Is Christianity actually peaceful?

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Postmaster!

Originally Posted by 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?

I suppose this is possible. OF course, if I recall correctly, the Bible says even the Devil can appear to work miracles.

[juantoo3]

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

Yes, He did, but He didn't say to use it (or not to). We have looked at this in the past, He said this to His disciples who were preparing to travel along a dangerous stretch of road. It was a matter of common sense and self defense, not a call to war. Nothing mystical there...

[Postmaster]

Suppose you have a point on that one. But I’m sure there more aggressive texts in the bible. Such as one that tells children to turn on there parents forgot how it goes.

[paul]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

many christians have actually reacted this way, are true witnesses of the christian faith, are sometimes given the titles saints, of which all christians are called to act, just not all do, it doesn't mean christianity doesn't teach this, or that there are not true witnesses of this, which there clearly are.
and they are honoured, recognized and known.

i don't know how many peodophile preists ther have been compared to clerics, what i would say is this would clearly be condemned in both religions.

if a religion teaches peace, is it not a religion of peace?
i'm sorry i don't understand your criticsim of this.

there are known and honoured christians who have actually reflected the teachings of their faith.
have been true witnesses of this peace we talk of.

what i'm asking is are there some of the muslim faith, who reflect peace in an equal light, if not greater?

there are many saints of the christian faith, maybe not a great percentage, but they exist, they are there, they are honoured as true lights of the christian faith.

[cavalier]

Originally Posted by paul

what i'm asking is are there some of the muslim faith, who reflect peace in an equal light, if not greater?

"if not greater" This isn't a competition.

I've known of lots regular, every day people who have turned the other cheek, have returned love for evil. One example really springs to mind.
While at University in Lancaster (NW England) I remember reading an article about a Muslim guy who owned a shop which had suffered a series of racially motivated and often hate-filled attacks. Over the preceeding few years he had suffered several hundred such attacks but this guy still ony had love for the community. The windows outside were boarded up but he kept the shop open and welcomed everyone who came in, even though he knew that some of these people were people who had carried out some of the attacks.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for, you may want to ask the question on the Islam board, but there must be countless millions of regular Muslims who turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and return love for hate.

[shadowman]

as long as you dont make god or jesus angry!

[paul]

Originally Posted by cavalier

"if not greater" This isn't a competition.

I've known of lots regular, every day people who have turned the other cheek, have returned love for evil. One example really springs to mind.
While at University in Lancaster (NW England) I remember reading an article about a Muslim guy who owned a shop which had suffered a series of racially motivated and often hate-filled attacks. Over the preceeding few years he had suffered several hundred such attacks but this guy still ony had love for the community. The windows outside were boarded up but he kept the shop open and welcomed everyone who came in, even though he knew that some of these people were people who had carried out some of the attacks.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for, you may want to ask the question on the Islam board, but there must be countless millions of regular Muslims who turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and return love for hate.

my "if not greater" was not about competition, but about trying to understand islam.
it is related to what i said in my post before.
islamic beleifs differ from christian, their claim is to have a perfect revelation, and as far as i understand, they would claim christianity at least slightly corrupted.
from what i understand, their religion should then be more perfect, than christianity, this is again not about competition, just trying to understand the islamic faith.
in my mind then, if islam is to be a more perfect revelation, then surely there must be some famous muslims who reflect the pureness of this religion in their own lives.
as there are saints in christianity, held in high honour for the pure lives they've lived, surely then from what i've said there must be some in islam which maybe lived even purer lives.

this shopkeeper you talk of in his own right, may shine the light of his faith, in this part of his life you have see, i'm sure there's many regular people of all faiths and even non faiths as in some of their actions may act very righteously, which acts may be praised of all religions, and even all mankind.

but overall in their lives, they may be far from saints, most of us are.
maybe he could be considered a saint in the life he lives, but i don't know nothing about his whole of his life, and i'm not sure you do.

i've heard in afgahanastan, bin ladan honoured as if some kind of saint.
all i seek is some sort of saints of the islamic faith to truly represent and prove to me at least, the peace many claim islam teaches, one who truly understands their own faith, can explain it and support it in the life they live themselves, as i beleive christian saints have.

where is this in islam, i've asked on the islamic board, but received no reply to it.
i'm trying to give islam a fair chance of the peace it claims to represent, but i've yet to receive any proof that can satisfy my mind.

but i beleive it can be found in christianity, i beleive christianity in it's true form is peaceful, i know many have misrepresented it over time, but also many have represented it.
i believe if we truly seek it can be found in the christian faith, but i'm not so sure about islam

[Postmaster]

Paul it would help if you were to actually research Islam! I'm a Christian but I've done alot of reading on Islam! Muhammad started preaching monotheism in Arabia after being visited by an angel and he annoyed alot of Pagans who believed in multi Gods, they tried to assassinate him and his followers on afew occasions until it break out on full on attack on the Muslims who had to defend themselves often many times more out numbered. If the only man in the region was willing to spread the word of God and the only way of doing it was carrying a sword then that’s the way God wanted it, there's over 1 billion Muslims in the world today God sure did fail to get them Christian converts! If the Middle East still remained Pagans today we would have had much more serious world issues.

Mass killings and human atrocities you'll find that the worst of mankind’s have occurred in Europe (and out) by the Christian people.

Muhammad said, a Father can give his child nothing better then Good manners.

[paul]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Paul it would help if you were to actually research Islam! I'm a Christian but I've done alot of reading on Islam! Muhammad started preaching monotheism in Arabia after being visited by an angel and he annoyed alot of Pagans who believed in multi Gods, they tried to assassinate him and his followers on afew occasions until it break out on full on attack on the Muslims who had to defend themselves often many times more out numbered. If the only man in the region was willing to spread the word of God and the only way of doing it was carrying a sword then that’s the way God wanted it, there's over 1 billion Muslims in the world today God sure did fail to get them Christian converts! If the Middle East still remained Pagans today we would have had much more serious world issues.

Mass killings and human atrocities you'll find that the worst of mankind’s have occurred in Europe (and out) by the Christian people.

Muhammad said, a Father can give his child nothing better then Good manners.

i'd love to research islam.
that's why i'm asking for these sort of saints of islam, i find the saints of christianity have taught me much, thanks for your info anyway, maybe you could help me a bit more.
could you maybe reccommend any writing on islam by someone who maybe considered a saint in islam?

could i ask why you are a christian and not a muslim or even of the bahai faith?

thanks for that saying of mohammed, what do you think that meant?

do you think he was just talking of a child speaking politely, or the whole manner of the way he acts?

[Postmaster]

double post?

[Postmaster]

Islam is the most miss-understood religion in the world. I'm a Christian because I was born one, because my life is tied up so much in Christianity, and because I only pray to God and Christ.

Any Christian considering Darwin’s theory of evolution as a fact is technically a heretic, so why should the limit remain there? How far can we push reason within Christianity. Has God forgotton us?

I think Muhammad meant it as he said it.. Good manners are universal.

[Terrence]

No one is born a Christian. U might be born into a Christian family or into a country where Chrisitans live, but no one is born a Christian. You're born a God hating sinner who loves sin and the pleasures it bring. This is why you must be born agian.

[wil]

Originally Posted by Terrence

You're born a God hating sinner

You've yet to provide the new testament quote for this. It is like a broken record. I remember some other person who ended everything with 'you are going to hell, G-d Bless.'

[Terrence]

Sorry, but I thought I did. What do you want, something that specifically says "everyone is born a sinner and hates God?" Seriously, thats crazy. Of corse it doesnt say that in those words. Rather, its the crux of the gospel...that men are born slaves in sin, that their will is captive by sin, that men love sin and darkness rather than light, and thus choose darkness by nature. Have actually ever read the New Testament? You dont even have to go into hermanutics or perform any sort of exergesis on scripture to recornize this obvious teaching of the Bible - both old and new testament.

[inhumility]

Originally Posted by paul

if islam is to be a more perfect revelation, then surely there must be some famous muslims who reflect the pureness of this religion in their own lives.
this shopkeeper you talk of in his own right, may shine the light of his faith, in this part of his life you have see, i'm sure there's many regular people of all faiths and even non faiths as in some of their actions may act very righteously, which acts may be praised of all religions, and even all mankind.
all i seek is some sort of saints of the islamic faith to truly represent and prove to me at least, the peace many claim islam teaches, one who truly understands their own faith, can explain it and support it in the life they live themselves, as i beleive christian saints have.
where is this in islam, i've asked on the islamic board, but received no reply to it.
i'm trying to give islam a fair chance of the peace it claims to represent, but i've yet to receive any proof that can satisfy my mind.

I really appreciate your good words for Islam, which has been hijacked by some war-mongers and Islam’s true face has been hidden from the common people of the world; in fact all Revealed Religions not only Islam have been hijacked by politicians/diplomats who bear only labels and have nothing to do with the religions they belong. What has religion to do with these war-monger leaders whose only objective is to occupy economic resources of the world and control them and harness them for their national interests only may be to the detriment of the whole humanity? Religion only wins hearts and gives peace to its followers, but politicians won’t let them rest .Moses; Krishna, Jesus and Muhammad etc were all Princes of Peace as they were all men of God appointed for peace.
Yes, you may start your research with Ahmadia – a faith in Islam, a peaceful faith indeed, with no compulsions whatsoever, if you so desire: the website is:
http://www.alislam.org/library/books/revelation/index.html