The Bible, which is the basis of Christianity, is filled with the advocacy of hatred and violence. And history shows how christians have waged war against others who they perceive as being against or different from them. They got rid of Paganism world wide for example and of course there are many more examples. Of course, they didn't completely wipe out Pagans just like they didn't completely wipe out the Native Americans (north american indians.)
For me, the recovery from all this hatred and violence has been a return to my roots...a return to the Goddess. For others it has been agnosticm or aethiesm. So tell, how have you dealt with this?
2006-07-09 02:39:52 · 14 answers · asked by Greanwitch 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I back it all up with the Bible..read it and you'll find out. Too many xtians just listen to all the raging and rantings and never really read the bible so they dont' realize how awful it is.
2006-07-09 02:48:24 · update #1
The violence did not come from Christianity.
It came from the Vatican.
And the Vatican created both Islam and Nazism...
http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com/
http://www.chick.com/information/religions/catholicism/
Get an education.
Reading the Bible and understanding it are two different things.
2006-07-09 02:45:09 · answer #1 · answered by truebeliever_777 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ancient pagans were not so peaceful either... and they did force their religion on others. The Roman Empire was pagan and there were laws stating you had to worship their Gods.... Egypt was pagan... All of their rulers claimed to be "sons of god". It's always some nation or group that is trying to be the dominant one.
And history shows that they were after heretics not just "Pagans". When the Church was dominant, the Pagans were already underground. The Inquisitions that followed killed more Christians than it killed of any other groups combined. It was more about gaining land... the Church came out of the Roman Empire and still had all of it's greed.
And to which Goddess should everyone return to? I kind of like the Morrigan... the triple Goddess of War. The Celtic Pantheon.
As for dealing with the anger of seeing the popular religions trying to overpower everyone else... one must be in control of themself before they can try to fight (physically or verbally) against anything else.
2006-07-09 06:00:00 · answer #2 · answered by Kithy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well Greenwitch.I think I am intelligent but others may disagree.
As per violence I contend that the practice of violence was simply the inability of Christians to live up to their teachings. Be honest the New Testaments main focus is on love with focus on forgiveness.
I'm not a Christian either and growing up in the bible belt has been very trying. I find that especially people who are deemed "good Christians" are really only seen as good Christians by other good Christians. Throw in a Muslim or a Wiccan and they do not know how to act w/o claiming that you worship a false God or that you're going to hell (I don't believe in hell). You could still make a good argument that a very large portion of the worlds wars were initiated by Christians or at least people who were raised in a Christian society. As per how to deal with this. Any one who really cares about you is not going to control you. Nobody owns you. If they respect you they will encourage you to pursue whatever beliefs your heart leads you to. They are just blowing smoke!
2006-07-09 02:56:02 · answer #3 · answered by Ahab 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, have been in recovery since leaving church at the age of 13. Guilt was gone by age 20 allowing conscience and values to take their place.
I have had many thoughts, including several you speak of in your question, paganism, which is where many Christians draw for their rituals such as the Christmas wreath. Thoughts on a goddess also. Current conclusion. God is love, period, a power that you can not see but encompasses all who embrace. Good luck on your journey to enlightenment.
BTW, I started as an atheist, moved to agnostic and now, embrace the power that I feel is God. I am, however a political atheist. Do not want others to force opinions on me or others. It is an individual, often gut wrenching, personal choice. One should be allowed to move to the realization without interference from those whose bigoted, narrow-minded, dogmatic viewpoints cause such peril and strife to all of humankind. And I only need the smallest of openings to tell them so. Sending you all the love the universe has to offer....a friend.
2006-07-09 02:53:33 · answer #4 · answered by -Tequila17 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
growing up in the Bible belt it was always difficult to deal with the oppressive nature of the Christian culture... I rebelled and fought it thru my adolescence then in my twenties I learned what all survivors learn... stay quiet about your beliefs and feelings and escape into your own small insular world of friends and culture.. I became isolated a guarded in my own little ghetto of disbelief.
Then I discovered Zen Buddhism and I realized that there could be a type of faith that had nothing to do with Gods and mythology. I learned the mystery of reality and the wonder of the human heart. I am at peace now with what the idea that some people need Christianity to find a way to live in a world without 'questions'... but I hope that some day they will learn to give others the benefit of the 'doubt'....
2006-07-09 02:53:23 · answer #5 · answered by Klaatu Barada Nikto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. I studied religions for 30 years, and finally became a Baha'i. This religion makes perfect sense. It is modern, practical and forward-looking. Baha'is recognize Manifestations of God in Christ, Moses, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha and others. We realize that any claim by a religion that their prophet is the only one is nonsense, since a loving God would have nurtured mankind from the first. If you know any Baha'is you will find they are happy, satisfied people. The Baha'i Faith makes sense of what is happening in the world today and tells what is coming next. It reconciles all religions, and science. Check it out.
2006-07-09 05:39:35 · answer #6 · answered by David L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there comes a time in some peoples life when they are forced to realize that there is evil in the world, it is at that time when ones innocence is lost forever, such horrible things happen to them that the thought of hope becomes disgusting, even the will to live seems only for imbeciles, what kind of God would do this to me, I guess I'm agnostic, because even Paganism requires some reverence, and the torment of those raw wounds of betrayal only gets worse as the shock wears off, so each day becomes more bitter and cynical
2006-07-09 03:09:46 · answer #7 · answered by Voodoo Doll 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are being too critical of Chriatianity.
You have to understand that Christianity was began around 2000 years ago. then Christianity was an offshoot of Judiaism that began 3,800 years ago with Abraham.
Both religions were results of the Creator trying to teach spiritual truths to the people with that level of awareness.
Christianity DOES have blood on it's hands for the atrocities they commited because of their lack of understanding.
Myself; I am a devout pagan. I practise Hawai'ian mysticism; but personally I feel that if Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc answers the spiritual questions of my brothers and sisters; and brings them peace; and teaches them how to live in harmony with others of diferent faiths; it is all good.
2006-07-09 02:53:35 · answer #8 · answered by Rev. Two Bears 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
being as your making statements that cant be backed up with anything I guess I have made it quite fine thanx...anything else you can think of that was the Christians fault....I think you might have left out global warming...gee lady take a pill....the bible told you Christians killed the Native Americans destroyed Paganism..Ive read the Bible and the great and terrible God you speak of chose to be tortured and killed for all of mankind..yeah it was violent.
2006-07-09 02:45:43 · answer #9 · answered by djmantx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian and yes a lot of what you say is true but these people who claimed to be Christians were ignorant of Gods plan for theire life ther will be a lot of people who claim to be Christian the lord will say depart from me i never knew you the Kingdom of Heaven is not for every one sad but true Christ commandment was to love to love even your enemy. He never said go kill those people who don't believe the way you do and yes it is people like this that give true Christians a bad name to be a Christian is to be Christ like we have our armor of God which is a spiritual armor that protects us when we battle against evil spirit our battle is not with flesh and blood or people. i hope you have read this answer its the best i can give at the time but God Said long before the Christ came Thy Shall Have No Other GODS Before Me.
2006-07-09 02:56:21 · answer #10 · answered by jamnjims 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋