Sorry Don

Submitted by CanadianChris (Canada), Jan 16, 2009 at 13:40

You make several specious comments regarding MY OWN opinions that are not a true reflection of my feelings about Islam, much less about Christianity in general. I could go through history and make countless examples of how the peaceful message of Christ has been distorted by his followers. A message of peace or a message of violence, simply falls on the ears of the people who are looking for religion to give them direction. It is the weak mindedness that causes any message, whether it is peaceful or violent to find footing with the followers of religion who are looking to discriminate.

You make many great points that come from a religious perspective, and it is good to see that you aren't ignorant, but it is also interesting to read the anger and vengeance in your words. The Christian Master did not fight against his oppressors, he allowed them to abuse him and to even go as far as to kill him in efforts to silence his message. Murder and persecution were no barrier to the message of Christ, and it was his message that his followers were to emulate his life, rather than to violently oppose those who persecute them. Matt 5:11 says, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." It is a case of Christ encouraging his followers to allow the world to rage around them, to make false accusations and to stay true to the precepts he taught. To follow a life of peace and healing, rather than violent opposition.

I simply have no desire to fight you on this topic Don. You speak from a Christian perspective, and I see how much meaning your words have to you and that is what counts. My point is simply this... Any religion looking to establish its validity should allow the lives of its followers to be an example of the power of the religion, and regardless of the message of Christ or Mohammed,,, Some followers are peaceful and respectful, and some followers are rabid. Currently we are looking at a world that has a large media exposure of the rabid followers of Islam, I have no argument against that, but I do believe that the religion can evolve to be more moderate.

Islam presents the secular world with some difficulties. It requires a submission to itself which is not a realistic long term goal. Sure theworld as many Muslims may dream of it, may be conquered by the followers of Islam for a few years or even some several generations, but the fact of the matter is that free thinking people will always be a thorn in the side of any religion, and the persecution of the people who try to think for themselves and promote love and forgiveness, creates real martyrs that the world eagerly looks for as examples of what our future can hold. It was 2000 years ago that the life of Christ inspired the world to try to follow his teachings, and today we still face, selfishness, violence, hatred, discrimination, and a multitude of ugly tendencies of human nature. The message still exists and cannot extinguished, and we need to allow that the message of Mohammed has that same durability.

So the only real solution, is not a war of violence against Islam, but a united front against the principles of Islam that are intolerable. To return to the Principles of the Declaration of Human Rights. If any religion cannot follow the precets laid out in the declaration of Human Rights, it must be resisted by a globally cooperative secular organization that enforces human rights. Not resisted by religious organizations which draw in extremists and moderates alike. It is not the job of Christianity to fight against Islam. It is the job of a secular organization to resist human rights abuses as they emerge inside any religious organization.

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