Before We Condemn An Entire Religious Faith Because Of Extremists And Radicals
PLEASE, ANYONE,
The image highlights the assumptions Americans bring to global issues and political discourse. We see Muslims decked out in camo, thumping Qur’ans and bearing assault rifles in a very different light than we do the more “harmless” Evangelical varieties in the United States. But what, really, is the difference (if any)?
One of these groups claim to be a "superior" race and a Christian Identity as an excuse
for discrimination, hatred and killing of all non-white, non-Christians or
anyone else that does not believe as they do… The other is Muslim.
White supremacists identify themselves as “Christians”, yet violate everything Christ taught.
Do the teachings of Jesus Christ on peace and nonviolence contradict what many “Christian” nations and individuals practice? The answer may surprise you!
Christianity is the largest religion
in the world. Today over 2.18 billion people around the world, representing
over 32.5 percent of the world’s population, profess Christianity. From the Pew
Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life list of the 10 countries
with the largest number of Christians, the following are the top five ranked by
percentage who are Christians:
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (63,150,000 Christians; 95.7 percent of population).
- Mexico (107,780,000; 95 percent).
- Philippines (86,790,000; 93.1 percent).
- Brazil (175,770,000; 90.2 percent).
- United States (246,780,000; 79.5 percent).
But do the high percentages of
professing Christians in these nations make them safe and peaceful refuges from
crime and violence? Unfortunately, the answer is no.
And some of the most destructive wars in human history have been fought by Christian nations. World War I, World War II, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War and the Thirty Years War were all wars where the majority of combatants, on both sides, were Christians.
Clearly, Christianity has not led to world peace—even among professing Christian nations.
Clearly, those who profess to be “Christian” or “Muslims” and advocate
violence, hatred and terrorism are not true “Christians” or “Muslims” they are just
those who want power and to be in
control of others.
Those who claim that the United States was founded on “Christianity”
clearly don’t know the history of the United States or why the 1st
Amendment is written the way it is:
Amendment 1 -
Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791.
Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free
exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This
also means that no PERSON, GROUP, STATE, CITY OR COUNTY GOVERNMENT shall make
any law respecting the establishment of or prohibition of religion or the free
exercise thereof including the right to NOT believe in religion and the free
exercise thereof.
The Sermon on the Mount (found in
Matthew 5, 6 and 7) is one of the most detailed teachings of Jesus Christ
recorded in the New Testament. In this vital sermon, Jesus Christ laid out the
central facets of the way of life He taught His followers.
One of the central themes of the
Sermon on the Mount is Christ’s expectation that His followers be characterized
by peace—not violence or war.
In the famous opening to this great sermon known as the
Beatitudes, Jesus taught, “Blessed [happy] are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Christ’s followers should be
characterized by living a way that leads to peace—totally the
opposite of a life characterized by violence and strife.
Yet here, in the United States we have our own brand of “terrorists”,
the “Christian” Right, KKK, Arian Nation and the skinheads all of whom profess “Christianity”
of one form or another and at the same time tout hatred, murder, discrimination
and social caste to any non-Christians or non-white people proving they are indeed
NOT TRUE CHRISTIANS themselves.
They are some of the first to call for a ban on other religions like
Islam because of the actions of the few and demand an apology from the rest of
Islam for those few. Likewise I say we
should demand an apology from the whole of the Christian population for the
actions of the few who bomb abortion clinics and deny women control over their
reproductive rights in the name of “right to life” or bomb NAACP offices and
attack minorities in the name of white supremacy all in their efforts to cram
their brand of “Christianity” or Christian Sharia Law down the throats of
everyone else in the world.
What does the Qur’an Teach about peace and nonviolence?
The Qur’an forbids “imposing” Islam on others:
If the motive for terrorism is religious, it is
impermissible in Islamic law. It is forbidden to attempt to impose Islam on
other people. The Qur’an says,
The Qur’an forbids forcing Islam on others:
“There is no
compulsion in religion. The right way has become distinct from error.” (-The
Cow, 2:256). Note that this verse was revealed in Medina in 622 AD or after and
was never abrogated by any other verse of the Qur'an. Islam’s holy book forbids
coercing people into adopting any religion. They have to willingly choose it
.
The Qur’an demands of believers that they exercise justice toward
people even where they have reason to be angry with them:
“And do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from
being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.”[5:8]
Islamic law forbids aggressive warfare. The Qur'an says:
“But if the enemies
incline towards peace, do you also incline towards peace. And trust in God! For
He is the one who hears and knows all things.” (8:61)
The Qur'an chapter “The Cow,” 2:190, says, “Fight in the way
of God against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! God
loveth not aggressors.”
Christian terrorist, Islamic terrorist, somebody, anybody PLEASE
EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE, (if any).
