Originally posted by curme
Of course 9/11 was a huge tragedy, but if the rapture happened, and the Christian pilots were sucked up to heaven, while the heathens (Muslims,.Jews, etc.) were left on the plane and it crashed into the WTC, wouldn't the Christians be celebrating?

No. If you like to generalize Christians then consider - I am a Christian and would not be celebrating.

Originally posted by curme
How can Christians call their religion a 'religion of peace' when their ultimate goal is to kill all non-believers?

Matthew 22:39 "...Love your neighbor as yourself"

Luke 6:27: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

If they do not follow their own doctrine, they are not Christian.

Originally posted by curme
It seems that all religions that come from the Middle East (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) want to kill you for not believing

Not true per above regarding Christianity.

Originally posted by curme
, while the Eastern Asian religions (Hindu, Buddhism, Shintoism, etc) will allow you to live in peace if you don't believe.

I'm going to disagree here too but that would require a history book to write why.

Originally posted by curme
Why do some religions call for your death if you don't believe?

Don't know but the doctrine tells people how to act. If they do not follow doctrine, they're not truly of their faith.

Originally posted by curme
Is it a way to control and scare people that was needed in the Middle East?

A generalization by geographical region, interesting...

Originally posted by goregrinder
Please show me the passage in the bible that states Christians need to kill all non-believers.

It of course doesn't state that anymore than the koran states it. However christianity and the bible do state that all non beleivers deserve to die and that -god- will, in the end, not only kill, but horribly torture all non-beleivers.

The rapture has nothing to do with killing people.

Correct. The iots the tribulation and the rest of the apocalypse that has to do with it tho.

you'd know that this idea is entirely wrong...

Jesus leads a battle against the anti-christ in which his army destroys its followers. Then there is a thousand year reign of peace, but there aren't any non beleivers. Then existence ends. Meanwhile, all non beleivers who were slaughtered by the righteous god or anythign else are still in hell, for eternity.

I don't agree that christianity in general demands the death of non beleivers or that there aren't ecumenical movements with in christianity, but there are certainly christian fundamentalists who think that there is nothing wrong with this. THe bizzare popularity of those left behind movies isn't based on kirk cameron's acting skills. Christians, some sets of christians anyway, like to fantasize about non beleivers being horribly killed. This of course makes them no different than most other religions.

Originally posted by Nygdan
What would it matter? The 144,000 beleivers would be lifted into heaven and the nearly 7 billion other people on the planet would be tortured, humiliated and destroyed until they accepted god, or somethign like that. 911 would be nothing compared to the terrors that are supposed to happen in the tribulation and apocalypse. Sure the christians would be celebrating, the 144,000 that had been taken up in the rapture. What would they care about evil non beleivers, god obviously wants to destroy them, they should too.

Please see my previous post for the answer. As far as the 144,000 - that's the number of people who were sealed hailing the end of an age (Revelation 7:4) but don't know why you think these are the only people going to heaven? I know a pair of Mormons who stopped by said this too and am still scratching my head because I don't see it written. Do you think God only wants such a small number considering the billions of people throughout history? What would be the point of his son dying for the sins of so few? Is heaven getting 'crowded'? Are there that many people who are just not good enough? John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" That encompasses a lot of people. More than 144,000 I'd venture to say.

[edit on 1-12-2004 by saint4God]

I have only read the opening post, but I am a Christian and it is NOT my goal to kill all non-believers. I think that could quite possibly be the most ignorant idea (not that you said it, but that some people actually live by this) to kill non-believers. What is the point if you don't give those who don't believe a chance to convert? It is not my decision to decide when any other human being leaves this earth, and honestly I have never been able to comprehend how one human could take the life of another human in cold blood...

obviously you havn't heard of coincidence... christ causing 9/11 blimey what next, ET is behind the kennedy assassination...

On another note...

Our fathers were our models for God. If they bailed, what does that tell you about God?
You have to be prepared for the possibility that God does not like you. - Tyler Durton - Fight Club

[edit on 1-12-2004 by Lestat]