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Truthiness -> RE: christian terrorism? (6/5/2009 12:59:57 PM)
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ORIGINAL: Arpig
Repy to truthiness, not rule (Darn quick reply!!![:@])
Ok Truthi, I will readily agree that I fail to see the connection between Christ's teachings and any terrorist act or the teachings of Phelps, et al. However, these people do what they do in the name of christianity. Christianity as they interpret it, and their interpretation is every bit as valid as yours, they read the same bible and draw different conclusions. You are the false prophet in their eyes.
All entirely true, I can't disagree with you there. You have Jesus's teachings available to you though...those books are everywhere. =) So in all seriousness, I'm simply asking...could one not use some logic and reasoning to see if someone is even remotely following Christ's teachings?
I'm not talking about all the "one TWUE Cwistian" arguments that I try and avoid due to their silliness (I'm non-demoninational for that reason)...but some things are just very basic, logical facts that really can't be mistaken. Jesus taught us to love one another; to give of ourselves to the needy; to be forgiving of others. How can you misinterpret that?
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I disregard the arguements of those muslims who distance themselves from the terrorists, saying that they are not real muslims for the same reason. The acts are motivated by the perpetrator's religion. In the case of the act under discussion in this thread, the perpetrator claims to be a christian, and therefore his actions are christian terrorism. The only way your version of christianity could be used to define who is and who is not a christian would be if it were the only version of christianity, which it isn't.
Bolded for emphasis, though really it's the same point I made above. I can't really argue from a Muslim point...simply because I'm not one and have little knowledge of the details of their beliefs. I don't know what passages lead to the differences in their interpretation. I just know that because I have a book that has some very, very clear guidelines of what Jesus asks of us and thus know when someone isn't following those guidelines (again, I'm referring to the very basic principles of love, forgiveness...not the minutiae that leads to those silly arguments)...I would want to be as open minded if a Muslim were to say "He's not one of us!"
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I can understand your desire to distance yourself and your beliefs from the actions of this madman, but the fact remains that he did what he did in the name of christianity, and therefore his act of terrorism was christianity inspired, and is therefore christian terrorism.
Kind of an important distinction needs to be made here. How do we know it was really "Christian inspired?" Would it not be equally possible, and likely, for someone who doesn't believe in Jesus at all to claim to do so to add weight to his belief? Note that I'm not saying this is the case...I can't tell you what's in his heart...if he really does believe he is following Jesus...but neither can you or anyone else. So "Christian Terrorism" is a faulty generalization there I think. Jesus did, after all, warn us that many would falsely come in his name.
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To claim that he isn't a twue "follower of christ" is to impose your interpretation of what it takes to be a follower of christ on him. He has is own interpretation, likely shared with a number of others in his local congregation. Phelps and his ilk have followers, there are those out there who see the christian message the same way he does, just as there are muslims who see the koran's message in the same light as Osama. Who are you to dictate what is and what isn't the correct interpretation of christ's teachings, what is the source of your authority that you can speak in the name of christianity?
This kinda goes back to the first quote here, but wanted to point out - I don't claim to dictate what is and isn't the correct interpretation of Christ's teachings. Personally, I think the words of Jesus speak for themselves...so I would just ask you to read what he says and ask yourself..."Is shooting someone in cold blood what Jesus would have wanted?"
I'd honestly want to ask the man who killed Tiller that same question if he really thought he was performing God's will.
Thank you though for the reasoned, thoughtful reply. =)
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