[Vision2020] Religious Diversity Education

Luke lukenieuwsma@softhome.net
Mon, 9 Jun 2003 18:54:13 -0700


Hello, Mr. Arnold:

>Hitler was thrown into jail for his political activism. Therefore, to say
that a book he >wrote after the time he choose to enter the arena of
politics makes this as evidence of >his "true thoughts" argument mute.

    Even if Hitler didn't believe what he told Germany (which he did), the
Germans did. They really believed that they had become the superior race,
and this is Darwinism applied to politics and society. The idea of the
highest race came about simultaneously with biological Darwinism. And what
did it bring
us? 40-50 million dead throughout the world.


> Other churches pick some guy up off the street that completed bible study,
ordain >him, and he says whatever he thinks to the church followers. Not a
good idea.

I agree. And that is not what the denominations I have been in have done.


>The Catholic Church is centered around the teachings of Christ. Mainly the
four >gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but also other books of the
Bible like the >Letters to the Romans. It emphasizes the sacraments as a way
to build a personal >relationship with Christ, such as communion and
reconciliation. Also, all Catholic >Churches have the same Mass all over the
world, with the exception of the Hominy.

Maybe modern Catholicism has swerved to this position, but the Catholics
of the Medieval Ages thru the 1800's centered liturgy and belief around the
priests, Rome, and particularly the Pope. Why do you think the greatest R.C.
cathedral is named after Peter?


>You must first be holy then preach holiness. You can't be >the most wicked
and cause >the most damage and then say "we are holy follow us!" >This does
not work, sorry. >You shall know them by the fruit they bare.

There is no country that officially professes Christianity at the moment, so
you
have no fruit to judge.


> However, I don't think you are trained enough to read it as >it is suppose
to be read >just as you can't pick up a copy of the Bible and say
>"Christians believe in the bible, >the Bible says to stone anyone that
commits adult[ery], I >am  going to go stone my >neighbor so I can please
God!"

Actually, if everyone did that, the problem would disappear rather quickly.

    In regard to your rather extensive attack on Christianity and its
history, none of those events were done by an exclusively Christian nation,
by a country which nation-wide reads the Bible, goes to church, and lives
like Christ died for it. So no, it is not Christianity being lived out,
and no, I am not clueless of these events.
    What you did in effect was to point to every major event in the last
1000 years that involved bloodshed, and to blame them all on the Christians.
That's not the same thing as showing what Christianity is like when you live
it out. As I stated above, there are no openly and officially Christian
nations today, but there are openly and officially Muslim nations today, and
they're known as the Middle East.

>Perhaps if you stopped talking for bit, and listen, you would find out that
god loves >other people besides the wealthiest, fattest, greediest,
murderous, white people that >have a special need to interfere with the
internal affairs and customs of people around >the world that just trying to
eek of an existence for themselves and their families.

Why so much bitterness? It doesn't sound like there is a lot of love in your
life.


>Or is the only people saved living in a little church in Idaho or
>Washington with less >then 2000 followers as you presume? Like Hello! Are
>you for real Luke?

You still try to dodge absolute truth when you say "Oh, they're all
saying the same thing," because they're not. They cannot all be true at
once; they all have their own moral values, their own ceremonies, their own
exclusive truths.
    Anyone who believes the gospel will be saved, both in and out of Moscow.
But
that doesn't include false religions. Only one key will open the lock on the
door of salvation. You can make or buy all the keys you want, but only one
will open it.

Sincerely and respectfully,

Luke Nieuwsma