Why do people that criticise Islam forget about the horrors of Christianity?

Question

Just like Islam, Christianity has been the source of much killing in the world, as well as misogyny and hate of the body and sexuality. It has also fostered an Imperial mission which destroyed many lives and killed ways of life, just like the Western world thinks that Muslims are taking away their way of life. As an atheist, I think it is hypocritical the way in which Christians disregard their own history when abusing and disrespecting another religion. Why can they not accept the evils of their own religion instead of projecting the same criticisms on that of another? Shouldn't they just keep their mouths closed? And also, is the secular point of the view the only legitimate one in this debate?

Dear Julia.

Thank you for your long answer. However, your answer is based on selective material, for example the way in which you say that colonialism happened only to barbaric countries when it happened to such civilised and great powers as India.

Answer 1

Easy, the horrors of Christianity happened a long time ago. The horrors of the Muslim faith are happening today. Society evolves, or at least some of us do. If we continue to hold each other to a standard of the middle ages no culture will ever advance.

Answer 2

First off I'm not trying to defend the Christians or anything, but I felt the need to answer your question.

1. Not many of us take any responsiblity towards what our ancestors did or did not do. Think about it, is it my fault the white men enslaved the blacks before I was born. How can you blaim me for something I had no control over. I never enslaved anybody. Yes, my ancestors might have done bad things, but why should I be blaimed for what others did?

This is the same with the Christian religion, yes it was evil and did bad things, but how can you blaim Christians of today for what Christians of the past did?

2. Never judge the lot by the actions of a few. This point goes both ways. There are a few very bad Muslems out there and there are a few Christians that judge all Muslems badly, however they key word is few. People keep saying all Muslems are bad or Christians hate the Muslems when the truth is it is only a few that this applies too. The problem though is that the ones who are these things speak louder then the ones that are not. In other words Bin Landen, Sadam Hussien are big names and most people know they are Muslem and they are evil; however they are not the only Muslems in this World most the Muslems I know are very good people.

To brief this up don't judge the whole by the actions of a few and although we should learn from our history we should put it into precpective, 'that was then, this is now'

Answer 3

1) We as a people, any people, do many things in the name of God that isn't right. If we can justify it in our minds, we can ALMOST always find an obscure passage in the Bible to support our cause. It may have been a part of a story to illustrate a point.

2) It's always easier to point a finger at someone else than it is to point a finger at yourself.

3) As someone else stated, that was long ago on a mass scale. This is now and we are all wondering what kind of God some of the Muslims serve, that promotes death and destruction, kill infidels and you will have 7 virgins waiting upon you death, etc, etc.

We can blame all these activities as being our "Godly duty", but I don't believe it. We are injecting our will or lusts into the equation and that perverts the whole idea. In the past year, I made a very good friend that is Palenstenian. He and I have had frank discussion because I was curious. I couldn't see this gentle spirit doing any on the things we hear of daily.

He gave me a book entitled "A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam". It was very informatative. Did anyone know that the Qur'an actually considers Jesus to be one of God's greatest messengers? To we Christians, he was the greatest messenger, but not the only one. What about John the Baptist? Noah? Many others.

Islam is a religion of mercy, and does not promote terrorism. This passage can be askewed and become "if you don't believe like me, I musy kill you". Qur'an 60:8 "God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about your religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers".sic By that statement, I presume that if someone gives you a hard time about your religion, you MAY kill them, but you don't have to.

Some of the extremists have taken the word, read into it and turned it into an excuse for carnage. How many knew the Ku Klux Klan was a religious organization? I don't get this either.

I know quite a few "Christians" that have done wrong, but can justify it. It's not my place to judge, but I am curious as to what God will say to them when the time comes. I have done things that I know are wrong. i don't try to justify it biblically. I screwed up, end of sentence. God forgive me.

Don't be mistaken, I am a God fearing, holy ghost loving Christian. I would never try to "convert" anyone, and no one should try to convert me. You worship how you see fit, and respect that enough to allow me to worship how I see fit. I am not defending what is going on in the world today by any means, but educate yourself. Don't take what the liberal media says as gospel. Don't take what the preacher says as gospel. Find out for yourself and make a determination. He may be right, but he may be wrong just enough to make a difference.

my 2 cents.

Answer 4

well, speaking as an atheist as well, all world religions have their murky pasts. they've all been used as justification for our inherent human bloodlust and greed.
the problem i have with islam is that some of these boys are wanting to return to a primitve state where women are subsevient, where people can be beheaded and mulitated in the most barbaric ways for minor crimes or causing offense, where the belief system inherent in islam cultivates martyrs which at the moment means its the most physically dangerous religion due to suicide bombers, the stated aim of sharia law being imposed worlwide is also imperialistic and fascist.
chritianity was at this point 600 years ago. you dont hear of many christians blowing up buses or trains nowadays do you?
also, ive just noticed the breaking news about a plot to kidnap and behead some poor sod in the UK. Nice guys eh? Mediaeval more like.

Answer 5

Forgive the length of this reply.

But you made a lot of eyebrow-raising accusations, none of which can go unanswered.

So, please take the time to read all of them.

>>>Just like Islam, Christianity has been the source of much killing in the world,>>>

Actually, neither has been. You cannot claim this to be true, simply because some misguided members of each religion have illegitimately used religion to do bad things.

In other words, don't blame the whole religion just because of the actions of a few bad apples.

>>> as well as misogyny and hate of the body and sexuality.>>>

Oh, please. The Catholic Church has the healthiest view of sexuality in the world.

Its view on sexuality is certainly much more respectful, much more natural, and much more holy than the secular world's view of it!

Only the Catholic and Orthodox churches -- and nothing else in the world -- raise marriage, intimacy, and sexuality to a sacrament in which God is glorified.

The rest of the world sees sexuality as a contact sport, or something to do for kicks.

>>>It has also fostered an Imperial mission which destroyed many lives and killed ways of life,>>>

You mean like in places such as Africa and Latin America -- where the local tribal religions typically involved human sacrifice?

With that in mind, Christianity was a very easy sell.

Christianity's supposed "imperial mission" is an often-made claim by atheists such as yourself -- not because you're really concerned about all this supposed imperialism, but because you're interested in demeaning and defaming a religion that teaches things that you just don't want to hear.

>>>As an atheist, I think it is hypocritical the way in which Christians disregard their own history when abusing and disrespecting another religion.>>>

Are you really bothered by Christians' supposed "abuse" of other religions? Or, as a self-stated atheists, do you have another agenda in mind -- that is, trying to build your own beliefs up by tearing Christianity down?

I suspect that, like a lot of other atheists, your big problem isn't all of this supposed "abuse" that Christians have committed.

That's just your excuse to, again, dump on a religion that teaches things that you don't want to hear. Things that don't jive with your lifestyle.

>>>Why can they not accept the evils of their own religion instead of projecting the same criticisms on that of another?>>>

I can accept that there have been evils done by certain misguided members of certain religions, including my own.

Just so long, that is, as you can accept the evils done by atheists over the years.

For instance, Communists around the world have killed 150 million people in less than the last 100 years -- that's far more bloodshed than any other group of people, ever.

And Communists are officially ATHEIST.

Answer 6

Well first off people are always critsing christianity and it is no longer sacred in this country so that is your first mistake. Second the bad things that happened with Christianity happened a long time ago whereas it is now that peoples families are suffering in this generation, no past ones so they have a direct impact on our society. Anyway it isn't all christians that were like this.

Answer 7

It is mainly because the " Muslim" problems are in the news and happening in front of us, All religions have done their part in killing for GOD, the Catholics a lot but it has stopped now, it is history, we do not crucify or burn people any more, And now the Muslims should move on, and stop living by medieval laws, Stoning, cutting of hands, whipping are no longer accepted as as punishment by normal people.

Answer 8

i've got faith there are particular factors of each and every faith that is criticized by using absolutely everyone who reads scripture significantly. faith is thoroughly subjective, what you think of is unique is extremely straight forward to human beings like me who grew up in a dominantly Hindu usa. on the area of Islam, that's a societal ingredient. in the context of the activities of the final decade that's replace into incorrectly straight forward for human beings to criticize Islam as an entire. So it may be superb to envision your place as criticizing Islam for non-racial non-phobic motives. the wonderful ingredient for a "politically outstanding non secular hipster" to do is often seem at each and every faith as being in the comparable enjoying container, quite of springing up some bigger than others. once you're extremely observing them from this sort of bias, Western point of view.

Answer 9

They have been in a position of dominance for so long, they don't realize how arrogant they are. Christian missionaries are one of the reasons so many cultures around the world have been destroyed and conquered. Your statement is entirely true and very profound. I wish Christians just kept Christianity to themselves.

Answer 10

People react when certain factions of extreme Muslims kill indiscriminately. If I were a true Muslim, I would react against the extreemists, it would appear that not many Muslims do this. Hence the fear and anger applied against all Muslims.