Saturday, 1 January 2011
Two problems with Christianity
Problem two is what my youngest brother in law mentioned to me at Christmas. He had read the mighty tome called 'A History of Christianity - over the last three thousand years'. One conclusion he came to was that Christianity's history has been noted by a love for truth rather than a desire for unity. I agree. I have found division, conflict and war within Christianity and out to others since the conversion of Emperor Constantine. Nothing changed with the rise of secularism over the last 100 years. War to defend our vital strategic interests around the globe is as common among the secularists as the church-goers.
Down the centuries, Christians have slugged it out between the different denominations and churches of Christendom. Now, against the Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan and the border with Pakistan whose killings we justify 'cos they are the terrorists and we are the angels of light, truth and justice; the angels of goodness bringing democracy and Western values to those who don't know better! All the Christian churches - and everyone else - are fully involved apart from the Quakers, whom the evangelical Christians sadly shake their heads at as not being Christians, at all.
Thursday, 25 December 2008
My verdict on GW Bush Esq
We are coming to the end of an undistinguished eight years where, under GW and the 80% of the redeemed of the Lord who voted for him twice, we have seen what life is like under a Christian theocracy. President Bush is the most prominent evangelical Christian in the world. And, the Evangelical Alliance is proud of that fact.
The Lord’s rule through George W, has seen two major wars continuing to this day; our righteous empire ruling throughout the world as we control the economic and military power and control the structures and systems that deliver them; and, we have our supremacist nonsense in insisting that only democracy and Western freedom can be enjoyed by all the other nations of the world. In addition, of course, the evangelicals insist that only their Faith and their interpretation of the Bible is correct, wholly true and trustworthy and must be exported to every corner of the planet before, finally, the Lord comes. Evangelisation of the world is part of giving the nations of the world the gospel of democracy, the gospel of McDonald’s and the gospel of Western civilisation. Our attacks on two independent, sovereign nations have given Christian mission a splendid opportunity to place the Scriptures in the hands of Muslims - as they have been doing.
Eight years of Christian governance actually, in my opinion, is somewhat worse than undistinguished! And, in December, the ‘Today’ programme agreed. It announced that President Bush is the second worse president in the history of
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Christianity began in non-aggression, non-violence, of loving even 'enemies' ... and ended in ... see the end, below!
Christianity began in Galilee as 12 disciples of Jesus and then by many more as Followers of the Way. Only later were they called Christians - as a taunt.
Saul was converted and interpreted the death of Christ as atoning for the sins of the world, rather than the ultimate act of non-aggression and non-violence. A crucifixion that spoke volumes of the iniquity of capital punishment and, indeed of corporal punishment that was also used on this good man. Yet, both punishments are so beloved of the righteous of the Lord - and has been for centuries. They certainly don’t believe in sparing the rod, because the Bible tells them so.
The Apostle Paul took Christianity to Asia Minor and Greece but it never became a philosophy, even though the intellectual Greeks loved to debate religion.
It went to Rome and it changed from being almost unheard of for Followers of the Way to enter the army, to it becoming acceptable to do so - and ever since.
It went to Europe and the rot really did set in. Non-aggression and non-violence became not just unheard of but completely non-existent amongst the supposedly faithful of the Lord. The words even, were never used such was the popularity of the soldiers of the Cross being literally warring crusaders against evil Islam and, even the wrong kind of Christianity! No longer were they faithful followers of the way of the Lord who taught and practised loving enemies rather than aggression and violence.
It came to America and that most devout nation; indeed, the nation with the mostest - the most of absolutely everything, including Bible believing, born again Christians. Yet, for the last six decades, along with its best buddy, the UK those most righteous nations have warred, have attacked, have invaded, have occupied nations with their godless and evil Communism. Only the tiny, barely Christian sects and branches of Christendom have been noted for their non-aggression and non-violence. Only they have remained true to the roots of Christianity and its Founder's 'unsuccessful' Way of non-aggression, non-violent direct action and of, literally loving those who have come to war, attack, invade and occupy.
The worst heresy, the ultimate irony and the final insult is the Bible reading and prayerful duo who launched the War of Terrorism against two Muslim nations who had done nothing to deserve the judgement of the righteous of the Lord from the US/UK. This Christian war or crusade against evil shows just how far the supposed disciples of the King of Love and the Prince of Peace have departed the Faith. They, who talk the most about defeating evil, need to first repent of their own much greater evil, methinks! There is the Jesus parable of the mote and the beam or, the splinter and the plank. Judgement begins in the House of the Lord - and, indeed on all who take the sword and the rod to punish the evil, sinful, rogue and failed nations of the world. Except, the US/UK/Israeli hegemony gets away with it. There is no judgement for their injustice, aggression and violence because they are all powerful - unlike their founder, Jesus Christ; all powerless, non aggressive and all failing!