Originally posted by apc
Not really. Both enslave people. Only difference is if you defy the masters, one will cut your head off and the other will put you in prison... but they'd like to cut your head off.

firstly the analogy is not useful, are you saying life in prison is the same as beheading, if so, amnesty should stop trying to stop the US from executing murderers..............

anyway, which Christian church wishes to imprison you for adultery and homosexual activity? Which Christian wishes to behead you for a cartoon?

It appears there's a competition between the two warring extremes over who can be most like the Nazis without anyone noticing. Seems to me they've both lost.

think maybe you've lost the plot

I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally. - W. C. Fields

This fight between Christians and Muslims has been going on for centuries. I doubt it will stop until the final war when they kill each other, and everyone else in the process.

Originally posted by Maya432
I also believe that christianity is the most dangerous
thing in our world.

thats a bit sensationalist, is it not?

the christian movement have killed more people
than any other religion through out history.

while I would say that a direct movement of Christians soldiers have created a good many deaths, example, the crusades, or even conquest for land and riches, I would hardly say it as a religion has "killed more people than any other religion through out history."

Christianity and Islam are IMO the two largest religions of recent history. both have caused a great many deaths. I would say just about on par with each other. that being said, Christianity has gone through the age of enlightenment. which is just a fancy way of saying they have changed there killing ways. Islam has not been through this. in most respects.

you may still find pockets of racist Christian bands through out the US, but they are largely benign. no body really ever gives them credence any more. and the majority of them are old people. I m talking about white Christians here. cant speak about the other races or religions, because im not any of those.

around the world though, you can find small groups of Christians who do resort to violence for the means to an end. example, parts of Africa and India. however, these groups are small.

in addition, most of the theocracies with respect to Christianity have dissolved into secular governments. and are not lead by the church directly. you may have someone like bush who believes god told him to go to war, but, that is a personal thing. not a direct order by the church.

Islam in comparison, is very different. however, IMO the Islamic extremism is taken very seriously in those parts of the world, and is heavily supported. IMO Islamic extremism is growing much faster than Christian extremism. and I believe groups like the one mention in the OP are just fringe nut groups, and will be largely ignored.

if violence breaks out after another potential terrorist attack, it wont be because of, and exclusive to Christian extremism.

my two cents, for what its worth.

Originally posted by JSR

while I would say that a direct movement of Christians soldiers have created a good many deaths, example, the crusades, or even conquest for land and riches, I would hardly say it as a religion has "killed more people than any other religion through out history."

Christianity and Islam are IMO the two largest religions of recent history. both have caused a great many deaths. I would say just about on par with each other. that being said, Christianity has gone through the age of enlightenment. which is just a fancy way of saying they have changed there killing ways. Islam has not been through this. in most respects.

you may still find pockets of racist Christian bands through out the US, but they are largely benign. no body really ever gives them credence any more. and the majority of them are old people. I m talking about white Christians here. cant speak about the other races or religions, because im not any of those.

around the world though, you can find small groups of Christians who do resort to violence for the means to an end. example, parts of Africa and India. however, these groups are small.

in addition, most of the theocracies with respect to Christianity have dissolved into secular governments. and are not lead by the church directly. you may have someone like bush who believes god told him to go to war, but, that is a personal thing. not a direct order by the church.

Islam in comparison, is very different. however, IMO the Islamic extremism is taken very seriously in those parts of the world, and is heavily supported. IMO Islamic extremism is growing much faster than Christian extremism. and I believe groups like the one mention in the OP are just fringe nut groups, and will be largely ignored.

if violence breaks out after another potential terrorist attack, it wont be because of, and exclusive to Christian extremism.

my two cents, for what its worth.

excellent post

That Christians can commit acts of brutality on a par with anything else anyone else has committed in the name of their God is without doubt.
Just take a look through any history book.

The difference between Christian fundamentalism and Islamic fundamentalism is that current Christian extremists have very little, or no influence at all within the world at large.
However, as we are all aware, the continued growth of Islamic fundamentalism affects each and every one of us and poses a real threat to our very existence.

But will we see an increase in Chritian fundamentalism in response to the rise of Muslim extremists?
If so, how long will it be until they too are influencing policies and world events.

Their activities need nipping in the bud now before we have two sets of religious extremists hell bent on converting or destroying each other and taking the rest of us with them.

It is always the extreme examples that give others a bad name. We have the Muslim, the homosexual, the zionist, the christian. I truly believe that most of these groups would want to be left alone. Do I agree with them, no. But they have a right to their views as well as I. God alone can judge. However I might not be above shooting a few NWO types if they try to separate me from my family.

respectfully
reluctantpawn

Originally posted by Freeborn
That Christians can commit acts of brutality on a par with anything else anyone else has committed in the name of their God is without doubt.
Just take a look through any history book.

The difference between Christian fundamentalism and Islamic fundamentalism is that current Christian extremists have very little, or no influence at all within the world at large.
However, as we are all aware, the continued growth of Islamic fundamentalism affects each and every one of us and poses a real threat to our very existence.

But will we see an increase in Chritian fundamentalism in response to the rise of Muslim extremists?
If so, how long will it be until they too are influencing policies and world events.

Their activities need nipping in the bud now before we have two sets of religious extremists hell bent on converting or destroying each other and taking the rest of us with them.

Unfortunately this is true (by and large) when looking at history, but not so true in realation to the last few hundred years- Islam has not gone through a process of diluting the fanatacism and allowing religion for the soul and governance for man

Originally posted by grover
Rigid and inflexible world views cannot tolerate other world views even if they are equally rigid and inflexible.

Yes, just read some of the responses so far.

Originally posted by Freeborn
It seems to be a different story across the pond and there seems to be a growing movement of Christian extremism in certain areas of the US.

Isn't it coincidental that most of these areas are uneducated.

The alleged growth in Christian extremism maybe a reaction to the continued march and growth of Islamic fundamentalism which I believe to be the single biggest threat to world peace today.

Actually, I believe the increase in Christian extremism is the same as Islamic. Uneducation of the masses. Plain and simple.

Further proof that organised religion is the bane of mankind and continues to be the most restraining force in our development as a species.

Quite right.

Originally posted by reluctantpawn
There are many here that I disagree with. None that I would wish any ill to. Please do not think that we are all haters.

I don't. Most christians I know are wonderful people. Most muslims I know are wonderful people.

It's the extreme ones that get me.

Originally posted by Freeborn
Yes, Christianity has progressed, just as Islam seems to have regressed.
However, we cannot ignore the presence of Christian extremism, we can not allow them to become a major influence on world events.

Extremism of any kind should never be ignored, I agree- Christian fanatacism has not been a factor in the wests' (as we now call it) foreign policy for several hundred years, and the secularised nature of our governance systems in Europe, US, Canada, Australia means there is next to no indication/chance/possibility that such a movement could occur.(the more likely alternative is a secularised extremist / fascist response in Europe)

As I stated previously, I am an affirmed agnostic, yet I know that Jesus' supposed teachings are not of hatred but of peace, love and tolerance, yet just look at how these simple teachings have been twisted and manipulated in the past to justify horrific acts of barbarism.
How easy would it be to do so again.

there are indeed twisted people who are Christians (or at least claim to be)- like those nutters that picket the funerals of dead US servicemen, but they are on the absoloute tiniest minority of christian fringes, unfortunately on the Islamic side, it is, at best, a large minority

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[edit on 12-2-2008 by blueorder]

Originally posted by blueorder
there are indeed twisted people who are Christians (or at least claim to be)- like those nutters that picket the funerals of dead US servicemen, but they are on the absoloute tiniest minority of christian fringes, unfortunately on the Islamic side, it is, at best, a large minority

I can agree that the muslim extremism seems to be more. I'd just like to know if you are getting your views from propaganda news sources? I'm sure in places where there is only Al Jezeera, those people probably only hear about the fanatical christians too.

"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded only by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison. To-day, after two thousand years, with deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before in the fact that it was for this that He had to shed His blood upon the Cross. As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice.... And if there is anything which could demonstrate that we are acting rightly it is the distress that daily grows. For as a Christian I have also a duty to my own people.... When I go out in the morning and see these men standing in their queues and look into their pinched faces, then I believe I would be no Christian, but a very devil if I felt no pity for them, if I did not, as did our Lord two thousand years ago, turn against those by whom to-day this poor people is plundered and exploited.

-Adolf Hitler, in his speech in Munich on 12 April 1922

And if that is not enough, many atrocities commited here against blacks during the civil right era was perpetrated by white "christians". Go to church in the morning and hunt for african americans at night.

All religion has their extremist, is just that here of course you wont see the MSM telling us about whats going on here.

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[edit on 12-2-2008 by Bunch]

Originally posted by Griff
Actually, I believe the increase in Christian extremism is the same as Islamic. Uneducation of the masses. Plain and simple.

I have to agree with you here.

Unfortunately there are still many areas of the world where large proportions of the population are poorly educated.

Religion seems to be the only source of comfort or relief for these people with re-current themes at the centre of all of the religions that control these people; blame other religions / races for your situation, your reward is after you die.

moved to next page
sorry.
oops and stuff.

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