Ovedya Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Share Posted July 18, 2003 This post is in response to the few ant-Muslim threads on the boards. How quickly we have forgotten, and how easilly we have erased from the pages of history Christianity's most bloody attrocities. Following is an article from the internet regarding the Reconciliation Walk:(http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_cru1.htm): ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About the Crusades and their legacy of hatred: The mid 7th century to the mid 10th century CE saw the gradual expansion of Islam. Half of the Christian world was conquered by Arab armies; this included countries in which Christianity had been established for centuries, such as Egypt, southern France, southern Italy, Sicily, Spain, Syria, Turkey, etc. 4 By the late 10th century, Europe and the Middle East were divided into Christian and Muslim spheres of influence. Christian pilgrims from Europe regularly visited Muslim-controlled Jerusalem in reasonable safety. Such pilgrimages were very popular. The were believed to be one of the major acts by which a person could limit their exposure to the tortures of purgatory after their death. By the middle of the 11th century, Christianity had formally split: The Emperor/Bishop of Constantinople and the Bishop of Rome had mutually excommunicated each other. Christendom was divided between the Roman Catholic Church and the Byzantine Empire. In 1071, the Turks defeated the latter at the Battle of Manzikert. This left Constantinople exposed to attack from Muslims. Meanwhile, Christians were being ambushed during their pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Emperor Alexius asked Pope Urban II for assistance. On 1095-NOV-27, the Pope called on Europeans to go on a crusade to liberate Jerusalem from its Muslim rulers. "The first and second wave of Crusaders murdered, raped and plundered their way up the Rhine and down the Danube as they headed for Jerusalem." 1 The "army" was primarily composed of untrained peasants with their families, with a core of trained soldiers. On the way to the Middle East, they decided that only one of their goals was to wrest control of Jerusalem from the Muslims. A secondary task was to rid the world of as many non-Christians as possible - both Muslims and Jews. The Crusaders gave the Jews two choices in their slogan: "Christ-killers, embrace the Cross or die!" 12,000 Jews in the Rhine Valley alone were killed as the first Crusade passed through. Some Jewish writers refer to these events as the "first holocaust." Once the army reached Jerusalem and broke through the city walls, they slaughtered all the inhabitants that they could find (men, women, children, newborns). After locating about 6,000 Jews holed up in the synagogue, they set the building on fire; the Jews were burned alive. The Crusaders found that about 30,000 Muslims had fled to the al Aqsa Mosque. The latter were also slaughtered without mercy. The Roman Catholic church taught that going to war against the "Infidels" was an act of Christian penance. If a believer was killed during a crusade, he would bypass purgatory, and be taken directly to heaven. By eliminating what might be many millennia of torture in Purgatory, many Christians were strongly motivated to volunteer for the crusades. "After pronouncing a solemn vow, each warrior received a cross from the hands of the pope or his legates, and was thenceforth considered a soldier of the Church." 3 These mass killings were repeated during each of the 8 additional crusades until the final, 9th, crusade in 1272 CE. Both Christians and Muslims believed that they were fighting on God's side against Satan; they believed that if they died on the battlefield they would be given preferential treatment in Heaven. Battles were fought with a terrible fierceness and a massive loss of life. Over a 200 year period, perhaps 200,000 people were killed. The Muslim warrior Salah a-Din subsequently recaptured Jerusalem from the Christians. By the end of the crusades, most European Christians believed the unfounded blood-libel myths -- the rumor that Jews engaged in human sacrifice of Christian children. A long series of Christian persecutions of the Jews continued in Europe and Russia into the 20th century. They laid the foundation for the Nazi Holocaust. The result of centuries of conflict among followers of the three Abramic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) was a "deep mutual hatred" and mistrust among the three faiths. Memories of these genocides still influence relationships among Jews, Christians and Muslims to the present time. Among many Jews and Muslims, the term crusade evokes visions of genocide, mass murder, and mass extermination of innocent people. However, among many Christians it has become a positive term, frequently used to refer to mass rallies and campaigns to win converts - as in the Billy Graham Crusades. The Reconciliation Walk: "The Reconciliation Walk is an interdenominational grassroots movement of Western Christians,...retracing the route of the First Crusade, apologizing to Muslims, Jews and Eastern Christians for the atrocities of the Crusades -- foremost among them, the misuse of the name and message of Jesus." The organizers of the Reconciliation Walk are unaware of any previous, " serious effort to repair this damage" caused by the crusades. The first crusaders set off for Jerusalem in 1096-APR, from the cathedral in Cologne. Exactly 900 years later, on Easter Sunday, about 150 walkers departed from the same cathedral. Their first stop was a Turkish Mosque and teaching center. Their leader explained that the walkers had come to apologize for the atrocities committed in the name of Christ during the Crusades. Then they read a letter of apology in German, Turkish and English. They were "greeted with loud, sustained applause." The Imam responded: "When I heard the nature of your message, I was astonished and filled with hope. I thought to myself, 'whoever had this idea must have had an epiphany, a visit from God himself.' It is my wish that this project should become a very great success." During the Crusades, the entire Jewish population of Cologne was destroyed. In remembrance of this, the walkers went to the local synagogue. Since it was a Jewish holy day, the walkers did not go inside; they prayed and moved on. Individual walkers joined the group for as little as 10 days or as much as many months at a time. Following the ancient routes of the Crusades, one team passed through France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Slovenia Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Greece. A second team set out from Germany and passed through Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. The teams met at Istanbul, Turkey on 1996-OCT-10. The Deputy Mufti of Istanbul, the Chief Rabbi, the Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch (head of the Orthodox church) and the Deputy Mayer welcomed the team with warmth and appreciation. "In towns and villages, people spilled out of their houses and applauded the team as they passed." They visited countless cities, towns, and villages in Turkey during 1996 and 1997. In mid-1998, a team arrived in Antakya, Turkey (once called Antioch) on the 900th anniversary of the conquest of that city. By 1998-SEP, they had reached Syria and Lebanon. About 500 participants are scheduled to reach Jerusalem on 1999-JUL-15, the 900th anniversary of the killing of about 60,000 Jerusalem residents and the destruction of the city. About 2,000 Christians from 27 countries have participated in this walk. Most are Evangelical Protestants. They have worn T-shirts and caps that say "I apologize" in Arabic or Hebrew. The Reconciliation Walk statement of apology reads: "Nine hundred years ago, our forefathers carried the name of Jesus Christ in battle across the Middle East. Fueled by fear, greed and hatred, they betrayed the name of Christ by conducting themselves in a manner contrary to His wishes and character. The Crusaders lifted the banner of the Cross above your people. By this act they corrupted its true meaning of reconciliation, forgiveness and selfless love. On the anniversary of the First Crusade we also carry the name of Christ. We wish to retrace the footsteps of the Crusaders in apology for their deeds and in demonstration of the true meaning of the Cross. We deeply regret the atrocities committed in the name of Christ by our predecessors. We renounce greed, hatred and fear, and condemn all violence done in the name of Jesus Christ. Where they were motivated by hatred and prejudice, we offer love and brotherhood. Jesus the Messiah came to give life. Forgive us for allowing His name to be associated with death. Please accept again the true meaning of the Messiah's words: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted July 18, 2003 VOM http://www.persecution.com/ ALGERIA For more than 30 years Algeria has been ruled by a one-party socialist regime backed by a strong army. The prospect of a new government, while possible, would likely lead only to a new tyranny since the opposition consists primarily of Muslim revivalists. This polarized situation could lead to civil war. In recent years, Algerian Christians have suffered a reign of violence from the Islamic Salvation Front. Members of this Muslim rebel group have been known to march through town and slit the throats of anyone who has not lived up to their call to Islamic fundamentalism. Two-thirds of Algerians are so young that they have known nothing but the confusion of the socialist system. Algeria has very few Christians and the church is suffering discouragement. Social pressures often lead Christian girls to marry Muslims, and some believers withdraw from fellowship due to intimidation from family, friends, and Muslim extremists. Pray that the Lord will raise up true believers in Algeria to be a light among its people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted July 18, 2003 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan has been dominated by its neighbors for centuries. Subject to the USSR during most of the 20th century, Azerbaijan broke away from the Soviet bloc in 1991. The Christian population is almost entirely Armenian and Russian; many fled the country following a massacre of their people in 1989. While Azerbaijan offers official guarantees of religious freedom, the nationalists are becoming more Islamic and anti-Christian. Armenian churches have been closed and few of the Christians left in Azerbaijan would feel secure enough to attend if they reopened. There is one bright spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted July 18, 2003 Bangladesh Bangladesh is continually plagued by disaster. Almost half of this country consists of low-lying islands, most of them less than nine feet above sea level. This geography causes a huge loss of life during the country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted July 18, 2003 Brunei Brunei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted July 18, 2003 Comoro Islands The Comoro Islands gained their independence from France in 1975. Since then they have been plagued with 17 attempted coups, including invasions from France. In October 1997, a new constitution was approved by 85 percent of the voters. Unfortunately, this new document greatly increased the influence of Islam. Public witness by Christians is now forbidden, and believers are not permitted to meet openly. Pray for blessings for Christians who continue to meet in secret despite laws restricting such gatherings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adstar Posted July 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 12 Topic Count: 75 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,399 Content Per Day: 0.43 Reputation: 1,307 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted July 18, 2003 God-Man How quickly we have forgotten, and how easilly we have erased from the pages of history Christianity's most bloody attrocities. Matthew 5:38-39 38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. Matthew 5: 43-48 43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Romans 12:17-21 17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. II Corinthians 10:3,4 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds." Ephesians 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:4 "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." Zechariah 4:6 "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts." 1 John 5:19 "The whole world lieth in the evil one." Revelation 13:10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. What is a Christian God-man? Do you know what a Christian is? By calling the people who committed these atrocities Christians you are calling false christians, Christian. All Praise The Ancient Of Days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneAccord Posted July 19, 2003 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 147 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,587 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/03/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted July 19, 2003 What is a Christian God-man? Do you know what a Christian is? By calling the people who committed these atrocities Christians you are calling false christians, Christian. All Praise The Ancient Of Days Yes, Adstar, that is a very important point you make. When the prophet Nathan rebuked David for his sin with Bathsheba, he told David that he had given the enemy occasion to blaspheme. I think this is the shame of sin in the history of the church, it gives the enemy occasion to blaspheme the name of God. The word 'Christian' causes such a knee-jerk reaction amongst many people that it makes witnessing very, very difficult and uncomfortable. The word 'Christian' provokes reactions far more than the name of Jesus Christ does. Most people that don't even know very much about Jesus' teachings do know the "Love thy neighbor" law, and turn the other cheek, blessed are the peacemakers. When Christians act contrary to these core teachings, people immediately see them as hypocrites. Inflammatory rhetoric against muslims and anyone else that we consider enemies of the faith give the enemy occasion to blaspheme, because they all know that we are taught to love our enemies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovedya Posted July 19, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Author Share Posted July 19, 2003 The same way that some are calling false Muslims Muslims, right? See how easy it is to cast aside Christianity's blood history in order to point the finger of blame toward others. John's replies above are all perfect examples. So no one is willing to discuss the attrocities committed by Christians in the name of Jesus Christ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFaceInTheCrowd Posted July 19, 2003 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 1,138 Content Per Day: 0.34 Reputation: 9 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/26/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/16/1969 Share Posted July 19, 2003 wasnt the romam catholic church responsible for the crusades?a group that has give true christians a bad name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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