How do you religious zealots justify the cruelty that has been executed historically in the name of religion?
368022
I love how sensitive the Christians are about this question, when it makes no mention of Christianity.\n\nThere's no shortage of folks who consider themselves to be "soldiers of god".  Christians, Muslims and Jewish folks seem fairly prone to these concepts.  No religion is immune to zealotry.\n\nHow do they justify their cruelty?  Well the ones dishing out the cruelty think of themselves as "soldiers of god", while the ones not dishing it out can easily slide the blame aside and say, "The Inquisition? Burning Witches? Well, they weren't real Christians" or "Suicide Bombing? That's not what Islam about".\n\nEasy as pie.
290358
It lies in the interpretation of the texts by people.  I do not think that Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha or any of the Hindi deities said it is OK to go out and kill the innocents.  It is people who are manipulating the religions for their own benefits.  Cowards.
98861
They deserve hell as their religion prescribes. No one should ever preach to kill, for ANY reason.
400788
From this link, you will not only be able to answer your own question, but will also be able to identify many of the examples of cruelty, injust & absurdity promoted by this fine tome, plus those in the "new testament". too...
791814
none, because I want to accept things as I see them, not how others, and especially ancients see or saw them. the religions of today are to old and full of crap to be relevant in today's society. religion has caused more major wars in the history of mankind than any other single factor. Lack of religion has caused none. ever heard of an atheist st. petersburg? Have you ever heard of an athiest saying "i killed them because no god told me to"?
954739
No, no, NO!\n\nWe hear about some poor person who died horribly after being tortured, or after suffering painfully from disease such as cancer or AIDS, or a baby who dies painfully, and any decent human being says "They didn't deserve that..."  But God, according to the Scriptures of various religions, thinks they did.  According to the scriptures and Christian/Jewish/Muslim belief, He knew about it, He could have prevented it, but He chose not to.  Disagreeing with God might be evil, but speaking for myself, I would have if I could have.  If that's evil, so be it.\n\nSo it seems that God is not as caring about humans as we were led to believe - assuming you accept a literal interpretation of the Bible.  So perhaps that is why He (and some of his followers) are so insensitive to the suffering of humanity, and would condemn even good people to eternity in hell.  In His viewpoint, apparently, they do deserve hell.\n\nI do not believe that anyone, let alone loving, charitable people who have not followed a particular religion's doctrine (such as saying the "sinner's prayer") deserves an eternity of torment.  That is one of the reasons that while I remain a spiritual person, I no longer identify myself with organized religion, including Christianity.
924850
To the first question...no.\n\nTo the second question (and this is somewhat of a blanket statement to all faiths, and only my opinion):  \n\nStop killing people who have a different faith than yours.\nStop trying to legislate your views of morality.\nStop trying to institute your faithbased views and calling it science.\nStop trying to convert those of differing faiths (an individual's path is for them to decide, not be led to).\nStop denouncing that which has been proven, even if it is in direct conflict with your belief.\nStop trying to force your view of god into places it doesn't belong, and try to cover the truth of it by claiming that you really are trying to acknowledge all faiths, and the word "God" is generic in this case.\nInsist that your particular place of worship pay taxes on any money it is not using in a charitable way.
971044
More killing has been done in history in the name of religion than for any other reason.I believe in God without a doubt,but I wouldn't walk into a church if you paid me.It's funny that I find church goers to be the most intolerant folks I've come accross.The people in church may not be evil but yes ,religion is most definetly evil and you can bet satan is happy with the divisions that religion creates.All part of his evil plan.
1117989
What a sorry way to live life.  If god is so forgiving, he would applaud my free thinking attitude.  My actions in life define myself more than believing is something as ridiculous as a god that kills his own people and then says "thou shall not kill".  There's no reason not to have good morals, regardless of religious faith.  In fact, it seems that religion is inspiring more and more hatred and greed every day!  Those aren't Atheists strapping bombs around their waists and running into a crowd of people.
673836
it isn't justified. have Christians lost faith in their religion. the movie is just another work of fiction. and if it has not an ounce of truth ( as the Christians claim) then it cannot possibly shake the foundations of  a religion established so many years before.. otherwise one is left with no option but to think that the movie shows a certain amount of reality and is bringing to light hidden facts..
809013
You are a victim of injustice. But, you are in good company. Christ was killed on false charges of sedition.
1105127
Good idea...\n\nThat lot deserve it for not being nice like hippies and wickens... I would not attack them as they aint hurt anyone unlike the christians and islamics.\n\n\nBetter stuill do a stone Allah and Mohummed video and chop of their limbs, and force them to have sex with someone they don't want to be with in the name of family honour... Then do a burn god at the stake vid
899372
Disgust with foolish religious dogma.
929537
Fair enough, now are you going to post all the acts of evil perpetrated in the name of Christianity.  See 34 AD to Present.\n\nNote: Big Pen, the answer was meant to be sarcastic, however, Christianity still has much to answer for.
280970
Thanks for the statistics you provided above.  A true Christian or a ethical person will almost never support torture.  WWJD applies even to agnostics if they are ethical people.  Peace!
811462
I would have to also say that even with a God it would still be offensive.  There is a lot of hatered in the Bible that is justified only because God says it is ok. If authority comes from the people and I am a person, I take its authority over me and judge it as evil.
1105643
They aren't being insulted; you're just trying to attract people who have a persecution complex.  What do you want recruits for, to blow people up?  Too chicken-hearted to do it yourself?  Do you tell your new "converts" that they'll be sentenced to DEATH if they ever decide to leave Islam and choose a different religion?