About Iran, democracy, Islam, Christianity and ourselves

06/26/2009 | WesternCulture

[WesternCulture]

Islam is, undeniably, a major source of inspiration for terrorism, oppression and barbarism.

Many would even say the very nature of Islam is nothing but sheer evil and among these gainsayers of Islam we find plenty of well educated and highly literate individuals.

Personally speaking, I can't say that I've grown more tolerant of Islam the more educated I've become.

But could Muslim nations that today are run by advocates of pure evil eventually be transformed into well functioning democracies?

Will Iran ever become a true democracy?

Will Iraq?

Will Saudi Arabia?

- Or will Islam hinder such a development?

I'd like to think there, actually, is some kind of force within every man so strong it could resist any kind of evil, even if this spirit, seemingly, is possible to subjugate year after year after year, by megalomaniac tyrants.

I'd really like to think this is the case and so far, I've been proven right time after time by history books I've read as well as events of my own lifetime.

If I'm right, Islamist teachings are indeed contrary to human nature, but also inferior to true and basic human spirit.

Religions are important, in many ways, but while God alone is God and God is the sole creator, only man can decide his own future here on Earth.

The validity of this perspective was not fully understood until the days of Florentines like Pico della Mirandola and (I'd also include) Leonardo da Vinci.

Still, many Westerners of today do not realize that the veritable, fully existing, freedom of man - whether we deny ourselves or other human beings this marvelous gift - is the utmost expression of God's love.

If men do evil they can not blame God, but if they do good they do the will of God.

Is there a "will" of Christianity and a "will" of Islam?

Even from a politically correct perspective, Muhammad must be viewed both as a military commander and a religious leader while Jesus, on the other hand, was 100% a religious leader.

This says more about Islam than about Christianity.

While we Christians acknowledge the fact that our religion often has been used as a guise for evil and the history of our religion itself is blood soaked, this tells us little about the teachings of Jesus Christ per se.

Sooner, it reveals a lot about how people who call themselves Christians have managed to observe the Two Commandments of Love.

Let's linger on the matter of Renaissance thinkers like Leonardo and della Mirandola for a while. In his famous "The Praise of Folly", Erasmus of Rotterdam, one of the most prominent Christian thinkers of this epoch, reminded humanity that on Judgment Day, the Lord will ask us this and only this question; "How did thou obey the two commandments which I gave thee?"

Islamic teachings on the other hand, while paying tribute to this core of the Judeo-Christian heritage (at least by explicit words), instructs its followers to conquer the soil of the "infidels" and either convert them or turn them into second rate citizens.

Muslims often claim we Christians have done the same during the age of Colonialism, but;

1. The Bible didn't instruct us to.

2. The people who were exposed to these wrongdoings mostly lived in societies that were primitive and brutish beyond belief (even if that is no excuse for slavery etc)

3. Christianity has apologized for these atrocities while Islam still hasn't condemned 9/11.

But I'd still say many Iranians, especially young, comparatively well educated ones have more in common with the political believes of us Westerners than Iran's Guardian Council.

Most of these protesters probably call themselves "Muslims", but that doesn't mean we Christians can't co-exist with them.

Ideologies matter a lot, but labels do not necessarily do so. Especially not those which people place on persons they have nothing but vague impressions of.

I'm a member of the largest Lutheran church of Earth, The Church of Sweden, but what does that tell anyone about myself?

I oppose plenty of things "my" church (which I was baptized into as a child), explicitly stands for, but I also feel there are intrinsic bonds between it and my identity as a Swedish patriot.

Sweden, Germany, Norway, Denmark and USA are examples of countries that, to a large extent, are prosperous and free today because of what a Lutheran like Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden accomplished in the 17th century in Europe, but in no way thanks to what the Church of Sweden is today.

Regardless of politically correct pastors of The Church of Sweden (who usually don't hesitate to praise homosexuality, mass Muslim immigration to Sweden etc), I and my ancestors will forever remain a part of the endeavors of Gustavus Adolphus the Great, efforts which eternally go hand in hand with Lutheranism, whatever false PC moral its, temporary, spokesmen here on Earth preach.

Likewise, the children of Islam, which in many ways is an usurper religion in relation to the Judeo-Christian culture, are not completely lost just because they happen to bow down to Mecca.

This optimism of mine could, of course, be viewed as unrealistic, to say the least.

But being a Scandinavian aged 39, I'm able of comparing things like what the eastern parts of my continent looked like when I was a teenager and how life is like there today - even if people in this part of Europe don't exactly live like the jet set of inner London. At least, they own cars, live in decent homes and above all can speak their minds freely.

Islam is a threat towards Christian Civilization, but if Islam, in general, develops according to the ideals of the brave Iranians who daily are willing to risk their lives in the struggle for true freedom, it will become less of a threat.

There is not only hope, there is reason for hope.

[WesternCulture]

“Ummmm..., from the looks of it... yep...”

- From the looks of it, a $10 000 KIA could compete with a $60 000 BMW.

[Star Traveler]

An additional piece of information indicates no change in Iran or those evil Muslims...

That’s the God/Magog war of Ezekiel 38/39. That’s where they are aligned with Russia and some other Muslim nations and do an invasion on Israel.

So, no..., there’s no change in Iran....

As long as those people remain Muslim, they’ll continue acting just like the Prophet Mohammed did....

[Islaminaction]

The Iranians never cared about their support for Hezbollah, Hamas, the nuclear program, the threats against Israel, or the Christians being persecuted there. This is about them within Iran. “Moderate” Islam is not coming to the rescue and Turkey persecutes Christians as well.

Democracy with Muslims does not change their religious views. The only hope is to end all Muslim immigration.

[Islaminaction]

The same problem has started here in America as well.

Things are going to get real ugly one day.

Good luck over there.