Originally posted by: Rainsford
Originally posted by: ntdz
Originally posted by: Rainsford
Originally posted by: ntdz
I have no problem with Islam as a religion. It only teaches good principles and values. However, I DO have a problem with the clerics and terrorists taking the whole religion and Koran out of context and using it to brainwash the arabs. It's total bullshit, and I think the people "in charge" of Islam have totally corrupted it and it's followers.
Oddly enough, this is exactly the same kind of problem I have with Christianity in this country. Not to anywhere near the same extent of course, but I think the difference in degreee of manipulation and behavior is more due to circumstances than religion. I'm almost positive that if the religions were swapped, the terrorists would still be terrorists.
But, you see, the difference is that "brainwashed" Christians here in this country aren't blowing themselves up to kill innocent people and get rid of democracy. They are normal people who live their lives, and have a strong faith in god. What's the harm in that? Priests aren't going out and telling their people they should go kill innocent people and declare war on Islam are they? Hell no. They preach a positive, peaceful message. MANY islamic clerics, or whatever they are, tell their constituants to go out and oppose democracy, oppose American troops, kill innocent people.
That's exactly my point, Christians here are fine (for the most part) because they are here. The Middle East is a much different set of circumstances, and I think that we would be pretty much the same if everyone here was Muslim instead of Christian, and the terrorists would still be terrorists even if they were Christians. I don't think religion in this case is a cause or a reason, it is simply a tool.
I think the potential for very bad things is there for any group of people devoted to following religious leaders instead of religions, no religion is immune.
There are plenty of indiviuals who do claim to "christian" and are using their religion as political tool. Look the past 10 years with the abortion clinic bombings and pastors kicking democrats out of their churchs. There are plenty of crazy christian zealots who are trying to change our goverment into a religious one. It's just that most of us aren't allowing these people to get to these positions. While our fundamentalists christians aren't going a "crusade" they've done plenty of things I absolutely dispise.