Lee Moses
In the aftermath of 9-11 and subsequent terror attacks, there have been many efforts from those in power to avert the finger of blame from pointing at the Islamic religion and their holy book, the Qur’an. Some have claimed that Islam is a “religion of peace,” and therefore not responsible for influencing the conduct of these and other countless Muslim terrorists. Others have tried to say that all religions are equally bad. Professed Christians, apparently in an effort to make a show of charity, have asserted that Christianity has been just as guilty as Islam in promoting terrorism. Atheists, however, have used the events of 911 as an opportunity to gloat. Many atheists have claimed that all religion is evil and will continue to result in evil, citing 9-11 as proof. One article advocating this notion asserts, “Faith is dangerous.”
Predictably, those trying to say that Christianity is equally evil with Islam will point to such events as the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, and such like as proof. But were any of these prompted by Christianity, the system of religion? The basis of true Christianity is the New Testament, and any Christian activity must be authorized by the New Testament (Col. 3:17; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3). There is no New Testament authority for anyone to wage a “holy war” in the name of Jesus. Contrarily, when Peter attempted to engage in physical combat for Jesus, Jesus told him, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52). The New Testament instructs each believer to “suffer as a Christian” (1 Pet. 4:16), not “as a Christian, cause others to suffer.” Time and again, the New Testament instructs mankind not to retaliate in vengeance; much less does it encourage physically attacking others unprovoked (Matt. 5:38-44; Luke 9:52-56; Rom. 12:17,19; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 2:23; 3:9). Meting out justice upon earth is a charge which has been specifically enjoined upon civil governments (Rom. 13:1-4). Christianity is a religion which is impossible to impose upon another by physical force, and nowhere does the New Testament encourage such. Those who have claimed to be doing God’s will by slaying unbelievers merely act in their own self interest. The Crusades were supposedly to reclaim the “holy land” from the Turks; however, there is no physical holy land in Christianity—only a spiritual holy land (John 4:21-24). The Crusades likely appealed to the masses as an opportunity to plunder great fortunes during a time of famine in Europe, and appealed to pope Urban II as an opportunity to increase the power and prestige of the papacy.
The previously-mentioned article (“Faith is Dangerous”) derives the following as its final conclusion:
Peaceful coexistence with tolerance between Islamic and the western pro-Christian peoples would be considerably enhanced if both societies would reject faith-based thinking and adopt pro-fact cultures using the scientific method with emphasis on critical thinking supported by verifiable evidence…Blind faith is the problem. Faith is promoted by religious clerics to prevent inquiry and rational thinking in order to protect insupportable religious dogma. Faith is an obstacle in the way of intellectual growth, tolerance and consequently, world peace.
This statement would be true if the writer did not interchangeably use “faith” and “blind faith.” Blind faith is a belief/system of belief which cannot be supported because it is not based on evidence. If people would only understand that true faith (Christianity) depends upon verifiable evidence! (Acts 17:2,11; 18:4,19; Heb. 11:1; 1 John 4:1). True faith does not cause people to act irrationally. True faith does not cause people to murder one another. True faith can be proven, demands that people live righteously, and is the only way one can be saved. Is faith dangerous?
