Really? Then why did Jesus say "Think not that I am come to send peace: I
came not to send peace but a sword," or "But those mine enemies, which would
not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me,"
or "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth... and men gather them into
the fire, and they are burned" (a quote that was particularly popular among
members of the Inquisition).
Or consider the following quote: "The Son of man [Jesus himself] shall send
forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that
offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of
fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42)
How does one define "things that offend"? A Crusader in the 11th century
would define that as a Muslim living in Jerusalem. Some modern Christians
would define that as an atheist, or a homosexual, or an abortion doctor. And
a few have apparently taken it upon themselves to do the job of the
aforementioned
angels.
And what about slavery? Jesus said "And that servant [slave], which knew his
lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall
be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:47) Jesus apparently had no problem
with slavery -- or with the beating of disobedient slaves. Little wonder that
slaveholders, all the way up to Abraham Lincoln's day, believed that they were
being perfectly good Christians.
_____________________________________________________________
| Russell Stewart |
| http://www.rt66.com/diamond/ |
|_____________________________________________________________|
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | diamond@rt66.com |
|_____________________________|_______________________________|
2 + 2 = 5, for very large values of 2.