Is Christianity actually peaceful?

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Postmaster!

Don't forget Christianity has its roots in Judaism but Jesus was also a unique mystic who had a strong relationship with God... You can pick to follow Christianity as God intended as basic Abrahamic religion or you can further follow the path of Christ, which is very difficult, but so rewarding and I think this is what Judaism and Islam don't have to offer.

Hmmm, I think this is an interesting take on things, but I am pretty sure there are Jewish Kabbala mystics who might disagree that the "Jesus path" to mysticism is the only one. A path I am even less familiar with, I believe the mystic path in Islam is Sufism.

 

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, jiii!

Thank you for your most thought provoking post!

Christianity is not a person. As such, it is not capable of emotion or action. Thus, Christianity cannot really be peaceful, or war-like, or have any human quality...

Of course, one might note that religion is, after all, uniquely a human invention. And, indeed, this is true. Religion is a tool...

It all depends on how you use it. In the hands of one man it may be a tool for assisting in attaining transcendental wisdom. In the hands of another, it may be a tool for justifying the most appalling carnage. None of these possibilities, though, are inherent in the religion itself...

You've given quite a bit of food for thought here.

It does make me wonder, what is it about us humans that makes us so ready to war to defend our doctrines of peace? So many of us take it very seriously when our religious beliefs are threatened, or if we even sense a hint of threat. Down to and including pitting one doctrine of peace against another doctrine of peace, we are quick to jump to violence in defense of our ideologies.

This seems quite paradoxical, yet it is also the way of the world.

If the doctrine itself cannot be said to be warlike, nor peaceful, those qualities must be possessed by the followers of that doctrine, or not. Is it the fault of the doctrine if its followers do not uphold its virtues? Or, is it virutous to violently defend a doctrine of peace?

I've got to dwell on this a bit...

 

[paul]

i think it can be proven christianity was originally peaceful, we can see this from the early christian writings, these martyrs who layed down their lives, not of voilence, or doing anyone harm, but prepared to suffer evil for their faith.
i think even today, someone like mother teresa truly shows the peace in christianity.

christianty teaches turn the other cheek, does islam?

christianity teaches to return good for evil.

what a great virtue, when even insulted and treated badly to still remain peaceful and even kind to those who mistreat you.

does islam teach this?

i'm asking the question i don't know.
i've yet to see muslims react this way though, maybe some do and have, maybe islam originally teaches this. i don't know, i've yet to see it.

if islam does have this peace, please i'm waiting for a testimony of it, it most certianly can be found in christianity.

i've seen muslim suicide bombers portrayed as martyr's, their familes even honoured because their son has done such for their faith.
i've seen little children from their home town honour them.
(this was in a documentry i watched)

but do true muslim martyrs exist full of peace and love, if so surely there is books and history of them, surely they must be well known in islam.
can someone please direct me to such?
they don't even have to be martyrs who died for their faith, but just having a peace and love, like can be found in many christian saints.
and islam may even claim to have a greater love and peace than these saints, as maybe claiming to have a restored truth in islam which may have been lost to these christian saints.

if such exists in islam, that can put to shame the unpeaceful acts done in the name of islam, and truly show the peace of this religion, then surely such needs to be made known, and must be well known in the peaceful circles of islam.

 

[Postmaster]

Juantoo3 there is such a thing as negative mysticism as there is positive mysticism. Christianity offers the best out of all the Abrahamic faiths. I know this is a matter of faith but there are countless people that have been cured from illnesses from our saints especially in the Catholic and Orthodoxy denominations. Is it what God intends to follow through on? Nowadays we see miracles occurring through science too which is given to the masses, indiscriminately and anytime, maybe this is what God intended?

 

[Postmaster]

Paul how many Christians actually react like that? I have a funny feeling there is LESS chance of finding a cleric paedophile compared to a priest paedophile.

I think claiming a religion is more superior for being passive is not a passive act!

Just because the people who wrote the bible had ultra passive views does it mean the people follow through? and some contradictory ones too, which you would be surprised to find in the bible. i.e.

Jesus told us if we don't own a sword sell our stuff and get one...

And did the crusaders use the bible as justification for invading other nations?

 

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Postmaster!

Juantoo3 there is such a thing as negative mysticism as there is positive mysticism. Christianity offers the best out of all the Abrahamic faiths. I know this is a matter of faith but there are countless people that have been cured from illnesses from our saints especially in the Catholic and Orthodoxy denominations. Is it what God intends to follow through on? Nowadays we see miracles occurring through science too which is given to the masses, indiscriminately and anytime, maybe this is what God intended?

I suppose this is possible. OF course, if I recall correctly, the Bible says even the Devil can appear to work miracles.

 

[juantoo3]

Jesus told us if we don't own a sword sell our stuff and get one...

Yes, He did, but He didn't say to use it (or not to). We have looked at this in the past, He said this to His disciples who were preparing to travel along a dangerous stretch of road. It was a matter of common sense and self defense, not a call to war. Nothing mystical there...

 

[Postmaster]

Suppose you have a point on that one. But I’m sure there more aggressive texts in the bible. Such as one that tells children to turn on there parents forgot how it goes.

 

[paul]

Paul how many Christians actually react like that? I have a funny feeling there is LESS chance of finding a cleric paedophile compared to a priest paedophile.

I think claiming a religion is more superior for being passive is not a passive act!

Just because the people who wrote the bible had ultra passive views does it mean the people follow through? and some contradictory ones too, which you would be surprised to find in the bible. i.e.

And did the crusaders use the bible as justification for invading other nations?

many christians have actually reacted this way, are true witnesses of the christian faith, are sometimes given the titles saints, of which all christians are called to act, just not all do, it doesn't mean christianity doesn't teach this, or that there are not true witnesses of this, which there clearly are.
and they are honoured, recognized and known.

i don't know how many peodophile preists ther have been compared to clerics, what i would say is this would clearly be condemned in both religions.

if a religion teaches peace, is it not a religion of peace?
i'm sorry i don't understand your criticsim of this.

there are known and honoured christians who have actually reflected the teachings of their faith.
have been true witnesses of this peace we talk of.

what i'm asking is are there some of the muslim faith, who reflect peace in an equal light, if not greater?

there are many saints of the christian faith, maybe not a great percentage, but they exist, they are there, they are honoured as true lights of the christian faith.

 

[cavalier]

what i'm asking is are there some of the muslim faith, who reflect peace in an equal light, if not greater?

"if not greater" This isn't a competition.

I've known of lots regular, every day people who have turned the other cheek, have returned love for evil. One example really springs to mind.
While at University in Lancaster (NW England) I remember reading an article about a Muslim guy who owned a shop which had suffered a series of racially motivated and often hate-filled attacks. Over the preceeding few years he had suffered several hundred such attacks but this guy still ony had love for the community. The windows outside were boarded up but he kept the shop open and welcomed everyone who came in, even though he knew that some of these people were people who had carried out some of the attacks.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for, you may want to ask the question on the Islam board, but there must be countless millions of regular Muslims who turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and return love for hate.

 

[shadowman]

as long as you dont make god or jesus angry!

 

[paul]

"if not greater" This isn't a competition.

I've known of lots regular, every day people who have turned the other cheek, have returned love for evil. One example really springs to mind.
While at University in Lancaster (NW England) I remember reading an article about a Muslim guy who owned a shop which had suffered a series of racially motivated and often hate-filled attacks. Over the preceeding few years he had suffered several hundred such attacks but this guy still ony had love for the community. The windows outside were boarded up but he kept the shop open and welcomed everyone who came in, even though he knew that some of these people were people who had carried out some of the attacks.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for, you may want to ask the question on the Islam board, but there must be countless millions of regular Muslims who turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and return love for hate.

my "if not greater" was not about competition, but about trying to understand islam.
it is related to what i said in my post before.
islamic beleifs differ from christian, their claim is to have a perfect revelation, and as far as i understand, they would claim christianity at least slightly corrupted.
from what i understand, their religion should then be more perfect, than christianity, this is again not about competition, just trying to understand the islamic faith.
in my mind then, if islam is to be a more perfect revelation, then surely there must be some famous muslims who reflect the pureness of this religion in their own lives.
as there are saints in christianity, held in high honour for the pure lives they've lived, surely then from what i've said there must be some in islam which maybe lived even purer lives.

this shopkeeper you talk of in his own right, may shine the light of his faith, in this part of his life you have see, i'm sure there's many regular people of all faiths and even non faiths as in some of their actions may act very righteously, which acts may be praised of all religions, and even all mankind.

but overall in their lives, they may be far from saints, most of us are.
maybe he could be considered a saint in the life he lives, but i don't know nothing about his whole of his life, and i'm not sure you do.

i've heard in afgahanastan, bin ladan honoured as if some kind of saint.
all i seek is some sort of saints of the islamic faith to truly represent and prove to me at least, the peace many claim islam teaches, one who truly understands their own faith, can explain it and support it in the life they live themselves, as i beleive christian saints have.

where is this in islam, i've asked on the islamic board, but received no reply to it.
i'm trying to give islam a fair chance of the peace it claims to represent, but i've yet to receive any proof that can satisfy my mind.

but i beleive it can be found in christianity, i beleive christianity in it's true form is peaceful, i know many have misrepresented it over time, but also many have represented it.
i believe if we truly seek it can be found in the christian faith, but i'm not so sure about islam

 

[Postmaster]

Paul it would help if you were to actually research Islam! I'm a Christian but I've done alot of reading on Islam! Muhammad started preaching monotheism in Arabia after being visited by an angel and he annoyed alot of Pagans who believed in multi Gods, they tried to assassinate him and his followers on afew occasions until it break out on full on attack on the Muslims who had to defend themselves often many times more out numbered. If the only man in the region was willing to spread the word of God and the only way of doing it was carrying a sword then that’s the way God wanted it, there's over 1 billion Muslims in the world today God sure did fail to get them Christian converts! If the Middle East still remained Pagans today we would have had much more serious world issues.

Mass killings and human atrocities you'll find that the worst of mankind’s have occurred in Europe (and out) by the Christian people.

Muhammad said, a Father can give his child nothing better then Good manners.

 

[paul]

Paul it would help if you were to actually research Islam! I'm a Christian but I've done alot of reading on Islam! Muhammad started preaching monotheism in Arabia after being visited by an angel and he annoyed alot of Pagans who believed in multi Gods, they tried to assassinate him and his followers on afew occasions until it break out on full on attack on the Muslims who had to defend themselves often many times more out numbered. If the only man in the region was willing to spread the word of God and the only way of doing it was carrying a sword then that’s the way God wanted it, there's over 1 billion Muslims in the world today God sure did fail to get them Christian converts! If the Middle East still remained Pagans today we would have had much more serious world issues.

Mass killings and human atrocities you'll find that the worst of mankind’s have occurred in Europe (and out) by the Christian people.

Muhammad said, a Father can give his child nothing better then Good manners.

i'd love to research islam.
that's why i'm asking for these sort of saints of islam, i find the saints of christianity have taught me much, thanks for your info anyway, maybe you could help me a bit more.
could you maybe reccommend any writing on islam by someone who maybe considered a saint in islam?

could i ask why you are a christian and not a muslim or even of the bahai faith?

thanks for that saying of mohammed, what do you think that meant?

do you think he was just talking of a child speaking politely, or the whole manner of the way he acts?

 

[Postmaster]

double post?

 

[Postmaster]

Islam is the most miss-understood religion in the world. I'm a Christian because I was born one, because my life is tied up so much in Christianity, and because I only pray to God and Christ.

Any Christian considering Darwin’s theory of evolution as a fact is technically a heretic, so why should the limit remain there? How far can we push reason within Christianity. Has God forgotton us?

I think Muhammad meant it as he said it.. Good manners are universal.

 

[Terrence]

No one is born a Christian. U might be born into a Christian family or into a country where Chrisitans live, but no one is born a Christian. You're born a God hating sinner who loves sin and the pleasures it bring. This is why you must be born agian.

 

[wil]

You're born a God hating sinner

You've yet to provide the new testament quote for this. It is like a broken record. I remember some other person who ended everything with 'you are going to hell, G-d Bless.'

 

[Terrence]

Sorry, but I thought I did. What do you want, something that specifically says "everyone is born a sinner and hates God?" Seriously, thats crazy. Of corse it doesnt say that in those words. Rather, its the crux of the gospel...that men are born slaves in sin, that their will is captive by sin, that men love sin and darkness rather than light, and thus choose darkness by nature. Have actually ever read the New Testament? You dont even have to go into hermanutics or perform any sort of exergesis on scripture to recornize this obvious teaching of the Bible - both old and new testament.

 

[inhumility]

if islam is to be a more perfect revelation, then surely there must be some famous muslims who reflect the pureness of this religion in their own lives.
this shopkeeper you talk of in his own right, may shine the light of his faith, in this part of his life you have see, i'm sure there's many regular people of all faiths and even non faiths as in some of their actions may act very righteously, which acts may be praised of all religions, and even all mankind.
all i seek is some sort of saints of the islamic faith to truly represent and prove to me at least, the peace many claim islam teaches, one who truly understands their own faith, can explain it and support it in the life they live themselves, as i beleive christian saints have.
where is this in islam, i've asked on the islamic board, but received no reply to it.
i'm trying to give islam a fair chance of the peace it claims to represent, but i've yet to receive any proof that can satisfy my mind.

I really appreciate your good words for Islam, which has been hijacked by some war-mongers and Islam’s true face has been hidden from the common people of the world; in fact all Revealed Religions not only Islam have been hijacked by politicians/diplomats who bear only labels and have nothing to do with the religions they belong. What has religion to do with these war-monger leaders whose only objective is to occupy economic resources of the world and control them and harness them for their national interests only may be to the detriment of the whole humanity? Religion only wins hearts and gives peace to its followers, but politicians won’t let them rest .Moses; Krishna, Jesus and Muhammad etc were all Princes of Peace as they were all men of God appointed for peace.
Yes, you may start your research with Ahmadia – a faith in Islam, a peaceful faith indeed, with no compulsions whatsoever, if you so desire: the website is:
http://www.alislam.org/library/books/revelation/index.html