So hopefully this can alleviate some of the confusion:
Crusades were fought for many reasons: to capture Jerusalem, recapture Christian territory, or defend Christians in non-Christian lands; as a means of conflict resolution among Roman Catholics; for political or territorial advantage; and to combat paganism and heresy.
Take of it what you will.
The totally indisputable source of all truth and human knowledge that is never ever wrong.
The totally indisputable source of all truth and human knowledge that is never ever wrong.
There was nothing justified about the Crusades. It was just that the Roman church wanted the money that came from the pilgrim business.
That’s an overly simplistic view of history.
It’s accurate.
No, it’s incredibly un-nuanced.
It’s the equivalent of saying that the United States bombed Japan purely to be mean.
The thing is that we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki to put a quick end to the violence. Ironically enough that’s the same reason the Empire blew up Alderaan.
I thought they blew up Alderaan to display their power and intimidate Leia.
Apparently he’s an Empire sympathizer.
I knew it.
I thought they blew up Alderaan to display their power and intimidate Leia.
That was Tarkin’s objective but others saw it as a necessary evil. An act that would make systems cower in fear so that fear could turn to apathy and the apathy would lead to sustained peace.
Apparently he’s an Empire sympathizer.
Depends on how you look at it…
I thought they blew up Alderaan to display their power and intimidate Leia.
That was Tarkin’s objective but others saw it as a necessary evil. An act that would make systems cower in fear so that fear could turn to apathy and the apathy would lead to sustained peace.
Which, as we all know, backfired.
The thing is that we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki to put a quick end to the violence. Ironically enough that’s the same reason the Empire blew up Alderaan.
Did the Alderaanian army commit acts such as this on a regular basis?
The Person in Question
This is pretty fucked too.
The thing is that we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki to put a quick end to the violence. Ironically enough that’s the same reason the Empire blew up Alderaan.
Did the Alderaanian army commit acts such as this on a regular basis?
No they did not but the motive is still the same. Japan just deserved it while Alderaan didn’t.
The point is that calling it a sin can (in certain deranged people’s minds) justify hate and violence, and that makes it hate by extension at the least.
So because someone misinterprets what I believe to justify their hate and violence, means that I hate as well?
I’m not understanding this logic.
It means that your religion helps to encourage hate, intended or not.
Even though we believe in loving everyone, even our enemies? Even though we believe that committing acts of violence is also sin?
The point is that calling it a sin can (in certain deranged people’s minds) justify hate and violence, and that makes it hate by extension at the least.
So because someone misinterprets what I believe to justify their hate and violence, means that I hate as well?
I’m not understanding this logic.
It means that your religion helps to encourage hate, intended or not.
Even though we believe in loving everyone, even our enemies? Even though we believe that committing acts of violence is also sin?
Those people ignore that.
Even though we believe in loving everyone, even our enemies?
Do you? The homogenous group of Christians known as we believes in loving everyone, even their enemies? Maybe you personally do, but these guys don’t;
The point is that calling it a sin can (in certain deranged people’s minds) justify hate and violence, and that makes it hate by extension at the least.
So because someone misinterprets what I believe to justify their hate and violence, means that I hate as well?
I’m not understanding this logic.
It means that your religion helps to encourage hate, intended or not.
Even though we believe in loving everyone, even our enemies? Even though we believe that committing acts of violence is also sin?
Those people ignore that.
I can’t help that.
Even though we believe in loving everyone, even our enemies?
Do you?
I admit to failing to do this at times. It is what we are supposed to do, but I am not perfect.
The homogenous group of Christians known as we believes in loving everyone, even their enemies? Maybe you personally do, but these guys don’t;
What they did/do is not my fault. Blame them for there own sins, not all Christians.
Hitler was not a Christian. That is an absolute lie of epic proportions. He was in bed with certain figures of the Catholic Church (which keep in mind, I don’t even consider to be Christian in the first place) for political reasons, but his views of the Christian philosophy are clear:
“The heaviest blow that ever struck humanity was the coming of Christianity. Bolshevism is Christianity’s illegitimate child. Both are inventions of the Jew. The deliberate lie in the matter of religion was introduced into the world by Christianity.” - This was in 1941, after he was firmly in power and didn’t need to cater to anyone ideologically speaking.
The Person in Question
Haven’t heard that quote before, but I’m skeptical of it’s legitimacy. I value things like this;
more than a single quote that he may or may not have said.
Here’s one of the many quotes that contradict the one you’ve posted; “We tolerate no one in our ranks who attacks the ideas of Christianity … in fact our movement is Christian.”
Look at this with an open mind, please.
Even if Hitler wasn’t a Christian, the overwhelming majority of people who committed his atrocities for him were. And if that’s the case, then I could have just as easily said;
Do you? The homogenous group of Christians known as we believes in loving everyone, even their enemies? Maybe you personally do, but these guys don’t;
Again, the main difference between Catholicism and Christianity is that Catholicism revolves around a Church that operates no differently than a secular government. Church and state are merged in Catholicism. Christianity, according to the Bible, is incredibly submissive and is inherently passive. Given the contradictions between Hitler’s own speech, it’d be unwise to call him a “Christian”, in fact, he’s often inaccurately referred to as an atheist.
The Person in Question
So would you say that people that do hateful things and justify that with Christianity aren’t Christians?
So would you say that people that do hateful things and justify that with Christianity aren’t Christians?
Generally speaking. I wouldn’t say that the Westboro Baptist Church are not Christians. They’re very extreme, but most of their shit (with the exception of the name-calling, which is condemned in the Bible) isn’t necessarily unbiblical. The thing is, violence is not permitted for Christians. The New Testament flat out says that it’s damning to even follow the laws of the Old Testament. It’s debatable to what extant self-defense is even permissible in Christianity. Violence is not prohibited in Islam (which I know is what you’re getting at).
EDIT: I forgot that the Westboro Baptist Church frequently puts themselves in the position of the arbiter between Heaven and Hell. They say specifically who is and isn’t going to hell, which is unbiblical.
The Person in Question
That’s mainly a difference of definition, then. Christian; in my mind, just means you believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and worship him.
Copy-pasted from Wikipedia;
In 1933, prior to the annexation of Austria into Germany, the population of Germany was approximately 67% Protestant and 33% Catholic; Jews made up less than 1% of the population.[1] A census in May 1939, six years into the Nazi era[2] and incorporating the annexation of mostly Catholic Austria into Germany, indicates that 54% considered themselves Protestant, 40% Catholic, 3.5% self-identified as “gottgläubig” (lit. “believers in god”, often described as predominately creationist and deistic),[3] and 1.5% as non-religious.
So by your definition of Christian, it’s still the case that most Nazi soldiers were Christian. So I would say my original statement still applies, and there were Christians that didn’t believe “in loving everyone, even their enemies.”
Sure, but I was thinking of Hitler himself, who was raised Catholic. I don’t really consider the individual soldiers in the German Army; I’m sure most of them weren’t aware of what they were fighting for. As for most of Hitler’s SS thugs, I don’t know what their religious identities were. The problem I have with your definition of Christianity is that there are sects that elevate the Pope or Joseph Smith, for example, (I hope Ender can elaborate on his views) to the level of near-divinity. The Pope takes the title of “Holy Father”, which is only used in the Bible to refer to God himself.
The Person in Question
