Tag: Christians

Who are the true presenters of peace?

 Who are the true presenters of peace? Those who preach and conquer by violence? Or those who preach peace and love?
There are those who claim they are peaceful, yet they promote violence!
Christians were accused of embarking on the Crusades!

Islam and the Crusades Cover

The Christians explained that they were forced to embark on the Crusades in self-defense. They said they were pushed into a ‘life or death’ situation; there was nothing they could do to free themselves from the brutalities of the Jihad, so they had to fight back.

The Jihad

The Jihad started after 633 AD. Lands were conquered and the conquered people told they had to convert to the new religion. If they did not convert, they had to pay a protection levy so they could remain in their faith. However, they would not be allowed to proclaim openly their religious faith. Some could not pay the tax and so had to covert and accept the new religion imposed on them.

The warriors called their war(s) “The Jihad” — striving for God (which became popularized as Holy Wars); wars promoting God’s cause or religion.

Many died in the wars. Women and girls captured in the wars were forced to marry the conquerors and the sons of the conquerors. (The conquerors said they were doing the women a favor by marrying them as their husbands and men had died in the wars.)

Christians could not openly proclaim their faith anymore. Some churches were converted to accommodate the new faith and to serve as worship centers for the new faith. When the Christians could not bear the agony any longer, they cried to their leaders to do something about the situation. At first, the leaders would not respond.

Then the conquerors blocked the Mediterranean area, making trading activities difficult. When Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the Christian Holy Land, was also made difficult to Christians, the Christian leaders decided to respond.

It took 400 years for the Christians to respond. (The first Crusade was in the 11th Century, while the Jihad started earlier in the 7th century.)
The Christians responded to free themselves and their lands from the invaders who had caused much pain and sorrow to many families.  The invaders cried out and condemned the action of the Christians. They said it was wrong for the Christians to rise up and fight (though the Christians were actually defending themselves).

The Christians, too, (actually) went into excesses

Although the Christians went into excesses, those who started the hostilities (the Jihad) 400 years earlier should also have been told that they were wrong in starting their holy war. But that did not happen; rather the Christians who decided to defend themselves were accused of embarking on the war (to defend themselves).

The Crusades (and the Jihad) finally ended.  Both Muslims and Christians learned that war was not right.

(You may want to read, “Conquering Without  Being Violent.”)

Now another form of Jihad has emerged!!!

Suicide bombings, horrific killings, (decapitation of Christians, journalists and others), abductions, rape, etc., are being used to promote a cause.
Those who commit the atrocities say they are a peaceful and loving people. They assert that they are preaching a peace-loving deity, and that they are only proclaiming to the world how good it is to follow their ‘peaceful’ cause. They use violence because they want everyone to love and worship their compassionate deity!!!

Is this the world God intended?

The Bible presents a God of peace who sent the Prince of Peace (Jesus Christ) to preach love, forgiveness, peace and non-violence.

(Get a copy of “Persuasion Is Better Than Force”)

Peace-lovers preach a peaceful God, not a violent and killer deity!

Peace-lovers do not preach hate!

You destroy the cause you represent when you preach and practice violence! You destroy the testimony of your fellow believers who are peace-lovers and who preach peace!

How Christianity wins without attacking

Winning without attacking people

WE CONQUER WITHOUT VIOLENCE
  • Violent, intolerant people become angry when they fail to convince people to accept their views.
  • Angry husbands brutalize their wives and children when they are unable to make them accept their views.
  • Religious militants attack people and force their religions on them.

Compelling people to accept your views will not make them love you

Jesus taught His followers to use peaceful persuasion.

Aesop illustrates  this in a fable, the North Wind and the Sun.

The North Wind and the Sun argued about who was stronger. They agreed to try their powers upon a traveler, to see who could strip him of his cloak. The North Wind, gathering up all his force, came whirling furiously down upon the man, and caught up his cloak to wrest it from him; but the harder he blew, the more closely the man wrapped it round himself. Failing, he called upon the Sun to see what he, too, could do.

At first, the Sun beamed gently and warmly upon the traveler. The traveler, feeling the genial rays of the sun took off his garment, and walked with it hanging loosely on his shoulders. The Sun continued gradually until he finally released his full strength. At last, the man, overcome with heat, undressed and bathed in a stream that lay in his path, before completing his journey, more lightly clad.

When the Wind tried to wrest the cloak from the traveler, he fought back; on the other hand, when the Sun suggested that it was uncomfortable for him to wear his cloak in that heat, the man accepted the suggestion.

Convincing the listener is  more effective in winning a person

Do not compel people to believe.  Jesus said,

“But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” (Luke 10:10-12)

Biblical Christianity is non-violent

God has tremendous power to control people’s minds to worship Him. Yet, He has chosen not to do so. Being a loving God, He does not send suicide bombers to kill innocent people.

Why do Islamic militants prefer using force to make others accept their views?

The Qur’an, in 29:6, says, “And whoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily, Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)…” (The Noble Qur’an: English translation of the Meanings and Commentary.)

The Qur’an emphatically declares that, “There is no compulsion in religion,” (2:256)

Again we read,

“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers? It is not for any person to believe, except by the leave of Allah, and he will put the wrath on those who are heedless.” (10:99-100)

Why then do Muslim militants compel people to worship Allah?

Suicide bombers attack and kill people because they believe that when they die in the attacks, they will gain paradise. The militants, therefore, do not commit the atrocities on God’s behalf.

  • Jesus used love and persuasion to win Zacchaeus, (Luke 19:1-10)
  • He used persuasion to make the Samaritan woman understand Him, (John 4:7-30)
  • He said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you,” (Luke 6:27-28)

For further reading visit: http://www.peacemakersteam.com/books.html

Christianity wins without attacking
Christianity wins by love. Jesus taught us to win without attacking.
True and saving religion should have the power to appeal

Genuine religion should be able to persuade and draw people to itself. When we use force we rather emphasize the negative judgments people have formed of us.

Killing innocent people, and abducting defenseless girls and women in the name of God does not help promote God’s cause.

Burning villages and churches, and killing Christians and people who do not accept their religions rather make the victims to hate the attackers and their religions.

We present a wicked, hardhearted God when we are intolerant and violent.

Winning Without Attacking
Rockeybell speaking on “How to communicate with hostile people.”

The Christian God is non-violent

  • The Christian God loves
  • He is truly compassionate.
  • He does not terrorize people.

Share your views with us on winning without fighting, and how can we make the world peaceful.

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