Christianity is just an expression of ethnic culture

[peonyu]

I disagree, the Christian world used to be much larger than it is today. Before Islam, Christian countries included all of Europe, North Africa down to Sudan and Ethiopia, and it included the entire Middle East with the exception of the Arab peninsula. If Islam was never created its not a stretch at all to say its very very possible that Iran, Afghanistan and most other Central Asian countries would be Christian today, and those countries are not White.

Christianity does became sort of ethnic in Europe once Islam was established and they were conquering and force converting Christian nations [at the time] in North Africa and killing Christian pilgrims making pilgramages to Jerusalem [those attacks led to the Crusades btw] . Its fair to say that to a Greek Byzantine, who was defending his family, culture, Christian religion and people from the onslaught of Jihadic Islam that he viewed himself as a Christan. Period. And a Byzantine second. So to people put in that situation, then yes Christianity was ethnic. The same could be said of the Spaniards during the Reconquest when they were finally pushing the Muslim settlers out of Spain - they viewed themselves as Christians first and Spaniards second, since their religion and culture was literally being attacked by foreigners.

The Coptic Christan minority in Egypt is probably the best modern example of a "ethnic" Christan group though, since they are still being murdered to this day by Muslims in their own country.

 

[JEDIYoda]

The Coptic Christan minority in Egypt is probably the best modern example of a "ethnic" Christan group though, since they are still being murdered to this day by Muslims in their own country.
__________________

no way dude!!! Muslims are peaceful individuals! You must be anti - muslim!!

 

[JEDIYoda]

In other words, there is no objective test that can validate "True Christianity." Even the Bible must be interpreted.

Whats wrong with that.............

 

[micrometers]

All the guys who made up that stuff were not white. They looked about like an average Palestinian. White Religion is the pagan religions.

Well, my point is that Christianity as practiced in the USA is effectively European culture. Like, Southern Baptists are fairly mystical, and probably are keeping in a similar spirit as their Scot-Irish ancestors who worshipped the Celtic gods.

 

[monovillage]

You should just practice your atheist/agnostic patriarchal tendencies and bitchslap your sister and tell her to think and believe like you do because it's the right way to think.

 

[peonyu]

All the guys who made up that stuff were not white. They looked about like an average Palestinian. White Religion is the pagan religions.

The modern day Arabs are a mixed lot, we cant say that a modern day Palestinian looks like his ancestor did 2000 years ago. The Arabs had imported black slaves to the region during a span of 1200 years [600ad-1800ad], more black slaves were forced to move to the Muslim controlled lands than went to the Americas. So we are talking 15-20 million slaves during that period and that population was mixed into the Arab population. So Arabs are part black today.

Then there was the Mongol hordes who added into the Arab population by rape and marriage at times, the Turks [who were also Asian] mixed in to. Also Indians were enslaved at times and forced to do hard labor in the middle east...And Europeans were fair game to become slaves aswell, mostly Greek Byzantines who were defeated in battle.

So a modern day Arab probably looks nothing like his ancestor did 2000 years ago since they have alittle bit of everything in them these days.

 

[Atreus21]

You have it exactly in reverse.

Western culture is an expression of its Christian roots, not the other way around.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

What if religion is the only thing keeping her off the stripper pole?

What do you have against strippers? It's just an expression of ethnic culture.

 

[Ausm]

Yeah, it's tough to know how to handle it. I suspect that she's getting a hard time in school and is subject to racial taunts (I went to the same school and experienced the same thing) but it is difficult to bring up the subject. Although, I do think that having your identity tied up in Christianity, which itself is just an expression of European culture, at least the church which she is fond of, compounds any problem.

When she grows up she might equate Religion with Santa Claus.

 

[soundforbjt]

 

[cybrsage]

The ethnicity in question are often European: Irish, German, French, Italian, etc.

true or false? I'm having a tough time with my little sister who is unhappy that I pointed this out to her. She takes religion seriously.

False.


The modern version of Christianity was created by Emporer Constantine, who changed a LOT of items followed by the original leaders of Christianity. For example, Constantine had a law passed making it illegal to NOT work on the Sabbath (Saturday) and said the new day of rest would be the say which was holy to the Sun god (Sunday). He also did a great many other harms to Christianity, which people now adays do not realize was changed by him.

He did this to remove the Jewishness of the new Christian religion. He hated Jews because they tended to rebel each time he said they had to worship his as a god.

So while the core of Christianty reflects the Jewish culture of Messianic thought, the trappings and views of much of Christianity reflects the no longer in existance Roman culture.

 

[woolfe9999]

You have it exactly in reverse.

Western culture is an expression of its Christian roots, not the other way around.

Causation of culture/religion is bi-directional. One of the points often made about the "danger" of Islam is that Christian culture was just as barbaric, if not more so, in the past. To which it is noted that this isn't the case any more. Well Christian culture didn't become more "civilized" in a vacuum. The broader trend of cultural enlightenment and its emphasis on humanism "civilized" all religions of the west to varying degrees. As well, the comparatively recent cultural emphasis on egalitarianism has caused racist/sexist/homophobic interpretations of scripture to fall out of favor, whereas 200 years ago no one would have questioned them. Religions exist in cultural context. They are not eternal or immutable.

 

[woolfe9999]

You should just practice your atheist/agnostic patriarchal tendencies and bitchslap your sister and tell her to think and believe like you do because it's the right way to think.

Atheism/agnosticism are "patriarchal?" Hilarious. Let's see, hundreds of years ago, the world was a) more, or b) less patriarchal than it is now? And hundreds of years ago, the world as a) more, or b) less, religious than it is now? Hmmm.

- wolf

 

[cybrsage]

Causation of culture/religion is bi-directional. One of the points often made about the "danger" of Islam is that Christian culture was just as barbaric, if not more so, in the past. To which it is noted that this isn't the case any more. Well Christian culture didn't become more "civilized" in a vacuum. The broader trend of cultural enlightenment and its emphasis on humanism "civilized" all religions of the west to varying degrees. As well, the comparatively recent cultural emphasis on egalitarianism has caused racist/sexist/homophobic interpretations of scripture to fall out of favor, whereas 200 years ago no one would have questioned them. Religions exist in cultural context. They are not eternal or immutable.

You are talking about the perversion of religion by those in power for their own gain. Yes, as the general culture changes, the leaders must change as well or face the wrath of their people...therefor the results of their perversion of religion changes as well.

The way to judge the religion is to use its own holy books, not the actions of the religion's flawed followers.

 

[cybrsage]

Atheism/agnosticism are "patriarchal?" Hilarious. Let's see, hundreds of years ago, the world was a) more, or b) less patriarchal than it is now? And hundreds of years ago, the world as a) more, or b) less, religious than it is now? Hmmm.

- wolf

Correlation is not causation.

 

[woolfe9999]

Correlation is not causation.

True, but the noted and rather strong correlation hardly helps monovillage's assertion that "atheism" is "patriarchal." If atheism was patriarchal, you'd expect the world to become more patriachal as it becomes more secular, not the other way around.

 

[cybrsage]

Agreed. Patriarchal is ethnic based and not religious based. For example, while men lead the homes in ancient Israel, women were required to both be educated and literate. Women had to learn to read because if you cannot read the Torah it is much harder to follow it, and following the Torah was considered vital (as it was the direct commands of God).

Later, the European influence on the Jews of the diaspora caused them to do what all the other Europeans did...which is to make their women uneducated and illiterate.

As a note, Judaism also considers women to be holier than men...putting women into a closer relationship with God from the get go.

 

[DaveSimmons]

The ethnicity in question are often European: Irish, German, French, Italian, etc.

true or false? I'm having a tough time with my little sister who is unhappy that I pointed this out to her. She takes religion seriously.

False, as pointed out earlier Jesus was not a Saxon.

Also pointless. Almost everything was first expressed, discovered or created by some culture but that doesn't mean it is only valid in that culture. And it doesn't mean it is not valid at as you seem to want to claim.

Are Newtonian physics invalid at the macro level because they were an expression of some European guy? Can only the Chinese enjoy fireworks? Do algorithms or the number zero only work for Arabs? Is the Earth only round for the Greeks?

 

[monovillage]

Atheism/agnosticism are "patriarchal?" Hilarious. Let's see, hundreds of years ago, the world was a) more, or b) less patriarchal than it is now? And hundreds of years ago, the world as a) more, or b) less, religious than it is now? Hmmm.

- wolf

What does religion have to do with patriarchal tendencies? It's his culture that's patriarchal, which is why he's trying to tell his sister what to think. I'm just giving him his logical shortcut.

 

[cybrsage]

False, as pointed out earlier Jesus was not a Saxon.

As an aside, I was in a church recently where the I saw the most Nordic looking picture of Jesus I had ever seen. He looked like He needed an axe and shield in hand while standing on a longboat...

 

[woolfe9999]

What does religion have to do with patriarchal tendencies? It's his culture that's patriarchal, which is why he's trying to tell his sister what to think. I'm just giving him his logical shortcut.

What does atheism have to do with patriarchal tendencies?

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Western culture is an expression of its Christian roots.

That is so unintentionally hilarious I think I would have to be two people to fully enjoy it.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Whats wrong with that.............

What was it about anything that I said that gave you the idea that I think there is something "wrong" with the facts I descibed...........................................................................................................................................................................................

 

[monovillage]

What does atheism have to do with patriarchal tendencies?

I thought it was more cultural, but maybe you think it's a religion.

 

[Brigandier]

Christianity is an expression of an extreme desire to either be enlightened or ignorant.

99% are one, and 1% the other.