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I think there's something more basic going on in regards to religious views of acceptable conduct. The Islamic religion carries with it many instances of battle-related imagery, and promises of eternal life of paradise in exchange for being a warrior for righteousness. This easily leads to a mentality that makes heroes of those who use their death as a service to God.

The same thing happened in Christendom during the Crusades, and it has happened in many other religions through history. If the leaders of the Islamic religion don't want this attitude to spread in America, they need to take positive action to re-direct their definition of what is a heroic action for Allah. If they don't, the extremists will use the definition in place today to wreak havoc.

Giving one's life for the cause of true righteousness is one thing (martyrdom, missionary deaths in inhospitable foreign lands,the Cross, etc.)but blowing up innocent civilians close up and personal "for Allah" is another altogether. In Christianity a violent MO is aberrant and counter-Messianic; in Islam, it is modeled by its founder and allowed by its scripture. Thus, for all the young Muslims that thought suicide bombings were just fine to advance Jihad, there are probably millions, who privately resonate with them in the Muslim world, because of the historically violent proclivities of the religion - not just recently, or during certain brief periods, but from its inception in Mecca and Medina on.

We MUST hope that saner, more civilized heads in the Muslim world can overcome the violent jihadists and some form of symbiosis between East and West can be worked out for the survival of the planet, particularly its Western locales - the primary targets of the faniatical muderers. But then, they're blowing up thier own men, women and children too.

This from the Myspace page of the Liverty U student with the car full of bombs:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=52589827&blogID=185115718&MyToken=e78f67b5-fac3-4109-8069-47e96b0a1130

Our Fears
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Religion and Philosophy

" Fear of Commitment

America, most of us sit around in the beginning of our lives doing nothing just hoping for a bright future. If everyone is hoping who will do anything? Hopes and dreams will get you nowhere if you do not act upon them. All American's dream, some make it to college but many of them slack off and drop out, some join the military but rarely stay to long, most get married but most of them divorce, but all dream but a dream without commitment is just that "a dream."

Christians, we say we believe that God that has died for us and we must lead others to him, but we don't. Most of us don't even lead our own families properly. Men you are "The head of your house hold" lead your family in the ways of the Lord. Women you are "The neck that can turn the head" do it. Jesus died for us and we can't even commit to showing him we care.

Fear of Fighting for What Has Been Given to Us

America, we have been given a chance to live the perfect life here. People have fought and died so we may have this opportunity. Go; take what you have been given. Receive what you have been offered. We are the biggest super power in the world not because of what we have done but because of what has been done for us and what we must do for future Americans, for our children.

Christians, we have been given life after death and we should help others receive it and not sit here in our big buildings and sing to ourselves so we can go home and feel good about ourselves.

Fear of Death

America, "If there is one thing we should fear it is fear itself." "If we don't go there they will come here." Do you want freedom? Do you care for your fellow man? Do you wish they had the chances you do? "If you go you may die but if you don't go your children may not live."

Christians, fear of death, fear of death. The fear of death shows you don't believe. The bible says in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." If you truly believe and you have given your life to God you know "You cannot die."

America, where are our leaders. Christians, where are our leaders. Uncle Sam needs soldiers to fight so our children may live free. God needs soldiers to fight so his children may live free.

Are you afraid???

I'm not.

SEND ME!!! "

Somebody tell me the difference between this kid and the non-christians who are jihadists. Is it that he's not going to get thse 72 alleged virgins?

I often hear that Christians would never consider killing for religious reasons. That idea must spring from a "no true scotsman" fallicy. All you have to do is check recent history to see murderous followers of Jesus. Northern Ireland springs to mind.

One kid who can't think straight, or write well, is typical of the prevailing Christian MO today? NO WAY, Jose!

Are you saying that isolated or intermittant Christian shortfalls mean we should just withdraw from the world and stop opposing the them, and let the murderous jihadists have their way. You both have apparently not studied the MO and goals of Islam from its INCEPTION.

There is a world - no eternity - of difference between the person and teachings of Jesus and that of Muhammed. I am a follower of the Messiah, Yeshua - not Canstantine. The preaching of the Gospel of peace is the only way allowed in the NT to advance the Messianic Faith. Departures from this truth are errors, anomolies and heresies - not essential Christianity. But militant jihadism is essential orthodox Islam.

As far as the Irish thing goes - more political and nationalist than anything else. In-house bickering between leftist IRA and the fascistic nationalists does not an ethos or prevalent MO make. Sorry, guys; your attempts to discredit and diss Christianity are both illogical, and woefully ignorant of the NT doctrine of evangelism as the only true and proscribed method of spreading the Faith. No conquering earthly armies are part of the equation. Islam, on the other hand, is a carnal and legalistic counterfiet, and becasue it has no Gospel to transform souls, it must conquer by other means and then impose Sharia to maintain its hold.

But, atheists/humanists/leftists will say ANYTHING to slander and dishonor the Christ who gave HIS life for wretched sinners like them and me. All so they can kill babies, redistribute wealth, and have free sex and perversion - and elect those who will assist them!

"Are you saying that isolated or intermittant Christian shortfalls mean we should just withdraw from the world and stop opposing the them, and let the murderous jihadists have their way(?)"
No, I am saying that you have no reason to have a "holier than thou" attitude toward any other religion. Just as they have their murderers -- in a vast minority, even by Bush administration accounts -- so do Christians.

Certainly, all murderous nuts should be opposed, whether they're trying to purify their holy land or protesting a government that allows abortions. I would hope we agree on this.

" . . . or protesting a government that allows abortions. I would hope we agree on this."

Not really, although I do not support anti-abortion viiolence. It is a logical disconnect - a critique of desperation - to compare the actions of a handfull of fanatical abortion opponents to the wholesale slaughter going on in the Middle East and beyond.

As a matter of fact, it is a testimony to the peaceful proclivities of true Christainity that the "kill the murderers" approach is so very isolated; and that rational and biblical anti-abortionists have widely condemned it. The moderate Middle East Muslim authorities that have spoken out against the terrorist MO are as scarce as hens' teeth.

You seem to have missed my argument that we are not just dealing here with the predictable historical violent eruptions of cultural religious elements (Crusades, Inquisition), but with a key MO of a religion that differs at essential points from the tenets and spirit of biblical Messianic spirituality. Dogmas have consequences.