Self-Identified "Christian" White Nationalist Terrorism -- Please call it what it is

[ProudLib72]

A manifesto posted online shortly before the attack and purporting to be by Earnest cites hatred of Jewish people as the motive for the attack, and takes credit for a separate arson attack on an Escondido mosque last month.

The manifesto author wrote that he was carrying out the attack on the synagogue because he was a good Christian.

'My god understands why I did what I did,' it read, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The author claims that Jewish people were responsible for the murder of Christ and now control the media and economy.

'Every Jew young and old has contributed to these,' it reads. 'For these crimes they deserve nothing but hell. I will send them there.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6969039/John-Earnest-allegedly-tried-burn-mosque-month-manifesto-reveals.html

[hlthe2b]

1. I won't smear progressive Christians with the hypocrisy and ugliness of RW fundy Xians.

This is no better than smearing all Muslims as terrorists.

Self-identified "Christian" White Nationalist terrorists, sure.

[ProudLib72]

2. Changed it

[hlthe2b]

4. thanks...

I'm not religious myself, but I still find much to admire in the tenets of Christianity as I do with many historical philosophies.

[ProudLib72]

23. I like the label "Self Identified" because it suggests that mainstream does not accept them

I wish the MSM would use the label. Maybe they have been in some places and I haven't seen it.

[State the Obvious]

6. More accurately called..."TRUMPED-UP Christians" not "Christians"

Christianity is a religion that embraces HOPE and LOVE with a focus on peace and compassion for all.

Let's not allow Trump to reframe Christianity as a religiion of his own making...one that embraces hatefulness and deceit.

[Mariana]

8. There are more than 1000 denominations of Christianity.

Plenty of them do not embrace HOPE and LOVE with a focus on peace and compassion for all. That was true long before Trump came along.

[lunasun]

12. +1 exactly

[stopbush]

3. This is the problem with all religions across the board, treating make believe as if it were fact

It starts with belief in a god - from there on the rest falls into place.

I don't care if you're a lukewarm, moderate or fanatic religionist, you are treating the fundamental lies of religion as if they are truths, and that is a recipe for the documented disasters religion has visited - and continues to visit - on mankind over millennia.

[Mariana]

5. Every Christian is self-identified.

There's no reason to doubt that his faith is genuine. He worships the Christian god and he has faith in Christ. If he isn't a Christian, then what is he, exactly?

I don't much like this bigoted idea that only non-Christians can do bad, evil things.

[hlthe2b]

7. Not if the media confers the title. Xians aren't Christians... but they do self-identify as such.

[Mariana]

9. Only non-Christians can do bad, evil things?

If someone does a bad, evil thing, then he's a non-Christian by definition? Is that how it works?

[hlthe2b]

10. You just did a 180 degree deceptive assertion of what I actually have posted.

Either you didn't bother to read my posts or something else is going on. I resent it greatly.

As my post #1, the very first post in this thread made clear:
I won't smear progressive Christians with the hypocrisy and ugliness of RW fundy Xians.
This is no better than smearing all Muslims as terrorists.

Self-identified "Christian" White Nationalist terrorists, sure.

[Mariana]

16. Some Muslims ARE terrorists.

So are some Christians. So are some atheists. Saying so doesn't imply in any way that ALL Muslims, Christians, and atheists are terrorists.

[State the Obvious]

14. No. That is just ONE opinion (yours) and ONE definition (yours).

[hlthe2b]

22. Exactly...

[hlthe2b]

11. NO ONE on this thread said anything of the kind: "only non-Christians do bad, evil things"

No One except you has made such an assertion.

[Mariana]

15. We have people claiming that this person is not a Christian.

They seem to think that he's not a Christian because he did a bad, evil thing.

[hlthe2b]

17. No, they are saying it is wrong to smear all Christians as it would be all Muslims, all Any religion

with all being terrorists. This guy is no more representative nor the violent extremist minorities of any religion are necessarily representative of THAT religion.

You are being abusive in your deceptive representation of what others here are ACTUALLY saying.

[Mariana]

18. Has anyone actually done that?

Has anyone, anywhere even hinted that ALL Christians are terrorists, because this one terrorist is a Christian?

[hlthe2b]

19. Only one person here, YOU, has stated other posters claim ""only non-Christians do bad, evil things"

ONLY YOU have spread this falsehood. Shame on you.

[Mariana]

20. I noticed you didn't answer my question.

Because, as everyone knows, the answer is no. No one has so much as hinted that ALL Christians are terrorists.

[hlthe2b]

21. because your question is created out of thin air and has nothing to do with anyone's comments here

I don't address 'strawman' attempts to try to deflect from one's own (i.e., YOUR) ugly comment that erroneously attributes anti-NON-Christian comments or bigotry to those posting on this thread. Again, the shame is all yours for doing so.

[ProudLib72]

24. No, the point is that John Earnest used Christiianity as support for his terrorism

This is not the first time it has happened, nor will it be the last. What we need is for all churches, all denominations to disavow his actions and call them evil.

I altered the original title to include "Self Identified", and I believe that was the correct choice. Not all Christians are wackos bent on committing terrorist acts. BUT! Everyone in this country needs to be aware that Christianity can and does breed hatred and terrorists. We have a person occupying the WH who panders to two groups: Evangelicals and white nationalists. There is overlap, and people like John Earnest exist at the intersection of the two.

[ck4829]

25. K&R