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Originally Posted by BigErf
Wouldn't the correct statement be: "A lack of faith is a frightening and dangerous prospect and has caused and will continue to cause much suffering for many people across the world."
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Originally Posted by Janabis
Do you think the driving force behind terrorism in the world is a "lack" of faith? Do you think the problems in North Korea are a result of a "lack" of faith in their president (who has been dead for over ten years)? Do you think 9/11 happened because certain Muslims "lacked" faith in their God?
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Originally Posted by devilset666
No. Faith in God/Gods has historically lead to murder, sectarianism, abuse and continues to yield these results in the present climate. Let me break it down into some examples for you:
The twin towers would be standing today and those who perished would be with their families if it wasn't for the faith of those men who carried out this disgusting act rationalised only by their faith.
My country Northern Ireland tore itself apart with two communities separated by differing sects of Christianity warring over this land.
Sectarian violence continues to tear Iraq apart again with two sects of the one Religion mindlessly slaughtering each other over differences in their faith in the bloodline of their prophet.
These are all modern events directly and undeniably linked to faith and I could continue to give examples of faith tearing the world/communities apart in the last decade until my fingers bled.
I'll leave you with a simple point and a nice quote to get your teeth into. There would be no suicide bombers without the faith that drives them.
"Religion is based . . . mainly on fear . . . fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand in hand. . . . My own view on religion is that of Lucretius. I regard it as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race."
Bertrand Russell
An unwillingness to hold responsible the individuals who commit these acts themselves is the reason you can justify placing the blame upon God. But it is simply inconceivable that a life dedicated to following a Word that promotes Love and self worth would perceive these messages as commands to carry out destructive acts upon the very life that the Word cherishes. And anyone who does so is not following their Gods will, but their own.
I cannot speak for Islam but going off of a conversation between Jibninjas and ILOVEPOKER929 it does not sound as though a Muslims duty is to kill:
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Originally Posted by ILOVEPOKER929
I've read a lot more of the bible than the Koran, but do read some passages of the Koran from time to time to keep up with my Muslim friend.
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Originally Posted by Jibninjas
Allah loves those that love him, and hates everyone else.
Yahweh loves everyone.
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Originally Posted by ILOVEPOKER929
My Muslim friend would say Allah loves everyone. The fact you both draw the same conclusions about your Gods reveals a lot about the human mind. I know exactly what Justin A means when he says he can never be sure that he's not deluding himself.
Now I can personally speak for Christianity and the message from God in the Bible is LOVE. His love for us. In fact, the Bible is Gods proof of His love for us. The Bible is the instruction booklet on how to live in peace for eternity. Anyone who portrays the Bible as a book of violence is gravely wrong and has a personal agenda in doing so.
And personal agenda is what drives extremists. These people are not religious but rather using religion as their excuse to fulfill the acts that consume their criminal minds.
Within all of the sects of Christianity the church has a financial worth in the trillions. Well enough money to solve some problems of humanity. But instead, we divide. It is human err that divides mankind, not Gods instructions to do so. Anyone that humbly reads the Bible will undoubtedly interpret passages in their own unique way and this is what makes the Bible so powerful. The Bible is meant to open the mind of the reader but I don’t think there’s a person alive that could convince me that the message of the Bible is to kill those who do not adhere to it. And I would be surprised if the Koran was different.
There are passages in the Bible that speak of Gods wrath in the Old Testament. The OT is the foundation of the Bible and this world. To understand the world God has intended for us, these are the accounts to which led to the opportunity God gives for our redemption. I’m not educated in the writing of the Koran but I imagine the books have some similarity. If these extremists who you say are living out Gods instructions were focused on finding the true message their book portrays, how do they come up with the idea that destruction is the path to salvation?
True religious believers study the Word and find meanings to interpretations. They form with others and dedicate their lives to transforming themselves into what God has intended for them. Anyone who commits himself or herself to this understanding WILL NOT receive a message from the Bible or Koran that supports murder. It’s just not possible.
Do you think Muslim terrorists right now are huddled up studying the Koran to find Allah’s instructions on how to destroy the world or do you think they are conforming over explosives material and educating themselves in the art of mass destruction? Think about it.
It’s plain ignorance to say that these people who commit such acts are so much more educated in their beliefs that they found the True message God wants us to see.