Terrorists Among Us

Published on March 10, 2005 By Gideon MacLeish In Religion

I am far too late in writing this blog, as it has been in the back of my mind for probably a month since I saw a similar blog in a different vein.

Things to consider:

KKK attacks on innocent black men, women and children, especially during reconstruction through the 1950's were perpetrated largely by Christian militants ages 18 to 35
The shooting of Medgar Evers was perpetrated by a Christian militant ages 18 to 35
The shooting of John F. Kennedy was perpetrated by a Christian militant ages 18 to 35
The abortion clinic bombings of the 1990's was perpetrated by a Christian militant ages 18 to 35
Matthew Sheppard was killed by Christian militants ages 18 to 35
James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death in Jasper Texas by Christian militants ages 18 to 35
The 1996 Olympic bombing was perpetrated by a Christian militant ages 18 to 35.

Moral of this story: If you judge ANY religion based on the actions of their militant extremists, we ALL come up short.

Comments

Dr Guy

on Mar 10, 2005

The main and primary difference is that the 'christian militants' were performing criminal acts, and not acts of God. ANd I dare say, other than the KKK examples that none even remotely stated they were doing it for their faith, or any faith. Just blind bigotry.

ParaTed2k

on Mar 10, 2005

You do make a decent point. But, if I may be anal for a moment, only 3 of your examples would fall under the heading of "Terrorism". The others are just murder or assassination.

ANd I dare say, other than the KKK examples that none even remotely stated they were doing it for their faith, or any faith.

Sadly Dr. Guy, that's not exactly true. Many bigots consider anyone not White to be ineligible for the grace of Jesus Christ, less than human and cleansing the world of these evil "mud people" an act of Christianity.

Although many of the younger generations of bigots have turned away from Christianity, as they consider Jesus Christ a weak pacifist. They turn to more militant Norse Diety like Thor, Loki and Odin.

Either way, many still cling to their religious beliefs as motivation to hate, injure and kill.

bakerstreet

on Mar 10, 2005

I have known two KKK members in my life, and both were revisionist historians that constantly maligned Christianity.

Byron De La Beckwith professed Christianity, but was a member of the Christian Identity movement, that stated that only Aryan whites had souls. If you want to call that Christianity, knock yourself out, but I don't consider it to be so. Most of their ethos comes from the works of revisionist historians like the ones I mention above.

I have a hard time with this one, especially, Gid. It's glaring in its innacuracy. Oswald was irreligious, told his interrogators that he had no faith, and characterized the Bible as not being "reasonable or intelligent". It's like you are accusing people of being Christians just because they are WHITE and 19-35...

The abortion clinic bombings were commited by people professing to be Christians, I'll grant you that.

One of Matthew Shepherd's killers was a Mormon, who was excommunicated after he was convicted. The others only mentioned religion as "character reference" in the trial.

I can't find anything on Byrd's killers at all as far as religion, only that they were racists.

Rudolf was an abortion clinic bomber, which you covered earlier, though the Olymics thing just shows that he was a guy looking to blow people up, not make a specific point.

This kind of blog is below you, Gid. These aren't Christian militants. None of these crimes are sanctioned or suggested by Christianity. If you wrote this about muslims people would consider it crass, but you'll muck by because it is chic to do this kind of thing, and most people will agree with such uninformed generalizations.

Not your best stuff. Nothing approaching inciteful, or even accurate...

Dr Guy

on Mar 10, 2005

This is true and hence the reason I said except for. The others are as you correctly point out, just cold blooded murders.

shadesofgrey

on Mar 10, 2005

only 3 of your examples would fall under the heading of "Terrorism". The others are just murder or assassination.

I'm curious as to which three you think would fall under "terrorism."

preacherman

on Mar 10, 2005

A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

preacherman

bakerstreet

on Mar 11, 2005

preacherman: what kind of a tree drops BITTER, pretentious fruit? No lemon has ever been as sour as you guys.

ParaTed2k

on Mar 11, 2005

I'm curious as to which three you think would fall under "terrorism."

KKK attacks on innocent black men, women and children.

The abortion clinic bombings of the 1990's.

and possibly...

The 1996 Olympic bombing.

I'd go in to the whole definition, requirements and purposes that seperate terrorism from criminal acts, but that would be an article lenth posting. ;~D

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 11, 2005

I have a hard time with this one, especially, Gid. It's glaring in its innacuracy. Oswald was irreligious, told his interrogators that he had no faith, and characterized the Bible as not being "reasonable or intelligent". It's like you are accusing people of being Christians just because they are WHITE and 19-35...

This is why I said this was late. A few weeks ago, someone posted a post using the same illustrations of Muslim militants. My point was not that true Christianity is compatible with these repulsive acts, it is that militants have, in the past, misappropriated Christianity to their own hateful causes, and some continue to do so, just as militants misappropriate Islam to the same hateful causes.

I am not an apologist for Islam, in fact, I am anything but. I know the foundations upon which they are built, but I also know the vast majority of Muslims worldwide do NOT know of Muslim's bloody past, or do not adhere to it. With the number of Muslims worldwide, if EVERY Muslim were militant, or even if most were, it would cause a wave of terrorism that NO nation would be well equipped to suppress.

Hence the "moral of this story". The point is, you can make virtually ANY religion look bad.

But I will concede your point on Oswald. Strike that one.

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