“It is impossible to argue that homophobia in the West is not influenced by church teachings, yet claims that Christianity is just as harsh to gays are gravely misinformed. As it has been practiced, Christianity cannot be exonerated of cruelty against gay men and lesbians. But Jesus, Christianity’s central figure, can be. There is not a single passage in the Bible where Jesus says anything about killing (anyone, gay or otherwise, for that matter). Islam cannot boast the same of its central figure, the prophet Mohammed.” – Armand V. Cucciniello III in Omar Mateen’s clash of civilizations [via usatoday.com]
What is even more noteworthy is who He intentionally associated with – tax collectors (more hated than the Tories of Revolutionary days) Samaritans (half breeds rigorously shunned by the Jews) even an adulterous Samaritan woman, who would have been stoned had she lived in a Jewish town. These are the folks that He engaged with, and poured out genuine love for. Lessons to be learned here.
Yup. The lesson to be learned is that you don’t know your Bible very well. It’s OK, most Christians have never even read the NT, let alone the OT.
There’s dozens of OT passages on killing everybody who isn’t a Jew. Or is a disobedient Jew. Or that god just doesn’t like. Especially homosexuals.
Jesus says at least 6 times (depending on which Bible you have at hand) that the OT laws are to be followed until the end of all time.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.” Matthew 5:17
“It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid.” Luke 16:17
“For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:18-19
As heaven and earth are still here, Jesus says we are to follow ALL of the OT laws. I know that’s skipped around by current Christians, and some of those passages will be edited out of the next rewrite – as the church “better understands” the “revealed wisdom” or some such rationalization.
Believe whatever you want. It would seem to me one might want to know what’s in the book one is supposedly following. I know that if most Muslims had any idea about Muhammed’s porn-star-warlord lifestyle, they’d be less interested in ‘the perfect man”.
Jesus never got rid of the moral laws, he did however get rid of the ceremonial laws. Trying to lump Christians with Muslims in today’s world is laughable. Across vast swaths of the world people are being persecuted exiled and killed and I hate to break it to you it’s not Christians doing the torture and killing.
To soon Christian Fanatics forget the past or choose not to discus it. During the Spanish Inquisition thousands were tortured, raped and killed for such minor indiscretions as forgetting to say ones prayers.
You seem intent on endlessly and tediously making sure that everyone knows that you are government “educated”. In any case, please cite your source which provides the historical evidence for your ridiculous claim that the Spanish Inquisition “tortured, raped and killed” thousands of people for forgetting to say their prayers.
Why don’t you move to Saudi Arabia or Yemen? I bet it’s much safer for your kind there.
Two comments for you 16V,
Regarding the tribes (non Jews) that God directed the Jews to kill in the Old Testament: God directed the Jews to kill those tribes because they were thoroughly and unredeemably evil. “How evil?” you ask? Evil, as in, “Hey, its a nice day today, let’s make a giant bonfire and throw some of our babies into it to get on the good side of the gods”. Or, “Hey, its a nice day today, lets offer up some of our pre-pubescent daughters to the neighbors to rape to death.” Such a tribe is a cancer to mankind and, just as you would remove cancer from your arm, God removed those tribes from the Earth. For whatever reason, he directed the Jews to do it rather than doing it with his own hand.
Second, Jesus confronted sinners on multiple occasions and, rather than calling for their imprisonment or death, appealed to them to receive God’s love and turn away from their life of sin — in an apparent contradiction of his own statement that you mentioned where he said that he did not come to abolish the law. So, what gives? Classic Christian doctrine asserts that Jesus was God in human flesh. On the one hand, God directed the Jews to stone adulterers, rapists, and homosexuals. On the other hand, God (Jesus) directed his followers to confront sin and implore people to receive Gods love and turn away from sin. Answer: everyone is a sinner and there would be no one left on Earth if we tried to imprison/kill every sinner for their sins. Rather, God reserves extreme measures for extreme sin … and is exceedingly reluctant to call for such an extreme response. (An example of “extreme” sin is Ananias and Saphira whose sin was so egregious to God that God Himself struck them down dead on the spot after someone confronted them … and is the only New Testament example that I can remember off the top of my head where God demanded someone’s death for their sins.) Please note that discussion about how God might view something as “extreme” is beyond the scope of this forum.
I want to add that it would also make sense that God would tweak his directions to us over time … just as a parent tweaks their directions to their children as the children grow up.
Such a tribe may be cancer but I bet would make for some interesting neighbors.
While Christ did say that he did not come to abolish the Law, he also said just how it is to be followed. Thus his words “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” and “as you judge so too will you be judged” rather rules out the whole putting someone to death thing.
No, that’s no what he said about the subject at hand. Have an argument on topic if you wish to be taken seriously.
Regarding the tribes (non Jews) that God directed the Jews to kill in the Old Testament: God directed the Jews to kill those tribes because they were thoroughly and unredeemably evil. “How evil?” you ask? Evil, as in, “Hey, its a nice day today, let’s make a giant bonfire and throw some of our babies into it to get on the good side of the gods”. Or, “Hey, its a nice day today, lets offer up some of our pre-pubescent daughters to the neighbors to rape to death.” Such a tribe is a cancer to mankind and, just as you would remove cancer from your arm, God removed those tribes from the Earth. For whatever reason, he directed the Jews to do it rather than doing it with his own hand.
Yeah. You mean like this?
“Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you.” (Genesis 22:1-18)
“So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the lord gave him victory. He thoroughly defeated the Ammonites from Aroer to an area near Minnith – twenty towns – and as far away as Abel-keramim. Thus Israel subdued the Ammonites. When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter – his only child – ran out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. “My daughter!” he cried out. “My heart is breaking! What a tragedy that you came out to greet me. For I have made a vow to the lord and cannot take it back.” And she said, “Father, you have made a promise to the lord. You must do to me what you have promised, for the lord has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites. But first let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months, because I will die a virgin.” “You may go,” Jephthah said. And he let her go away for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never have children. When she returned home, her father kept his vow, and she died a virgin. So it has become a custom in Israel for young Israelite women to go away for four days each year to lament the fate of Jephthah’s daughter.” (Judges 11:29-40)
“Suppose you hear in one of the towns the lord your God is giving you that some worthless rabble among you have led their fellow citizens astray by encouraging them to worship foreign gods. In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find it is true and can prove that such a detestable act has occurred among you, you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock. Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the street and burn it. Put the entire town to the torch as a burnt offering to the lord your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt. Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a great nation, just as he solemnly promised your ancestors. “The lord your God will be merciful only if you obey him and keep all the commands I am giving you today, doing what is pleasing to him.” (Deuteronomy 13:13-19)
uncommon_sense, You appear to know gun rights. Your religion? Not so much.
Actually, those words of Christ were and are directly intended by him for the topic at hand. Please top being an ignorant petulant histrionic simpleton if you wish to be taken seriously
Literally nothing you out as evidence supports your ignorant assertion. The OT is full of death penalties and judgements. The NT, especially the four gospels, are all about not killing or passing judgement. To the extent that Christians are anti-gay in any respect it comes not from Jesus but the OT and the Church founders who were motivated by the OT.
Try reading it some time before spewing your Christophobic nonsense.
So despite what your Jesus says, you don’t believe him. Huh?
Paraphrased. The wages of sin is death. Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He, a perfect being died (thus fulfilling the law) so that (all sinners) might be saved. If they believe in him. When he was asked what the greatest commandment is he replied. Love the Lord with all your Hart,
and strength. And the second is love your neighbor as yourself.
Reality phrased – Jesus said very directly that the “law” was to be followed to the end of all time.
Please, explain your rationalized fantasy. It will be as funny as the rest are.
Christ very emphatically also stated “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven them.” (John 20:23)
But it seems clear that you do not intend even first year Biblical exegesis to dissuade you from your bigoted little whinny hissy fit.
The mussies are quite aware of mohamad’s proclivities and all strive to emulate their ‘prophet’.
As most Muzzies are illiterate, they really have no idea what’s in the Quran.
As most normal humans, they would be off-put learning their “perfect man” screwed everything that he could get his hands (or schlong) on. In the name of of Allah ‘natch. Let alone bangin’ a 9 year-old.
As if the caliber wars aren’t bad enough, now you’ve gone and thrown fuel on the “whose imaginary friend is the most evil” controversy.
Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:29-31(NASB)
What part of “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” don’t you understand?
Homosexuality is a sin.
Stealing from the cookie jar is a sin.
Pop quiz: Which of these sins holds greater weight?
If you can’t answer this, then you won’t be able to comprehend where or how the Lord God’s judgment comes into play with Jesus factored in.
Why is it that the atheists, if taking a break from self-worship, don’t go out and convert the Mohammadans to their way of thinking? Truly a puzzle.
Jesus contradicted your viewpoint when the woman taken in adultery was brought to him. Adulterers were supposed to be stoned (the same punishment prescribed for homosexuals). Jesus’s response to the crowd was “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone at her.” None of them did. Jesus was the only man without sin, according to Christian theology, and He did not stone her either. If Jesus was so intent on following the law to the letter, that woman would not have survived the day. So clearly Jesus meant something else in his statements about the Law of Moses. As most Christians believe, the law tells us what is right and what is wrong in God’s eyes. However, Jesus taught us by example that love, correction, and forgiveness are to replace the punishments originally prescribed in the law.
What? You mean Islam is NOT the religion of peace?!?!? I am shocked, SHOCKED I SAY!!!
Well, technically Islam does preach peace: it teaches its adherents to kill everyone else and promises world peace after all the infidels are dead, or something along those lines.
Oh, and Islam also tells its adherents to kill anyone who claims to be a Muslim but practices in error.
Note: while I vehemently oppose homosexual behavior for various reasons, I also vehemently condemn assaulting/killing homosexuals for any reason outside of lawfully justified self-defense. That is the difference between a Christian adherent and an Islamic adherent.
uncommon_sense wrote: “Note: while I vehemently oppose homosexual behavior for various reasons, I also vehemently condemn assaulting/killing homosexuals for any reason outside of lawfully justified self-defense.”
When the subject of any openly gay friend or family member comes up, my devout christian mother always says, “Hate the sin, not the sinner.”
That should be the response to ALL sin.
Can all sing Kumbya. The criminal (or sinner) CHOSE to commit the crime (or to “sin”). While a sin may not be a crime society still has a compelling interest in punishing a crime (hate the criminal).
The Crime in Orlando was murder and a ATTACK ON THE US. The sexual proclivities of the degenerates murdered may great for the progtards but otherwise is irrelevant. Just proves; once more, stupid people in stupid places at stupid time. Double for the non-residents and alien in the cesspool.
Anyone that uses the BS pseudoword “homophobia” is not worthy of notice.
Kevin – to a point.
Like those commercials you see on late night TV with the fine print at the bottom; “this is not a guarantee”.
It’s the same with Islam. The Koran is full of peace this and peace that.
“*Not applicable to infidels and according to abrogation. Your results may vary. Chop first ask questions later”
The constant refrain of “The religion of peace” is an intentional obfuscation by the Mohammedens. If you talk to any Muslim (I was good friends with an apostate Muslim) about the Q’ran the first thing they will tell you is that the translation from Arabic to English is imprecise due to subtleties in the original language that cannot be translated. This is why the madrassas always teach Arabic and study in Arabic.
The most precise translation of Islam is “submission”. This comes from the Arabic root word to submit and can be misconstrued to mean peace – as in the peace that comes when all of your enemies have been defeated or submit to your dominance. This is not peace and brotherhood and “Can’t we all just get along?” This is peace because you have neither the will nor the ability to oppose your slave status.
Search as you might you will not find the term nor the concept of “Peaceful coexistence” anywhere in the Q’ran nor any of the other Islamic religious texts. This is the HUGE error that the European nations are making at this time and that Obama is attempting to foist on us.
Not saying that he is right or wrong, but I’m not likely to trust an apostate Christian to give me an accurate representation of what the Bible says…
You and I and a lot of people know this – but most people do not, they take the words of the mainstream news and people like Obama like gold. It’s very difficult to get them to even consider that these words may be lies. And this is something they really really need to learn.
I don’t know how to get this message across to people.
It’s not up to us to judge…
I have no problem with anyone practicing their faith however they see fit.
I do have a problem with convert or die.
Do not mistake my tolerance for weakness.
Ban assault religion.
Go in peace or in pieces….your call.
“assault religion”
I like that term. Islam is the ultimate assault religion. We should ban all assault religions.
Absolutely….doesn’t matter which one……if it’s core doctrine includes killing others that do not follow it then it needs to be purged from history.
I have no problem with anyone practicing their faith however they see fit.
Muzrats are practicing their religion as they see fit.
I do have a problem with convert or die.
Muzrats do not care as they are practicing their religion as they see fit.
Another vague, liberal platitude. Talk about Islam, “Oh…I don’t care what people believe! Don’t judge!”
Talk about Christianity……. “OMG the Crusades! The Inquisition! Those awful colonists!!!!!!”
Moo-slims believe, will tell you, their prophet was the perfect man…
And he killed people, conquered lands, and rape little girls…
Enough said.
I thought this was going to be an article about a shooting contest.
A shooting contest between a Mexican cartel enforcer and an ISIS militant.
Coffee, nose..thanks.
Important point: Muslims conduct their religion in Arabic, not English. They deliberately and cynically exploit this fact.
Arabic 101:
Arabic does not have upper case and lower case.
Arabic vowels are not American vowels. Arabic vowels may have consonants in them
The length of an Arabic word is determined by counting consonants. vowels don’t count when counting letters
words based on similar consonants have related meanings. tangled intertwined braided together meanings
their words do not translate to our words on a one to one basis. the following translations are greatly oversimplified. this will be corrected later
the following are all SLM words:
Islam means surrender
Muslim means one who has surrendered
Salaam means peace
Salim, saleem, salima, salma, means wholly, completely, entirely, totally, 100 percent
but that is how a simpleton would see it. It is in fact far more complicated. remember these words are a stew, not the ingredients of a stew.
Islam has come to mean surrender to the will of Allah, as stated in the unholy Quran. Complete, total, unyielding, ever increasing surrender.
A muslim is one who has surrendered blah, blah, blah to the will of Allah.
Salaam does not mean peace in the sense of people doing their own thing and getting along. Surrendering to the will of Allah brings a peace that is blah, blah, blah wholly, completely, entirely, totally, 100 percent. Salaam means you will get peace when you, too, perform complete, total, unyielding, ever increasing surrender to the will of Allah as stated in the unholy Quran.
and until you surrender to the will of Allah you get Jihad.
Islam is the religion of salaam, not the religion of peace. they are not the same thing. correct the misguided with your new found knowledge.
“Islam means surrender”
It was explained to me that it’s much more nuanced than that.
A more accurate definition is ‘submit’.
Ladies, pay attention to that, it has a very special meaning for *you*…
When you ignore all historical, spiritual, and geopolitical factors, Jesus Christ was a charitable pacifist executed by the state (Rome) for having politically incorrect beliefs. Muhammad was a fanatical warlord who decapitated and enslaved any challenger for any reason. The Hadith, his autobiography, commands all “true” Muslims to follow exactly in his footsteps forever, with the slightest deviations being treated as high treason. Given these facts, how can anyone be truly surprised that the latter prophet is followed by far more violent kooks than the former?
Don’t tell that to American progressives, though. Thanks to the wonders of “moral relativism” *vomits*, lone wolf Christian attacks on abortion clinics since 1990 are just as bad as every attempt by Muslims to convert the known world at sword/gunpoint since 1,000 A.D.
… and progressive heads will be piled up like guns at a buyback when muslim show up in bunches bringing their brand of peace.
Hmmm…Jesus said “love your enemies-do good to them that despitefully use you”. And HE died for thewhole world. That being said in the Revelation of Jesus Christ HE”S coming back to smite the world with a sword-along with the armies of heaven. Because HE said REPENT(turn away from your sins-and sexual sins are at the forefront). While I don’t see homosexuals condemned MORE than garden variety adulterers and whoemongers-I see no exemption for them either. AND the old testament is merely a precursor to the NEW-the same GOD named JESUS gave that law. MO-hammed pretty much wants to kill everyone not a moose-lim-stand in line…anywho>HAPPY FATHERS DAY to you dad’s!
FormerWaterWalker is correct. Consider Matthew 5:17
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill”.
Jesus was an observant Jew, and so were his followers. He would have endorsed all 613 (yes, 613) commandments, or in the Hebrew, “mitzvot”, including prohibitions on homosexuality.
Christians stopped being observant Jews under Paul, who abolished the Kosher Laws (kashrut) in order to attract Roman converts. But the church remained rampantly homophobic, as evidenced by 1 Corinthians 6:
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God”.
And please don’t use Jesus’s supposed affinity for prostitutes and tax collectors as a counterpoint. Neither harlotry nor tax collection were prohibited by the mitzvot. Priests couldn’t marry harlots, but that’s as far as it went.
GoodBoyJerusalem, you left out the rest of the passage in 1 Corinthians 6. Vs 11 continues: And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. – Once they received Jesus as Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit gave them the power to turn away from their sin whether thwy were committing homosexual sin or any other sin. If people were born homosexual God would not be able to condemn it because that would have been the way He created them. God does tell us to love and judge not because He is love and He is the Great Judge because He is perfect. We aren’t. We are to win people for Christ but not force them. And we can defend ourselves from attack. Christianity isn’t for wimps or the vindictive. And lastly, Saul who became Paul was a highly regarded Jew until he had a personal encounter with Jesus. The world is so much better because of it. Have a great Father’s Day all of TTAG!
My wife is a mental health care professional. Once she personally encountered three Jesus’s in one day. And not a one of them spoke Hebrew or Aramaic.
The preponderance of evidence clearly indicates that people are born with whatever sexual preference they practice later in life. It’s not a choice, and it is not deserving of any condemnation.
I was born with an aversion to cauliflower. Raw or cooked, it repulses me. But I am not about to deny consenting adults the right to cook and consume cauliflower just because I find it repugnant.
Actually, no, that is incorrect. It may never have been the scientific consensus that anyone is “born gay”, but it certainly is not the consensus now, and in fact the “born gay” theory is being increasingly discarded because of the lack of evidence after some 60 years of research. And Milo Yiannopoulos is actually correct when he often states that many researches are not even sure that “lesbianism” (female homosexuality) is something that actually exists (in the sense that homosexuality among males may exist).
The scientific facts are that some males feel same-sex attraction only later in life, while others experience same-sex attraction early in life, but then later no longer do. Then there are some that experience it their wholes lives. Among this group there is a small group that experience it exclusively. No one has any idea why any of this happens.
So far the most interesting theory I have read as to a cause is this: http://thefederalist.com/2015/07/08/how-choice-and-emotion-can-influence-sexual-orientation/
In a nutshell it claims that the scientific evidence seems to point to the conclusion that while no one chooses to experience homosexual attraction, it in fact may simply be the result of freely made previous choices.
I see two major mistakes with the “born this way” argument. The first is the assumption that being born with a certain disposition means a person makes no decisions regarding the same. Even if we grant that attraction towards certain people is completely natural, the decision to enter into a sexual relationship with someone is a [I]choice[/I]. Seriously, if a man were caught having an affair, do you honestly think his wife would accept, “But I found here attractive! I had [I]no choice[/I] but to sleep with her!”?
The second mistake is the assumption that a “natural” feeling is automatically good. I know that I personally get irritated very easily. Something relatively minor can be very frustrating and ruin an otherwise great day. I do not [I]choose[/I] to feel anger; it happens naturally. Does this mean I should [I]embrace[/I] anger and let it define me? Or should I recognize it as wrong to give in to these feelings and pray for God’s grace in overcoming them? To each his own, I guess, but I know which method has worked for me.
Bringing it back on topic, though, while homosexuality is sinful, so are anger and hatred (Matthew 5:22), as well as lustful fantasies (Matthew 5:28). Sadly, many Christians tend to overlook or ignore the fact that we are [I]all[/I] sinners, and focus on hating those who practice their pet-peeve sins (the book of Jonah shows us that this habit is not limited to New Testament believers). Instead, we would do well to remember Paul’s words, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that [I]while we were yet sinners[/I], Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NASB, italics mine). People’s sin does not make them any less people or their lives any less valuable.
The science against the “born gay” ideological narrative.
Does every message board really need a different way to do italics?
The science against the “born gay” ideological narrative.
For a scientific refutation of the “born gay” ideological narrative, watch “Are People Born Gay? Genetic and Epigenetic Determinism in Homosexuality” on Youtube.
Do you know the difference between ceremonial law and the moral law? Stop equating Christians with Muslims. Seriously it is ridiculous. Do you understand the meaning of the New Testament?
I have read both the Old and New Testament cover to cover. I love fiction.
Really sad that you read that much and missed the forest for the trees.
As it has been practiced, Christianity cannot be exonerated of cruelty against gay men and lesbians.
Define cruel.
I have yet to see any real organized Christian group command its followers to do as ISIS does to homosexuals. Even the Westboro Baptist Church is not nearly as radical as ISIS. I imagine there are some nuts somewhere in Christianity to advocate ISIS behaviour, but there is nothing in the New Testament to back them up,
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Huh?
You used the “L” word Tom…now it’s OK in a later post(I guess). BTW-Happy Father’s Day!
Jerry Falwell isn’t looking so bad now, is he. All he did was tell people how to spot the gay teletubby.
Remember, too, that when someone asks “What would Jesus do?” that throwing tables and breaking out whips is a possibility.
Righteous wrath is a thing.
Didn’t Mohammad say I come in peace, you leave in pieces? Or, was that Dolph Lundgren?
Since we are on the subject. The NYT has published an article that the Apostle Paul commanded Christians to kill the homosexuals among us. I see the NYT is suffering from a rectal cranial inversion.
Islam was born from Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael. Whenever Christian religion struggled the void it left was filled by Islam. The two religions are nemisis’s. So how does a once Christian nation combat growing islam?
I kind of get a kick out of people who have a cow over the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses having the audacity to knock on their door and attempting to share their faith with them.
It’s sunday and we’re having our sermons.
Happy Fathers day you Mother……
I’ll break it down for ya. Sandy Hook was mentally FU shooter who murdered his mom and lived out a game fantasy murdering kids and teachers. Meaning he had no grasp on reality.
Orlando shooter was ideologically bent between Islam citing sex with men is an unforgivable sin and hard wired homosexually brain bucket driving him to tap man booty.
The salient point is how mailable a conflicted mind becomes when reading world views and interpreted events thousands of years ago. To bring an intolerate past into today’s world and accepted by millions of Muslims is unconscionable.
Christianity evolved through its murder / cease fire, Islam has another 500 years before it can relax its dogma. The only way the west can limit the carnage until then, is 30-40% of our population conceal carries and engages radical Muslims on their murder sprees.
“Islam has another 500 years before it can relax its dogma.”
It can be argued that Islam is unreformable. The Koran is considered the uncreated literal word of Allah – that is to say it was not written by man, and that to believe in it means there can be no interpretation, no adjusting, no altering what it says and what it proscribes. And the book as much as demands that the unbeliever be put to the sword in every page at least once.
One can argue whether or not that is true, but looking over history it seems pretty clear that the followers of the vile book seem to believe it to be.
Plus being a musloid means you get to slaughter as many infidels as you can get away with, rape their women and children, get drunk and stoned as much as you like (as long as you die a martyr your sins apparently are forgiven) and lots of people seem to think this sounds like a great bit of fun.
And Christ was pretty clear about his commandment to love your neighbor. That means love your racist neighbor. Love your gay neighbor. Love your adulterous neighbor. Love your Muslim neighbor. If you won’t do that, that’s cool. But maybe don’t call yourself a Christian, because you missed the point.
” There is not a single passage in the Bible where Jesus says anything about killing (anyone, gay or otherwise, for that matter)”
“”Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony,” (Telling someone to not do something is still “about”)
” Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”
“”Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there.
There have been horrible injustices committed in the names of nearly all religions and ideologies. Christians had the crusades, the Inquisition, and the KKK, just to name a few. I know there will be people who will split hairs over those examples, but I think they still hold up. The Israeli Mossad killed some innocent (as well as some guilty) people after the Munich Olympics and even sunk a US ship, on purpose. The Communists (an “anti-religion”) were essentially an international terror organization for decades.
I have nothing against Islam per se. But it is the current problem-child ideology. I don’t blame the whole religion or culture for that. But we do have to recognize Islam as the major motive in terror crimes being committed today. It’s just a fact. We have to acknowledge that, follow leads based on those connections and even PROFILE to ferret it all out. That’s what’s worked in the past and something we are not doing now.
The crusaders were responding to 400 years of Muslims attacking the west. The inquisition while terrible killed less than 4000 people total over a hundred year span. Isis does that in a week. Not trying to say Christians are perfect but let’s call evil what it is and stop with the false moral equivalence.
Please do not lay the Crusades, the Inquistion, and especially the KKK at the feet of Christianity. These are gross examples of when the depravity of man is fully manifested, and a handy religion is hijacked to perpetrate evil. There is nothing, absolutely nothing Christian about any of those 3, except an excuse, rationalization, or cover, and pathetic ones at that. Please stop these false misrepresentations of history.
Neither you nor the United States would exist if the Crusades had not prevented the invasion and conquest of Europe by Islam. And if you do not know that the high-water mark of Islamic conquest of Europe was in fact Sept. 11, 1683, you should be embarrassed and ashamed of yourself for posting about something you know little to nothing about. Is that not what the gun-grabbers do?
I’ll yield on the first Crisade – you are correct. After that, they rapidly degenerated into largely secular, self-serving, genocidal events devoid of Christian values. Those are also the facts. There were some well-intntioned parties or church connections, but the overarching mechanics and morality (or lack thereof) was abysmal. The Inquistion – again, may have had the “blessings” of the Church, but that does not make it a “Christian” event. And no one appears to touch the KKK connection! Sadly, it was populated by some church folks, wholly misguided- I speak this to their shame.
The point is, just because someone attaches or invokes the name of Jesus to any (and I do mean any and all) initiatives or organizations does not make it Christian. Charlatans, exploiters, egomaniacs, and purely self-fulfilling hucksters abound. It is the allegiance and adherence to the person and teachings of Jesus that makes the difference.
There is a passage in the Gospels that underscores this perspective – people will have taught and wowed the masses, even performed astounding miracles in Jesus’ name. His response? “I NEVER KNEW YOU. Depart from me…”
I’ll not judge any on this side of heaven, rather let Scripture speak – “To the Word and testament; if they speak not according to my (God’s) Word, the truth is not in them…”
In regards to “The Inquisition”, are you referring to the one run by the Church or the one run by the State?
http://www.strangenotions.com/spanish-inquisition/
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2011/the-truth-about-the-spanish-inquisition
+1. Sick to the back teeth of hearing everyone who has been “educated” on the Crusades in recent decades paint the Muslims as poor innocent victims. Bring up the sieges of Vienna in 1529 and 1683 to these people, and you get blank stares. smh…
There is historical evidence that the first crusades, anyway, were a result of the Papacy trying to consolidate it’s secular power after the fall of Rome.
A man with all kinds of influence but no actual power suddenly finds himself surrounded by ex-Roman legions without a leader. The best thing to do when one is surrounded by armies without one of your own is to send them to the other end of the known world…
No. What happened was that the individual lands, princes and monarchs, of Western Europe, even after 400 years of brutal Islamic attacks, conquests, and subjugation of Christians and their lands, would not put aside their bickering and private quarterly, and it was only the Pope who in the face of Islamic invasion of Europe was finally able to get the princes to put aside their individual quarrels and unite to counter-attack.
Neither you nor the United States would exist were it not for the Pope and the Crusades, because all of Europe would have fallen to Islam without them.
I think you’re giving the pre-enlightenment Papacy WAY too much credit for altruism….
The Roman legions were gone by 450 A.D. Christianized Germanic kings ruled Europe. What are you talking about?
The Germanic Kings, over the course of time from the “fall” in the 5th century, derived their power from their ancestors, leaders of legions without an emperor who suddenly found themselves as warlords.
The western legions may have ceased to be legions by 400ish, but well armed and well trained soldiers don’t suddenly cease to exist. The legates used the ex-legions to carve out holdings and become kings.
And as far as anyone that was alive at the time was concerned Rome didn’t fall in the 400s, Rome fell in 1493 at the siege of Constantinople. We call it the Byzantine Empire, sources from the time of the first crusade simply called it Rome.
In any event the Pope managed to clear out a significant number of secular soldiers from the West by offering them salvation if they were willing to fight for a cause half a world away. By the time the first crusade ended the Papacy had cemented itself as a power in the West.
Realistically, why else would the Pope in Rome care about Muslim invaders in Byzantium?
It’s not altruism if it is also your own neck on the block.
You are still misapplying history. Don’t call Germanic warriors Roman legions. They were nothing of the sort. Secondly, the Pope had been a power in Rome going back to the time of St. Peter. Charlemagne himself was crowned by the Pope the “Holy Roman Emperor.” Obviously the popes had spiritual and temporal power long before 1050 A.D. Who turned back Attila in the 400s, the Roman legions or the Pope?
St. Peter was a wanted man throughout his life and was crucified by the Romans.
Attila was routed in the west by an army comprised of a Romans and the Visigoths, commanded by a Roman general. The Battle of Chalons, his defeat, was one of the last Roman military operations.
There were nearly 90,000 Romans in that army. A force that size doesn’t just evaporate.
And Charlemagne was also about Papal authority. Charlemagne was king before he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In the old tradition God grants kings their authority, if a Pope crowns a king then that places him next to God, right? It was strictly symbolic.
You don’t have to “apply” history, you just have to remember that people are people. It doesn’t matter what era we’re talking about.
Please stop teaching us the secular history you have been fed. On just one point, Charlemagne went to the Pope why?
I’m guessing I offended a Catholic. You’re free to believe what you want, but remember that outside of the first few following St. Peter, Popes were not very nice people up until roughly the enlightenment.
Charlemagne didn’t come to Pope, so much as the Pope was run out of Rome. I’ve seen a couple of historians even dispute whether Charlemagne knew about the coronation. History seems to suggest he was kind of blind sided.
There is no such thing as “secular history.” There is history. If there were a “secular history” there would also be a “religious history” which, if you’ll recall, teaches you to worship God and not a man.
Speaking as a Lutheran. You know, a Catholic that can divorce.
Why is it that whenever the injustices of Islam are addressed on the Internet (or TV, or…..) the first thing some people/groups rush to do is redirect the conversation and talk about the Crusades, other religions, etc. The author seems to not be dismissing the vanities and perils of Christianity as practiced, or those of any faith for that matter; he compared fact-based information contained in the scriptures (i.e.: the words of Jesus in the Gospels, with the words of Mohammed in the Koran and Hadiths). Clearly, there is a difference. What Jesus SAID and DID is not directly correlated to how all Christians throughout history behaved. It’s that simple. But liberals again and again make this (false) correlation between what’s written in, say, Leviticus (Old Test., wayyyyy before Jesus), and how Christians have behaved…… and somewhere along the line they determine Jesus was bad….. and, he was as bad as any other guy who founded a religion.
Heaven forbid we have a discussion about the perils of Islam and NOT mention those god-awful Christians throughout history. But, when we talk about Islam, “It’s a religion of peace!”
Christians = Crusades = Jesus was as bad as Mohammed
Islam = peace!
Okay got it. Glad liberals corrected me (and the author, who by the way I think is a great writer, speaking not only truth but stating it in clear, simple terms)
The Quakers were persecuted in England because of their religion so they came to the New World. Then they burned some women who were “witches” in the name of their religion. Part of the reason that France and Spain were always at war with England was because they followed the Church of England and the Vatican hated that. These empires invaded the rest of the world and forced the heathens of Africa, Asia and the Americas to convert to their religions, or at least tried to. There’s hundreds of examples of horrible things done throughout history in the name of religion.
Why aren’t we more upset at communism, which is the belief system that has by far caused more deaths directly than all other systems combined? A 94 year old man was sentenced to jail for being a prison guard during WW2 but Apple is doing business with China who murdered tens of millions and until recently was still committing smaller acts of genocide? Yet Apple refuses to support the GOP convention because Trump is racist??
There are evil people in the world who use any means to control others, religion is one. I’ve met horrible Christians, Jews, Hindus and Muslims, and yet some of the best people I have met follow those and other religions. This division and irrational generalized hatred of Islam is what the terrorists want. They’re winning on that front.
All of these fictions presented themselves at one time or another in their fairy tales, yet not since? Where are your gods and prophets? How bad must things get before they decide to come again. I’ll gladly believe and follow if one shows themselves, except that’s not the way a fiction works is it. Religion is used to control those who fear death, no differently that the religion of environmentalism. It’s all about instilling fear, because the fearful are controllable. Fear and guilt, you can keep it.
I heartily agree, except for one thing:
Religion is based on superstition, and environmentalism is based on science. As Neil deGrasse Tyson says: “The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it”.
GBJ, careful when you exalt science. There are many so-called scientific “facts” that just aren’t so. Global warming is not occurring despite how much play it gets in the media. And the hardcore environmentalists want to reduce the human population by 6.5 billion. Now that might require hurting some people’s feelings or worse. Despite the simple fact that you could put the entire population of the world in Jacksonville, FL city limits (it’s the whole county). I’ve done the math. It’s pretty cool. Humans are completely unable to cause global warming even if they tried. The biggest issues in any country are their religion and their government. You can track the prosperity or lack thereof of nearly every country and it’s tied to those two factors. When both are good you get the U.S. and the Western nations. Both bad you get most of Africa. True science is good but when scientists have preconceived notions they try to “prove” by science then it becomes a lie. Environmentalism is a religion if I hadn’t made that clear yet. And a poor one at that.
Bollocks, Jesus is an historical figure who did stuff. There is more evidence for Jesus and what he did than for Napoleon or Caesar. Christianity: Hoax or History is a short and free ebook by Josh McDowell that shows the historical truth of Jesus and then explains why that Jesus is important to everyone. As some around here are won’t to say: You can have your own opinion but not your own facts. If, and only if, you care to know the truth, I would implore you to read the book and consider what it says.
Jesus saves. Moses invests.
The author’s igborance is appalling. Christians take the law from the OT, which is anti-gay, but the phobia here is not homophobia but Christophpbia. After thousands of gay pedophiles entered the church and molested boys, the real ignorance would be to declare all gay men innocent and all Christians guilty.
Growing up Christian, I literally never heard anyone talk about gays. Gays like to portray gay-bashers as intolerant Christians, but the majority of gay-bashers in the news are not white, and no mention is made of theor religiousity. The people bashing gays are the same ones bashing straight whites and other minorities.
Martin, no offence, you don’t seem too sharp. Mr.,Cuccniello, the author of the USA Today story, was very clear: As practiced, self-proclaimed Christians (be they Catholic, Protestant, whatever) haven’t been nice to gay people throughout history. But, Jesus was nice/loving/kind and caring to all. Mohammed was not. —- This is not subjective, but apparent from a reading of the scriptures where Jesus speaks (i.e.: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John ONLY) and the Koran per Mohammed.
Jesus said to love everyone no matter what sins they have committed.
People make the common mistake of thinking the Bible, or at least the Old Testament calls for violence, approves of slavery, and the list could go on.
However, the truth is just the opposite. Much of the Bible is historical. Just because slavery existed and is recorded in the Bible people then wrongfully assumed that God approves of such behavior or practices. For example: Cain killed Abel, therefore God approves of murder- this is a common belief and couldn’t be more wrong.
Islam on the other hand is a very different story. The “prophet mohammed” had slaves, was a pedophile (9 year old wife), war lord and the list goes on.
No one knows what the religious leader Christ or his followers really said or what they believed in as all were illiterate, uneducated fisherman which was the complete antithesis of Buda who was from a very rich family and was highly educated and surrounded himself with educated literate followers. Buda stated emphatically he was not God but just as in the case of Christ was soon worshipped as a God after his death. The longer time went on the higher the worship became of both men. Most of what became “gospel” about Christ was actually written down and finalized almost 400 years after his death.
What we do know is that Christ was mentioned only as a profit in early Christian Bibles not as a God. As time went on the Christian bible changed as each Christian leader had an agenda and what Christians believe today was set down by Church elders not Christ or his followers. I often think that if Christ could come back today and sit down and read any of the various flavors of Christian bibles he would say “Who in the heck wrote all this stuff about me”.
Its really interesting to note that ancient Coptic writings unearthed tell that it was Mary Magdalene (Christ’s Wife or Concubine) who was responsible for saving the Christian religion from just becoming a footnote in history because it was she who took over the group in a power struggle with Peter. Magdalene made the religion appeal too women and it is the women who brain wash the children which simply meant the older religions were soon doomed insuring the success of the future of the Christian religion.
Although it is true Christianity is not as harsh on the Gay community there are plenty of derogatory comments about them in their bible as quoted recently by a Texas Senator on Facebook. So the rabid hate against Gays by the Christian community does indeed trace itself back to their bible.
And what would Christ have really said about all this. Just a guess but if he were still around I would bet he would not have too many kind things to say about them. I base this on current attitudes of Christian, Jewish and Muslim attitudes towards Gays to this very day.
And as a side note: Read the story about Richard the Lion Heart. He was a real beauty. The leader of a bunch of unemployed murderous mercenary thugs who hid behind the mask of Religion so they could get financing to lead a war of rape, pillage and conquest against the Middle East. They got their ass beat and the right side won that war.
By “the right side won that war” you of course mean the war mongering militant Islamic Jihadists.
Let me guess, you’re government “educated”.
If you knew anything at all about history you would know that it was the Mercenary Crusaders that attacked them and that in that time period in history under Saladin they were very tolerant of other religious faiths.
If you knew jack squat about history you would know that the Crusades were not attacks, but count-attacks. But your gross ignorance and your undenied and laughably apparent government miseducation is still no excuse for you ridiculously and childishly praising unprovoked militant Islamic Jihadist conquests over Christian lands and peoples.
Do yourself a favor kid, and take whatever worthless piece of paper the government issued you claiming that you were now “educated”, and burn it, and then go and open a book.
Remembering Pope Benedict’s address at Regensburg after 5 years.
“More seriously, Regensburg shattered the inconsequential niceties that had hitherto typified most Catholic-Muslim discussions. Instead of producing more happy-talk, Benedict indicated that such conversations could no longer avoid more substantial, more difficult questions: most notably, how Christianity and Islam understand God’s nature. Regensburg reminded us that it matters whether God is essentially Logos (Divine Reason) or Voluntas (Pure Will). The first understanding facilitates civilizational development, true freedom, and a complete understanding of reason. The second sows the seeds of decline, oppression, and unreason.”
Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/276883/benedict-regensburg-why-it-still-matters-samuel-gregg
And now after 10 years.
Before the lastest attack:
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/4686/regensburg_revisited_ten_years_later_a_west_still_in_denial.aspx
After the latest attack:
http://catholicexchange.com/benedict-the-wise
“Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman”
Pope Benedict XVI at Regensburg
The author of this article is highly articulate, and impressive. He is correct – and most commentators here seem to completely ignore his argument. As PRACTICED, yes, Christianity has been violent at times. However, Jesus – if you read his words in the four Gospels (the only times Jesus allegedly speaks in the Bible), he never once says to kill – gay people or otherwise. However, liberals love to dredge up Leviticus, etc. —- which, yes, have influenced how Christianity has been practiced and treated gays (and everyone else) over the past 2,000 years. But the author’s point is very clear: JESUS, himself, didn’t persecute anyone. Mohammed did. Full stop. —- These are points open to interpretation, they are textual facts.
Yep – true. Most commentators posting here haven’t read the author’s article CLEARLY. He’s stating facts, not subjective/interpretive opinion.
Great article, highlights the finer points of this case, which mainstream media seem to have missed. Author makes a valid point, Christianity as practiced has not been nice to gays, but Jesus didn’t condemn anyone. Mohammed has. There’s really no room for argument there – it’s not opinion, it’s read-able fact in both religions’ holy books.
Mr. Cucciniello, the author of the USA Today article, makes great points that seem to get ignored by most. I suppose some of what he writes is offensive to some —- but that doesn’t mean it’s not true or any less rooted in fact. Great article, thanks for sharing it.
I can only think that that unfortunate ignoring by the majority might in fact be the very thing that is our undoing.