I noticed that the maker of these jeans has a strong hostility to "organized religion" and to Christianity which has "sparked wars throughout history". Of course as we know no one ever went to war over secular issues and at what point does consumerism become an "organized religion" complete with its own offerings, altars and temples?
Fr. Seraphim Beshoner, TOR | Homepage | 12.30.05 - 3:56 pm | #

Considering his country's proximity to the other parts of Europe, I would think any Swede would be aware of the secular wars of Europe in the 20th century (WWI and WWII) as well as the mass slaughters of Nazism and Communism, which between them probably killed more people than all the religious wars of history by many fold. This tiresome repetition of that old canard that religion per se has produced more wars and deaths than any other cause is really getting on my nerves. Religion has been the cause or inspiration, of course, for a number of wars (the Islamic conquest, the Crusdaes, the religious wars after the reformation etc.) but the combined death toll must be a fraction of what the nation states, militarism and pagan/atheistic ideologies inflicted. It shows an enormous ignorance of history, lazy thinking and idological blindness in some cases to make the statement that the Swede made.
Arnold | 12.30.05 - 4:51 pm | #

What would he say, I wonder, if some Al-Quaida offshoot did a suicide bomb or two in his homeland?
Nancy | 12.31.05 - 12:43 pm | #

"It is abundantly clear that this designer wants to create public opinion against the Christian faith ... but I believe that the way to deal with this is to start a discussion about what religion means."

Oh, dear Lord have mercy.

Are we sure this guy is really Church of Sweden and not an undercover Episcopalian?

(Of course, that may be a distinction without a difference ...)


peace,
Zach Frey | Homepage | 01.02.06 - 11:00 am | #