Why do Christians always assume they're right?

reply to post by TheRedneck


Yeah, I understand what you're saying.
Many of my brothers are Christians, good men all of them.
But you fail to take into consideration, that most of my named atrocities were done in the name of Christianity.
Same with their view on "taming the savages"...or in other words, converting the weak and slaughtering the rest.
Whole populations have been displaced or destroyed in Christ's name.
I know you say it's man's inhumanity to man, and I agree, however, when done under the banner of a larger cause (Christianity), it becomes unforgivable.

Originally posted by wu kung
reply to post by TheRedneck

 

But you fail to take into consideration, that most of my named atrocities were done in the name of Christianity.
Same with their view on "taming the savages"...or in other words, converting the weak and slaughtering the rest.
Whole populations have been displaced or destroyed in Christ's name.
I know you say it's man's inhumanity to man, and I agree, however, when done under the banner of a larger cause (Christianity), it becomes unforgivable.

You couldn't be more wrong! More people have been killed by Atheist regimes than any religion.

Mao Ze-Dong (China, 1958-61 and 1966-69, Tibet 1949-50) 49-78,000,000
Jozef Stalin (USSR, 1932-39) 23,000,000 (the purges plus Ukraine's famine)
Adolf Hitler (Germany, 1939-1945) 12,000,000 (concentration camps and civilians WWII)
Hideki Tojo (Japan, 1941-44) 5,000,000 (civilians in WWII)
Pol Pot (Cambodia, 1975-79) 1,700,000
Kim Il Sung (North Korea, 1948-94) 1.6 million (purges and concentration camps)
Menghistu (Ethiopia, 1975-78) 1,500,000
Ismail Enver (Turkey, 1915) 1,200,000 Armenians

reply to post by Bigwhammy


Good research.
Well done.
I still believe that I'm right.
The countless unnamed that have died for the church.
Innumerable...uncountable.

The South Pacific Islands.
The African nations.
Don't forget the Native Americans.

Y'know, all of those who just weren't 'good Christian souls'.

reply to post by Bigwhammy


Heh...sorry bud - but most all on that list are purely 20th century....that's a whopping 100 years - or century - your talking about. Christianity has been murdering people for nearly 1800 years!!

Bit of a disparity there y'know.

J.

Its human nature to believe in something bigger than yourself. Even believing in evolution thats bigger than yourself. All religions have un-answer questions even evolution "missing link?"

reply to post by ancient5121


Your point being?

J.

reply to post by jimbo999


To seriously believe the fact that religion, by itself, is and always will be the cause of the majority of death in the world is a testiment to your own 'crusade' against religion.

With or without religion, people will always find a reason to kill one another. If you want to equate that to just being a religious thing, well theres nothing I can really do for you - you're already lost.

reply to post by luxor311


As a Christian, I always assume I'm wrong.

Why do you assume your assumptions are always right?

reply to post by jimbo999


But no where near the same scale. You said more. The inquisition was horrible, but doesn't come close to the murders committed under communist (Godless) regimes. So my point stands.

I would also argue that real Christians weren't responsible for the inquisition. Religious tyrants were. Jesus was the enemy of the religious leaders, they are the ones that had him killed.

reply to post by wu kung


None of what you listed was done in the name of Christ. American Imperialism -yes. Real Christians helped and sheltered some of the American Indians while the military slaughtered them. Real Christians are in Africa right now caring for babies with AIDS.

To clarify something guys. I agree with you somewhat on some of what you say. But this thread was directed toward Christians. Religion is man made. Spirituality is mans relationship with God. I don't consider the mainstream church to represent true Christians. Jesus was not a fan of organized religion at all. He was a rebel a revolutionary. The parable of the good Samaritan is about racism, not helping wounded travelers. The Jews hated Samaritans the first guy that passed him by was a Jewish leader - then the Samaritan helped the guy. It was like Martin Luther King in Alabama in the 60s. If you study the actual Bible and ignore the religion Christianity is amazing.

I guess the mainstream church has given Jesus a bad name but don't blame him for it , OK? That's the failing of people claiming to be Christians.

I come from a deeply religious family and I fully understand the issues of religion and faith. Being raised as a baptist/mennonite background certainly is as conservative as you come. With that being said, I am no longer religious and part of that is because I refuse to be a part of a religious organization. I have seen too many people claiming to be great Christians undermine and rebuke others, even upstanding Christians such as my parents. Even christians cant agree with other christians, they must all be "right."

reply to post by RockAwayRadio

Are you serious? The only record we have is the canonized books? I think you need to study a little more. Just for one, why don't you try reading some of Josephus' writings? His writings were never canonized. Your statement is untrue. And there is no "proof" that Josephus was Paul.

[edit on 2/14/2008 by idle_rocker]

Originally posted by TheWalkingFox
reply to post by luxor311

 

Christians are right.

Well, provided you buy into the whole "Woe is me I'm a sinful being that cannot fix my own problems"

Their methods are often questionable, but as the 12-steppers say, the first step is admiting you have a problem

_____________________________________________________________

Yup absolutely right. The first step is is admitting you have a problem. It's called sin. It's how you choose to solve the problem that makes the difference. Christ is my solution to the problem. And trust me, it works for me. May not work for you and that's okay. But the answer to the original question is....

We believe we're right because we've had a personal experience that proves our faith. If you haven't had the experience, no one can expect you to accept it blindly. However, having said that, some people aren't looking.

[edit on 2/14/2008 by idle_rocker]

Originally posted by wu kung

Originally posted by idle_rocker

 

Christianity is NOT based on fear. It's based on love.

Ah, so I guess atrocities like the Spanish Inquisition were just massive displays of love huh?
And priests molesting children, just another display of love that the rest of us just can't understand.
Why does the church preach poverty yet the Pope lives in complete opulence?
So, just where does all of that donated money go, hmmm?

I'm not against Christianity, but I am against the hypocrisies of any religion or system of belief.

_____________________________________________________________Actually, you are probably surprised that I have to agree with you there. There were horrible acts performed by members of all faiths and beliefs.
I can't pretend to explain why any group of people would do what they do in the name of anyone. It doesn't matter how many did this, and how many did that, and which group they were a part of. What does matter is our responsibility for ourselves. You are responsible for yourself, and I am responsible for myself.

If I choose to rely on a higher power to "pay my garbage bill", it's my business and my freedom of choice.

What I don't understand is why this silly question was asked in the first place. Someone may as well have asked "why do athiests always believe they're left?"

Everyone keeps asking for proof there IS a God. Give me proof he doesn't exist! You can't do it.

reply to post by Bigwhammy


That's exactly why I don't belong to a church. I belong to my own faith, and I am a Christian. I don't think you have to belong to a group or organization to believe in God and that Jesus died to save us from ourselves.


[edit on 2/14/2008 by idle_rocker]

reply to post by idle_rocker


You are so RIGHT you don't have to belong to a church to have accepted CHRIST, By accepting Christ you are however a Christian

Originally posted by luxor311
Why do Christians always assume they're right?

Whenever it comes to other religions or atheists or points of spirituality that dont recognize Jesus as the definitive word of God its "wrong" or "misleading" or "untruthful".

Isn't that the same ideology that has divided the world, controlled the masses, started wars and killed thousands and thousands over the years? Sure Christianity is not to blame for all the above reasons but the ideals that Christians are always right and the rest of the world is wrong is very destructive....I think it is anyway. Why cant other religions be right as well?

[edit on 11-2-2008 by luxor311]

[edit on 11-2-2008 by luxor311]

Actually, you are getting christians mixed up with, catholics.
There hasnt been a christian crusade, or holocast. NO ethnic cleansing. Christians are basically, people who dont like the ideals and negativities of religions, so they choose christianity. Which appears to be described best as, the belief that there is a god, the comandments, and a possible day of reconing.

there is truth in all religions, or else, they wouldnt be beleivable.

There's bad Christians who have done terrible things, sure, but there's also bad atheists, Hindus, Muslims, (fill in blank here) who have also done awful things.

Because they are. oh, sorry. I posted too short of a simple message and I am not allowed to do that. Seems that one must be verbose to post on this board. So I will say it again. Because they are.