Religions change over time but is Islam an inherently violent religion?

Daily Journal ^ | December 10, 2002 | Bob Thomas

[stuartcr]

It's all in the interpretation. It's rare that you find terrorists, etc, that stand up and say...'I did that because I am a scumbag sob that wanted to murder'...they usually need something to justify, at least to themselves, why they did it. Religious texts are good for justifying, who can argue with God? It also helps in the recruiting process of other scumbag sobs, to have God on your side.

[Destro]

A third of Europe dies and continues to die until the late middle ages and we know it killed just as many in the Far east and you are not sure if the deaths added up from the crusades measure up? Where did you get your history from? Don't fool yourself on knowlegde of the subject because you watch the history channel now and then.

[desertcry]

Hitler was a Catholic Questions: (1) Was hitler a practicing Catholic? (2) Did hitler used his religion to push his agenda, and as a justification for murdering the Jews?

[agrace]

I understand your perspective, however, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find justification in Christianity for violent acts. It really isn't about interpretation in the sense that the text can be genuinely manipulated. The crusades, for example, weren't based on interpretation of text. If I'm not mistaken, they were a result of a papal edict that sought to halt Islamic expansion. I bet the pope in question would have had a terrible time finding scriptural justification for what he asked his people to do.

[JCG]

Religion has killed more men than all the diseases and disasters throughout the history of mankind.

Total baloney. Disease is far and away the greatest killer of humans -- and always has been.

America's Fifth Column ... watch Steve Emerson/PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
New Link: Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[vtel57]

You re-enforce my point here...

Regardless of who was on the defensive or offensive during the Crusades death was still meted out based upon religious differences.

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[vtel57]

I guess you missed the part in history where the Catholic Church was aiding and abetting Hitler in his genocide of the Jewish people, huh?

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[vtel57]

Regardless of your "true" feelings... I respect you for your opinion and would defend your right to express it, as I would for all others here who participate in civil discourse... and I wish you well. We may disagree on some topics and on others we may be quite in line. That's the nature of free discourse in a civil society.

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[vtel57]

>After five years 25 million people were dead--one-third of Europe's people.

That quote was taken from this website:

http://www.byu.edu/ipt/projects/middleages/LifeTimes/Plague.html

25 million. That many at least have died from religious purges and wars. Of course, we were only talking of one disease in this instance. So, disease may take the lead in deaths if we were to actually tally the scores. That doesn't discredit my MAIN point that many of you missed while bickering over my sensationalized method of stating it...

The fact remains that senseless, inane religious beliefs and practices have cost the lives of countless innocents throughout time. Can you really argue that this is a false statement?

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[vtel57]

Yes, I see your point and you are correct. Politics was also instituted to achieve social order, but sometimes causes chaos. It's just the nature of the animal known as "man".

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[vtel57]

What is your understanding of the definition of the word "religion", and why do you not think that Islam qualifies as one... just curious.

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[VOA]

I guess you missed the part in history where the Catholic Church was aiding and abetting
Hitler in his genocide of the Jewish people, huh?

Well, Hitler/Nazis certainly disliked some Christians.
Sorry I can't give a citation, but I think I recall hearing that the largest
single gravesite of Catholic priests is at one of the concentration camps.

And Hitler and Co. certainly didn't like the Christian theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (sp?).

[vtel57]

I guess that is my point, sir. That religious differences (affiliations) are NOT worth killing for. I think that the human race, if it is to survive into tomorrow needs to narrow the rifts caused by perceived differences between us and focus on things that bring us together NOT seperate us further.

Religious based hatreds are no different than racial or nationalist based hatreds. Hatred is hatred and it has been, and may always be, the downfall of mankind. Christianity was based on the teachings of a man called Jesus who stated, "Love the neighbor...", yet there are Christian apologists in this very thread who are espousing hatred and vengeance against people who hold differing beliefs from themselves.

Don't misunderstand me... I'm NO dove. I'm quite hawkish when in comes to the defense of our freedoms and liberties in this country (USA). If a muslim horde (or any other horde) invades the east coast of Florida, I'll be there with my firearms in hand to defend these shores. However, those who profess a hatred of all Islamic, or Bhuddist, or Hebrew, or any other religious group JUST because those groups are not of the same belief system are fomenting and perpetuating the same hatred and chaos that they are accusing these other religions of doing. It's bigotry... plain and simple... no better than the KKK's stance on African-Americans.

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net

[vtel57]

Try:

http://www.byu.edu/ipt/projects/middleages/LifeTimes/Plague.html

http://www.humanismbyjoe.com/hitler.htm

http://home.earthlink.net/~velid/cf/nfd/mhr.html

http://www.alwaysfind.com/magazine/Article1.asp?ID=4

The above were found using this search link at Google:

http://www.google.com

Using the search criteria "Catholic Church's assistance of Hitler"

Of course, don't believe EVERYTHING you read on the Internet without some futher research.

Regards,

V.T. Eric Layton
***Tempus Fugits***
vtel57@softhome.net