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What Does A Christian Fanatic Means?

The Glory Land

By The Glory Land
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The Glory Land

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=Examples of religious fanaticism==

 

=== Christianity ===

 

{{see also|Christianity and violence}}

 

{{POV-check|date=April 2011}}

 

Ever since Christianity was established, those in authority have sought to expand and control the church, often through the fanatical use of force.  Grant Shafer says, "Jesus of Nazareth is best known as a preacher of nonviolence.

 

<ref>[[#Reference-idShafer2004|Shafer, Grant.]] p. 193.</ref>

 

The start of Christian fanatic rule came with the Roman Emperor [[Constantine I]] as Catholicism.  [[J. Harold Ellens|Ellens]] says, "When Christianity came to power in the empire of Constantine, it proceeded almost to viciously repress all non-Christians and all Christians who did not line up with official Orthodox ideology, policy, and practice".<ref>[[#Reference-idEllens2004|Ellens, J. Harold.]] p. 42-43.</ref>  An example of Christians who didn't line up with Orthodox ideology is the [[Donatists]], who "refused to accept repentant clergy who had formerly given way to apostasy when persecuted".<ref>[[#Reference-idShafer2004|Shafer, Grant.]] p. 236.</ref>

 

Fanatic Christian activity, as Catholicism, continued into the Middle Ages with the [[Crusades]].  These wars were attempts by the Catholics, sanctioned by the [[Pope]], to reclaim the [[Holy Land]] from the [[Muslims]]. Charles Selengut, in his book ''Sacred Fury: Understanding Religious Violence'', said:

 

<blockquote>

 

The Crusades . . . were very much holy wars waged to maintain Christianity's theological and social control . . . On their way to conquering the Holy Land from the Muslims by force of arms, the crusaders destroyed dozens of Jewish communities and killed thousands because the [[Jews]] would not accept the Christian faith. Jews had to be killed in the religious campaign because their very existence challenged the sole truth espoused by the Christian Church.<ref>[[#Reference-idSelengut2008|Selengut, Charles. "Sacred Fury: Understanding Religious Violence."]] p. 22.</ref>

 

</blockquote>

 

Shafer adds that, "When the crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, they killed Muslims, Jews, and native Christians indiscriminately".<ref>[[#Reference-idShafer2004|Shafer, Grant.]] p. 239.</ref>

 

Another prominent form of fanaticism came a few centuries later with the [[spanish Inquisition]].  The Inquisition was the monarchy's way of making sure their people stayed within Catholic Christianity.  Selengut said, "The inquisitions were attempts at self-protection and targeted primarily "internal enemies" of the church".<ref name="SelengutCharles">[[#Reference-idSelengut2008|Selengut, Charles.]] p. 70.</ref>  The driving force of the Inquisition was the Inquisitors, who were responsible for spreading the truth of Christianity.  Selengut continues, saying:

 

<blockquote>

 

The inquisitors generally saw themselves as educators helping people maintain correct beliefs by pointing out errors in knowledge and judgment. . . .Punishment and death came only to those who refused to admit their errors. . . .during the Spanish Inquisitions of the fifteenth century, the clear distinction between confession and innocence and remaining in error became muddled. . . .The investigators had to invent all sorts of techniques, including torture, to ascertain whether . . . new converts' beliefs were genuine.<ref name="SelengutCharles" />

 

</blockquote>

 

 

=== Islam ===

 

{{See also|Islam and violence}}

 

Ever since [[Osama bin Laden]]'s [[fatwa]] in 1998, the world has known about radical [[jihad]].  Bin Laden's concept, though, is very different from the actual meaning of the term.  In the religious context, ''jihad'' most nearly means "working urgently for a certain godly objective, generally a positive one".<ref>[[#Reference-idEllens2004|Ellens, J. Harold.]] p. 45.</ref> The word jihad in Arabic means 'struggle'. The struggle can be a struggle of conscience to accept Islam, a struggle with others to counter arguments against Islam, or self-defense when physically attacked because of belief in Islam. According to Steffen, there are portions of the Qur'an where military jihad is used.  As Steffen says, though, "Jihad in these uses is always defensive.  Not only does ‘jihad' not endorse acts of military aggression, but ‘jihad' is invoked in Qur'anic passages to indicate how uses of force are always subject to restraint and qualification".<ref>[[#Reference-idSteffen2007|Steffen, Lloyd.]] p. 224.</ref> This kind of jihad differs greatly from the kind most commonly discussed today.

 

 

Thomas Farr, in an essay titled "Islam's Way to Freedom", says that, "Even though most Muslims reject violence, the [[extremists]]' use of sacred texts lends their actions authenticity and recruiting power". (Freedom 24)  He goes on to say, "The radicals insist that their central claim—God's desire for Islam's triumph—requires no interpretation. According to them, true Muslims will pursue it by any means necessary, including [[dissimulation]], civil [[coercion]], and the killing of innocents". (Freedom 24)

 

 

According to certain observers this disregard for others and rampant use of violence is markedly different than the peaceful message that jihad is meant to employ. Although fanatic jihadists have committed many terroristic acts throughout the world, perhaps the best known is the [[september 11, 2001 attacks]].  According to Ellens, the al-Qaeda members who took part in the terrorist attacks did so out of their belief that, by doing it, they would "enact a devastating blow against the evil of secularized and non-Muslim America.  They were cleansing this world, God's temple".<ref>[[#Reference-idEllens2004|Ellens, J. Harold.]] p. 35.</ref>

 

 

=== Judaism ===

 

{{see also|Judaism and violence}}

 

 

{{Expand section|date=October 2010}}                    Wikipedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_fanaticism
 

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JerryNumbers Hall of Fame

JerryNumbers

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We need more of them, those who are totally devoted to the Savior, & as for then they will follow Christ.

 

fanatic: Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.

 

Sad to say most professing Christians shows no enthusiasm towards their Savior.

 

It seems to me that Joshua was that kind of person having stated Joshua 24:15. 

 

Jos 24:15 ¶ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD

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HappyChristian Hall of Fame

HappyChristian

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I came out, but traditions are keeping them in. And watching all the false protestants don't help.

Traditions do keep them in. But if watching all the false protestants doesn't help, that is still no excuse that God will accept in the judgment.  Especially since so many of those who are protestant aren't Christians!  (I'm glad Baptists aren't protestant.) 

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