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From: barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: If the shoe fits...
Message-ID: <900@ames.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Mar-85 15:06:18 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.900
Posted: Mon Mar 25 15:06:18 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 29-Mar-85 02:58:28 EST
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Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
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[]

	I number of people have asked why Christians on the net have
been unwilling to criticize Don Black for the nonsense he's been posting.
I think the reason is obvious: the Christians are obeying the Eleventh
Commandment - "Thou shalt not speak ill of thy fellow Christians when
non-believers are present". Christians are not the only group which follow
such a solidarity rule, and the rest of us should not be too quick to
assume that silence implies tacit agreement. But I'd like to point out
a couple of things to those Christians who are following this unwritten
law. Consider the following quote from one of Black's articles:

>For example, why is it that Billy Graham has no 
>problem preaching in the Soviet Union?  Is it because the Soviets really do 
>have freedom of religion?  More than likely they know he'll go back to the US 
>and preach the wonders of the Soviet nation.

	Clearly, no one has told Black about the Eleventh Commandment.

	Net.religion has echoed again and again with the pained cries
of Christians who insist that the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc., are
not examples of *real* Christianity. Well, my friends, we now have Mr.
Black as a contemporary example of the kind of thinking (and I use the
term loosely) which led to these atrocities. If you want to show the
rest of us that these attitudes play no part in your religion, Mr. Black
has given you an excellent opportunity. If not, that's your privelege,
but, please, don't act so surprised when you're then lumped in with the
"Kill for Christ" Christians. Consider, also, that it's *your* religion
being dragged through the gutter by Black's diatribes; why should the
rest of us make a distinction, if you are unwilling to do so?
	Granted, your silence does not prove agreement; but history will
make the same judgment of those who stand by with *silent* disapproval of
hatred and bigotry, as of those who dance around the burning crosses.
	You will be known by the company you keep.

	P.S. to Bob Brown - I'm glad to see at least one Christian was
willing to speak up, judging by the quote Black extracted from one of
your articles (I missed the original posting). How do you feel about
the deafening silence from the rest of the flock?

-  From the Crow's Nest  -                      Kenn Barry
                                                NASA-Ames Research Center
                                                Moffett Field, CA
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