Said1
Gold Member
Mariner said:People who say, "Well, Christianity isn't violent now, but Islam is," aren't making a lot of sense to me. Christianity has been brutally violent. Crusades? The Inquisition, anyone? Colonialism? Without the arrogant our-religion-is-better-than-yours feeling that Christianity gave them, the European nations would lost a major justification for their brutal colonial projects around the world. Look at all the cultures around the world whose native religions and ideas were steamrollered by missionaries. Think of Hawaii, where surfing culture was killed off by prudish Christians who thought bathing suits should start at the ankles. If you add up all the pain caused by these forms of Christian violence and oppression, it makes 9/11 look like a drop in the bucket.
Missionaries and colonialism are the same? The Crusades were two-fold, at first called to protect the holy sites, then to fend off approaching Muslims. I think you'll agree that there was a back and forth invade conquer sort of mind set on both sides, right up to the siege of Vienna.