Do Not Fear Me Because I am Christian

http://usuncut.com/news/mosque-firebombed-people-inside/

Please do not fear and hate me because I am Christian.  Please do not burn down my place of worship, or gather outside it in angry gun toting mobs to demonstrate that my kind are not welcome among you.  Do not insult or assault members of my family if they wear symbols of our culture and faith so that we are afraid to leave our homes.  Do not scrawl graffiti on my place of business disparaging my faith or send me death threats.

I know that there are those among my faith that have given you cause to feel threatened and unsafe.  The majority of mass shooters are right-wing christians and you are seven times more likely to be killed by one of "our" terrorists than one of some other faith in the U.S..

Sociologists of religion classify the religion of DAESH (ISIS) as separate from Islam.  But, unfortunately, the Klan, the Westboro Baptists, the wackos at Waco Texas, Jim Jones' Koolaide stand, and that christian congregation in northern New York State who recently beat two boys to death persuading them to, "confess their sins", all fall under the umbrella of christianity.

We hold the distinction of being the most violent and hate filled people in history.  We are responsible for the bloody wars of the Christian Monarchs of Britain and Europe, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Witch Trials, and the kidnapping, enslavement and deaths of millions of people from Africa, as well as the extermination of millions of Indigenous people while stealing their territories.  Some of us tried to exterminate the Jews in Germany while others of us denied them refuge when they tried to flee.  We instigated two world wars as well as providing arms for most of the wars today with some in our camp actively promoting nuclear war as a means to hasten Jesus' return.

Our supporters and self proclaimed, "champions of the faith", include the Crowned Princes of Europe, Hitler, Jerry Falwell Sr. and Jr., Fred Phelps, David Duke, Jimmy and Tammy Bakker, Rush Limbaugh, Ben Carson, and Donald Trump (but probably not with any sincerity, more a christian supporter of political opportunity than anything).

I find all this violence and hatred committed by people who claim to be followers of Jesus almost beyond belief.  Christianity is a religion of peace, or at least the teachings and actions of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels are ones of peace.  This is a Middle Eastern man who lived in a land occupied by an oppressive foreign power.  While some of his people called for violent rebellion, he taught that we should love our enemies and do good to those who would try to harm us.  When guards came to to arrest him for the trial that led to his execution, he refused to allow his followers to harm them or resist.

Believe it or not, there are those among us who take this man's teaching and example to heart and strive to live by this spirit.  So, please do not judge us all by the actions of the many.  Please do not fear and hate me.