Congolese and Rwandan children, victims of the fighting
and genocide. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A Christian clergyman, Emanuel Uwayezu, has been arrested in Italy for "complicity" in acts of genocide in Rwanda.
Uwayezu is accused of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity. It's believed he encouraged members of the Hutu tribe to attack and kill members of the Tutsis tribe.
Emanuel Uwayezu has been living in Italy since 1997 under an alias. For the last 12 years he's been working as a vicar at the Church of Empoli near Florence.
Could it be that "Reverend" Uwayezu got his example to promote genocide from the Bible? We all know that actions speak louder than words. At Exodus11:7 we see the Bible god (I don't believe that God, the Creator of the Universe, had/has anything to do with the Bible) taking the first step required for genocide by telling Moses he "puts a difference between the Egyptians and Israel." This is in line with Deuteronomy 7:6 in which the writers of the Bible have their Bible god saying the Hebrews are "above all people that are upon the face of the earth." This false sense of superiority can only bring about violence, death and genocide as we see in the Middle East today.
Not only do we see the Bible god telling Moses he favors Israel over Egypt, prior to that statement, at Exodus 11:4-6 the Bible god speaks through Moses and says that about midnight he will kill all the firstborn in Egypt, from the Pharaoh on the throne to the "maidservent that is behind the mill." Not content with just killing thousands and thousands of children and adults, the Bible god says he will also kill the firstborn of the animals, as well! And to show there is no need to have a reason for killing, Exodus 11:10 explains that the Bible god "hardened Pharaoh's heart" so he would not do what was being demanded of him, to let the Hebrews go. It seems the Bible god was just set on genocide and nothing was going to change that.
Deuteronomy 3:3 gives another great example of genocide for clergymen to follow. It has the Israelis saying, "So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: we smote him until none was left of him remaining." Then at 3:6 the Israelis boast, "And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city."
There are many other cases on genocide in the Bible. Based on the Bible, I can see where Jews and Christians would think that genocide is just another tool of their Bible god.
Comments
I'm curious. If you believe in God, but don't believe in the God of the Bible, then what do you base your belief on? If you are only basing it on what you want God to be like, that's not much authority for faith. God is supposed to be greater than us, someone we answer to. To claim you don't believe in a God simply because you don't like the press He gets is the epitomy of arrogance. If there is a God Who is Creator of all things, then all things answer to Him, and not the other way around. Either you believe in God, and accept there are parts that you don't understand, or you believe in a grand cosmic genie that's only there for granting wishes you can't do your own self.
Rwanda genocide
Why do you refer to Emanuek Uwayeze, as a Christian when he is a Roman Catholic priest. Catholics are NOT Christians and Christians are not Roman Catholics. In same like manner Jews are NOT Muslims and Muslims are Not Jews. Evangelical Christians are Not Roman Catholics, and Roman Catholics are Not Evangelical Christians. When will this confusion end? Each and every religion are seperate and apart from each other, in Creed Ritual,Doctrines and structure. If Catholics wish to be Christians, then they must first convert to Christianity.By this I mean they must leave their mysteries, rituals, doctrines, and papal authority, far behind, and acknowledge God as His own sole Supreme Authority, and His Son Jesus as Savior.Anything short of this is not Christianity, but bogus claims and outright deception.
Just because some gullible, superstitious people centuries ago proclaimed the bible to be the word of God, does not make it so. We can see the beauty of the universe and feel the presence of God without having to rely on a book(and a rather poorly written one)to reveal the Creator to us. Yes, God is a mystery to us in many ways, but reading a book of ancient pagan myths will not bring us any more spiritual enlightenment.
I think some of the comments listed here are classic case of selective quotation of the Bible. God loves all nations equally and all are his children. God judges all nations in fairness. Even Israel was no exception. As far as Egypt and Israel are concerned, Israel was indeed a nation chosen specially for God's purpose. That does not mean that God loves them more than others or shows favoritism.
We see in the Book of Isaiah God calling Egypt as his own people. Isaiah 19:25
As far as claiming to understand God from the Universe and Nature. Well, Nature can reveal God's Power. It can never reveal his character. We can never know that God is Love by observing the natural world.
Well as far as blaming the Christian faith for the actions of a war criminal. It does not appear logical. Like blaming Mathematics for the murder committed by a Maths professor.
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