Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: kilroy@cs.umd.edu (Darren F. Provine) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Tools of the Antichrist (was `Sola Scriptura') Message-ID: Date: 26 Jul 90 06:39:32 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 35 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In an earlier article, Joe Buehler asked how the Antichrist would be able to use the Roman Catholic Church to achieve his ends. I suggested that if the Antichrist could trick Christians into disgracing themselves, that would prevent many others from becoming Christians; a reasonable goal for someone called `the Antichrist'. Further, I offered some examples of disgraceful crimes committed in the name of Christ, suggesting that perhaps we've _already_ been deceived on a few occasions. (My examples included the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition, but I specifically disclaimed the idea that the RCC is the only culpable Christian sect.) In reply, Joe has asked: > >Darren: I am curious. What do you want to found society on? What should >be the standard of what is good and evil, what is lawful and unlawful? Which seems totally irrelevant: why does it matter what society is founded on, if Christians engage in behaviour which brings nothing but disgrace to our Lord? Getting back on track, let me try illustrating it this way: There is no record that Jesus told his disciples to go out and take charge of governments; there is no record that Jesus told his disciples to go out and oppress people who did not believe; there is no record that Jesus wanted his followers to engage in pogroms slaughtering thousands. Since there is no record that Christ wanted us to do those things, who do you suppose did? kilroy@cs.umd.edu Darren F. Provine ...uunet!mimsy!kilroy "Christian, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely- inspired book, admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor." -- Ambrose Bierce, _The Devil's Dictionary_