Found too often in America.
The hate-driven face of religious bigotry emerged in full force from the killings of 14 people at a holiday party in San Benardino, California, and the venom of those who claim to be Christians spread like a plague across the country.
The shooters were Muslim, we learned, and that led to endless paranoid conclusions that they must be terrorists simply because they believed in that faith.
Got news for you haters out there. Christians kill people. So do Jews. Murder and hate are not defined by a single religious “faith.”
Killers quote the “words of God” on a regular basis as justifications of their heinous acts. Too many often claim “God” or “Jesus” told them to take the lives of others.
Over the last 36 hours, bigots claimed the deaths in California had to the work of terrorists because the shooters were Muslims. Others claimed anyone who owns an assault-style rifle is, at heart, a terrorist. Many claim Muslims are “godless,” an incredible statement that is, in itself, a godless term uttered inanely by someone who claims to be a servant of one god or another.
The vast majority of Muslims are devout followers of their religion and abhor violence and the killing of others.
Yes, Muslims include extremists among their ranks. So do Christians. The phony Christians who claim to follow Christ utter threats of death to those who support abortion, a medical procedure that is legal under the laws of America. Former President George W. Bush, a political and religious zealot, claimed God told him to invade Iraq and kill hundreds of thousands of civilians who were not a threat to the security or existence of America.
Fundamentalist religious zealot Pat Robertson claims hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters are “God’s punishment” against sinners. He praised the drownings and deaths of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans as “the will of God.”
The Jewish religion does not accept the belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Does that make them less devout or are they simply adhering to the dogma of their religious beliefs?
A number of our friends are Buddhists, a religion with millions of followers.
“There is no almighty God in Buddhism,” says one of the tenants of the faith. “There is no one to hand out rewards or punishments on a supposedly Judgement Day.”
Many differing faiths accept the existence of followers of other religions.
I’m not sure that level of tolerance exists within the fundamentalism of Christianity, which preaches that acceptance of Christ is the only “true” religion and those who think otherwise are “godless.”
On the other hand, one could argue with faith and conviction that such expressions of intolerance and religious bigotry are, in themselves, un-Christian and ungodly attitudes that violate the claimed beliefs of Christianity.
Each of us has the right to believe or not to believe in any god or deity. Such beliefs are a personal choice and, often, the particular religion that we choose to accept is driven by multi-million (or billion) dollar operations that attempt to sell a belief in any faith is neither universal or all-serving.
Is a Christian any closer to his or her concept of a god than a Muslim or a Jew with equally devout beliefs in a faith-based concept of divinity?
The answer may be out there somewhere.
Or it may not.
Religious and political bigotry on display.
” Former President George W. Bush, a political and religious zealot, claimed God told him to invade Iraq and kill hundreds of thousands of civilians who were not a threat to the security or existence of America.” Is this an accurate statement from President Bush, or are you adding to his words a bit to suit your agenda? Was the writing on the building signed by a Christian? Was the truck owner a Christian? Are you judging Christians? Are you bad mouthing Christians? The tone in which this was written sounds hateful to me. Are you a bigot toward Christians? Why on earth would anyone, Christian or not, be wrong to make a “paranoid” conclusion that because they were muslim, it was probably terrorist related? Look back since 9/11 and check out the statistics of mass killings and tell me what religion the majority of the murderers were professing. Not paranoid…..just using the brain that God gave them.
Carol, you are of course welcome to your opinion but I’m afraid I see you comments as proof of religious bigotry and dangerous stereotyping in America. It is sad to see in a nation founded by immigrants who were, themselves, fleeing from tyranny.
“I’m afraid I see you comments as proof of religious bigotry and dangerous stereotyping in America”…….but I asked questions.
This depends on your definition of mass killings. The majority of killings in the U.S. in the last decade that resulted in more than four deaths, the standard that I’ve seen most places used, were carried out by non-Muslim native-born U.S. citizens.
Doug….tell me one mass shooting by a Muslim(s) that was not terrorist related. Was that not your whole point…..If the killer is Muslim, we are quick to pronounce it terrorism. You did not answer one single question I ask…. quick to smear but not quick to defend your words. Typical of so called writers. Christians cannot lump Muslims in one category but everyone else can lump Christians in one. Prove your comments…. a writer should be able to back up his words with facts. Red, yellow, purple, Christian, Muslim, Barney worshipers….I don’t care who committed the murders. They are all evil. But I am not stereotyping if it is fact. So…name one Muslim mass killing that was not terrorist related. I am a professing Christian. Perfect? No, not by a long shot. But being of sound mind and body, I will never hear God tell me to kill anyone. Vengeance is Mine, sayith the Lord. My God is big enough to take care of His own battles. Satan might give that a whirl, but thankful that I know who my Father is and know His voice. Could you please give credit and information about the pictures you used in your blog? I would be interested to know who took those photos, who was charged for the defacing of someone’s place of worship, and if the pickup owner gave his consent to have his license plate plastered on the internet. Believe it or not, being a Christian and all, I do respect others religious heritage. But you wouldn’t understand what true Christians believe I don’t think. We, are just self righteous bigots. And you are not…. I don’t hate Muslim’s, I hate the so called Muslims that have invaded my homeland and caused horrific sadness to Americans. And yes I know this will make you cringe…. I will pray for you, and all of the Muslims. My God offers salvation…..eternity in Heaven. Oh…here I go again….professing that my God is the only living God who might be able to do such a thing. I will await your factual answers….being a writer and all.
Most of the mass killings in America were done by non-Muslims, and usually native-born U.S. citizens. Would you qualify them as terrorist, or something else?
Here is a rundown of the worst mass shootings since 1984:
http://timelines.latimes.com/deadliest-shooting-rampages/
But I understood his writing to mean BECAUSE we knew they were Muslim, we assumed it was terrorist related. And my question was how many shootings by MUSLIMS were not terrorist related. I know that we have mass shootings that are not Muslims. Maybe I didn’t pose my question well.
Another detailed breakdown, including weapons used:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/mass-shootings-in-america/
My apologies….. do see that the trucks tag is blurred. But did you take that photo? Can you verify that it is not photo shopped? Thanks!