Yesterday Evangelical Pat Robertson claimed Islam is not a religion but a violent political system on his television program, The 700 Club. Robertson made the remarks while discussing the recent tragedy at Fort Hood. Robertson used the opportunity to disparage the entire Islamic religion because of the actions of one man.
Robertson's remarks are at once both ludicrous and hypocritical. It is ludicrous to paint an entire group of people as violent terrorists because of the action of a small minority within that group. Robertson is hypocritical because Christianity can be every bit as violent, ugly and despicable as Islam. One need only look to the Westboro Baptist Church; or Scott Roeder's political assassination of Dr. George Tiller; or the Dominion movement, to which Robertson has a direct connection; to see the analogy between Christianity and Islam.
Fundamentalism of any kind is dangerous. Robertson's Evangelical Christianity is every bit as ugly, ignorant and irrational as any Islamic fundamentalist. Both are terrorists of the intellect and spirit. Demanding their followers abandon reason for faith, both represent a fundamental flaw in human nature that must be overcome.
Comments
He's been off his trolly for a long time. If you read the BASIC pillars or tennants (sp?) of Islam, it shares the same basic principles as Christianity. We are not all so very different. There are bad people in every religion...Pat demonstrates that on a regular basis.
Maybe Mr.Stone should actually educate himself on Islam before writing such a ludicrous article. Comparing the Westboro Baptist Church (sickening) and the assassination of one person to the worldwide problem of violent Islam, shows us just how little Mr. Stone knows about the issue.
Christians are not on a worldwide movement trying to subjugate the world under a set of barbaric religious laws. Come into reality sir.
Mr. Stone, please start your education.
Islam 101: The Religion of War
http ://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2009/10/islam-101-religion-of-war_05.html
http ://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/
BTW, Islam is a religion and a political system combined. Have you done any research at all?
Cherrie, under Islam Jesus comes back to destroy Christianity.
Islam also calls for Muslims to fight and kill Jews to reach judgement day. They are not the same.
What Islam Really Says About Jesus and his Return
http ://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-islam-really-says-about-jesus-and.html
I really do not much care if Robertson thinks Islam is "real" or not, none of these stupid superstitions are real, Get used to this reality: We live in a godless universe and we are on our own and we can either kill each other over stupid things like "faith" or we can learn to coexist. Anybody who still talks to their invisible friend past the age of about 9 needs to be in assisted living somewhere.
@Cherrie:
and most of the KKK were christians. Your point?
Islam(muslims) versus Kufir (the rest of us). The christians were forced by a secular government, and by the enslaved peoples, to reject first slavery and then apartheid.
Islam tells the muslims that they are the superior 'whites' and the rest are the inferior 'blacks' (in arabic:kufir).
The Quor'an says they will eventually subjugate us and we shall pay them 'insurance' in order to stay alive.
There are, as you say, bad people in every religion. Not every religion runs countries of millions of racists. Islam does.
I'd like to point out that the crescent and star originated in Shamanic Siberia thousands of years before Christianism made it the symbol of Islam.
Wasn't there an attack on Universalist Unitarian Church full of children by a Dominionist Dittohead not too long ago?
Didn't Robertson say that Katrina was God's punishment on New Orlean's blacks for their satan worshipping voodoo?
islam is a vile religion, its a fact, its actually a movement for world domination.
facts
-mohammed married Aisha when she was 6 years old and mohammed was 57 years old. He entered her or brought her to his house at the age of 8 years and 9 months (PEDOPHILLIA)
-Mohammed married his own adapted son's wife, he made his son divorce his wife so he could marry Zinayab. This is INCEST today
Go open the koran if you think I lie or go into these sites to see the horrors of islam
www.faithFreedom.org
www.TheReligionOfPeace.com
www.TheThirdJihad.com
Yo, Pat,
Why Islam is not a religion?
Coz it showed you and your likes as who you truly are = Manicheans disguised as Christians = NOT Monotheists -
For when you and your ilk equate Jesus with the One God of Abraham you end up positing TWO GODS - One is GOOD = your Sweet_Jeezus_God - the other is the Evil God = your? Satan whom you and your ilk are so fond of talking about -
In short, what does not look like your Jeezus_God you deem it to be of the Devil - be it Muslim or Buddhist, etc. -
For those interested in Christian Monotheism as opposed to Pat's and his likes Christotheism, here is a MUST READ book:
Radical Monotheism and Western Culture?
Helmut Richard Niebuhr
Can be found at Google's books -
If there are so many "good people" in the Islamic faith, then why don't we hear them speaking out in large numbers when fellow Muslims commit such haneous acts? This is why so many (Christians, atheists, Jews, etc) are angry. We keep hearing "radical" Islam is a small minority but we do not hear the large majority agreeing in with the rest of the world to stop the violence. I believe so-called moderate Muslims are afraid to speak out because they understand the risk to their personal safety by their brothers and sisters in the faith.
John
I was going to make a comment, but it turned out that I couldn't fit everything I wanted to say in this box. Ah, well, that's life. I need to be less wordy anyway. But I did respond to the article and some of the readers' comments on the Sacramento Baha'i Examiner site. (Shameless plug, I know. But our section manager said we could comment on our fellow Examiners' stories!)
Thank you, Mr. Stone, for writing such an interesting and provocative article!
I would say to every christian who look us (MOSLEMS) like
terrorists!!! I dont know how we are terrorists! while we
aren't killing every day alot of moslems in Iraq or
Afghanistan I think you are terroristS becuase you are
doing that every second !! you well say ,you(MOSLEMS)who
did attacks of 11.9.
First I think it isn't truth perhaps you did for that to
take a reason for war on Afghanistan then on Iraq just for
money (black gold) second IF we did that we would have right for that;;YOU ARE KILLING us LIKE ANIMALS THEN ,WHAT ARE YOU WAITING us TO DO ??? TO COME WITH A PEACE DOVE !!!
Well said Pat!
The acts of "one man" - are you nuts?????
Christianity is a day at the beach with cold chicken compared to radical Islam. You are just goofy.
Pat is absolutely right on this issue. Anyone who thinks that believers in Jesus Christ are the same as believers in the tenants of Islam simply don't know either.
Nonsense. Although I am an Atheist, this poorly reasoned article forces me to defend Pat Robertson. It is clear from the video that Pat did not accuse the entire muslim population (You LIE, MR. Stone). Pat did, however, attack the islamic belief system. That Mr. Stone, is absolutely fair, especially in light of all the violent and barbaric teachings violent islamists can easily, easily (did I say easily?) use to justify their barbaric acts, such as stoning adulterers, whipping fornicators, killing ex-muslims for the 'crime' of leaving islam, amputation for theft, child brides (mohammed had regular sex with a 9 year old child - according to reliable islamic scripture), et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseum et cetera. You, Mr. Stone are a tool of political correctness, which will be responsible for many other deaths until we finally wake up and call a spade a spade.
This article is obviously written by an idiot. I am not a very religious person, but I am educated and a thinker, and I know that Christians like Robertson are not running around all over the world killing people ! I have to applaud Pat Robertson for being one of the few people that is not afraid to speak the truth as he knows it, and not blabber politically correct baloney.
Radical Islam kills and destroys - thanks for the truth, Pat.
I agree with Pat. You do not hear or read about Christians blowing themselves up, and especially blowing up innocent women and children. You do not hear or read about Chritians putting women in second class status. You do not see Christians destroying persons or property because they do not like some picture or cartoon which would be an insult to Jesus. You do not hear about Christians declaring death against someone who converts to another faith. We know that only the Lord should and will take revenge. Jesus is the only perfect one. Everyone else subject to emotional human flaws, is a fake.
Indeed, those in the Army and across the Government should indeed be held to account for the actions of Hasan. Radical Islam and PC killed and injured dozens last week. Time for GEN Casey to resign.
Consider this:
if the dominant economic power was primarily islamic and the poorer, often wartorn, yet resource rich countries were christian, do you think the christian extremists would sit back and watch the 700 club with a bible as their beer coaster? my money is on them grabbing their rifles and declaring a crusade on the oppressive power.
obviously there's no accurate speculation, but perhaps the only difference between fundamentalist islam and fundamentalist christianity is who is comfortably seated atop of whom.
Pat Robertson is right. Islam is a huge cult and no one willsay it. Anytime a group of people are not given the freedom to even think for themselves it is a CULT. And Islam is a violent cult.
The same thing could be said for Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses...they both cults as well.
I see Jihad Denial Syndrome is alive and well
Pat Robertson does not speak for me; the term 'religion' as in any human label can be broadened or narrowed to fit the user's purpose. Even 'cults' are religions. Religion is something every human being practices, whether it is focused on a Deity or not. The problem arises when either the practicing or observing party fails to correctly identify the object of faith. Having worked with and for some wonderful Muslim people, I feel confident they would tell you, that terrorist who claim Islam are practicing a different religion, just as some who are called Christian.
Cut the crap... Why is Islam involved nearly every world conflict?
"Robertson made the remarks while discussing the recent tragedy at Fort Hood. Robertson used the opportunity to disparage the entire Islamic religion because of the actions of one man."
is as ridiculous as saying the Islamic are not responsible for the majority of terrorism..
God? God = Excuse for many to kill
God?
God...
Get your Jihad on! The Limey and Frog fairies in Europe rolled over and played dead for the "religion of peace," but I hope and pray that the good ol' US of A will be the last bastion for the defense of sanity in this imperfect world - we won't go down without another civil war - and that also goes for the Islamist and Commie sympathizers that are currently in control of Washington.
The Truth beaters that compare Islamist apologetics to Christian Fanatic Monstrosities (sic -like there ain't one nut among us)are insane. No way does the later half of Mohamed's life after Medina compare with the later portion of the Life and teachings of Jesus Christ. When I run out of cheeks for you to slap, you WILL get a righteous outrage: in no way does a humble spirit lack backbone.
The snakes that tap the Spirit "side ways" will get what they ask for.
You tell them Pat !!
Pat could not be more correct. Mohammad was a despicable human being and Islam is a radial ideology filled with ignorant hate. God bless you Pat!!
"...disparage the entire Islamic religion because of the actions of one man"
Just ONE man? Major Asan must be busy guy because if it is just "one" man committing all of these heinous acts in the name of Islam, he has apparently been all over the world bombing people, shooting Thai and Philippino farmers, cutting off aid-worker's heads, handing people for being gay, gang raping woman in Sweden and UK, throwing acid in school girls faces, killing daughters for "honor," cutting off heads for apostasy, shooting rockets into schools, burning Christians out of their homes, kidnapping children in India and "converting" them, etc. etc. Maj Hasan must be Allah himself to be able to put himself in so many places at the same time. He must be really old too, because he has apparently been at it for 1400 years. The US Army should learn how to harness this superpower for itself rather than being attacked by it.
One man, right.
I've never seen so many characterizations in just three short paragraphs. Here is another one: "It is ludicrous to paint an entire group of people as violent terrorists because of the action of a small minority within that group"
Robertson didn't say ANYTHING about a group of people (i.e. Muslims), he only talked about Islam as a system, and on the score of Islam he is absolutely correct. Just like all Germans weren't Nazi's and all Russians weren't communists, so too not every Muslim is a terrorist.
"Christianity can be every bit as violent, ugly and despicable as Islam." and "Robertson's Evangelical Christianity is every bit as ugly, ignorant and irrational as any Islamic fundamentalist."
A more false statement has hardly ever been written. In your next sentence you use the word "reason," which is ironic because your writing exhibits none, whatsoever. Faith aside,any rational,objective,empirical study of the facts and history of Islam would never allow you to draw the conclusion that it's in some way morally equivalent to Christianity (or any other major religion, for that matter)
IF Robertson uses his TV program or speeches to invoke his followers to kill non-believers, says it is okay to kill people who longer follow him, uses his church to store ammunition and bombs, plots acts to kill thousands of innocents, asks his followers to stone a lady or calls for the death of the Jews, then you may have a point. Till that time, not likely.
Pat your just another rat no better then those radical muslims, your teaching hate you non sinful christian you. Any smart person understands in between the lines in the word you say your a terroist in the words and chracter you perceive. You should be a loving person and forgive doesnt that what your bible says, but instead your blaming a whole religionfor some acts of some people,what do you call tim the oklohoma bomber a good christian. Your the radical preaching the same. You are no better than a muslim. I put you in the same category as terroist, but in words building the christian army to be against muslims. All I have to say to you and your peers. Muslims are here to stay untill our blood runs through the cracks of this earth. This is my country just has much it is yours. Where here to stay.
I clicked on some of your other articles and it looks like you've got a one track mind when it comes to Christianity. No problem though, because Christians are not COMMANDED by their scripture to kill you for your views and you live in a nation that has a Christian tradition and moral code. Here is my suggestion in order for you to test your Christianity/Islam equivalency theory: go to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Luton (just threw that one in), Pakistan, etc. and write about how much you don't like Islam. If you are still alive after one year, please come back and tell us if you still believe they are the same.
And for your audience that believes in what pat say if you know your history the jews where one the begginers strapping them self in a bomb and committing suicide
Good for Pat for speaking the truth. Frankly, they can all go back to the regimes from which they came. They don't like our lifestyle? Go BACK!
Consider This said: "if the dominant economic power was primarily islamic and the poorer, often wartorn, yet resource rich countries were christian, do you think the christian extremists would sit back and watch the 700 club with a bible as their beer coaster? my money is on them grabbing their rifles and declaring a crusade on the oppressive power.
obviously there's no accurate speculation, but perhaps the only difference between fundamentalist islam and fundamentalist christianity is who is comfortably seated atop of whom."
And, why do you think they are poor and we are prosperous? Why have we have gone to the moon while they sit in caves? Why do you think we can lead relatively peaceful lives while theirs is marred by violence and oppression? We are that way because we have individual freedom. They are that way because their societies are are subjugated by a backwards system. You seem to have the cause and effect turned around.
It's frightening to read some of these messages. How small groups belonging to a religion act, is not based just on faith. But a confluence of socio-economic, political situations in combination with the unfortunate misinterpretation of faith. When the crusaders first took the holy land, their motto was 'kill them all, let God sort them out'. When Saladdin retook that land from them, he spared his enemies, and his motto was 'save them all, let God sort them out'. If anyone here can muster the patience to really learn history with an open-mind, you can see good and bad examples of any religion's followers doing horrendous things in the name of their religion. If you talk to Arab Christians (yes there are many): Lebanon is about 40%, Syria roughly 10%, West Bank 8%, Jordan 10%, none of them are too fond of the Crusaders.
pat is correct .... yes there have been fanatical christians too, but that was mostly in the middle ages.... the fact is that mainstream, not fringe muslims believe in jihad in one form or another, currently in the 21st century. the majority of muslims in western counties even want shariah law over the law of those particular western democracies ..... we should just nuke mecca
Even a complete imbecile like Pat Robertson can stumble on the truth every once in a while
MR ROBERTSON IS DEAD RIGHT THESE PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE OVER ARE GREAT COUNTRY IT IS A TURN KEY COUNTRY FOR THESE ANIMALS AMERICA WAKE UP AND FIGHT BACK THEY ARE HATE MONGERS ISLAM IS A VIOLENT CULT GET READY FOE WAR THEY ARE HERE AND READY TO SPREAD THERE JIHAD IN AMERICA
kidblast you so right wake up america we are at war right here in our backyard annie get your GUNS
How can people claim that islam is the true religion, when it allows horribly disparate interpretations of its most basic scriptures? How can a religion, which claims to be peaceful, be founded by a brutal warrior, himself incapable of resolving conflicts with awe inspiring solutions that would amaze the entire world? No. Instead of divinely brilliant acts, he resorted to what warriors of the time did best: bloodshed, violence, barbarism, misogyny.
That people of today's world will blindly follow such a revolting figure is a testament to how far the human race still needs to improve. What a long road lies in front of us all. However, we must continue the journey.
Consider This said: "if the dominant economic power was primarily islamic and the poorer, often wartorn, yet resource rich countries were christian, do you think the christian extremists would sit back and watch the 700 club with a bible as their beer coaster? my money is on them grabbing their rifles and declaring a crusade on the oppressive power.
obviously there's no accurate speculation, but perhaps the only difference between fundamentalist islam and fundamentalist christianity is who is comfortably seated atop of whom."
And, why do you think they are poor and we are prosperous? Why have we have gone to the moon while they sit in caves? Why do you think we can lead relatively peaceful lives while theirs is marred by violence and oppression? We are that way because we have individual freedom. They are that way because their societies are are subjugated by a backwards system. You seem to have the cause and effect turned around.
People may discriminate, but I guess ignorance and discrimination itself does not...the real hate monger is Pat Robertson, what an imbecile and a demagogue
Pat Robertson said publicly what almost everyone says privately. Islam is a violent supremacist ideology. When people believe that they should rule the world, our tolerance or wishful reinvention of Islam means nothing to them.
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