Was Christianity or Islam spread by the sword???

Question

Islam- Muhammad used the sword to protect himself from the enemies of Islam or should he have said "I will not protect myself from people that want to kill me"... He only used the sword against people who wanted to destroy Islam and Muslims not from minor people that threw garbage at him and taunted him...

Christianity- Christianity was mainly spread by Crusaders, wasn't it???

Answer 1

Jesus - "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)

Answer 2

Yes, both at times were spread by the sword,(or gun, just ask the native Americans) Political religions seek to dominate and assimilate others. It's the whole I'm right your wrong idea. As to the idea also that Christianity converted the Norse and Germanic heathens peacefully, not true. They cut down our groves of worship and killed any who would not convert. That's what the viking era was about. There isn't an old church in Europe that isn't built on a pagan worship site.

Answer 3

Both Christianity and Islam were spread by the sword. Both religions will adamantly deny it. But read any history book.

The Crusades were not about spreading Christianity. The purpose was to retake control of the Holy Land from the Muslims. And contrary to what Muslims will say, the "crusades" went both ways. Jerusalem changed hands many, many times.

Answer 4

No, Christianity was not mainly spread by the Crusaders. The First Crusade began in the 11th century. This first one was noted for its extreme violence and brutality. Even annihilating whole villages of fellow Christians in eastern Europe and the Balkans as the Crusaders made their way to Jerusalem proper.

Having studied both antagonists, I have to tip my hat to the Moslem forces who were somewhat more lenient towards those they conquered under Saladin (who, by the way, was a Kurd).

Answer 5

I'm all for people protecting their right to follow the religion of their choice, but when they strike at innocent people who they wrongly believe are targeting them then I disagree with that right. Most people are against Islam because many Muslims create the hostility by accusing non-Muslims of hating their religion when really we don't particularly care.

Answer 6

No, bubbles. If you had studied, you would know that Christianity was spread by the apostles and their disciples, later by the missionaries. Many of them died as martyrs. The crusaders were a military enterprise.
About islam, they began to conquer the adjacent territories. Coming from the Middle East, they swept North Africa, jumped to Spain and were stopped in France by Charles Martell, in 732, in the Poitier's battle.
Basically they conquered what had been the Roman Empire, and yes, they did it with the swords, lances, knives, etc .
Go to school to learn before you open your mouth

Answer 7

Christianity was already in place through out Europe and the middle east. Islam didnt show up until 700 years AFTER Christians were already in the area.
Jesus got violent once when he flipped over the money changers tables and called them theives. His was a message of complete peace. People later twisted his words as an excuse for conquest. Christians were pushed out of the mid east by Muslim invaders. The ones who werent slauthered had to bow to Islam or get beheaded.
Muhammed was born into violence and bloodshed. His families' living was made by raiding caravans moving from India to Africa. No doubt he went with daddy on these raids. His sword was drenched in blood through out his life. Jesus never raised a hand against his enemies "bless those who curse you. do good to those who despitefully use you."
The truth hurts. God Bless you.

Answer 8

you make an interesting point. yes christianity was spread by the sword. in rome at the end of constatines raign there was civil war over religion. half the contry was christian the other half was pagan. until constantines death, where he became christian and made all under his rule christian. now until the romans invaided britain every brit was pagan. then the romans invaided and brought christiainite with them. so until the romans came to the uk we had never heard the name jesus christ.

as for islam i couldn't tell you.

Answer 9

This is so goofy. Muslims often make such stupid statements. After Mohammed, Mulsims went on a 150 year killing spree to spread islam, which took them all the way to europe. Only mulsims would think that this was a defensive tactic. You really are misled, aren't you youngster?

Answer 10

Everyone who fights says it is in self defense... same for the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Witch Trials, Hitler, etc...

They were both spread and defended by the sword.

Answer 11

Muslims seem to forget that they had their own, for several centuries before the Europeans launched theirs as a defense against the Islamic expansion.