Are Christianity and Islam compatible with a benevolent Creator?

Question

Inquisitions, crusades, witch trials and jihad appear particular to the above-mentioned mythologies. Unless one goes back to the Aztecs, I can't think of any other religions even remotely as violent. It appears that belief in vicious gods makes vicious people. And if the god is vicious, what is it you worship other than fear?
Oddly enough, Judaism appears to have found a decent interpretation of the Old Testament, despite the cruelty in it. Still, one out of three Abrahamic religions isn't enough for peace in the world. Until the other two are completely revamped, there will be war after war after war.

Answer 1

It is true that there has been an awful lot of violence linked to religion, but I do not think it is religion that makes people violent. Rather, it is fallen sinful human nature.

Atheistic philosophies have been associated with at least as much, if not more violence. Think French Revloution (when the goddess of reason was enthroned); Marxism-Lenninism and Nazi fascist ideology (both inspired by Atheistic Darwinism; Marx wanted to dedicate Das Kapital to Darwin, and Hitler quoted Darwin in support of his genocidal ideology).

I disagree with your statement that god is viscious. It is true that in the Bible God does at times act with violence, when he punishes wicked people in his role as judge carrying out a sentence, but even then he does so with great reluctance and only as a last resort.
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=pleasure+death&searchtype=all&version1=31&bookset=4

God destroyed Sodom and Gomorroh for their sins, but only after purposely telling Abraham, so that Abraham, to whom God had given the job of being a blessing to all families of the earth, could make an appeal on Sodom's behalf to the judge of all the earth. God was searching for an excuse not to have to destroy Sodom in spite of all the outcry againt it from its victims. However in the end not even 10 righteous souls were found there, so God had to destroy those cities.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen%2018:16-33;&version=47;

Later, God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh, capital city of the Assyrian Empire, the superpower of its day which was at least as violent and wicked as modern day superpowers. They would put entire cities to the sword, burn or skin people alive, impale them on stakes, cut off their ears and noses, lead away prisoners of war naked in yokes or by hooks through their noses into slavery, and carry out all sorts of atrocities calculated to terrorise others into submitting to them.

The outcry against Nineveh was very great and God was going to send his judgment on it, but he did not want to have to do that, so he sent Jonah on a diplomatic mission to try and call Nineveh to repentance. Jonah was from a country that had suffered at the hands of the Assyrians and was in danger from the Assyrian Empire, and he did not want Nineveh to be spared, so he tried to flee to Spain instead of going to Nineveh, hence the well known story of how God sent a storm and then a big fish to swallow Jonah and transport him in the right direction.

The book of Jonah ends with Jonah in a huff because the Ninevites surprisingly responded to his mission and repented, thus giving God an excuse not to destroy them, and with God trying to teach Jonah to be more compassionate towards them.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%203:10-4:11;&version=47;

Although as a just God, God has to uphold his moral law and punish sin, he is so reluctant to punish sinners, although sin is very offensive to him, that he offers to pay the penalty for our sins himself and suffer in our stead, if we will repent and seek his forgiveness. This is why Jesus died on the cross.

When Jesus says that his followers should turn the other cheek and love their enemies and return good for evil, this is because this is exactly in keeping with God's character. This is how God himself behaves. Jesus died on the cross to save his enemies from the punishment due for their sins.

God does not force people to be saved howeer, and if they want to reject his mercy and keep doing evil then in the end he will punish them, and sin attracts a mandatory death penalty.

When Christians promote wars and violence, they are not following God but rather Satan. Furthermore, by still calling themselves Christians whilst doing such things, they are misrepresenting God, taking God's name in vain, and he does not like that.

Here is what God says in the Bible:

'You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.'
-- Matthew 5:38-48

'If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore
“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'
-- Romans 12:18-21

'while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.' -- Romans 5:6-10

Answer 2

Jihad is good if you really know the meaning of it.
you think jihad is blowing yourself up in the middle of some innocent people?? well, it's not that. it takes much time to learn about Jihad. a jihadist who kills innocent and civilians is doing a very big sin and god will sure judge him and punish him.

but the real jihad is hard to understand....

Answer 3

Are you kidding me? Christians and Muslims are the only violent religious people? israel is a jewish nation/state. Israel is the only nation in the middle east with weapons of mass destruction.

anyways....it is the lack of religion in religious people that causes death and destruction, not religion itself. example: (im using judaism here b/c you seem to ignore their problems) the israel claim to exist is a religous jewish claim, but if they were following their religion and the virtues of mosaic law and tradition, they would realize that they are not being just to the "neighbor, stranger, and jew" but rather only just to the jew who does not question Israel's human rights violations and record.

Answer 4

Illiteracy, greed, hate and different human weaknesses make vicious human beings. Why to blame faith if our perception is undesirable. No faith promotes conflict. If vicious human beings use call of religion to promote their vicious aims, faith can not be blamed. all the present themes are political in nature. you should study 3 faith previously forming any opinion. do not be done through media.