How do you reconcile death from terrorism -- terrorism in the name of religion -- with religion? That is, how can we believe in a religion, when so many have died in the name of it?

 

Religion celebrates life. It does not destroy it. Religion fills the emptiness in life as the soul looks for companionship with something higher than itself. To believe that religion advocates the destruction of life contradicts the very definition of religion and ultimately humanity.

Yes, even the myths that make up so much of religious folklore, need to be placed in context of their times and circumstances. To believe that a god will destroy the crowning point of his creation is archaic. These stories give rise to justifications for hatred, judgment, rape, slaughter and murder.

Our world has never had the means and the technology available, as it does today, to resolve every issue in a peaceful manner. It is the spirit of pride and hatred that moves people to eschew peaceful means and opt for violence.

Love has to be, and can only be, the guiding force behind all religion.

Where there is love, there cannot be violence. Violence can never be called in the name of religion.

FATHER VAZKEN MOVSESIAN

Armenian Church Youth Ministries

 

Religion by definition comes from the Greek, religio: to unite.

The Baha'i faith says that if religion be the cause of disunity, it is better that there be no religion.

For thousands of years, people have been killing in the name of God and no one was quite sure as to why.

Terrorism has been used by religious and political fanatics all through history.

God does not say anywhere in any of the Holy Books that terrorism is allowed.

Belief in God and the particular religion that has come as a result of a Moses, Jesus or Muhammad is not a license for killing or for maiming those whom do not share their convictions.

In the Baha'i Faith, we have a Book of Laws, written by our founder Baha'u'llah in the late 19th century, in which he calls for capital punishment of bombers and murderers.

If one believes in God, then they would know God does not condone murder.

BARBARA CRAMER

Secretary

Baha'i Faith, Glendale

 

Terrorism, regardless of motive, is always evil. There is absolutely no cause that can justify the slaughter of innocent people.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where terrorism has become a common occurrence. It has struck across the globe from the streets of New York City and Washington, D.C., to Jerusalem, Bali and now in London.

These terrorist activities have been attributed to Islamic fundamentalists.

I don't doubt for a moment that the overwhelming majority of Islamic people are faithful individuals who abhor the actions of their fellow religionists and seek peace.

However, what strikes me as odd is the deafening silence of the Islamic clerics. I would expect the leadership of Islam to come out in force and clearly and unequivocally condemn each and every terrorist action. Sadly, that has yet to happen. It is true that some have stood up to this evil and called it what it is. However, those voices are very few.

In conclusion, as in every religious group, Islam consists of good people who seek to live in peace and lead productive lives. There is an evil faction of terrorists who are besmirching the name of Islam. It is the responsibility of the Islamic clerics to forcefully condemn the actions of the few in order to preserve the good name of the many.

RABBI SIMCHA BACHMAN

Chabad Jewish Center

Glendale

 

Karl Marx said that "religion is the opiate of the masses," and his beliefs guided Mao Zedong who echoed, "religion is poison." Hundreds of millions of people died as a result of Marx's worldview as embraced by the communist regimes of Mao, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc.

Margaret Sanger had as her personal motto, "No Gods, No Masters!" She founded Planned Parenthood, which currently leads the competition in the annual murder of over a million American babies a year through abortion.

It isn't religion, per se, that's the problem, it's faulty worldviews, and those of the anti-religious ilk have caused, far and away, more human carnage than the misguided religionists who have dispatched thousands.

The fact is, people act upon what they believe, and if they genuinely believe a moral code, they will act on its tenets. If we have no moral code, no "religion," are we more civil or more barbaric as a result? Is there greater motivation to live justly if you believe in a final judge and judgment, or if you think there is nothing to account to and for? If it's only survival-of-the-fittest, then we should be thankful that most human beings, for some deep-seated reason, do not act as such, choosing religion instead.

The difficulty arises, however, when worldviews conflict and the tenets of one faith leave open-ended instructions to violently eradicate others. It's one thing to misapply religion; and another to rightly apply wrong religion.

Regarding Jesus, the Bible stipulates that "Salvation is found in no one else" (Acts 4:12). Now that's exclusive, but never violent. Jesus revealed the goodness of God saying, "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) and I think that makes his, a religion we can "believe in."

THE REV. BRYAN GRIEM

Light On The Corner

Montrose

 

In a "Peanuts" comic strip, written by the late Charles Schulz, one of the characters asks Charlie Brown, "What's the worst thing about Christianity?"

Charlie Brown's answer: "Other Christians." While that answer may bring a smile, there is a deeper truth to it. Unquestionably, much mayhem has been done throughout history in the name of one religion or another. We all remember the Protestant-vs.-Catholic strife in Northern Ireland, and there are Americans who feel justified in killing doctors who perform abortions, all in the name of religion.

My own feeling is that when a religion has sprung up around a figure such as Moses, Jesus or Muhammad (and this list is by no means exhaustive), it's some of the followers of that particular figure who somehow get it wrong, who somehow mold the teachings into their particular agenda. Would Jesus have justified killing Protestants or Catholics in Northern Ireland? I don't think so! Would Jesus pick up a gun and shoot a doctor who performs legal abortions? I don't think so! And would Jesus have jumped on the bandwagon during the Crusades and killed "infidels" in order to "win back" the Holy Land? Again, I don't think so.

Neither do I believe that Muhammad would be happy with those of his Islamic faith who blow up innocent people. Our faith must be in God, not "religion." And when we are tempted to kill another in the name of our faith, I believe it is time to re-examine that faith.

THE REV. SKIP LINDEMAN

Congregational Church of the Lighted Window, United Church of Christ

La Cañada Flintridge

 

One way to look at the question this week is to ponder whether anyone has ever really killed in the name of religion. I prefer to believe that no one has done so. As I see it, millions of people have been killed through the years by religious fanatics. Some might say, oh, you are mincing words. But, religions do not kill; fanatical religious people can and do kill. They are not limited to the Muslim world. Religious Christian fanatics have killed at least as many people as Muslim fanatics.

Today's so-called terrorists are really murderers. Leaders and people in strong nations do not allow such people to intimidate or demoralize. The definition of terrorism is: those who intimidate or demoralize. No one I know of is either intimidated or demoralized. We are simply angry, and we are not going to put up with it any more. We are going to put a stop to it. And, we will, if we do not weaken in our resolve.

God knows nothing of terrorism or murder. God is love. Human beings were given free will by our absolutely good God. Some human beings misuse their free will and do horrible things. The world calls them terrorists. They are hoodlums in reality. There are far more good people, a million to one, over those who would do evil.

It is a great blessing when people use their free will for good. It is a horrible torment and tragedy when they use it for evil.

Good ultimately will prevail; it always has. The murderers will find that when they reach "paradise" that they are really going to be in a hell of their own making. Those who are contemplating murder will find no reward in it.

THOMAS E. WITHERSPOON

Minister

Unity Church of the Valley

La Crescenta

 

Some people invent their own religion. The majority of people today follow religions invented by others. The Bible calls this idolatry.

What we worship or "idolize" always affects how we live. The consequence of worshiping man-made idols is that "Those who make them will become like them, everyone who trusts in them." (Psalm 115:8).

The terrorists have chosen to worship a violent, man-made idol who has little regard for human life -- others' or their own. Having "idolized" such a god, it's no wonder they have become what they are -- self-destructive, religious murderers.

In the Bible we learn about the God of the living who gives life. Paul and Barnabas urged the idol-worshiping people of Lystra to " ... turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them." (Acts 14:15).

God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to dispel the dark, deadly idolatry that rules and ruins countless lives today. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4).

PASTOR JON BARTA

Valley Baptist Church

Burbank