Stalin, Ghengis Khan, Pol Pot, etc.
Shortcuts can lead to cliffs.
I’m not suggesting that there aren’t some terrible, terrible Christians out there too.
I’m afraid you’re going to have to spell that out for me.
I do kind of regret the Mongolian example though. It was interesting to find out about nestorianism & his religious tolerance.
You seem to already have half of it. Dschingis Khan has fought slavery and given the debate about nuclear bombs, used violence wisely.
Pol Pot, I don’t know if there is a reason to justify the killings.
Stalin, you can either go the way of his education, which means that his cruelty is rooted in a Christian upbringing. Or you could look at the disclosed CIA Stalin memo that reveals that most of his image is western propaganda. Or you could look at the decline after him and realize that whatever he did (or at least most of it) was necessary given the circumstances.
I would say that before you can become a Christian you first have to realize that you aren’t a good person, but if you call yourself a Christian and say you are a good person, you are neither.
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” — 1 Timothy 1:15, NIV
Then you can’t hold someone who says they are a Christian accountable for the actions of other people who say they are Christian. Nor does the descriptor “Christian” tell you anything about a person other than the fact that they say they are a Christian.
Afterall, someone who believes there is no God, and that it’s fine to torture, rape, and kill anytime your feel like, is a Christian as long as they say they are.
if someone says they are christian, they are. I look at this person and see a perfect example of a religious person.
My Dad had a saying I always really liked.
“You don’t have to be a Christian to be a good person and you don’t have to be a good person to call yourself a Christian.”
not being a christian is a great shortcut to being a better person.
Stalin, Ghengis Khan, Pol Pot, etc. Shortcuts can lead to cliffs.
I’m not suggesting that there aren’t some terrible, terrible Christians out there too.
Look closer. At least two of them don’t make the point you want to make.
I’m afraid you’re going to have to spell that out for me.
I do kind of regret the Mongolian example though. It was interesting to find out about nestorianism & his religious tolerance.
edit: an extra full.stop.
You seem to already have half of it. Dschingis Khan has fought slavery and given the debate about nuclear bombs, used violence wisely.
Pol Pot, I don’t know if there is a reason to justify the killings.
Stalin, you can either go the way of his education, which means that his cruelty is rooted in a Christian upbringing. Or you could look at the disclosed CIA Stalin memo that reveals that most of his image is western propaganda. Or you could look at the decline after him and realize that whatever he did (or at least most of it) was necessary given the circumstances.
Leaving the church is one of the more Christian things one can do
I would say that before you can become a Christian you first have to realize that you aren’t a good person, but if you call yourself a Christian and say you are a good person, you are neither.
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” — 1 Timothy 1:15, NIV
Then you can’t hold someone who says they are a Christian accountable for the actions of other people who say they are Christian. Nor does the descriptor “Christian” tell you anything about a person other than the fact that they say they are a Christian.
Afterall, someone who believes there is no God, and that it’s fine to torture, rape, and kill anytime your feel like, is a Christian as long as they say they are.