tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post341910064164149736..comments2023-09-06T01:31:38.653-07:00Comments on Comics, Beer, and Shakespeare: The real problemLance Christian Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14662783824480475026noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-37043657959192868852008-04-13T13:26:00.000-07:002008-04-13T13:26:00.000-07:00Lance,I admit there are dark chapters in Christian...Lance,<BR/><BR/>I admit there are dark chapters in Christian history, worst of all was the Inquisition, but I lay that off on one branch of Christianity.<BR/><BR/>But that was centuries ago. We are not fighting Islamic terror on behalf of Christianity. We do it to defend ourselves and our right to practice any religion-or none at all.<BR/><BR/>CNN's recent religious special by Christianne Amanpour tried to draw a moral equivalence between Islamic terror and folks like Jerry Falwell and a group of young Evangelics in SF, I think. But what would I expect from Amanpour and CNN?Gary Fousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-1943191066646827832008-04-08T07:02:00.000-07:002008-04-08T07:02:00.000-07:00Hmmm...you're still missing my point, Gary. It's ...Hmmm...you're still missing my point, Gary. It's not a contest. I'm just saying that when you peel back all the layers of the crazy stuff that people do, you're left with faith. Certain faiths might lead to more instances of violence, but that's not the point.<BR/><BR/>But if you want to play the Christianity versus Islam game, you have to keep focusing solely on what's going on today. Christianity has plenty of blood on its hands in its first 1400 years and beyond as well. After all, do you think my ancestors went from worshipping Wotan to Jesus because somebody asked them nicely?<BR/><BR/>Christians certainly aren't engaging in the type of violence that Muslims are today, but if you take a broad view of things, it's not because their holy book is devoid of calls for violence. Thankfully, most Christians have risen above the more barbaric aspects of their faith. Unfortunately, most Muslims have not.<BR/><BR/>But still, all that's not the point. The point is that belief without evidence has the potential to lead to violence. If those terrorists had asked for some proof that they were going to heaven before attacking the Wold Trade Center before doing it, New York would have a different skyline than it does today.Lance Christian Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14662783824480475026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-3137148566638788062008-04-07T20:02:00.000-07:002008-04-07T20:02:00.000-07:00People who shoot abortion doctors? How many of tho...People who shoot abortion doctors? How many of those have surfaced in the last 20 years? As far as I know, they are all in jail (thankfully). They are a true aberration as are any preachers who encouraged it. There are also parents who murder their children because they heard God tell them to. <BR/><BR/>All that pales in comparison with what is going on in Islam. There is no threat that the crazies are going to take over Christianity. There is such a threat when it comes to Islam.Gary Fousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-77162157357678114742008-04-05T07:13:00.000-07:002008-04-05T07:13:00.000-07:00I hear you, Gary, but I think you might be missing...I hear you, Gary, but I think you might be missing my point (perhaps I'm not making it clear.)<BR/><BR/>My only point is that faith has the potential to lead to death and destruction. Ultimately, the terrorists and those negligent parents feel justified for the same reason - they had faith.<BR/><BR/>Are some faiths more violent than others? Absolutely. Who scares me more - suicide bombers or those who shoot abortion doctors? Considering I'm not a doctor of any sort, the suicide bombers, easily. That's not what I'm getting at though.<BR/><BR/>Your point about Christianity today is well taken, but what I was referring to, considering all of the Holy Wars (including ones amongst fellow Christians), is the fact that Christianity has shown the POTENTIAL to be deadly. Sure, it was a long time ago, but it's still stems from the same religion as the one that people follow today. If that "old time religion" comes back somehow, Helios help us all! (I'm honestly not too worried about that though.)Lance Christian Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14662783824480475026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-52625116121993187652008-04-04T21:06:00.000-07:002008-04-04T21:06:00.000-07:00All I can say is that I condemn the parents who le...All I can say is that I condemn the parents who let their child die because of their religious beliefs. Yet, that hardly compares with the constant slaughters, beheadings, fatwas, suicide bombings, "honor killings" and so on committed in the name of Islam.<BR/><BR/>Are Christians in London conducting demonstrations advocating that those who mock Christianity be beheaded? No.<BR/><BR/>The fact is that there is only one religion that is engaged in killing and threatening world peace today and that is Islam. The occasional acts of fanatical Christians or instances of Christian intolerance are insignificant in comparison.<BR/><BR/>As I always add, most Muslims are not engaged in this Jihad, yet few are showing the moral courage to stand up and speak out against it. That includes US Muslims.Gary Fousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-44951481265713434792008-04-04T20:06:00.000-07:002008-04-04T20:06:00.000-07:00Hey Gary,I missed your response to this - hopefull...Hey Gary,<BR/><BR/>I missed your response to this - hopefully you'll read this.<BR/><BR/>Certainly, the Muslim fanatics are the greater threat nowadays. However, there are Christian fanatics whose actions result in death. Also, as you yourself have pointed out, history has shown us that Christianity can rack up quite a body count as well. Who's to say that things won't turn around if conditions change enough? (Perhaps a rise in Muslim terror will bring out more Christian terror!)<BR/><BR/>I'm just saying that push comes to shove, I don't trust this idea of faith in general. If you strip back the layers of what caused the 9/11 attacks and what caused the death of that little girl, you're left with the same common denominator.Lance Christian Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14662783824480475026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-44838763947493389562008-04-02T14:30:00.000-07:002008-04-02T14:30:00.000-07:00The only thing I have a problem with in your essay...The only thing I have a problem with in your essay is when you equate Islamic terror with "Christian Terror".<BR/><BR/>Notwithstanding the Crusades (and I don't even know who the good guys and bad guys were in that one, nor do I much care) the Inquisition, and I guess the Salem Witch trials, I don't see any comparison with with Islamic killers are doing today.<BR/><BR/>Christians are not going out and targeting innocent men, women and children for slaughter today because they are non-believers. Christians are not cutting off heads, stoning women to death for adultery, targeting people for death because they leave the faith or criticize the faith,flying airplanes into buildings and engaging in suicide bombings in the name of God. Either are Jews, Buddhists or Hindus. <BR/><BR/>It is Muslims who are doing these things. Not all of them of course, but a significant and growing number are seeing their mission as bringing Islam to world domination by whichever method is necessary. The other so-called moderate Muslims are for the most part standing silently by for whatever reason. Very few are standing up and trying to clean up this cancer that is destroying Islam's reputation in the eyes of the world.<BR/><BR/>This is not to suggest that Christianity has always been pure and unblemished. I myself, having married a Catholic and raised our children as Catholics, while not converting myself, finally had enough in the face of the priest pedophila scandal. I don't want to insult practicing Catholics, but I have come to the conclusion that the Church basically worships itself.<BR/><BR/>I still believe that Christianity today is basically a force for good in the world. I have no desire to convert anyone-it's live and let live for me-but, I think we need to stand up to the Islamists who would take away our freedom to be any other religion-or atheists for that matter.Gary Fousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9051910413872751516.post-57099582648676165852008-03-28T04:43:00.000-07:002008-03-28T04:43:00.000-07:00I suggest spending some time with these before you...I suggest spending some time with these before you again worry about trampling on JW beliefs-----<BR/><BR/><BR/> <BR/>SUMMARIES OF OVER 1000 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES LAWSUITS & COURT CASES<BR/> <BR/>The following website summarizes over 500 U.S. court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah's Witness Parents, including 370 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children:<BR/> <BR/>DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES<BR/> <BR/>http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com<BR/> <BR/> <BR/>The following website summarizes over 500 lawsuits filed by Jehovah's Witnesses against their Employers, incidents involving problem JW Employees, and other secret JW "history" court cases:<BR/> <BR/>EMPLOYMENT ISSUES UNIQUE TO JEHOVAH'S WITNESS EMPLOYEES<BR/> <BR/>http://jwemployees.bravehost.comJJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519473770669042975noreply@blogger.com