The Problem with Christianity

The Daily Northwestern ^ | 20 April 2006 | Jared Sax

[Marechal]

The Problem With Christianity by Jared Sax The Daily Northwestern

The face of Islam at this point in history is bad. Riots over cartoons, Sunnis and Shiites killing each other in Iraq, a Palestinian parliament lead by the terrorist group Hamas (motto: destruction of Israel), and Sept. 11 evil mastermind Osama bin Laden are what we think of when we think about Islam.

Many claim that Islam is just a violent religion that advances the idea of holy war and violence throughout the world and has done so since its inception.

They are right, except for the last part. Only in the last 125 years or so has Islam been a religion prone to violence and extremism.

Since its inception in 610 up to the 1880’s, Islam was a tolerant and peaceful religion. Under the Islamic empires of that time, only a small head tax was placed on non-Muslims living there by its religious rulers. Otherwise, Jews, Christians and any others were free to worship as they pleased.

In fact, Islamic scholars contributed greatly to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, medicine and philosophy centuries before Western scientists reached that level of intelligence. Jews and Muslims often had to unify to fight a common enemy: Christianity.

I hate Christianity. There, I said it. Since its creation, it has mostly caused violence and death, despite espousing the doctrine of compassion and love.

The list of Christian persecutions of other faiths and peoples is painfully long: nine major crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the spread of Christianity throughout Europe (involving massacres of pagan peoples), the colonization of the Americas (involving even more massacres of native populations) and the Salem Witch trials, just to name a few.

The number of deaths cause by Christian persecution far exceeds the number of innocents killed in Islamic terrorist bombings and Sept. 11 combined.

As a Jew, I have always been taught to respect and tolerate other religious beliefs. And for the most part, I do. But I draw the line at Christianity.

First of all, the concept of Jesus dying for “the sins of humanity” is ridiculous. I am responsible for my own actions, and I am angered at the thought of someone being killed for them before I was born.

Second, any religion that tries to convert others to “save them,” whether by force or by passive means is not a real religion. Worry about yourself and your family, but leave everyone else alone. If they want to convert, fine. But don’t come knock on my door and explain to me that I’m going to hell because I don’t believe in Jesus.

Last, those who practice the religion disregard its principles at every turn. Christianity preaches “love thy enemy as thyself” and “turn the other cheek.” Someone must have forgotten that when the Crusades happened.

As for modern times, what ever happened to “judge not lest ye be judged?” The modern Christian Right obsesses over telling people how to live: Whether they should have abortions, take an elderly person off of life support or teach that evolution is only “unproven theory.”

I do not hate those who practice Christianity. Most were born into it and are decent people. Only Christian extremists who attempt to impose their religion on others and forget one vital fact: before there was the scourge of Islam, there was the wrath of Christianity.

Jared Sax is a McCormick freshman. He can be reached at

j-sax@northwestern.edu.

[narses]

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[Cvengr]

"First of all, the concept of Jesus dying for “the sins of humanity” is ridiculous. I am responsible for my own actions, and I am angered at the thought of someone being killed for them before I was born."

Even Jesus Christ Himself asked the Father if there was another way, to let that cup pass from Him.

I'm sure God won't mind if the article's author might even offer a perfect sacrifice for his own sins, let alone others, even after he might have committed them, but then again,..oops,..the author doesn;t have a regenerated spirit to offer as a sacrifice, let alone a perfect spirit to offer in payment for that very first separation or death in the Garden of Eden by Adam.

Darnedest thing. The whole death on the Cross for our sins has absolutely nothing to do with the emotional or glandular outbursts of soulish behavior by people like the author. It has everything to do with perfect righteousness demanding a perfect judgment whenever faced with unrighteousness.

All humans stand condemned in the spirit before they are saved, regardless how they might be offended in their scarred soulish thinking about the situation.

IMHO, the author simply needs to listen to divine revelation for proper guidance and place faith in what God has provided before he decides to judge God and announce how he is offended by God's provision for him.

[Cvengr]

"I do not hate those who practice Christianity. Most were born into it and are decent people."

The above false statement is worth repeating for clarity. Nobody is born into Christianity. All humans, other than the second Adam, were born into sin with an sin nature. Furthermore, Christianity and salvation have absolutely nothing to do with morality. Good and evil are different and discernible issues from salvation.

IMHO, the poorly educated author of the article has bought into the worldly perspective of Christianity as a comparative religion, but has failed to grasp an earnest search for a simple relationship with God on His terms.

[Slingshot]

"Many claim that Islam is just a violent religion that advances the idea of holy war and violence throughout the world and has done so since its inception.

They are right, except for the last part. Only in the last 125 years or so has Islam been a religion prone to violence and extremism.

Since its inception in 610 up to the 1880’s, Islam was a tolerant and peaceful religion. Under the Islamic empires of that time, only a small head tax was placed on non-Muslims living there by its religious rulers. Otherwise, Jews, Christians and any others were free to worship as they pleased."


Just where did you obtain these historic facts?

"Only in the last 125 years or so has Islam been a religion prone to violence and extremism."

Surely you only read the last chapter of one book.

You know, the Koran gives a much different story of history than you do.

Unless, this was written by an unscrupulous Christian like me. Then It all comes clear.

[rcocean]

Interesting viewpoint by Mr. Sax. Curious that Mr. Sax goes out of his way to state he is Jewish.

His viewpoint on Christianity is not new. Marx, Trotsky, Norman Mailer, Chomsky, and the fellow who is sued to get "God" out of the pledge of allegiance all feel (or felt) the same way.

Of course, his history is rather inaccurate, but his view seems to be based on arrogance and emotion rather than logic or facts. If he writes about Judaism, I hope someone posts it.

[NavVet]

First of all Jericho is just one example of many similar incidents. No, I don't think God really told the victorious Jews to kill newborn babies after the fall of Jericho. However, this is beside the point. The author of the original article was critical of Christianity because in his opinion it was spread by the sword. Well so was the Jewish religion and to a much greater extent so was the Muslim religion. All of them arguably believed that they were doing the Lord's will.

I guess your point is that the author isn't being hypocritical in only criticizing Christians, since, when the Jews slaughtered every man woman and a child after a victory, they were on a mission from God, whereas when Christians and Muslims do similar things, they do not have god's blessing and are therefore evil.

If that is your point, as pathetic as it is, it still seems that the author of the original article has an obligation to acknowledge the apparently similar behavior of his own people, even if he then goes on to offer some lame excuse about how the very behavior he was complaining about on the part of Christians doesn't bother him, because the Jews were "only following orders."

I understand that in your mind the Jews didn't need to "grow up". However, I think it is obvious that Jews and Christians have grown up. All religions that arose out of the middle east have at some time used the excuse of "God's Will" to justify the slaughter of innocents. However, only one religion still condones the practice.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

I understand that in your mind the Jews didn't need to "grow up". However, I think it is obvious that Jews and Christians have grown up. All religions that arose out of the middle east have at some time used the excuse of "God's Will" to justify the slaughter of innocents. However, only one religion still condones the practice.

I guess you're point, as pathetic as it is, is that inspired scripture isn't really inspired. Its Johnny come lately opinion makers such as yourself that are the real inspiration.

[eleni121]

How did Jared ever get into the University in the first place? The absolute drivel and outright lies in this piece of trash is beyond stupid.

[takeemout]

I agree. I guess he would be really angry if I told him I am going to pray for him in the name of Jesus Christ. (which I am)

[ahayes]

You moral relativists frighten me.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

You moral relativists frighten me.

Take two vallium and call me in the am. :-)

[conservchick]

Me too! I'd also love to know why he's quoting the New Testament? Just a question worth asking......If this is what Northwestern is turning out in the form of engineers we're the ones who are gonna need prayers!