Have you heard the latest? They now have a sign up in Connecticut which says “ “9/11” was caused by religion.”
Not that this sign is anything new. Atheist literature for years has been claiming that religion in general and Christianity more specifically, is responsible for most of the evil in the world. When it’s pointed out that 9/11 was caused by Muslims, the quick, canned response is that Islam should not be singled out. After all, the true problem here is with any fundamentalist religion of which Islam is only one and Christianity is even worse! So in a way, 9/11 can kinda sorta be blamed on Christianity or at least something very much like Christianity.
Even when it is pointed out that some of the worst evils in history were done by godless Socialist governments like Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, the words, “Hitler was a Christian,” bounce back like rolled up Silly Putty.
OK. Let’s get this nonsense cleared up once and for all. First, Hitler was NOT a Christian. I am so tired of listening to such baloney. Don’t let anyone get away with this. The person who spews forth such dogma is either displaying his dishonesty or his incredible ignorance. Yes, Hitler was born into a Catholic family. But he had long since renounced his religious upbringing by the time he became Chancellor of Germany. Hitler considered himself to be a Pantheist and follower of Frederick Nietche, famous for the “God is dead” poem. Hitler also referred to Jesus as the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier. You still wanna make him into a Christian with a résumé’ like that?
The stretch is not limited to Nazism but Communism as well. Christopher Hitchens (a very intelligent man whom I agree with on so many political matters but who hates religion with a passion) was asked by Hugh Hewitt how he could defend the statement that religion caused more evil than atheistic philosophies. As an example, Hewitt pointed out the butcheries of Joseph Stalin, follower of the godless Marxist ideal with power to put it into practice. Hitchens responded by saying that Stalin would not have done such a thing, had he not learned from the example in history of Russian Czars who worked closely with the Orthodox Church. Good one, Hitchens. I hesitate to even grace such a maneuver with a response but maybe you’ll consider a blatantly obvious example from a man who is a kindred political spirit even if we are not kindred religious spirits. Would you, as a thinking Conservative, dismiss the lies of Bill Clinton if some Democratic pundit claimed Clinton was inspired by Nixon?
As for there being no moral difference between Muslims and Christians, I believe I can think of one and it’s a significant one: Jesus DID NOT order Christians to kill in His name and conquer the world for His kingdom. He DID NOT command us to execute all people who will not convert to Christianity. Mohammad DID command such things in the name of Islam. I know, I know. I’ve heard it a million times. Christians and Muslims both fought in the Crusades. Give it a rest. Putting aside the fact that Christians were trying to take back land that had forcefully been stolen by Muslims, let us concede that the Crusades were nothing for Christians to brag about. They were far to preoccupied with the Holy Land and they made the mistake of thinking that the cause of Christ was enhanced by such geography. There were also many soldiers in those days that saw the Crusades as a license to plunder and butcher, using Christianity as a rationalization. But let’s face it; All ideologies get misrepresented. It is the ideology itself which must be critiqued. What then, is the difference between the Christians who fought in the Crusades and Muslims who fought in the Crusades? The difference is quite simple: Christians were doing this in disobedience to Jesus. Muslims were doing this in obedience to Mohammad. (Surah 9)
I will admit to much hypocrisy done in the name of Jesus through disobedience to Jesus. But what about the times Jesus is obeyed? Nobody wants to talk about that anymore. You still want to make a case that Christianity is just as bad for the world as Islam? How about the fact that most of the abolitionists in America and England were Christians? How about the fact that once upon a time in America we needed no government welfare organizations because the church was taking care of the poor, the orphan, the widow and the elderly? How about the countless churches that do the same today? How about the WMCA and the Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army? But I must admit, the compassion of Christians in America can’t compare to pinnacles of virtue like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. And church history is put to shame when we look at the humane examples of secular leaders like Stalin, Castro and Hitler.
Yes, sweet Virginia. Christianity is the terror of the world.
This is Bob Siegel, making the obvious, obvious.
