Thoughts On Religious Violence
Today is Sunday, 5 May 2013.
"I come not to bring peace: I come to bring a sword." So Jesus is quoted in the Gospel of Matthew 10.34.
Often, biblical literalists contend that this passage is metaphorical, meaning spiritual or ideological warfare. But, metaphorical ain't literal, people, so you don't get to go there. By the lights of literalism, Jesus came to whack people, and his followers are obligated to follow suit.
In 313 C.E., a mere 280 years after the Prince of Peace was crucified, the majority of the leadership of the Church sold out to the very Roman Empire which had murdered Jesus, and blessed the wars of the Empire, in return for which they received cash subsidies and the right to persecute fellow Christians who didn't share their own exact doctrines.
In 1204, the Crusaders from Western Europe decided that it would be too much trouble to attempt the conquest of Jerusalem, and far easier to attack Eastern Christians, so they conquered and looted Constantinople, populated by Eastern Christians.
In every war in which "Christians" participated, with which I am familiar, the majority of religious and lay leaders, and the majority of lay persons, rationalized their looting, raping, pedophilia, violence, and murder by claiming that "God" is on the side of their nation, and only their nation.
Thus, I'm disgusted by the way that the American media is speculating on why Tamerlan Tsarnaev became a "violent religious extremist," and, overtly or covertly, "explaining" it by the alleged violent nature of Islam.
If they truly wish to understand, they should look in a mirror.
Today is Sunday, 5 May 2013.
"I come not to bring peace: I come to bring a sword." So Jesus is quoted in the Gospel of Matthew 10.34.
Often, biblical literalists contend that this passage is metaphorical, meaning spiritual or ideological warfare. But, metaphorical ain't literal, people, so you don't get to go there. By the lights of literalism, Jesus came to whack people, and his followers are obligated to follow suit.
In 313 C.E., a mere 280 years after the Prince of Peace was crucified, the majority of the leadership of the Church sold out to the very Roman Empire which had murdered Jesus, and blessed the wars of the Empire, in return for which they received cash subsidies and the right to persecute fellow Christians who didn't share their own exact doctrines.
In 1204, the Crusaders from Western Europe decided that it would be too much trouble to attempt the conquest of Jerusalem, and far easier to attack Eastern Christians, so they conquered and looted Constantinople, populated by Eastern Christians.
In every war in which "Christians" participated, with which I am familiar, the majority of religious and lay leaders, and the majority of lay persons, rationalized their looting, raping, pedophilia, violence, and murder by claiming that "God" is on the side of their nation, and only their nation.
Thus, I'm disgusted by the way that the American media is speculating on why Tamerlan Tsarnaev became a "violent religious extremist," and, overtly or covertly, "explaining" it by the alleged violent nature of Islam.
If they truly wish to understand, they should look in a mirror.
posted by HH at 6:05 PM
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