I'm new to blogging, and I've been looking around at other blogs to see what people are doing. It's nice to find someone else who's a Christian. Any tips you could give me would be welcome! Thanks!
Tom | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-22 - 19:41 | #

Hi Tom,

Welcome! I was tentative when I first started my blog, then I became ambitious, but once I started going, I found the blog took over - topics just came up. I did get inspiration and tips from others as well. I will find some posts that helped me and send you the links. Best wishes!
TheBloke...IntheOuter | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-22 - 23:57 | #

Bloke,

You make many brilliant observations in your post "Fundamentalism and Fanaticism in Any Religion is Dangerous" -- its a joy to find someone else speaking out against extremism (Left, Right, Religious or Anti-Religious) -- it's like a cancer.

The fundamentalists and fanatics, as you point out, are a minority in our country and in Moslem countries but we can never loose sight of the very real danger that these reletively few extremists pose to our country and our way of life.
Whymrhymer | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-23 - 04:02 | #

Thank you for showing that one can be a Christian and not a crusader.

As someone from the middle, I have realized one thing surfing blogs. There are more of us in the middle than there are on either side - far left or far right.

I know that sounds obvious, but there's nothing like empirical evidence to strengthen the case. I'll bet the entry you read, which sounds like it comes from an extreme, has lots and lots of comments. People get outraged when they read this far stuff. But moderate posts like this one will be happily accepted.

I guess what I'm saying is that more people, by far, agree with you than with him...

(*)>
birdwoman | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-23 - 04:56 | #

Well said, although I disagree with the previous comment. I find very few Christians out there who aren't with Mr. Bush. They would take us back into the 14th century if they can.
Good luck to you.
Dianne Maire | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-23 - 09:02 | #

Great post! Yes, I wish every Christian Rightist would do the exercise you proposed...the one where the Islamic points are replaced by the terms "God" and "Christian." It would be eye-opening to put it mildly...LOL.
Diane R | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-23 - 11:55 | #

I wish every Christian Rightist would do the exercise you proposed

Excuse me?

When was the last time Christians flew planes into public buildings? The last time Christians blew up buses with kids in them? The last time Christians stoned a woman for letting more than her eyes show? And did so under the guise that God said it was good and just to do so?

This moral equivalence just rankles me. You see, there is no comparison between fundamental Islam and fundamental Christianity, unless you count the Inquisition and Crusades, and both happened centuries ago.

If you want to make a coherent argument about faults within Christianity today, then do so. And this comes from a lapsed Catholic. This particular post engages in sophistry.

When you see extremism on one particular side, why is it that the current knee-jerk reaction is to see extremism on another side? Does that excuse the extremism on either side? Especially when one extremism is more extreme than the other? Why is being "in the middle" some kind of virtue, instead of being a wishy-washy non-committal way of thinking?

Bloke,

What makes you think that fanatical Islamics constitute a minority? For example: please point out a large Muslim group in the Middle East that protests against fundamentalist Islam. How about a large Muslim group in the U.S. that protests against fundamentalist Islam? Yet there are many different views of Christianity, and Christians in this country don't need to worry about being executed for their differing beliefs.

Sir, I believe it's time to remove the rose-colored glasses. Idealism is great for some things, but not for this subject. It's time to look at this issue from a more realistic standpoint.

TV (Harry)
Inspector Callahan | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-27 - 11:30 | #

Inspector, thanks for your input. I appreciate hearing from you and your opinions. Allow me to provide a different perspective, albeit, one that is limited to my own experience and opinions. Nonetheless, I believe it is a perspective that needs to be heard and be considered.

I happen to grow up in a pre-dominantly Muslim country (Malaysia) and I know that in that country there are the moderate muslim ruling party which is progressive and modern and tolerant, and where respect, goodwill and trust are fostered among people of different religions, ethnicity and cultures. There is also a minority fundamentalist group that is not as tolerant and they are politically active. Among that fundamentalist group there are also sub-groups including those that are pro-militant, although I don't know any that are extremist like what we have experienced with the fanatics who bombed and kill others.

You are right. There have not been recently a Christian fundamentalist group that goes around flying into buildings etc. but there sure have been "Christian" fundamentalists who in the name of religion and God have lynched people based on race and other reasons, bombed clinics and bashed people out of hate, all in the name of God and religion.

It might be important to note that in the country that I grew up, Islamic fundamentalism wasn't as strong and as popular, say 25 years ago than it is now. They even won an entire State election a couple elections ago, but the ruling pre-domninantly moderate party wrestled the state back, I believe, I have been away too long - you might want to ask Messy Christian that.

My point is, whether it is Christian, or Islamic, or whatever, fundamentalism and fanaticism is dangerous, and it is probably very unhelpful to paint with such a broad brush those from the Islamic faith. I believe if we go along this track, we will drift into the same extremist views that we accuse the muslims of having.

Please note, I am speaking not just as a citizen, but primarily as an ambassador of Christ. I believe God has called us to a higher calling and we can and do get entangled in a distrorted form of nationalism if we fail to realize that we who are God follwers are still called to love those who are sworn enemies of the faith, or of our country. And, in that light, we have to divorce the country that we live in and love, from the faith that we hold dear. Our "enemies" may lump the two together, but we must never, never forget that they are separate.
TheBloke...in the Outer... | Email | Homepage | 2005-01-27 - 14:31 | #

Lets not forget that dreadfully sane peace loving "christian" America accounts for 48% of the worlds armaments trade.
It is the worlds biggest maker, owner, seller and user of weapons of all kinds, especially WMD's. It is now working on a new generation of nuclear weapons and has publicly stated that it reserves the right to use nukes.
I also read a report the other day re the USA research and production of biological weapons. Full scale ahead.
It has over 700 known foreign and several thousand homeland military bases and it most influential and powerful institution is the Pentagon death machine--Eisenhowers military-industrial complex.
The "culture" of death literally rules!
Please check out:

1. www.thirdworldtraveler.com

re the truth about "peace-loving" America.

Then check out these related sites which give a very sobering assessment of the world situation.

2. www.dabase.net/coop+tol.htm
3. www.coteda.com
John | Email | Homepage | 2006-12-27 - 18:20 | #