Is Christianity actually peaceful?

[inhumility]

Originally Posted by cavalier

I'm not talking here talking about the teachings of Christ, I'm talking about Christianity.
Christianity has a long history of using violence to support its cause, now I open my newspaper to see a story on Christian mobs in Indonesia.
"Christian mobs freed hundreds of prisoners, torched cars and looted Muslim-owned shops across eastern Indonesia after three Roman Catholics were executed early yesterday for a 2000 attack that killed 70 Muslims.....machete wielding youths terrorized residents.....protesters set buildings on fire"
Ok, there are questions hanging over the Indonesian judicial system, independant reports suggest that these men were not the masterminds of the 2000 attack and so the death sentence was harsh. Christians reported that judges might have been intimidated by Muslims gathering outside the court.
This though does not change the fact Christian mobs, armed with machetes "rampaged" through the streets, "terrorizing" civilians.

Leaving the present strife in the world aside, which is between the war-monger rulers to occupy and control the economic resources and lands; otherwise these rulers are neither Christians nor Muslims though they are entitled to use these labels but they have no attributes of any Revealed World Religion. No Revealed Religion teaches to kill human beings; all are peaceful in origin. In fact these people have blind-faith which is too dangerous and results into radicalism and narrow mindedness; if they follow religion truly they would have a enlightened-Faith based on reason, rationality and solid arguments they would become open minded and accommodating. These people are far from acting according to the Revealed Word of God from God’s mouth which gives insight and makes man farsighted and teaches forbearance ; they are working for fulfillment of their own ambitions.
It is wrong to kill, yet they keep on killing without mercy and call it collateral damage; killing innocent civilian people children, ladies and old people without any consideration. This is evil play, both sides being transgressors, are playing in the hands of the devil and not listening to what God says.
Surely we can live in peace understanding one another’s belief with respect. Peaceful people are in majority in the world, ultimately these people would also understand.
This is Ahmadia view-a faith in Islam.
Thanks

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by juantoo3

Kindest Regards, Yo eleven!

What say you of a person of poor white European lineage, who ancestors wwere so poor they couldn't afford a slave if they wanted to? Are they guilty by association? Or, in my particular case, do I get a "get-out-of-indemnity-free" card because of my Native American heritage? If only life truly were black and white...and red and yellow and brown.

Is Christianity actually peaceful?

[wil]

Originally Posted by Terrence

Even if you're not a believer, you could be able to see what Christanity is and what it is not. Islam kill for their faith, Christians become martyrs for theirs. No real Christian will steal God's glory by taking vengence, that belongs to God.

Wheee... can we say 9/11 where a Christian leader lead a largely Christian Nation into two largely Muslim countries to avenge a couple dozen terrorists from yet another Muslim country. Tens of thousands of Muslims have died, many of them inncocent civilians. More American Soldiers have died than were killled in the original attack....and now both countries are in turmoil...and the leader of the terrorists...at large.

Regarding the Nero discussion...victors write history...and their will always be contention...

Christians do have a history of violence. But I agree their is a difference in what their leaders lead them into. But they are largely not known to stand up and stick to the principles that are espoused.

[Terrence]

This is simply guys, honestly. Take a look at Jesus' teachings and juxtapose it with that of the Muhamad's. Now, if the Qura'n teaches that Muslims should fight and even kill for their faith, then we must believe that the Muslims that fight and kill for their faith are only doing what their religious text say and being true to their religon. If, on the other hand, Jesus tells His followers to do the same, i.e., fight and kill for Him or in His name, then we must rightly affairm that those Christians who have fought and kill for Jesus or in the name of Jesus, are in fact, Christians. But, if on the other hand, Jesus never said to fight for or in His name, but instead die, if need be, then we must rightly call a spade a spade, and say with complete assurance that all the "Christians" who fought and killed others werent Christians at all.

...Its as simple as that guys...Really, it is!

[wil]

Jesus told us if we don't own a sword sell our stuff and get one...

Remember the KKK used the bible the way the terrorists use the Koran.

Lumping people into groups with generalizations creates wars. Terrence, I don't see your comments as creating peace, can you please explain how they do?

The question here is not how Christianity's version of peace is compared to other religions. Actually no need of discussing the Koran, the Sutras, the Veda's or other texts here...simply Christian History and Christian texts.

I am sure inhumility could go quote for quote with you in another thread.

[Terrence]

We must remember to take things from the Bible in context and not build a theology on one scritpture. Thats how some cults come about; you mentioned one (KKK). Simply put, Jesus never ever taught His followers to fight for Him. He taught that vengence is of the Lord and to take His glory in vengence will bring about your own destruction. God doesnt need us to fight for Him. He's God, remember?

As for creating wars. Words dont, but people do. And, I suppose in that case, Christanity will always be considered a religion of war, since it tells people things that they do not want to hear - namely, the truth. All that said though, you can rest assured that if any Christian kills or forces Christ on anyone, that person is NOT a Christian, at least in the Biblical sense.

[Terrence]

We must remember to take things from the Bible in context and not build a theology on one scritpture. Thats how some cults come about; you mentioned one (KKK). Simply put, Jesus never ever taught His followers to fight for Him. He taught that vengence is of the Lord and to take His glory in vengence will bring about your own destruction. God doesnt need us to fight for Him. He's God, remember?

As for creating wars. Words dont, but people do. And, I suppose in that case, Christanity will always be considered a religion of war, since it tells people things that they do not want to hear - namely, the truth. All that said though, you can rest assured that if any Christian kills or forces Christ on anyone, that person is NOT a Christian, at least in the Biblical sense.

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by cavalier

Q, that's an interesting way that you've chosen to quote YO. Do you mean something by it, or is it simply accidental?

Uh, that is a bit embarrassing... purely accidental I assure you...

[cavalier]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Uh, that is a bit embarrassing... purely accidental I assure you...

Fair enough, no worries big guy.

[Postmaster]

I agree with Will, I know people will be people at the end of the day.... But do you think it's possible that you can reach a state of passiveness in Christianity that Islam simply can't offer? Christian mystics have used the bible as a tool for accomplishing mystical things for the benefit of others for hundreds of years. You could say Jesus opened up some mystical bridge for us, which so called Christians don't want to walk down and preach Christianity as the other two Abrahamic religions, typically calling everyone else infidels. Don't forget Christianity has its roots in Judaism but Jesus was also a unique mystic who had a strong relationship with God... You can pick to follow Christianity as God intended as basic Abrahamic religion or you can further follow the path of Christ, which is very difficult, but so rewarding and I think this is what Judaism and Islam don't have to offer.

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Postmaster!

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Don't forget Christianity has its roots in Judaism but Jesus was also a unique mystic who had a strong relationship with God... You can pick to follow Christianity as God intended as basic Abrahamic religion or you can further follow the path of Christ, which is very difficult, but so rewarding and I think this is what Judaism and Islam don't have to offer.

Hmmm, I think this is an interesting take on things, but I am pretty sure there are Jewish Kabbala mystics who might disagree that the "Jesus path" to mysticism is the only one. A path I am even less familiar with, I believe the mystic path in Islam is Sufism.

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, jiii!

Thank you for your most thought provoking post!

Originally Posted by jiii

Christianity is not a person. As such, it is not capable of emotion or action. Thus, Christianity cannot really be peaceful, or war-like, or have any human quality...

Of course, one might note that religion is, after all, uniquely a human invention. And, indeed, this is true. Religion is a tool...

It all depends on how you use it. In the hands of one man it may be a tool for assisting in attaining transcendental wisdom. In the hands of another, it may be a tool for justifying the most appalling carnage. None of these possibilities, though, are inherent in the religion itself...

You've given quite a bit of food for thought here.

It does make me wonder, what is it about us humans that makes us so ready to war to defend our doctrines of peace? So many of us take it very seriously when our religious beliefs are threatened, or if we even sense a hint of threat. Down to and including pitting one doctrine of peace against another doctrine of peace, we are quick to jump to violence in defense of our ideologies.

This seems quite paradoxical, yet it is also the way of the world.

If the doctrine itself cannot be said to be warlike, nor peaceful, those qualities must be possessed by the followers of that doctrine, or not. Is it the fault of the doctrine if its followers do not uphold its virtues? Or, is it virutous to violently defend a doctrine of peace?

I've got to dwell on this a bit...

[paul]

i think it can be proven christianity was originally peaceful, we can see this from the early christian writings, these martyrs who layed down their lives, not of voilence, or doing anyone harm, but prepared to suffer evil for their faith.
i think even today, someone like mother teresa truly shows the peace in christianity.

christianty teaches turn the other cheek, does islam?

christianity teaches to return good for evil.

what a great virtue, when even insulted and treated badly to still remain peaceful and even kind to those who mistreat you.

does islam teach this?

i'm asking the question i don't know.
i've yet to see muslims react this way though, maybe some do and have, maybe islam originally teaches this. i don't know, i've yet to see it.

if islam does have this peace, please i'm waiting for a testimony of it, it most certianly can be found in christianity.

i've seen muslim suicide bombers portrayed as martyr's, their familes even honoured because their son has done such for their faith.
i've seen little children from their home town honour them.
(this was in a documentry i watched)

but do true muslim martyrs exist full of peace and love, if so surely there is books and history of them, surely they must be well known in islam.
can someone please direct me to such?
they don't even have to be martyrs who died for their faith, but just having a peace and love, like can be found in many christian saints.
and islam may even claim to have a greater love and peace than these saints, as maybe claiming to have a restored truth in islam which may have been lost to these christian saints.

if such exists in islam, that can put to shame the unpeaceful acts done in the name of islam, and truly show the peace of this religion, then surely such needs to be made known, and must be well known in the peaceful circles of islam.

[Postmaster]

Juantoo3 there is such a thing as negative mysticism as there is positive mysticism. Christianity offers the best out of all the Abrahamic faiths. I know this is a matter of faith but there are countless people that have been cured from illnesses from our saints especially in the Catholic and Orthodoxy denominations. Is it what God intends to follow through on? Nowadays we see miracles occurring through science too which is given to the masses, indiscriminately and anytime, maybe this is what God intended?

[Postmaster]

Paul how many Christians actually react like that? I have a funny feeling there is LESS chance of finding a cleric paedophile compared to a priest paedophile.

I think claiming a religion is more superior for being passive is not a passive act!

Just because the people who wrote the bible had ultra passive views does it mean the people follow through? and some contradictory ones too, which you would be surprised to find in the bible. i.e.

Jesus told us if we don't own a sword sell our stuff and get one...

And did the crusaders use the bible as justification for invading other nations?