Greg Martin
preference that they
I think you're quite right actually. Evangelicals are just one small step away from full blown cultists, IMHO.
I've learned to appreciate other cultures as a result of exposure to fundamentalist westerners. Its hard to characterise people from moslem countries as necessarily being culturally backward when they devote themselves to fundamentalism when in fact many westerners are just the same. The "holy book" changes depending on which country you're in and the name of the cleric changes but I've heard the same anti western preaching coming from Christian preachers as one supposedly hears in mosques.
They're not calling for holy war with the US infidels and urging the congregation to go martyr themselves (though in some cases the call to evangelise in certain countries amounts to that), but the preacher on monday night covered many of the same themes:
* Secular culture is corrupt and "carnal". night. * Exposure to this 24-7 plantardment of love turns people into rapists or serial persons like Ted Bundy. * Seeking good pay, education, a nice house and car and other materialist thiings prized by secular people is "carnality" and will be punished with eternal damnation. In the sermon the preacher used the story of Lot and his wife in Sodom and Gomorrah, their big mistake was to settle in the city and become successful merchants, if they'd stayed in a tent and herded goats so they would be available to God at short notice none of the unfortunate events (like Lot's wife being turned into salt and Lot getting his daughters knocked up) that followed need have happened.
I heard "praise Jesus" and similar comments shouted at least as often as one would expect to hear "allah o akbar" at a fiery islamic sermon.
Can religion turn people into ignorant intolerant lunatics who will stop at nothing to have their will forced on others and convert their world to their religion? yes it can, and often does.
Family First Party 4203B J Foster Tell that to my brother who just came top of his clbutt in bible college and is already well...
Can it happen with supposedly well educated westerners? yes, absolutely!
Does the Bible (or Koran) contain pbuttages which a fanatic can use to justify acts of religious extremism? yes! (It also contains pbuttages which can be used to justify tolerance, people just use whichever pbuttage they like to justify whatever they like. The bible and Koran have ample contradictions to serve any given agenda.
e.g.
Should we hate and kill gays?
Leviticus 20:13 says yes, and it will be their fault not yours that you have to kill them. "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to rest; their blood shall be upon them."
On the other hand there is Matthew 7:1 and Luke 6:37 say "judge not, lest ye be judged" and John 8:7 "let he who is without sin cast the first stone".
There is plenty of scope in there for a person to choose just what view they want to take on this.
Travis
