David Cameron says the UK is a Christian country

[Mech]

So what about the old testament then?

What about the old testament ? The concept of Christianity is that "Your sins are redeemed through the blood and sacrifice of Christ on the cross". The "ten commandments" does not go against what Christ himself taught. The old testament is basically a history book.

 

[Mech]

That maybe the case now but Christianity, especially Catholicism, the predominant strain of Christianity spent a rather large part of its history doing just that. Maybe the Inquisitions never read the New testament!! Suppression of heresy was practiced even before the Inquisition began in the 12th century but torture and death became the standard fate of thousands of so called heretics and blasphemers once the Inquisitions began. And all this was happening under the instructions of none other than the Pope, mind you. Ask Galileo how he felt hiding in the sewers of Spain and Italy for suggesting that the Earth was not the centre of the solar system. Poor guy had to spend a major part of his life under house arrest. Christianity may have moved on but they had a very black past. Maybe one day Islam too will moderate and become more flexible. These are just stages of evolution.
Personally speaking, I do not find anything to chose from between any of the Abrahamic religions. All are based upon the fundamental principal of "My God is the only true God and your God is all crap". This is the basis for all the intolerance.
On topic, yes, historically speaking, UK was indeed at the forefront of the Christian movement. In fact, Richard the Lionheart himself led one of the crusades. the Knights Templar were composed mainly of English knights (most of whom spoke french).

The reason why so many broke off from catholicism is exactly this (protestants etc ). They lost grasp of the basics. They focused on the "church" over the "individual". They invented practices and rituals that directly violated the core concepts of Christianity.

In India though, Christianity came much before the British ever set foot on our soil.

 

[pmukherjee]

Yes, as the English used to say "Down with the Papists". The Protestants came with their own brand of persecution. Most of England's Catholics were either reconverted or driven away across the Atlantic to the 'New World' or simply killed off. BTW, Protestantism came about because the need for reformation was felt but it was exploited by many monarchs including the King of England to sever spiritual links with Rome and tighten their hold over their subjects.

 

[Mech]

I am neither a protestant nor a catholic. Rather, a Syrian Christian. Forgive me for sticking to what the bible says and not what people did to exercise control and gain power. The original point of mine being, there is NO SCOPE or provision to murder or persecute anyone under any circumstance within Christianity itself.

 

[pmukherjee]

Buddy, I am none of the above. Just participating in a purely academic discussion. No offence to you.

 

[somebozo]

So where did the secularism go?? Time to re-sell jesus to offset economic woes?

 

[Rig Vedic]

It is the inherent nature of man to tend towards "sin".

Mainstream Christianity says that man is inherently sinful.

Dharma says that the inherent nature of man is Divine Bliss.

 

[raavan]

I think a christian UK is still far more secular than a FAKE secular India or Pakistan

 

[no_name]

What about the old testament ? The concept of Christianity is that "Your sins are redeemed through the blood and sacrifice of Christ on the cross". The "ten commandments" does not go against what Christ himself taught. The old testament is basically a history book.

You should read the history in the old testament, and judge for yourself some of the actions that the people under Moses and his successors did.

The old and new testament are different in their approach to spreading religion.

It sounds like Cameron is simply using Christianity to appeal to Britain's core values, just like in China you are seeing a revival of Confucianism and less obviously Buddhism. People can argue that this is empty in a religious sense but it does play a part in helping people keep soldarity with their nations and their values.

 

[AUz]

Mainstream Christianity says that man is inherently sinful.

Dharma says that the inherent nature of man is Divine Bliss.

Original sin is now rejected by many Christians....isn't it?

 

[indushek]

Funny how always religion is used as rallying cry for whatever reasons.

 

[Rig Vedic]

Original sin is now rejected by many Christians....isn't it?

Original sin and Jesus as the sole "Son of God" and the exclusive savior is a part of the "Nicene creed", which was introduced a few centuries after Christ. It is recognized by every major Christian denomination. However more and more Christians are leaving organized Churches and adopting a world-view which is closer to Dharma.

 

[silko]

lol, a Christian country. sounds like sarcasm...

fanatic lunatics go around and make "Sharia law streets" in UK and you say Britain is Christian? you can't even controll two three extremists and then your going out and saying you are this and that?!

those extremists have more power in the street than you do Cameron. WAKE UP...

 

[samv]

The original point of mine being, there is NO SCOPE or provision to murder or persecute anyone under any circumstance within Christianity itself.

That's simply not true.

For example:


Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests
Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)

Kill Witches
You should not let a sorceress live. (Exodus 22:17 NAB)

Kill Homosexuals
"If a man lies with a male as with a women, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives." (Leviticus 20:13 NAB)

Kill Fortunetellers
A man or a woman who acts as a medium or fortuneteller shall be put to death by stoning; they have no one but themselves to blame for their death. (Leviticus 20:27 NAB)

Death for Hitting Dad
Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death. (Exodus 21:15 NAB)

Death for Adultery
If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10 NLT)

Kill Nonbelievers
They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul; and everyone who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 NAB)

Kill Followers of Other Religions.
If your own full brother, or your son or daughter, or your beloved wife, or you intimate friend, entices you secretly to serve other gods, whom you and your fathers have not known, gods of any other nations, near at hand or far away, from one end of the earth to the other: do not yield to him or listen to him, nor look with pity upon him, to spare or shield him, but kill him. Your hand shall be the first raised to slay him; the rest of the people shall join in with you. You shall stone him to death, because he sought to lead you astray from the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. And all Israel, hearing of this, shall fear and never do such evil as this in your midst. (Deuteronomy 13:7-12 NAB)

 

[Hussein]

Well the UK heritage was on Christianity I don't find anything wrong on saying that.

I don't like this kind of political use of religion.
Religion should not be a matter of political speechs.

Uk (or any country in the world) having its own history. History is written by historians not politicians.

It makes me remember the Sarkozy words ... so he can get the votes of the catholics.
Don't like this behavior at all.