Fundamental Biblical Christianity and Fundamental Islam Fundamentally 180% Opposites

Buz is right. They are opposites. Fundamentalist Muslims believe it is appropriate to kill yourself for something you believe in. Fundamentalist Christians would never have the courage to do so.Other than that, there's not much difference. Militant factions of either group seem to have no trouble killing other people for their beliefs. Neither group is truly "fundamental", either - both groups invent as many phoney justifications for their actions as any member of any other religion.180 degrees difference? No - merely a difference of degree.

No, because the Muslims in question aren't just shooting themselves in the head in the middle of the desert, they're putting on dynamite vests and sitting on buses.Christian fundies kill other people. Muslim fundies kill other people and themselves. As far as I'm concerned the difference between them is equal to exactly one additional person killed. Yes, it does. Which is why I'm very critical of the use of the word "war" in situations where no war is occuring to justify peacetime violations of civil rights, such as this "war on terror" baloney.

You're free to call those people non-Christians, I suppose. The problem is that they call themselves Christians. You need to analyze why they feel comfortable doing that, because until you do, we're free to counter that the people you're talking about aren't really Muslims.After all, didn't Jesus braid a whip out of rope and drive the moneychangers from the temple? That hardly sounds non-violent, and it's just the sort of justification an abortion bomber could use...

Well, do you? Have you sold your posessions and businesses? Do you wander homeless, preaching the good word? Did Jesus get rich with his own carpentry business? Or did he give up everything - including his life - for his beliefs?The answer is, they're following the example of Christ, at least as far as they percieve the example, just like you. But, say, ignoring Jesus's example and teachings of poverty, that's different. They interpreted the Bible in the way that best suit them, just like the abortion bombers, and just like you.You're right, Buz. Talk is cheap. So why do you still own a computer? Why do you still waste your time here? Why do you sit comfortable, in America, when folks in Africa are starving? Oh, I'm sure you salve your concience with some tax-deductable donations, but is that really following Christ's example?[This message has been edited by crashfrog, 02-02-2004]

No offense but this comes off as a little self-indulgent. (Actually more than a little.) I'm about two keystrokes away from a very sarcastic response, which I have withheld because I don't like to hurt people who aren't themselves malicious.Nonetheless I suggest you look into how people live in Africa and other parts of the world before you complain about how hard it is to minister to the richest, fattest, most comfortable people on the planet.

No, it would be better to say that you can prove a bunch of things Willowtree doesn't like with scripture.I guess I don't find that relevant. Maybe the reason you can prove anything with the Bible is because the Bible proves absolutely nothing.

Did I imply that they were? Of course I didn't.What I was saying is that, if you're going to indict one group (Muslims) for the actions of a minority of their members, you have to play by the same rules for every group - you have to do it for Christians, too. There's plenty of psycho Christian murderers.Reasonable people know that there's no group so good that you can't find a few sickos in the ranks, and we don't hold it against the group. But people like Buz don't get that, I guess. They're happy to pin the blame for terrorism on all Muslims, not just the terrorist ones - but you won't do the same for any other group.That's a double standard, and moreover, a sickening act of bigotry. Of course I differentiate, WT. Read the whole thread before you shoot your mouth off, ok? Honestly.

No, I'm still reading it. I just haven't had anything to say. Everybody else has more or less said exactly what I was going to say, and I don't like to post redundant things.