I do, but my point was that the belief matters and so do the actions taken. I was responding to the blanket statement from mags about giving respect to those willing to die for their beliefs. Well, over modern history there are many instances where people were willing to die for their beliefs but that shouldn't equate to respect. Drinking poisoned koolaid over belief in ones religion doesn't garner my respect, but a shake of the head for being so gullible. Some beliefs matter and some don't. The overreaching idea that just being willing to die for ones belief isn't enough for respect from me, the belief, history of that belief, correctness of that belief, actions taken by people with and without that belief all come into play.
Well, unless they're gay. Or "living in sin". Or pot smokers. Or Atheists. Or scientists. Or any religion other than Christian. Christians helping non-Christians occurs only as a coercive device for recruitment. It has been my lifelong experience that Atheists are the kindest, most caring humans on Earth.
There is no "right side" to wars, as wars are simply an agreement by all willing participants to set morality aside and slaughter each other in ways so heinous it would make Jeffrey Dahmer gag. Wars are circular, having no sides save inside and outside. If you're inside a war, you're on the wrong side.
If they cared, they'd help American families who are homeless and starving rather than turn their backs on them in favor of more mentally-pliable third-worlders. Recruitment and brainwashing, nothing more. Pray to my god and I'll give you a bowl of rice for your starving child. Pray to my god tomorrow and I'll give you another bowl of rice for your starving child.
http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?28812-Christian-Fanatics-to-Proselytize-Iraq http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90739 http://www.newsweek.com/relief-aid-onward-christian-soldiers-iraq-137105 http://pubrecord.org/religion/848/r...litary-proselytizing-christianity-to-muslims/ http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=NEWS&id=1107708809 http://www.salon.com/2003/04/15/in_touch/ http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2008/05/28/38820/iraqis-claim-marines-are-pushing.html
This has nothing to do with what you think about christianity, people are being ruthlessly slaughtered.
Maris, I'm not a Christian and I share a disdain for the prostlatizing some of them do, but there is also a ton of evidence that they help many peoples here and abroad without a prostlatizing component. I give blood regularity and on my last donation I was just ahead of a church group who donate together once a month. Do you think they require you prey before receiving a blood transfusion? Most people I come in contact with, be they religious or atheist are caring people who give of themselves financially or physically in some way. It's a bit disgusting for you to denigrate a giant swath of people as uncaring just cause they believe in a story you and I don't.
I've seen no evidence of it in my lifetime, despite working over 20 years in the core of downtown Portland. With most Americans proclaiming they are Christians you'd think they'd be the biggest providers of charity to Americans, but they're not even on the list. A soup kitchen that requires you to pretend to be a Christian to get a bowl of soup is not charity. It is coercion and exploitation of the weakest and most destitute. Preying is more accurate than praying in this case. It's big business posing as charity to get a tax exemption.
Nobody I know has. They've been killing each other over there for longer than Shooter thinks the world is old, and they'll never stop killing each other over there. Only a fucking idiot would believe there is any chance of ever attaining peace in the middle east. Best to let them slaughter each other and stay the fuck out of it because that's what they want to do. They like to kill each other, and they like to kill anyone who gets involved. Money that we waste bombing idiots in the middle east would be better spent fixing highways, or parks, or providing health care to Americans.
Well since you are a bit of the vast statistic of this planet, we can take it for the grain of sand it is. I have been a part of many Christian outreach with homeless. There are thousands of church organizations that help the homeless as well. I suspect your general hatred for God (as funny as that sounds, since you don't even believe in him) has clouded your vision. As the saying goes "can't see the forest through the trees". http://christianity.about.com/od/faithinaction/qt/homeless.htm http://www.christianhelp.org And thousands others I can share for you. I doubt you even click on one link though
As long as we don't have Obama providing it. He asked you to turn your guns in, to help fund jobs for the homeless. You game?