Now, I don't know if there is already a thread about this, but I want to know how there are hateful Christians. Is that not the biggest contradiction? I heard of a Christian group that planned on going out to Pennsylvania during the funeral processon for the little girls who were killed in the schoolhouse shooting in Lancaster. While the Carriges went by they planned on holding up signs that said "Your Daughters are burning in hell" and such. It was there belief that the amish were a vile and vicious people. Just like the people who picketed outside of Matthew Sheppard's funeral or the people who tied him to the fence and killed him. Now I want to know how people of a religion that is SUPPOSED to teach love and compassion can be so shallow, hearltess, and hateful? I knew this would be a good place to hear oppinions and maybe get an understanding.

I think in ever religion you have those off beat ones who are hateful and bascially contradict what the religion is suppose to believe the best thing to do is to try not to judge them as a whole for it.

err, conflictingzest, talking might help.

quote:

issue with hateful people claiming a religion or faith is simple:

You must mean a religon or faith of love. Not all are like that.

This is slightly off-topic and I hate myself for that, but there were also people that picketed the memorial or funeral (I can't recall which) of Mr. Rogers.


Because he had no problem with gay people.



Sorry for my irrelevance.

That's why I'm hesitant to interpret the Bible any further by what I think God meant to say...

Well, there are parts of both the Bible and Qu'ran, if interpreted certain ways or taken too literally, that seem to condone violence. Both books say things about how it's all right to kill (or stone, maim, forcefully convert, etc.) non-believers, although most people don't actually do that.

I think when I say extremists, I mean fundamentalists. That's a better fit.

teh issue with hateful people claiming a religion or faith is simple:

hypocrisy

thank you
And extremism:
Define extreme. If you define willingness to die for your faith as extreme, then yes, I would say that I am.

So?
Polygamy... Don't get me started on that one. My mormon friends are awesome.

I think you mean deviants, not extremists, clpo. Extreme is taking the faith or religion too literally (or literally enough). Deviant is twisting the words of the text to mean that some sins are ok.

Well, the Mormons tried excommunicating the fundamentalists who still practice polygamy but that didn't help at all. Everyone still thinks mainstream Mormons are polygamists (which is not true).

My advice would be to work harder to show that the extremists aren't representative of the religion. Speak out against what they do; don't just sit around saying "Oh, well, they aren't really Christian so it doesn't matter."

That same advice goes to moderate Muslims, especially now.

We should beat them sensless with shovles.

No but seriously I think religions need to take an active role in promoting themselve and stating that they think extremists are wrong.

How should faith control it? should we kill them off? law suit? should we beat them senseless? excommunicate them? would any of this stop these extremists from claiming to follow this religion?

just like Islam should? or Judeism should? the issue is how does a faith control it's extremist branches?

quote:

Originally posted by conflictingzest:
I'm sorry but you can't just blame this on christians. This happens in EVERY religion. look at how hateful islamics are or jews or anybody. Some people just don't take the time think about what they read or hear and they go with it. These are the ppl who also cut off their own hands or pluck out their eyes because they take their bible literally all the time. They are just extremists and that is all. Extremists do not represent the people or the religion, only themselves.

I wasn't saying that it was just the Christians. It was that what I was infuriated about is that Christianity claims to be a religion of love and peace, when they aren't. I know that extremist aren't ALL of the people, but they represent the group. In an ideal world a couple of people wouldn't represent a ;large group, but the fact is that a few people do create an image.

But they do a pretty good job at ruining the religion's reputation. Shouldn't mainstream Christianity be working to counteract or remove these extremists?

I'm sorry but you can't just blame this on christians. This happens in EVERY religion. look at how hateful islamics are or jews or anybody. Some people just don't take the time think about what they read or hear and they go with it. These are the ppl who also cut off their own hands or pluck out their eyes because they take their bible literally all the time. They are just extremists and that is all. Extremists do not represent the people or the religion, only themselves.

All people have the potential, even the inclination, to prejudice, misunderstanding, and hate aff. Religion does not always teach this out of them. In fact sometimes I think it encourages it what with all the "chosen" people and how everyone else is going to hell and all. Islam teaches peace as well and right now we've got fanatics bombing stuff in the name of Allah. They use religion as a cover for their own sick views.