Abrahamic religions

Every religion does a pic 'n' mix in their texts to suit the argument of the moment. People can justify anything in that way.

Whitewavemark2

Historically the Christian religion has been the most violent religion of any.

I don’t think that’s right, and here’s why:

1. According to the Encyclopedia of Wars, 7% of wars have been motivated by religion. Of these, 54% have been motivated by Islam and the rest by all other religions put together. So Christianity has not caused the most wars.

www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-alan-lurie/is-religion-the-cause-of-_b_1400766.html

freegrace.in/is-religion-really-the-1-cause-of-war/

2. The Islamic hadiths teach that people who leave Islam should be killed.

“… the statement of Allah's Apostle [Mohammed], 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'"
⁃Sahih Al-Bukharivolume 9, book 84, no. 57

Christianity has no such teaching.

3. The Qur’an teaches the violent subjugation of unbelievers.

‘Fight against those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful, and who do not adopt the religion of truth [Islam], from those who were given the Scripture [Jews and Christians] - fight until they give the jizyah [special tax] willingly while they are humbled.’
⁃Surah 9.29

(There are other less violent teachings about the treatment of unbelievers, but in Islam later teachings abrogate, or supersede, earlier teachings, and this is the latest one.)

Whereas Christianity teaches, ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Matthew 5.44).

Islam in its early days was mainly spread by the sword. Christianity in its early days was spread by peaceful conversion.

4. There is a teaching in Islam (not agreed with by all Muslims) that there is a duty to regain any land that has once been under Islamic control. This is one factor in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel was under the rule of the Islamic Ottoman Empire for centuries, and Hamas and other groups see it as their duty to regain it.

Christianity does not have such a teaching.

nadateturbe

Christianity does not advocate violence in any circumstances.

Jesus throws over tables in the Temple...Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18

Matthew 10:34-36
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

Christianity does not advocate violence in any circumstances.

nadateturbe

Maddyone thank you. As Callistemon pointed out when people talk about the violence caused by religion, they are talking about religions not Christianity. Jesus did not condone violence.
If people followed Christ's teaching we would have a better world.

That is also true of other deity religions. They all advocate peace.

nadateturbe

Maddyone thank you. As Callistemon pointed out when people talk about the violence caused by religion, they are talking about religions not Christianity. Jesus did not condone violence.
If people followed Christ's teaching we would have a better world.

Prehistory the Spring Equinox has been celebrated long before the advent of Christianity. It was a celebration of renewal and new life. This period then became known as Easter by Christians and associated with the resurrection of Christ. It is easy to see why this festival was appropriated by Christians.

Society is in a constant state of flux of course, and the festival has now been appropriated by Consumerism.

Christmas has similar pagan roots celebrating winter
solstice.

I don’t mind what the origins are, but we are now at a stage where these celebrations are largely secular, and celebrated as a family and feast time for those of many religions or none. As a humanist I’m happy to join in..

I know nadateurbe, but thank you for pointing it out to me. I thought if I didn’t mention the recent troubles in NI, someone would jump on me and point out recent history. I think you’re right because any true Christian could never contemplate the violence that raged between the two communities.

They don't "believe ", they are British.
I am Northern Irish. I have a British passport.
The border is a complex issue, pretty unsolvable at the minute. Perhaps in the future...

Maddyone In Northern Ireland Christians are peaceful too. All Catholics and Protestants aren't Christians.

if only the world could agree to disagree

Indeed.
I still maintain, that with the exception of Northern Ireland, recent history has shown Christianity to be a peaceful religion/faith.
In fairness, today, wars/fights in the name of religion are often, but not always, more about politics than religion or faith.

maddyone

Well then I sincerely hope that anyone who thinks Christmas and Easter are heathen celebrations that have no basis in Christianity don’t take part in these festivals.

I do celebrate them and have the grace to tolerate the imposition of Christian symbolism !

Whitewavemark2

It is good to agree🙂

Yes

And if only the world could agree to disagree ☹

It is good to agree🙂

Yes - in the name of religions.

Callistemon21

Whitewavemark2

Historically the Christian religion has been the most violent religion of any.

No, the Christian religion itself has not been violent.
Christianity does not teach violence.

It is the blind adherence to faith, any faith, and the belief that only their own faith is the right one by certain groups, that brings about violence.

Yes I should have said more violence has been carried out in the name of the Christian faith etc….

Callistemon21

nanna8

It’s people who are violent, not religions. Certainly not faith which should not be confused with ‘religion’.

X post

Yes, and where I wrote faith perhaps I should have written religion.

nanna8

It’s people who are violent, not religions. Certainly not faith which should not be confused with ‘religion’.

X post

Whitewavemark2

Historically the Christian religion has been the most violent religion of any.

No, the Christian religion itself has not been violent.
Christianity does not teach violence.

It is the blind adherence to faith, any faith, and the belief that only their own faith is the right one by certain groups, that brings about violence.

It’s people who are violent, not religions. Certainly not faith which should not be confused with ‘religion’.

What Terrribull said!

I think that the Jewish religion is one of the least violent religions, and although not entirely blameless is responsible for the least amount of deaths.

Whitewavemark2

Historically the Christian religion has been the most violent religion of any.

Really?
In recent history (less than the last hundred years) thousands of people have been killed by other religions!

9/11, 7/7, the Manchester arena bombing, several terrorist attacks in London, Nice, Paris, Brussels, Christians slaughtered in churches in Pakistan. I could go on but you get the picture.

I’m rather more concerned that terrorism is a daily threat to us today than what happened five hundred years ago. Have you got on a plane recently? Gone through the extensive security needed just to board a plane? Why is that needed?

The Jewish population has been persecuted for all time, leading to the horrific events two weeks ago.
I’m afraid your bias is showing.

Well then I sincerely hope that anyone who thinks Christmas and Easter are heathen celebrations that have no basis in Christianity don’t take part in these festivals.