Originally Posted by Michael in Toronto

... what you would be willing to accept, now exists....

No Michael, you're wrong.

Jews are prohibited from praying on the Temple mount, and are highly discouraged, if fact nearly prohibited, from even walking there.

Originally Posted by Michael in Toronto

Gee, that sounds a little personal.

You could have said that no one knows what the future holds.

Dusty takes it personally because i do know the future of Jerusalem and he doesn't like the fact that he has chosen the wrong side of the fence.

Originally Posted by Michael in Toronto

No, it doesn't imply that.

No one can guarantee an absence of crime or graffiti or stupidity on behalf of individuals.

I am referring to actions by either state, for example building a mosque in place of the Western Wall, or building a synagogue in place of the Dome of Rock mosque. Obviously, an absence of vandalism etc by individuals cannot be guaranteed.

Regardless of conditions, what you would be willing to accept, now exists.

No, it doesn't. For example, people in Gaza are unable to visit the Dome of Rock or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as are many Palestinians who live in the West Bank, due to Israeli travel restrictions. Israel is making it harder for an ever increasing number of Muslim and Christian Palestinian families to visit their holy sites, as they are tossed out of their homes in East Jerusalem to make way for an ever increasing number of Jewish settlers.

When Jordan "occupied" Jerusalem, Jews were prohibited from the "Wall".

Well, perhaps Israel shouldn't have prohibited Muslim and Christian families from returning to their homes. It's human nature for folk to be hostile towards people who have expelled them from their land and homes, and/or refused to let them return. Even if such human nature is not acceptable to Israel.

Dusty

Originally Posted by Michael in Toronto

Gee, that sounds a little personal.

You could have said that no one knows what the future holds.

It was as personal as the post I replied to.

Originally Posted by steelfaith1

Dusty takes it personally because i do know the future of Jerusalem and he doesn't like the fact that he has chosen the wrong side of the fence.

Yet according to your beliefs, I have ''chosen'' the same side of the fence as ''chosen people'' have chosen.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. People don't ''choose'' to believe that any supernatural deity is real, or not. I can no more ''choose'' to believe that your god exists, than you can choose to believe he doesn't exist, and that some other god or gods exist instead. I can't choose to believe that there is a spiritual afterlife, any more than you can choose to believe people are reincarnated into other people on earth. If you disagree, then your concept of ''belief'' is different from mine.

When you are able to accept that other people know more about what they themselves think, than you do, you might be able to accept what I'm telling you.

Dusty

Belief in God, that is, placing one's trust in God, is a choice. It's not mere intellectual assent to a fact.

Originally Posted by Dusty1000

No, it doesn't. For example, people in Gaza are unable to visit the Dome of Rock or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as are many Palestinians who live in the West Bank, due to Israeli travel restrictions. Israel is making it harder for an ever increasing number of Muslim and Christian Palestinian families to visit their holy sites, as they are tossed out of their homes in East Jerusalem to make way for an ever increasing number of Jewish settlers.

Dusty

You "change the goal posts."

I'll state it clearly; people of all religions may visit holy places in Jerusalem, the main exception being the restrictions on Jews from visiting the Temple Mount.

Example: the blockade around Gaza is not related to the issue of freedom of religious worship in Jerusalem.