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What exactly is a "fundie?" Is it a synonym for "fanatic?" Not all fundamentalists turn into outright fanatics.
Both "fanatic" and "outright" are, shall we say, squishy terms. "Fundie" is generally reserved for the more strident and bug-eyed literalist / inerrantist types who at least secretly believe that a Christian theocracy would usher in some form of utopia. However, while I regarded myself back in the day a relatively "mild" sort of fundamentalist -- we weren't snake-handlers or going around slaying each other in the Spirit or enforcing the dress codes of a generation or two prior, we were pretty much apolitical, etc -- I came to see that I was far more extremist that I wanted to see myself as. I was a young earth creationist, with all that implies. I looked favorably, if uneasily, upon the presidential candidacy of Pat Robertson. I believed, at least in an era before I was forced to really account for my "thinking", in things like across-the-board premarital sexual abstinence, that homosexuality was aberrant and pathological, that prohibition was still a good idea that was just badly implemented, that rock music, if not precisely directly devil-inspired, was an insidious way to inflame man's base desires, etc. I believed in the Rapture and would have paid to see Left Behind. Even when I entered adulthood and understood enough about these things to not take them as overt positions I'd actually have to justify to anyone, I still felt at some level it all had to be true.
All of that seems pretty "extreme" and "fanatical" to me now.
What tenet of Christianity do you believe inspires them to do this? Are they acting in the name of their religion? Are there people screaming out "Jesus is great!" when they attack someone?
Is this a religious conflict or are they fighting over land? Like are they killing each other simply of their religious beliefs, or is there more to it? I wasn't able to tell from that article and I don't know too much about this. It's very sad though.
It seems like both sides have been attacked:
Christians have also been victims of violence, targeted by Muslims in this complex communal conflict that U.N. and humanitarian officials fear could implode into genocide. Several hundred thousand Christians remain in crowded, squalid camps, unable or too afraid to return home.
But attacks on Muslims in particular are intensifying, aid workers said.
Djotodia’s departure weakened the former Muslim rebels, known as Seleka, who carried out deadly attacks on Christians after they grabbed power in March, prompting the birth of Christian militias called the anti-balaka, or “anti-machete” in the local Sango language. The armed vigilantes have used the power vacuum to step up assaults on Muslims.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuminousTruth
Of course they are fighting over land, that is why they want to kill each other and send each other packing. No one is going to fight to gain nothing, unless they believe they have nothing to lose because they have already been captured, then fighting or not fighting is the same. It's a religious conflict over land. It's not like christians are fighting the same denomination of Christians purely for land, they are being used by Religion to separate each other into enemies.
Evil: "I am legion, I am religion, I am the enemy of humanity, I am hosts, I seek for people to fight against me, and for them to fight within me, I am the justified violence. I am delusion, I am self-righteousness, I am faction, I am Vengeance, I am the Ruin, I am the unacceptable death."
It's like asking, "is this a conflict of racism, or are they just fighting over land" when fronted with an atrocity committed by racists.
Is it a religious conflict over land? The article was not clear on that. What religious conflict over the land is there in this area?
I am sure you know there are conflicts over land where religion plays no part. Sure, the people fighting may be from two different religions, but the reason for the fighting have nothing to do with religion.
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Quote:
"Muslim rebels, known as Seleka, who carried out deadly attacks on
Christians""Several hundred thousand Christians remain in crowded, squalid
camps, unable or too afraid to return home." "prompting the birth of
Christian militias called the anti-balaka, or “anti-machete"
If it werent religion it would be tribal or ethnic or etc.. but go on, take your side.
If you read fundamentalist accounts of the war in Afghanistan or Iraq it is a holy war where the Christians are killing Muslims. The simple fact that a Christian might be flying the plane doesn't mean that America and its allies are participating in a religious crusade.
In the article neither militia calls themselves holy warriors or places some indication of their religion in their name. Seleka means "coalition" and as has been mentioned anti-Balaka means "anti-machete".
I would suggest that in the absence of a religious leader calling for these attacks from either side one shouldn't blame their religious communities. "Anti-machete" suggests to me a motivation of revenge for the use of machetes. "Coalition" simply suggests a group coming together which they did.
Also, if it is proven that the Muslim's started this in the name of Islam or to create a Islamic state that doesn't mean the Anti-balaka militia are acting on behalf of their religion.
The problem is that many "Christians" are no different than anyone else. They ignore the teachings of Jesus when afraid, or angry. Yet Jesus did say to:
Matthew 5:44 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 26:52 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
After all how many Christians in the 1st century resisted Rome when arrested and killed or when Rome attacked Jerusalem, where were the Jewish Christians? Not there to fight but,
Matthew 24:16 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Matthew 10:23 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Christians do not fight over what the world of Satan does.
The problem is that many "Christians" are no different than anyone else. They ignore the teachings of Jesus when afraid, or angry. Yet Jesus did say to:
Matthew 5:44 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
being hated is one thing, machette attacks are an entirely different ball game.
i think the point of this thread is to demonize christians.
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