[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by monstert

Nobody died to make me the authority on Christianity. I'm sorry if I've somehow led you to think that way. God, through the Bible, is the sole authority on Christianity. And the Bible never justifies a Christian who persecutes others.

OK, then who died and made you sole authority on biblical interpretation? You may think they were wrong, but that's just you. They - whoever they are, crusaders, inquisitors, abortion clinic bombers... - certainly seemed to think they were being good Christians, and doing God's work.

Originally Posted by MFSxA

Jesus and the apostles, including Paul taught to persecute non-christians? Scriptural basis please. Taught to persecute to save souls or something like that? Scriptural basis please.

Well, obviously they don't call it persecution, but I think it's all covered under "spreading the message". Stretched a bit, sure, but not to the breaking point. And if you're willing to go back to the Old Testament, it's not like God didn't show the way of genocidal pedagogy, what with his deluge or Sodom and Gomorrah. And if you're not... didn't Jesus himself get a little rough with the merchants? And, really... saving souls. Who's against that? It's like being against Freedom, or Justice. It just isn't done.

But then, I'm no Bible scholar and have no desire to become one just to win an internet argument.

That's weird, I don't think even in the Old Testament, the Jews attacked the gentiles to save their souls. Joshua invaded Canaan and put his enemies to the sword to claim the promised land, I can't recall if he ever did it to save the gentile souls. Nor do I recall such during David's reign, or Solomon's, or any other King for that matter. Even the judges who fought for and defended Israel did not fight to save the gentiles' souls. They either conquered to gain the promised land or defended themselves from those who would take the promised land. Add to that the chastisement of God against Israel for disobeying him by letting Israel be conquered or subjugated by foreign powers.

Yes, they didn't much bother with excuses back then. Which does make me wonder at the claim that Christianity and persecution are incompatible.

I have not encountered a teaching in the scripture of the New Testament wherein God (Jesus Christ) or even his apostles, much more Paul authorizing, directing, or abetting persecution of non-christians.

Well, at the time, they weren't precisely in position to do that, were they? Early Christians were more into being fed to the lions than persecuting people. But that doesn't mean that you can't apply logic to a few biblical principles to get relevant policies for a society in which Christians aren't a minority. Like loving everyone and wanting them to go to heaven. What's a few burned books in the face of that?