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From: jonw@azure.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: RE: Why attack Christianity?
Message-ID: <2638@azure.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 24-Mar-84 20:30:51 EST
Article-I.D.: azure.2638
Posted: Sat Mar 24 20:30:51 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 26-Mar-84 07:42:23 EST
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 45

<>
 > Ah, now here is a prime example of a very common mistake. If someone
 > claims to belong to a certain group of people then everything that
 > person does must be representative of the beliefs of that group. WRONG!
 > People join groups sometimes for their own selfish and evil purposes. 

This sounds suspiciously like the old "but they're not REAL Christians" excuse.
But, anyway, this is irrelevant because my original article did not propose 
attacking the average, individual Christian or even Jesus Christ; it was a 
criticism of the institution of Christianity.

 > The evils perpetrated by
 > twisted, power hungry people cannot rationally be blamed on Christ as
 > anyone who has bothered to find out what Christianity is really all
 > about would know. 

So who blamed Christ for anything?  I don't believe there is enough historical
evidence to establish that Christ ever really existed, so I would be the last
person to blame Him for anything.

 > Bitter people need someone to blame all the troubles of the
 > world on, they blame God because there is war, famine, etc. - but fail
 > to thankful for all the good that is in their lives. If there is a god
 > to blame for evil then it it the God of Evil (a.k.a. Satan, or call him
 > what you like). 

Again, who's blaming God for anything?  However, if the Christian God exists,
I would certainly blame Him for creating Satan while knowing in perfect detail
all the suffering of innocents that would result.

 > I have been told that it is the goal of every Christian to become more
 > Christ-like. This is how I determine if someone is sincere. Jesus did
 > not go around preaching hell-fire and damnation. He preferred to talk
 > of life.  

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it Jesus who introduced the concept of
Hell?  I don't believe that Hell was ever mentioned in the Old Testament.

It is clear to me that the person who posted the above comments missed my point
entirely.  I was giving my reasons for criticizing the INSTITUTION of
Christianity.  (However, I do admit that it is hard to separate the institution
from certain individuals who originated and have perpetuated the institution.)

			Jon White
			[decvax|ucbvax]!tektronix!tekmdp!azure!jonw