NationStates Jolt Archive

I don't mean to flame-bait this, but I am fairly curious about this.

If you consider yourself Communist and say that what Mao and Stalin (among others) did was not Communism, that they were not Communist, couldn't a Christian say that what the Crusaders and Inquisition did was not Christian and were not Christian?

Because these two things are oft cited (among other things) as the top reasons religion (or Chrisitianity) is a bad or evil thing, would that not mean, then, that either:

A-Religion is not an opiate of the masses.
B-Communism and Religion are both opiates of the masses.
C-Something else. (Explain.)

I never said Crusades were an example of Christianity in action, just what could be done under the banner of christianity (same as Stalin and communism).

I dont get youre opiate of the masses point. What we say is that christianity is like an opiate in that people dont really care about how fucked up the world is- the bible says that the world is fucked, accept it, then go to heaven. Lovely. Except it makes people passive in the face of injustice.

I never said Crusades were an example of Christianity in action, just what could be done under the banner of christianity (same as Stalin and communism).

I dont get youre opiate of the masses point. What we say is that christianity is like an opiate in that people dont really care about how fucked up the world is- the bible says that the world is fucked, accept it, then go to heaven. Lovely. Except it makes people passive in the face of injustice.

I'm not trying to make a point. Only asking questions.

I'm not trying to make a point. Only asking questions.
I know, Im just saying that you've got why regard christianity as being the "Opiate of the masses" wrong. Not because the religion specifically causes brutalities, but people who are victims of brutalities won't try to fight back

I know, Im just saying that you've got why regard christianity as being the "Opiate of the masses" wrong. Not because the religion specifically causes brutalities, but people who are victims of brutalities won't try to fight back

That would be why I like Islam....

The crusades were in line with the teachings of the old testament.


If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods you have not known), then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. Destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. Gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. It is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt.

The crusades only failed to fulfil the word of God because most of the Middle East has since been rebuilt.

Btw, I am not a communist.

I don't mean to flame-bait this, but I am fairly curious about this.

If you consider yourself Communist and say that what Mao and Stalin (among others) did was not Communism, that they were not Communist, couldn't a Christian say that what the Crusaders and Inquisition did was not Christian and were not Christian?

Because these two things are oft cited (among other things) as the top reasons religion (or Chrisitianity) is a bad or evil thing, would that not mean, then, that either:

A-Religion is not an opiate of the masses.
B-Communism and Religion are both opiates of the masses.
C-Something else. (Explain.)
This week I have been arguing with several catholics, and a recurring theme appears to be their belief that nothing a pope has ever done was wrong. Now I don't know about the inquistion, but the crusades were definatly certified by the pope, which means Catholics still agree the crusades were right, where as no communist I know says stalin and mao were.

This week I have been arguing with several catholics, and a recurring theme appears to be their belief that nothing a pope has ever done was wrong. Now I don't know about the inquistion, but the crusades were definatly certified by the pope, which means Catholics still agree the crusades were right, where as no communist I know says stalin and mao were.
This is a very commonly misunderstood part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Pope's infallibility only extends to solemn declarations by the Pope under "extraordinary Magisterium" or encyclicals that he publishes.
It DOES NOT extend to:
-personal opinions ie. the weather or sports scores
-matters of Church discipline ie. disciplining disobedient Clergy, investing church funds, or political actions
-his teachings as a private theologian ie. private revelations, personal opinions on Church affairs