![]() Confucius told his followers, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do unto others” (Analects 15:230, 557 BC). Buddhism teaches, “Hurt not others with that which pains yourself” (Udanavar 5:18, 580 BC). Yet almost every faith group has an equivalent of Jesus’s teaching to “Love thy neighbor as thyself” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31) – our oft-quoted Golden Rule. Trade wars with former allies, nuclear disagreements with Korea and China, immigration disputes with near neighbors – all bear marks of racism, greed and power-mongering thinly veiled under the deceitful cloak of patriotism and legality, and supported vigorously, in many cases, by religion. The United States is now in its 17th year of war with nations in the middle east, and now other disagreements bode ill for conflict, rather than accord and accommodation. The Crusades are a savage, evil time in Christianity that remains today as the root for current rivalries and wars between the Muslim, Christian and Jewish nations. Often used as a tool of powerful governments, religion has also used its sword as a xenophobic weapon against those people and cultures seen as different from their “real religion.” Indigenous and peace-loving people of North and South America, Hawaii, and parts of Africa were brutally subjugated, and their cultures destroyed by marauding armies seeking land, gold, and to spread God’s kingdom. Yet, we must also acknowledge that the powerful “sword” of religion has also brought a sharp edge of violence and war, fear and greed. Their teachings of love, peace, justice, fidelity, inclusion and compassion form the bulwark of much of that which is positive in human evolution. They have been responsible for creating great beauty in music, art, architecture and literature, and for bringing into being the modern world or “enlightenment” of science, education, mobility and technology. They have cut through the chaos of existence to bring many good things to humanity. Although they comprise less than half of the world’s population as followers, they control well over half of the world’s armaments, and 70% of the world’s wealth. The three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), have become, in many ways, the most powerful of the world religions. Holy writings came into being, prophetic and wise leaders emerged, and over time certain core principles developed within the religion that their followers agreed to believe. Be it life and death, the rotation of the earth, weather and seasons, illness, pain or joy, these practices and rites continued to grow and eventually enmeshed themselves so completely in the lives of the people that they became indistinguishable from the culture of the group community, culture, and religion became as one. ![]() John, on the side altar in Catedral de Cristo Salvador in Avila, by unknown artist of 16th century.Īccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, religion is “the belief and worship of a superhuman, controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” We know that from the instant that human beings gained the brain power to contemplate themselves and their surroundings, they developed various forms of rituals and practices to celebrate and give meaning to the mystical and magical things around them they could not understand. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.Christ with the double-edged sword after Apocalypse of St. The next installment in the MCU will be Black Widow on May 1st, 2020. He also knows about Eitri's forge on Nidavellir, so that might be the birthplace of his blade.Īvengers: Endgame is available on DVD and Blu-ray now. Just what the sword was crafted from remains a mystery, but Thanos clearly has a ton of resources at his disposal. Thanos hadn't physically been to the planet prior to Endgame, so his armor and weapons must have been forged from another material. It makes sense too, given that Vibranium is a mineral that occurs naturally on Earth. We saw how Black Panther's claws damaged the weapon in Captain America: Civil War, so it was a fair assumption.Īlas, Thanos' Avengers: Endgame was made out of something else entirely. Was it also vibranium, and therefore able to break Cap's shield. This turn of events made the hardcore Marvel fans wonder about what the Mad Titan's giant blade was made of. Related: Avengers: Endgame Writers Explain Why Nick Fury Wasn’t In The Final Battle
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