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To: Prodigal Daughter
Thank you.

To be perfectly fair, I've been accused of being anti-Christian before. This is because I am as adamant on telling the truth of Christian history as about everything else. A true Christian will admit that much of Christian history has been anything but truly Christian in nature.

I cannot disagree with your statements about radical Islam. It is a very dangerous phenomemon. However, there are close to one billion Moslems in the world. By no means are all of them radical. However, attacking the Moslem faith as such is likely to drive some of the waverers in that direction. A better approach is to emphasize the distinction between radicals and "normal" Moslems, not blur it. It's too bad that more "normal" Moslems don't stress this distinction themselves.

As you point out, a MAJOR difference between Islam and Christianity is that Islam specifically enjoins its followers to spread the faith by the sword. Jihad is a core doctrine. The discussions are thus about when and how it is appropriate to conduct jihad.

Jesus, OTOH, specifically rejected violence. It is impossible to find any direct encouragement of military activity in the NT, for any reason, much less to spread the faith. Thus Christian warfare is conducted as an inherently secular activity, although it has often been perverted into Holy War, in (often unknowing) imitation of Islam.

I still do not think that the post does a particularly good job of making your point. It can be interpreted in other ways. Change the specifically Moslem references to Christian and it could fit into many a Christian pulpit.

13 posted on 09/13/2001 11:21:45 AM PDT by Restorer
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To: Restorer
I still do not think that the post does a particularly good job of making your point. It can be interpreted in other ways. Change the specifically Moslem references to Christian and it could fit into many a Christian pulpit.

I couldn't disagree with you more. Plenty of Christians might practice that, but they don't preach coverups from the pulpit because there is no biblical basis for it. If a Christian covers up another's sin, he becomes someone's accomplice. Hypothetical situation: You see Joe Christian stealing from the offertory (or from your Moslem boss). I don't have the verses at hand, but maybe someone else can confirm the following: Your first biblical step is to confront Joe. If Joe doesn't confess, stop, and make restitution, your moral obligation is to tell the pastor or person he stole from, whatever the case may be.

I refreshed my memory of my previous disagreement with you was when you answered my post criticizing Hindu texts. The caste system, IMO as per the Hindu texts, falls short of the sanctity of life and condemnation of murder found the the OT and NT, even when killing was commanded, such as other tribes who were set on annihilating Israel, or a child who would curse his parents (which is also a form of causing physical harm) were always in extreme circumstances and last resorts.

You mention you wish moderate Moslems would speak out against radical Moslems. Most are too afraid since there would be retribution against their relatives. It's even dangerous to be a moderate Moslem amongst radical Moslems.

14 posted on 09/13/2001 11:52:28 AM PDT by Prodigal Daughter
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