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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"Gary Crabtree raised that issue and I thought that
his historical summary was so off the mark that I needed to
respond."<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mr. Gier, In your response you cherry pick
statistics for the early years of Islam to place Christianity in the
most unfavorable light (absolutely no surprise there), totally overlook
muslim on muslim violence, and totally ignore muslim belligerence in the modern
era. Numbers are always subject to debate but I stand by my original statement.
As others have rightly pointed out, It's a silly and pointless argument
especially when separated from the original topic.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sorry it took so long to respond. Till it
was brought to my attention in an off list post, I was unaware of your
attempt to set me straight. It pains me to admit that I (and I suspect
many) delete any post of yours that runs more then a paragraph of two. I also
avoid ***</FONT><A href="http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>.<FONT color=#000000>class.uidaho.edu/ngier</FONT></FONT></A><FONT
face=Arial size=2> along with ***.newwest. with the same diligence I apply
to insurance come ons and porn sites. Life is just too short to do justice
to the wonder which is you and I'll not insult you by starting now and only
be able to devote my remaining 40/50 or so years to the task.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>g</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From: <</FONT><A
href="mailto:nickgier@adelphia.net"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>nickgier@adelphia.net</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To: <</FONT><A
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>vision2020@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 12:09 PM</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Subject: [Vision2020] Christ is
Commander-in-Chief</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>> Hail to the Vision of 2020!<BR>> <BR>> I've had lots of
responses to my column "Christ is Commander-in-Chief" both here and at
NewWest. You can read the discussion there at </FONT><A
href="http://www.newwest.net/index.php/citjo/main/C33/L33/"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>www.newwest.net/index.php/citjo/main/C33/L33/</FONT></A><BR><FONT
face=Arial size=2>> <BR>> First, let me say that the focus of my book on
the origins of religious violence (</FONT><A
href="http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/orv.htm"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/orv.htm</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>) is
not body counts and kill rates. Gary Crabtree raised that issue and I
thought that his historical summary was so off the mark that I needed to
respond.<BR>> <BR>> The focus of my book is about a dozen hypotheses that
I test regarding the reasons why there has been more religiously motivated
violence in the Abrahamic religions than the Asian religions.<BR>> <BR>>
Second, in response to Kai's post, I will indeed be covering Japanese
imperialism and the early suppression of Buddhism in favor of Shinto as a state
religion and the emperor as a divine being. Sadly, some Buddhists got back
in favor by becoming ultranationalists, nicely summed up in a recent book "Zen
at War," on which I will schedule a panel discussion at next year's regional
meeting of the American Academy of Religion. <BR>> <BR>> All
religion are fair game in my book. In fact, I will be focusing on the Asian
religions, because Abrahamic religious violence is so well documented.
Most chapters will be devoted to those examples of Asian religious violence that
contradict my main thesis.<BR>> <BR>> One of my hypotheses that appears to
test positively is that when national and religious identity are fused (as in
the Christian Reconstructionists with whom Wilson is so cozy), one will very
likely get religiously motivated violence. This has happened with both
Hindu and Buddhist fundamentalism, the latter happening in Sri Lanka. I
will also have a chapter on Tibetan Buddhism, which did the same thing thanks to
Mongolian military support.<BR>> <BR>> Third, in response to Latah Lounger
(I love these pseudonyms!): perhaps you have not noticed that there is a certain
pastor here in town, associated with both neo-Confederates and
Reconstructionists, who in the documentary "My Town" (</FONT><A
href="http://www.notonthepalouse.com/My_Town.htm"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>www.notonthepalouse.com/My_Town.htm</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>)
predicts that pagan culture (that includes most Christians, too) will be hit
like folding chairs in a world-wide Christian tsunami. Many people on the
Palouse (in December, 2003, 1200 signed a full page ad) believe that Wilson is a
serious problem.<BR>> <BR>> One of my hypotheses is that premillennial
Christians of the Rapture and "Left Behind" will cause far less violence than
postmillennialists such as Doug Wilson. The reason is pretty obvious: in
the Rapture the end will come quickly and God will do most of the destruction,
except for the Christian militias killing non-believers in the "Left Behind"
game released just in time for Christmas 2006 (</FONT><A
href="http://www.defconamerica.org/"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>http://www.defconamerica.org/</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>).
Will these kids grow up wanting AK-47s for Christmas?!<BR>> <BR>> In stark
contrast, postmillennialists envision a long haul with Christian armies such as
Cromwell's, the Taiping's, and a new Confederate army making sure that God's law
will rule the world. Only then will Christ return. Wilson and Wilkins are
proud of the fact that the Roundheads and the Confederates had the highest
number of born again soldiers in history. I would like to add the Taipings
to that glorious number. Onward Christian Soldiers!<BR>> <BR>>
Finally, I have to respond to Mr. Heirdoug, although his venom does not dignify
a reply. A week does not pass in my life when one or two Palousians
(pastors included) tell me what a good community service I'm providing in
constantly keeping Wilson & Co.'s collective feet and throbbing brain veins
to the sacred fire of public disclosure and censure. <BR>> <BR>>
This community support is one of the reasons I jump out of bed every morning
ready for action on all fronts. Onward pagan and Unitarian
soldiers!<BR>> <BR>> And just for the record, Doug Wilson did take nearly
every class that I offered and I was his advisor. We decided that because
of our theological differences, we thought it best that someone else in the
department should guide his M.A. thesis. Will someone please return the
two copies of Wilson's thesis to the department library? <BR>> <BR>>
Furthermore, at no time in my tenure at the UI was I department chair. When the
liberal arts dean recommended that I be chair back in the 1980s, then President
Gibb, the worst ever UI leader, vetoed the idea. Thanks to Gibb, my CV has
far more publications than it would have if I had taken the "administrivium"
pill.*<BR>> <BR>> Finally, with regard to abortion (which is not
religiously motivated), I would like to remind Heirdoug that his own pastor
Wilson defines a person as one created in the image of God. In my 1993
debate with him I pointed out that, except for a few early Church fathers, no
Catholic or Protestant theologian believed that the image of God was implanted
at conception. <BR>> <BR>> As I always remind people, today's
"conservative" position on abortion is not based on tradition at all, but is a
recent 19th Century invention that is logically incoherent.<BR>> <BR>>
Nick Gier, proud Intolerista<BR>> <BR>> Intolerance is not a vice when one
is intolerant of bigotry, discrimination, dishonesty, bad manners, and ugly
behavior. (me)<BR>> <BR>> *Administrivium, the heaviest and most
inert element known to science. If ingested it causes symptoms such as
disregard for faculty rights and a tendency to agree with all others who have
taken the pill. Avoid at all costs, even the extra pay will maximize your
PERSI benefits for life. In addition, the obligatory tie cuts off circulation to
the brain! <BR>> <BR>> <BR>>
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