Art? or Paganism? Isis destroys ancient Roman era temple

[Gail]

Unless the temple was still being used for pagan purposes, is there a reason they should be destroyed today?

I am referring to the ancient temple of Palmyra being bombed and destroyed by Isis:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3208207/ISIS-destroy-ancient-temple-Palmyra-using-dynamite-jihadi-group-continue-destruction-Syria-s-heritage.html 

I recently listened to a fascinating bio of Queen Zenobia, the queen of Palmyra and descendant of Cleopatra. A picture of this temple was to me a valuable picture of ancient times.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Gail

[Liz]

I think it's art and a wonderful piece of history. I think it's horrible that they are destroying these things.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

whether or not the temple was still being used for pagan purposes is irrelevant... the Palmyra Temple was an extremely important archeological treasure, and what ISIS did to it is inexcusable...

[Sojourner]

Bear in mind that ISIL believe that they are to purify the earth to faciliated the second coming of Christ and the hidden inman (they believe that Christ will convince the worlds Christians of Islam). Anything seen to be pagan or in opposition to their version of fundamentalism is to be cleansed. They have said openly that they will destroy the pagan pyramids once they control Egypt.

[Naomi]

It is part of the genocide culture of this terrorist group to also destroy the identity of their targets. Just butchering them all is not even good enough for this mob of lunatics

AMEN!!! 

[nuff sed]

Not much difference than Missionaries destroying 'pagan artwork, idols, and other items in the name of "Christianity"...Nuff Sed

[Gail]

True enough! Obliterating not only the enemy but all memory of the enemy has been done since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Perhaps the reasons they do it today will shed some light on why the Pharaohs ordered it back then.

[B/W Photodude]

Not much difference than Missionaries destroying 'pagan artwork, idols, and other items in the name of "Christianity"...Nuff Sed

The most highly spoken of kings of the Old Testament were those who destroyed the alters and groves of Baal worshippers and turned their temples into latrines.

[CoAspen]

Its that human condition, it has to be  my way. It is also, in my mind, part of the fear in humans. I don't trust my God to be stronger than other Gods. I must do part of His work for Him. We also have the the OT history of doing the same thing. A God worshiped out of fear.

Thankfully, to some extent, we have learned that what people might produce, make, admire, etc is not always who they are. It is difficult to look at the inside, as God does and I believe we can also, but rather just look at the outside.

[Gail]

It is another serious reminder, too, that all in this world will pass away eventually. 

[B/W Photodude]

It is not accurate to say that the temples of the wicked were destroyed out of fear of God. From my readings, the children of Israel were even told by God to destroy even the people. The more you tolerate the wicked within your gates, even if by "love," the more likely you are to become like them. Tolerating the wicked within the borders heavily contributed to their Temple being destroyed and the Israelites being taked captive, at that, for multiple times. 

No liberal histrionics please, I am not suggesting it for America.

[Gail]

Got it- but are you saying then that perhaps ISIS is truer to the OT (and Biblical) spirit than modern Christianity? Maybe they are...

Edited September 10, 2015 by Gail

[B/W Photodude]

Got it- but are you saying then that perhaps ISIS is truer to the OT (and Biblical) spirit than modern Christianity? Maybe they are...

I think most are horrified at what ISIS is doing especially to the people and really goes above and beyond anything God ever told the Israelites to do. God can also see what we cannot see about the past, present, and future.

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

God can see things about you that no one else can see. Deep things. Hidden things. You know, those inner thoughts and desires that your family and friends have no idea are even floating around in your heart and mind.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/why-god-is-looking-at-your-heart-106033/

[CoAspen]

...even told by God to destroy....

Perception or reality by the people of the day? Certainly those actions would have been in step with all the the other 'evil' nations around them. Perhaps it depended on which 'God' you followed as to whether your actions would be construed as evil or not.

[B/W Photodude]

Perception or reality by the people of the day? Certainly those actions would have been in step with all the the other 'evil' nations around them. Perhaps it depended on which 'God' you followed as to whether your actions would be construed as evil or not.

Whatever your doubts, I would rather just read the Bible for my opinions. If I followed your way, I could doubt everything in the Bible. I think this is an example of what we are talking about in so many threads regarding criticisms of Scripture and why this line of thought can be so destructive to people's faith.

[B/W Photodude]

Whatever happens via the war with ISIS, good can come out of it. The following two people were leaders of movements which caused great harm to their peoples. But after their wars, they were converted to Christianity.

Cambodian ‘Saul’ killed for the Khmer Rouge, transformed into ‘Paul’ by the Word and the Spirit

By the time the Khmer Rouge were finally vanquished by Vietnam in 1978, there were barely any Christians left due to the brutal and arbitrary executions, torture, and genocide committed then.

http://blog.godreports.com/2015/07/cambodian-saul-killed-for-the-khmer-rouge-transformed-into-paul-by-the-word-and-the-spirit/

General Butt Naked

Blahyi has said he led his troops naked except for shoes and a gun. He believed that his nakedness was a source of protection from bullets. Blahyi now claims he would regularly sacrifice a victim before battle, saying, "Usually it was a small child, someone whose fresh blood would satisfy the devil."

In 1997 Blahyi traveled to the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana. It was at the camp, he recounts, that he made confession for his sins at a church and "had his life saved". When he goes out to preach now, he says he sometimes encounters relatives of his victims. "I feel very bad, so bad", he said, but he insists it was satanic powers that possessed him in the past and he cannot be held responsible. He has since expressed willingness to be tried for war crimes at the Hague. (I am a bit concerned about the attitude that he can't be held responsible because the "devil made him do it," but may just reflect an incomplete growth in his Christianity. It would be better if he said he can't be held responsible because he has been redeemed by Jesus.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Butt_Naked

http://joshuablahyistory.com/index.html

[CoAspen]

 

If I followed your way, I could doubt everything in the Bible.

Assumptions, a quick way to avoid answering questions. My faith in the Bible is strong, just not all the interpreters of it. 

If you really believe all should be, as written in the OT, for today.....no, of course you don't believe that. Calling questions about the past history of humans in the Bible as being critical shows an unwillingness to truly understand what God was all about. If all that was attributed to God was what He really wanted from humans, then why send Christ to change that perception? He is a vengeful and unloving God, no different than the Gods of other nations.

Show me how believing God ordered the deaths of men, women and children, forced servitude of their beautiful women, under the guise of marriage, etc was/is any different from the beliefs of the 'heathen' of then and any religious group that practices the same today.

 

[Aliensanctuary]

I think that the destruction of that temple in Palmyra has given us a glimpse of a future of a world without the ancient pyramids and temples that we look upon with wonder. What we see as archeological treasures in the Mideast were once used in the worship of false gods which definitely was a violation of the Decalogue. Ultimately, after this world becomes uninhabitable, all traces of human civilization will be obliterated and the history of the ages of man forgotten. There will be nothing left except the ashes of a failed experiment. Not failure, really, but a testament to the importance of the removal of Self from human nature. This will be a compelling reason for humans to submit to the loss of the sense of Self, replaced by the sense of Oneness with the Creator.

During the conquest of Canaan the Israelis did commit, under the command of YHVH, what today we would call atrocities. During the conquest of Jericho, no animal or human was permitted to live, save one prostitute and her family.

Now, if Israel had marched around NYC until the armies and weapons protecting it were all destroyed, then the city leveled while every living thing was slaughtered, how would we feel, knowing that their god gave them our country to conquer and occupy and that we were on the losing side, doomed because of our false religion? Something like that will occur in the future when the 144K are resurrected to rule the world with an iron rod. Any opposition to the Restored Kingdom of Israel will be easily defeated with the power of YHVH and the power of Spirit.

I believe that it is critically important for us all to start removing all of the stuff and garbage of our lives and focus intently on what the LORD wants us to do.