No, not at all. Some Christians take certain passages to impose pacifism. The bulk of Christians throughout history do not. -----Original Message----- From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andreas Ramos Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 10:51 AM To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: The de-islamization of Europe So Lawrence is saying that Christianity is correctly understood as "militant Christianity"? And the "militant" isn't a metaphor? Is this what he means? yrs, andreas www.andreas.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:18 AM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: The de-islamization of Europe > Ursula: > > > > Most Christians would agree with what I've written. Only a small minority > believes Christianity is pacifistic and that by reading passages in a > Fundamentalist (Literalist) manner that was never intended by the author. > Your "flight of fancy" assertion assumes (whether or not you know it) that > this minority of Christians has the right interpretation and the majority is > engaged in a false interpretation. > > > > Lawrence > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] > On Behalf Of Ursula Stange > Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:12 AM > To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: The de-islamization of Europe > > > > A fine flight of fancy, Lawrence. I suppose if you're going to both > > believe in war and in Christ's teaching, you'd have to be this creative. > > Ursula > > impressed in North Bay > > > > Lawrence Helm wrote: > > > >> > >> Insofar as your Biblical Analysis is concerned, you seem to take a > >> Literalist or Fundamentalist approach in order to be dismissive of > >> Christianity. The slapping of the cheek was considered an insult, not > >> a personal attack. To understand what is being taught by Jesus, you > >> need to understand the customs and history - or have someone explain > >> it to you. This is not a pacifistic teaching. Jesus is teaching that > >> we should not respond angrily to insults. Since Jesus allowed himself > >> to be insulted far more than any of us is likely to be, shall we take > >> offense at the insults we receive? Is a servant more important than > >> his master? We are encouraged to use Jesus as our example, Jesus "Who, > >> being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something > >> to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a > >> servant. . . Phil 2:6-7. > >> > >> > >> Lawrence > >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.17.3/642 - Release Date: 1/20/2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html