“Mike, do you really think God took sides? I don't know what God you worship, but my God is all loving and would never have condoned the atrocities committed against his church by the Federal army. Do you realize that some Southern churches were used as stables by the Union?

Why can't we just discuss and not bash each other?”

Evelyn,

I respect you and your views, but we differ on this point. In some other posts to Dennis I have tried to explain how differing viewpoints do not necessarily equate to "bashing," which is a code word that the professional victim class uses to shut down opposing views, criticism or dialog. So let's not use their terms, okay?

But you do bring up a very interesting question, the answer to which will never be revealed this side of the Jordan: Whose side God was on during the WBTS? My personal view is that God was on both sides; but to one He said “yes” and to the other He said “no.”

Because God appears to have said “no” to the Southern Confederacy, does that mean that God was not on their side? When God does not answer our prayers, does that mean He hate us, because we didn’t get our way? Isn't that kind of putting our own agenda ahead of God's?

And what about God’s black children who for years prayed fervently for freedom from bondage? Or should God have granted the prayers of the white power structure to independently pursue its own agenda, which may or may not have included freeing the slaves at some indeterminate point down the road when technology would have finally obsoleted the institution?

Yes, these are all interesting questions that, I think, every person who studies the war sooner or later contemplates. God hates evil, but permits it as the price of man's free will. What the Yankees did or the Rebs did happened because man is in a fallen state. Again, just my opinion.

But I will say again, I think it’s important to be able to use this venue to put out ideas, even those we don’t always agree with, if free dialog is going to happen. It ain’t happening in the media or on campus, so can’t we at least have it here?

Mike

PS--churches are people, not buildings :)