Christianity has no shortage of terrorists [Barf Alert]

Orlando Sentinel ^ | Published November 17, 2002 | Mike Thomas

[thatdewd]

It was worth posting. Any time you see untruth raise a standard, it should be exposed.

Very True. You did a great job posting this and the contacts.

[alancarp]

Do I write? Mostly only in this forum! Seriously, I'd love to do more there, but there's this thing about supporting my family that kinda gets in the way of those modest ambitions!

My thanks and another BTTT for your efforts here. Cheers.

[Jael]

That was the first article i have ever read by Mike Thomas.

It would be interesting and probably not to hard to find out what exercise in futility .... er, I mean, school of higher learning, turned him out.

I found it by accident on a religion forum for NOLA. http://www.nola.com/forums/faith/index.ssf?artid=20190
It was posted under the heading "Christian Terrorist".

As someone else pointed out, after "they" (the people on that forum) demonized Christians as terrorists, they claimed that Christians demonize "them."

[Jael]

Thanks for the kind words.

A few things get me going, and that is one of them. :-)

[watchin]

Dear Mike, I just finished reading your article titled, "Christianity has no shortage of terrorists" Let me quote a bit of the article:

"Osama bin Laden uses the Islamic faith to justify his nationalist, anti-Western political agenda."

"Political leaders often wear religious disguises and exploit hatred in pursuit of their goals.

This brings me to the leaders of the religious right in this country.

For years they have vilified liberals, feminists, gays and whoever else opposes their conservative beliefs."

You are a master of irony. I wonder how many readers caught it - you indicate that "vilifying" your enemies is paramount to terrorism, and then go on to "vilify" Falwell, Robertson, and Graham by comparing them to terrorist Osama bin Laden. Pretty funny stuff.

Of course, terrorists are not called terrorists because they engage in public political debate. They are called terrorists because they blow people up and fly airplanes into skyscrapers. It's too bad some people of freerepublic.com didn't realize you were joking. Some of them actually think you are too stupid to realize the difference.

I guess you can't really blame them. After all, journalists will often wear pious disguises and exploit hatred in pursuit of their goals. For years they have vilified conservatives, Christians, and whoever else opposes their liberal beliefs. Terrorists, all of them.

Have a nice day.

-Scott

[Jael]

"I am going to my son's school right now after I looked at the liberal propaganda that he just brought home."

Fight the good fight! Keep us posted on how it goes!!!

[wardaddy]

Well done.

[Jael]

I so enjoy a good nailing. You did well, I hope everyone reads your letter!

[Pushi]

And, the righteous are always on the side of God.

[watchin]

I just hope my approach sucks him in until it slaps him in the face.

[Johnny Shear]

Didn't you find that the writer was an anti Christian bigot?

No more than I find a number of Freepers being anti Muslim bigots.

They're all a bunch of whacked-out hate-filled kooks.

[pgyanke]

I posted this earlier. I'm such an egomaniac, I wanted to see my name in print again... :-)

It's understandable that the "hand-wringers" are searching for validation in our war on terror. However, this is a sad article for showing moral equivalencies.

1) Abortion clinic bombings aside (which most Christians denounce), unprovoked acts of terror by western, Christian cultures occurred hundreds of years ago in a less civilized age. AND these occurred primarily against militants--not innocents. Indeed, Christianity felt free to wage war on the Arab world because the Arab world felt free to wage war on Christendom (it's far more complicated than this, I know but how long would this post be if I did the whole saga?). Christianity and western culture are far more civilized today. However, the Arab world has not grown in 1,500 years from its early, barbarous roots.

2) You have never seen Christians anywhere cheer over the dead bodies of innocents. In fact, Christians denounce such acts even when they occur to people who wish them ill. There are far too many examples to cite of Muslims dancing in the streets over the murder of innocents (9/11 is one of the most recent vivid examples). Even if they don't participate in the dancing, finding a Muslim leader to go so far as denounce the actions of Muslim terrorists is difficult.

3) In the world today, there are many religious/cultural camps. Of the many major conflicts currently raging, 90% of them are between Muslims and someone else... many of them initiated by the Muslims through insurgency. You don't find Christians waging war with anyone in the name of Christianity (although you do find idiots like the KKK... I guess every family has a rotten child).

4) Offend a Christian and he works to change your opinion. The worst you'll get is a scolding and a warning (out of love) to change your ways to avoid God's wrath. Offend a Muslim and you are targeted for death. See Salmon Rushdie, many of the modern televangelists and numerous others for examples.

To say there is any equivalence at all between Muslim terrorism and Christianity at any time in history is a stretch. To say it in the modern world is a bald-faced lie.

[pgyanke]

"Didn't you find that the writer was an anti Christian bigot?"

---

You: "No more than I find a number of Freepers being anti Muslim bigots.

They're all a bunch of whacked-out hate-filled kooks. "

---

I'll agree that I've seen some posts that cross some lines of decorum from time to time (wishing death to all Muslims, for example). However, pointing out the history and nature of Islam as has been done in this thread (rather eloquently by many) is a far cry from anti-Muslim. It's pro-truth.

Their religion and their leaders call for the global expansion of Islam by conversion or by force. They want peace, sure. However, the only peace they espouse as a group is Dar-Al Islam--the peace that comes from everyone being Muslim. They fight in 90% of the world's current conflicts to this end.

If you value your country and its heritage, you should be opposed to their expanding power.

[knighthawk]

Anyone up to freep the author who wrote that piece in the paper?

[facedown]

Mike Thomas

Have at him!

[RnMomof7]

Have you noticed just how many articles there are on it? The vote is over we may shut up now

[bulldogs]

"No more than I find a number of Freepers being anti Muslim bigots."


OK Johnny. I am sure you are just a bundle of joy and full of goodwill. I am so glad the world has you to completly understand everything. What group are you against? Oh, that's right you are totally without judgment of others.

[Publius6961]

Please read this article

Why?
Anyone who would compare 11th century Christianity to 21st Century sandmaggots has got to be a few tools short of a toolbox.

[Johnny Shear]

Of course there are numerous people who make a lot of sense. I've learned much from many of them. I just can't handle the hypocrisy of some of our kooks, though. I think they're dangerous...And they can make us all look like genocidal maniacs. I resent that.