XPost: rec.arts.drwho 
 From: sr.wilson@ntlworld.com 
  
 "Ryan P."  wrote in message 
 news:%Zdue.891$Dv3.499@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com... 
  
 >  Most organized wars and battles were politically motivated, and used 
 > Christianity as a convenient excuse. 
 > 
 >  Take the Crusades for example... yes, they were technically religious 
 > wars... but the Pope was in control of them... and who did he send to 
 > FIGHT the Crusades?  People (kings, dukes, etc etc) who were percieved as 
 > a threat to the Pope's power.  Pope Billy Francois Bob would say "King 
 > Richard!  You are an honorable man and a great warrior for God! Go, fight 
 > in the crusades and bring peace to God's land!" all the while hoping that 
 > King Richard would be killed or taken prisoner, and so be eliminated as a 
 > threat to the Pope's authority. 
 > 
 >  So I would say re-state your statement... "its an unfortuante historical 
 > fact that _Christianity has been purposely twisted to justify_ a fair 
 > percentage of the people-killing." 
 > 
 >  The exact same can be said for Islam, though.  The Ottoman Empire wasn't 
 > exactly a bunch of peaceniks.  :) 
  
 I'd agree with you there whole-heartedly. It's all in the interpretation at 
 the end of the day. I believe there are passages in both the Bible and the 
 Koran that amount to the instruction "Love thy neighbour as thyself". It 
 should be noted that neither suggest that this doesn't count if they are of 
 a different religion to yourself... 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)