanted to worship their own God, 
on the Sabbath, and keep their own food laws and other 
aspects of their religion.  Antiochus sent the 
commissioners of his religious affairs department out 
into the countryside to enforce the law. He knew 
enough about the Jewish religion to recognise a 
creative way of bringing the Jews into line with his 
policies. 

In every town and village, the commissioners would 
bring the people together, with the leaders of the 
community at the front. They would then offer a 
sacrifice of a Pig to the one true God, and make every 
member of the community eat some of the sacrificial 
meat, starting with the leaders.  Anyone who refused to 
eat the sacrificed pork was tortured and killed, right 
then and there. In most communities, once the leaders 
had either given in and eaten the pork, or been 
gruesomely slaughtered right in front of everybody, 
most of the people gave in pretty quickly. 

Antiochus Epiphanes IV was the kind of Liberal that 
gives Liberals a bad name.

cheers
N+