Originally posted by dfordham:
My question is this, why do so many people concentrate on
the bad , or politically incorrect statements made by Christians? How come
no one concentrates on the good that Christians do in this world? How many
hospitals have been supported by the ACLU, by Atheists or by other
organizations that are supposedly for peoples rights. Or how many Atheists,
ACLU or peoples rights groups send people into other poor countries with
medical supplies to help those who are sick, building supplies to build
houses for those who need it or help children in orphanages. I don't know
of a single one. But yet I see Baptist and Methodists hospitals all over
the country. I hear about Christian organizations sending members to other
countries trying to help those in need. Tell me which organization is more
for the people, Christians who actually try to help people by providing for
their needs, or supposedly human rights groups who just seem talk about it.
This is a tough one.
In my experience, and I've a pretty broad one with regard to Christian religion, there are too many Christians that take what their religious leaders say at face value without thinking about it too much. This more than anything is what frightens me to no end. I've experienced this with southern Baptists, Church of Christ, Church of God, Methodists, Episcopals, Presbyterians, Catholics, etc., etc. Given that my grandfather was a deacon at a Baptist church I hung out with two different minister's sons throughout high school(with some of the crap we did, we definitely couldn't be considered holy rollers), I've seen a lot of the inside workings of the church and how it's leadership pushes decrees and petitions down on local ministers, whether it's really been agreed upon or not. The simplest way I can say it is there is an agenda in any organized religion, and there are far too many of the "flock" that are willing to follow it (whatever "IT" is at the time) without question or sincere reflection on the matter. Thus, reckless statements and painting an ENTIRE religion and culture with one broad brush by an esteemed leader does no good in any way, fashion or form.
The Crusades were started in a similiar fashion with Pope Urban II made his declaration of vision outside the church steps in Clermont in 1095, though there were other mitigating reasons behind this move as well (the Turks had killed and expelled a number of Christians throughout the Holy Land at the time)...
There's no denying that Christian missionaries today have worked the world over to improve living conditions, education and have helped a vast number of individuals out to the nth degree. In my mind they have done a much better job than the U.N. and the World Bank, because churches have known all along that people interfacing with the masses is actually what makes a difference, instead of multi-million dollar dole-outs and loans that most of the time line the pockets of the dictators and misguided leaders of these same countries. Not only does missionary work offer food, clothing and sometimes a place to live, but it offers something that the damn politicians never take into consideration when throwing money at a 3rd world country:
Personal interaction, emotional and spiritual ties along with a sharing of values. I don't care how many checks you send to Botswana, Chad, Peru or any other country, it can't offer the above.
Again, though, the Baptist moron that spewed for the crap about Islam being a religion that breeds "terrorism" doesn't do any of the above for these people. He simply condemns them with a wave of his hand, reckless words and an extremely limited and narrow-minded view of the world.
To those ministers think so highly of themselves, I simply like to remind them that Lucifer/Satan/the Devil himself was once considered first among Angels in the hierarchy...
...not to mention the Pharisees and their role in the condemnation of Christ...
Christ mixed with the masses, not strictly his own creed or religion. He also did a lot more for the world by trying to help heal the infirm, educate the ignorant and feed the poor.
I can't recollect him going around damning entire cultures and making too many off-the-cuff dumba$$ statements in the New Testament.
In a nutshell, this idiot merely threw more gasoline on a fire that is already burning pretty brightly.
