Christian terrorism

Washington Post | 06/02/03 | Gary Bauer

[Believer 1]

To: Friends

From: Gary L. Bauer President American Values

Date: Monday, June 2, 2003

Christian Terrorism?

It took the Washington Post less than 48 hours to link accused Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph with Christianity. This is the same Washington Post that downplays the growing evidence that the Washington, D.C. snipers were driven by their Islamic faith. An article on page 3 of the Post this morning, under the headline, "Is Terrorism Tied to Christian Sect?" heavily quotes Professor James Aho of Idaho State University. Professor Aho tells the Post that if Christians take umbrage at the juxtaposition of the words "Christian" and "terrorist," "that may give them some idea of how Muslims feel when they constantly hear the term 'Islamic terrorism.'" Professor Aho goes on to assure us that "every major world religion has people who have appropriated the label of their religion in order to legitimize their violence."

Is the professor really this ignorant? Assuming Eric Rudolph committed these crimes, he cannot find one word in the teachings of Christ to justify them. Nor will he find any theological leader of any branch of Christianity willing to defend his criminal conduct. No Christian neighborhoods burst into celebration at the news of the bombings. Nor are Christian children being taught that if Rudolph had died in his attacks he would be a "martyr" welcomed into heaven.

The contrast with radical Islamic teachings couldn't be more stark. Each terrorist act against Christians and Jews by those acting in the name of Islam is excused by countless Islamic leaders, theologians, imams, and philosophers. Schools are named after jihad bombers. And there are plenty of verses in the Koran cited to justify the murderous attacks of Islamic "warriors." Do you see the difference, Professor Aho?

[k2blader]

Eric Rudolph is a member of the Christian Identity movement, which is a far cry from Christianity.

Might you be able to elaborate a bit? I'm not familiar with the beliefs of the Christian Identity movement. Is it a cult?

[mr.pink]

Where are all the haters of Gary Bauer now?

I'm still here, and I still find him a ridiculous little man with some serious issues.

[OREALLY]

Now us Christians can get a taste of of what Muslims have been getting.
I agree completely with your post !

[bereanway]

There's nothing fundamental about claiming you're an Anglo who is really a descendant of one of the tribes that comprised the Northern Kingdom (Israel) up until 722 BC. That's just looney. There is no major branch of Christianity that believes these guys are anything other than nuts. And they'll all stand up and say so.

That's not the same as the relationship of the Muslim terrorists with the major tenets of Islam and it's clerics none of which seem willing to condemn their terrorists.

[Wallace T.]

Eric Rudolph is no Christian, much less a fundamentalist. He is a member of the "Identity Movement" that identifies Jews and nonwhites as the spawn of Satan and thereby denies their humanity. However, Scripture clearly teaches that all human beings are descended from Adam. The free offer of salvation is made to members of all nations on Earth, not just to a single nation. Jesus' last words before His ascension into heaven were for His disciples to be witnesses to Him to the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8) The Apostle Paul stated "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

Rudolph is a white man of northern European descent. He may have been baptized as an infant or a child in a Catholic or a Protestant church. These facts of birth, heritage, and family custom do not make him a Christian. His membership in a non-Christian cult such as the Identity Movement indicate he is not a Christian.

[LittleJoe]

There are Christian Fundamentalist Extremists out there just as there are Islamic Fundamentalist Extremists.

I'm not a Christian, but I think Christians have been getting a bum rap for too many years in our country.

This monster is not a religious man. He is a violent terrorist using religion as an excuse for his mayhem.

America has become too extremist in everything and I think Liberalism has brought this about.

If I could put my extremist dogma in power, I would use it to round up all Liberals and send them to France!

[sheltonmac]

The Christian Identity Movement teaches that white Anglo-Saxons are the direct descendants of Abraham, one of the lost tribes of Israel. They believe that the Jews are the descendants of a relationship between Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Essentially, CIM and other movements like it comprise the "organized" religion of hate mongers and white supremacists.

[Damocles]

I can't attest to the fact that Eric Rudolph is a Christian. I guess if he has accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and repented of his sins then he's a Christian.

The point is the same sort of blame shifting that occured in Islamic circles is now taking place in Christian circles.

The argument goes something like this "Eric Rudolph can't be a Christian because the bible does not condone his actions."

Well, I can find quite a few verses, taken IN context that would support his actions. But Christianity has undergone a little something called the Age of Enlightenment which MOST have accepted.

Quite a bit of terrorism has been attributed to Christians in our past (think Crusades) but as a whole we have moved on.

Islam is awaiting their own Age of Enlightenment. This whole episode can be a good slap in the face to all those who continue to claim that all Muslims are evil.

Of course, it is very dificult to take that honest look in the mirror but it is healthy.

[Damocles]

I agree with you. Evil men are judged by their fruit. But there are those who take a religion very seriously and still do evil acts, seeking justification through their religion.

[MineralMan]

"But to deny the fact that Rudolph claims to belong to Christianity is no different than those Muslims who claim their terrorists are not part of Islam.

There are Christian Fundamentalist Extremists out there just as there are Islamic Fundamentalist Extremists."

Yup. There are hundreds of websites out there from these extremists. While most Christians disavow such people as Christians, to non-Christians, they appear to be Christian, since they lard their messages of hatred with biblical references and invoke the name of Christ all the time.

It is a lesson for us to learn, I believe. While some Muslims are terrorists, they are as small a minority as the minority of self-proclaimed Christians who are terrorists or who foment violence in the name of their religion.

If you are a Christian, then you know that these fringe "Christians" are not that at all. But...if you're like 2/3 of the world's population who are not Christians, you may not be able to make that distinction.

I know Muslims as neighbors, co-workers, and acquaintances. None of the Muslims I know condone or support terrorism. In fact, they speak often of what a bad thing it is for their religion.

Those who lump all Muslims in the same category are guilty of the same nonsense as those who lump all self-styled Christians into the same category.

[MineralMan]

I'm not familiar with the beliefs of the Christian Identity movement. Is it a cult?


Do a Google search for "Christian Identity." You'll find all the information you can handle.

[asformeandformyhouse]

Those who lump all Muslims in the same category are guilty of the same nonsense as those who lump all self-styled Christians into the same category.

Which is why I live by the motto: "Never believe generalizations!"

Oh wait.

[k2blader]

Thanks for the info. I just spotted this link on the Christian Identity movement too...

From what little I've read, Rudolph does not hold Christian beliefs, although those with leftist agendas would like us to think otherwise.

[mr.pink]

Those who lump all Muslims in the same category are guilty of the same nonsense as those who lump all self-styled Christians into the same category.

I agree. Little Gary mischievously skates along the edge of doing this on a pretty regular basis.

[rattrap]

right, nothing bad has ever been done by christians in the name of god throughout history...

[Poohbah]

From what little I've read, Rudolph does not hold Christian beliefs

He doesn't hold what me and thee identify as Christian beliefs, but we actually stayed awake in religious ed class.

Those less knowledgeable than us will believe that Rudolph is some flavor of Christian.

Better that a millstone were tied around Rudolph's neck and that he be tossed into the sea than what he's done to lead folks away from Christianity by his negative example.

[k2blader]

Yes, I may have to do that later if I can stomach it. I'm specifically interested in any Bible-based doctrines they espouse, if such can be found.

[MineralMan]

"Yes, I may have to do that later if I can stomach it. I'm specifically interested in any Bible-based doctrines they espouse, if such can be found."

Oh, you'll find plenty of biblical references on the Christian Identity sites. Just as people here quote passages from the Quran to "prove" that Islam is a terrorist religion, these Christian Identity sites quote the Bible to support their evil point of view.


Here's an easy to find site you can look at:

http://www.kingidentity.com/


Be prepared to barf a lot on these sites, but make no mistake: they don't have any trouble finding Bible versions to "prove" they're correct.

[Wallace T.]

We must first look as what the definition of Christian is. The term appears three times in the KJV, first in Acts 11:26, where it states that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines Christian as:

" 1. A believer in the religion of Christ.

2. A professor of his belief in the religion of Christ.

3. A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.

4. In a general sense, the word Christians includes all who are born in a Christian country or of Christian parents."

Note that the first three meanings of Christian indicate a belief in the truth of the religion of Christ. The fourth meaning is a cultural meaning, and the only thread on which one can make the claim that Eric Rudolph is a Christian. This cultural definition may be in common use, but it is contradictory of the Biblical definition.

For further clarification, we need also to view the meaning of the term, disciple. The Acts 11 passage states the proposition that the disciples of the primitive church were Christians. The Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines disciple thus:

1. A learner; a scholar; one who receives or professes to receive instruction from another; as the disciples of Plato.

2. A follower; an adherent to the doctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples; and hence all Christians are called his disciples, as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts.

To be a Christian then is to adhere to the doctrines and precepts of the Christian faith and to their turthfulness. Eric Rudolph, as a member of the Identity movement, presumably denies precepts such as the common descent of all humans from Adam, the effectual nature of Christ's sacrifice on the cross for people irrespective of their race or nation, the Golden Rule, as a nonwhite would not deserve the same treatment as a white, and the second of Christ's two great commandments, love thy neighbor as thyself, as the nonwhite ought not to be the white's neighbors.

It does not matter how many sacraments Rudolph may have received, nor whether he responded to an altar call at an evangelical church. It does not matter that Rudolph is an American of Northern European background, or that his parents or ancestors may have been Christians. Rudolph presumably denies key precepts of the Christian religion relating to salvation, the common origin of mankind, and loving other people. Therefore, he is not a Christian. Throwing in "red herrings" like the Crusades does not make him any more Christian, nor make him part of the community of believers.