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?

[Centurion2000]

It took the Washington Post less than 48 hours to link accused Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph with Christianity.

They are getting slow.

[Damocles]

I'm a Christian and I think these people are loco, but they use the same Holy book I do and come up with some odd things.

http://www.kingidentity.com/doctrine.htm

 

A Brief Excerpt:

WE BELIEVE the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments, as originally inspired, to be the inerrant, supreme, revealed Word of God. The history, covenants, and prophecy of this Holy Book were written for and about a specific elect family of people who are children of YHVH God (Luke 3:38; Psalm 82:6) through the seedline of Adam (Gen . 5.1). All scripture is written as a doctrinal standard for our exhortation, admonition, correction, instruction and example; the whole counsel to be believed, taught and followed (II Tim. 3:16. Acts. 20:27).

 

Now, to deny that this group has an inherent Christian base is DENIAL.  My only point is to those who insist on calling all practicing Muslims evil, be sure you do not speak from ignorance.  The same tactics can (and have) been used against Christianity.  A follower of a faith is known by their actions, that goes for all faiths.

[Centurion2000]

True Christianity is a religion of peace.

Not really ... self-defense, defense of family and just wars are all proper methods of violence from Christians.

There's an excellent article out there called THE CHRISTIAN AT WAR by Peter Hammond.

It does an excellent job of refuting the idea of a Christian pacifist.

[philosofy123]

The Christians are a good majority in this country and the rest of the west, however, they are PROHIBITED from organizing as a one block front? Think about that statement! How a majority is dictated to by the minority?

[CyberCowboy777]

CI terrorism......

not Christian terrorism.

Anyone who says differently is a liar and a hatemonger.

[Damocles]

Perhaps you are missing my greater point. It is irrelevant if Rudolph is a Christian, he is perceived as belonging to the Christian faith. This is important because it relates to the treatment of Muslims.

I don't know your views on Islam so this may be misguided, but to those who continually claim that all followers of Islam are evil because of the actions of a view extremists, I am simply offering a word of caution.

The shoe is now on the other foot, and Christians, if they choose to, can begin to understand how flawed this line of thinking is.

The Christian Identity movement certainly thinks they are Christian. They have a doctrinal statement here that I'm sure we both think is ridiculous.

The fact remains that we share a basis for belief, the Bible, just as "good" Muslims share the Koran with the Wahabiists.

[CyberCowboy777]

Not all Muslims are terrorists, not all Christians are terrorists.

First, this creep is not a Christian, he a cult member. You can claim anything you like but if you do not meet the requirements then you are not a Christian.

Second, Jesus is very clear that our battle is for the minds of the lost. We are not to kill the unsaved, we are to give them the Good News. It is Anti-Christ to bomb a clinic or a sports gathering place. Paul never bomb the coliseums and Jesus never joined up with the Jewish rebels of his day while on earth.

Third, the Koran is clear that it is okay to kill pagan, Jews and Christians that do not convert.

[CyberCowboy777]

Bump

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.

[CyberCowboy777]

You cannot accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and ignore his commandments.

Many will claim that they are saved and Christ will turn his face saying "I never knew you".

[CyberCowboy777]

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

Anyone can claim to be doing anything in any name he/she likes. That does not make it true.

The rules are clear and unless followed you are not walking with G_d, if you removed the glasses of you bias you would see that.

[Damocles]

Thank you for making my point. Those Muslims you insist are evil are saying the same thing in defense of their religion as you are in yours.

They say those killing and maiming in the name of Islam are NOT practicing Islam. Just as you are saying Rudolph is not a Christian because he is killing.

Does the Koran give instructions to kill? Yep. Does the bible give instructions to kill? Yep. Taken out of context or even IN context there are passages in both books which encourage killing.

The Holy Bible, New International Version

Leviticus 20:13 (NIV)

13"‘If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

It seems Mr. Rudolph took this scripture literally when he bombed the gay club. And these guys don't do much for Christianity's image either.

The point is tread carefully when accusing entire groups of people of practicing evil based on the actions of a few.

[CyberCowboy777]

So if I twisted your words into a fashion that they made you look like you agreed with child molestation would you be in denial in refuting that.

The Bible is clear to those who choose to listen.

Others will twist for their own power.

[Damocles]

You cannot accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and ignore his commandments.

I'm not arguing this with you, I happen to agree. But even this statement is in dispute WITHIN Christianity itself. (See Calvins Irresistible Grace doctrine)

Again, my only point is a cautionary note to those lumping all Muslims in the same pot. It does not feel good when the same is done to you as a Christian.

[CyberCowboy777]

It is not G_ds fault if Mr. Rudolph fails to read the entire book of Leviticus.

Leviticus is clear the the rules ONLY apply to those that agreed to being an Israelite, anyone could leave the group without retaliation.

G_d never told the Israelites to go out and seek non-believers who violated a law they never agreed to.

Leviticus is full of rules for the Israelites, period, anyone who takes that out of context is a liar and a hatemonger.

The Koran is also clear, if you read it you would know that. I will not argue the Koran with you, not even the highest clerics deny the meaning of the passages, so your denial is fairly hollow.

[CyberCowboy777]

I do not care about doctrine, Jesus is clear.

[Damocles]

I guess you can sign me up as a liar and a hate monger then.

But it is painfully obvioius that you are unwilling to have a civil conversation about this subject.

Moving along...

Thanks again for making my point, though I doubt you realize it...

[CyberCowboy777]

I disagree with the tenets of Islam.

If that is lumping all Muslims together, I guess I am guilty.

However, I do not call for their extermination, nor do I believe that Muslims agree with the passages that command them to kill me.

I do not call for any action against the group as a whole, only those that follow through or try to follow through with those passages that call for my destruction.

But the passages are clear and I believe that makes all the difference in the world.

This bomber is NOT a Christian, the 9/11 murderers were Muslims.

[VOA]

Calling this murderer a Christian is a bad for real Christians.
Anti-Christians are going to have a good time with this.

Maybe, but I've been pleasantly suprised to this point.
Even on CBS Evening News last night, they ran a profile on Rudolph and it made it
pretty clear he was a itinerant who only learned how to make bombs during a short hitch
in the Army, knew how to grow and smoke lots of marijuana, watch rented videos all night,
sleep all day, and had no church affliation.

And all this time, the mainstream media led me to believe he'd been a long-time
card-carrying member of The Christian Identity Movement or at least a regular church-goer.

I wonder if the blooming of the Internet in the past five years has made sure
the mainstream media can't cavalierly paint their favored image of Rudolph...
like they did with Richard Jewell.

[rattrap]

The problem lies in an individuals interpretation of the rules, not the rules themselves. If someone believes they are a christian and commits acts of terrorism in the name of their faith, how is it different from a radical "follower" of islam who interprets the rules differently than my muslim neighbors and coworker(who abhor terrorism and say it is contrary to islam) commiting terrorist acts. If they act in the name of their religion, whether they interpret the rules correctly or not by someone else's definition, they are terrorizing in the name of their religion.

UBL = Islamic Terrorist
ERR = Christian Terrorist

[VOA]

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

That is what I would have said 48 hours ago...but even CBS Evening News last night
said that Rudolph's mom had contact with the group...but that Rudolph seemed
to have only brief contact with that group.
Sounds like Rudolphs religion was bomb-making, pizza-eating, raising/consuming
marijuana, and eating pizza...

Not saying he didn't drink from the cup of The Christian Identity Movement,
but appears he wasn't joined at the hip to them...