This isn't a Christian problem but a human problem. I watched the entire video and the entire time I had to restrain my self from breaking down into tears and rage and I'm not a Christian. As human beings we must stop segregated our empathy for other humans. Muslims need to share more empathy for non Muslims and Christians need to share more empathy for non Christians. Jews need to share more empathy for non Jews. Until then non of these atrocities will be resolved.
This is where I think you are wrong, its not about empathy. In these guys eyes, if you're not one of them, you're dead, with all of your empathy. ISIS, Taliban, EL Shebab, Hamas- Those are the creations of not doing anything for too long, and they look at your empathy and see weakness. We are on a verge of a war, even if we will try to look the other way- it will get to us. It is time to pay attention to what they are saying.
Yes, you are right. Christianity should not get muddled up in the cluster**** that is the middle east --- we need to focus on diplomacy with the arab nations who have resources (saudi, use, qatar, jordan) and get them to exert influence to the tribal area's where the poor are brainwashed. Islam has certainly fallen upon tough times, made worse by 1st world citizens who willfully ignore the real issue's going on within their religion, but grouping them with the rest of people who follow a religion is not doing yourself any favors. Get those arabs to a world forum and pressure 'em to help out ... or Islam will forever be a wasteland in the middle east.
For those of you who think eradication of religion will stop man/boys from fighting and killing each other, I have a hippy pot head friend for you to talk to. It's not religion, man...it's man, man. It's a testosterone thing, get my dig. And then his hippy chick SO, says...you're cute...chill with us...do you do herb and then once you are blazed...she says...let's go skinny dipping at my friend Deckard's pond. It's a testosterone thing, man
It's an evolutionary imperative thing, man. Whatever it takes to promote your genetic heritage; me, my family, my people; survive, procreate, proliferate, dominate, the same as a bacteria or any other living thing.
I don't have stats on hand but I think the opposite is true. Wolves and even feral dogs will kill each other. Feral house cats will kill other cats particularly male cats will kill the kittens that weren't sired by them. One of the biggest threats to bear cubs are other bears. Ant colonies will wage war on rival ant colonies. Most importantly our closest relatives chimpanzees will kill chimps from rival groups and even those in their own group in fights for dominance.
While religion is a big driver in the Israeli Palestinian conflict it is too simple to reduce it down to that. There are many other reasons having to do with land, access to water, and economic development. Many of the Zionists groups and the PLO were nominally secular and the founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine was a Christian. Even if religion were completely taken out of the equation it isn't likely that the conflict would end.
Hitler, Mao, Lenin, Stalin <--- Which religion did they kill in the name of??? And they killed ALOT Rocket River
It's not about religions- in this era, it's one religion (or ideology) that seeks world domination. Whenever it happened in history- Christianity (15th century), "Scientific" racism (Nazis- 1930'), Communism (under Stalin and Lenin, 1940s-1980s)- its starting as ideology, then people are talking about it out loud, then they act on it. Usually the world tends to ignore it until it reaches to its doorstep, but it always gets to them. All I'm saying is pay attention to what they are saying, look at what they are doing, and in the name of what they are doing it for. Do not ignore it or say its not your problem even if its far away from your home, because when you let it grow it will get stronger, and eventually it will get to you. USA trying to Fawn countries like Qatar that funds all of these crazy ideology only make them stronger. USA have become so weak in their minds since president Obama took over that even though it has the strongest military in the world (that really did a great job of keeping at least the free world a place worth living in for the past 70 years), that they feel their time is coming. In International relations the basic assumption is that the world is a chaotic place and human nature is bad in its core, unfortunately so far in history, the only thing that prevented the chaos is being strong and powerful, never be afraid to go to war for the right reasons because when you are (afraid), the war will get to you and you will be in a disadvantage. That is the sad reality of this world and we all have to thank America for never being afraid to fight for its believes and ideology- other wise we could not have this discussion.
I assume you are a Christian, and a follower of Jesus. So I ask a question. What do you think Jesus would teach about how to react to these people?
Your thread title makes me very uncomfortable. I think it's generally accepted that these ISIS people aren't very nice and are engaging in atrocities. As Americans, I think we should be opposed to them. But, to call on Christians sounds to my ears like holy war, like you want to kill in the name of Christ just as they kill in the name of Allah. Maybe that's not what you mean to imply, but please make it clear, because a war of religions isn't going to be good for anyone.
The axis of evil isn't with any state, any government, any religion. It's ignorance, delusion, hatred, fear, greed. And it can be with anyone, any group, any religion, any institution, any government. Good thing human also have great potential for genuine generosity, love, kindness to counter and balance out these forces.
Hitler wasn't particularly religious, and his tolerance of the Catholic Church and Protestants seemed mostly to be a desire to maintain traditional social mores. Despite making deals with christian churches, he wasn't very keen on having so many Jews in the Bible and wanted to ultimately commandeer and reshape christianity to eliminate the old testament. And, like many secularists, he was okay with people going to church on Sunday but didn't like it impacting other aspects of their lives, like informing what sort of political leadership they would allow. Nor did he kill in the name of religion. He killed for racial and cultural purity. If he didn't like Judaism and Islam, it's because they aren't traditional Germanic religions in his view. He had a thing for pagan Germanic and Nordic religion and didn't show particular favoritism between Catholics and Protestants. So, put his name back on the list. Some nominal Catholic cultural heritage and a political deal with the Pope doesn't make him a Christian Crusader.
