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mark_a
Guest
Does the religion make the extremist, or does the extremist choose or make the religion?
Which is the chicken and which is the egg?
Which is the chicken and which is the egg?
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Jennifer_G
Guest
Bad (personal) theology makes the extremist, then they split off into their own church…
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AlanFromWichita
Guest
Christ was an extremist.
He loved and forgave to radical extremes nobody else had ever before demonstrated.
Nothing moderate about Him.
Then again, many people consider “extremist” to be a fault, and so maybe by “religious” you mean an extremist at promoting the outer trappings and signs of religion without taking it to heart. In that case I believe the religion is temptation and the extremism is a result of taking the bait.
When I think about most Christians, though, I think I would consider them “lukewarm” rather than extremist because if they really believed this awesome stuff they would be going around witnessing almost all the time, and not keeping so much of their beliefs as a Sunday theoretical exercise. The extremists may be poor ambassadors, lousy Christians, and annoying, but I will give them credit that at least they are willing to act on what they believe.
Alan
He loved and forgave to radical extremes nobody else had ever before demonstrated.
Nothing moderate about Him.
Then again, many people consider “extremist” to be a fault, and so maybe by “religious” you mean an extremist at promoting the outer trappings and signs of religion without taking it to heart. In that case I believe the religion is temptation and the extremism is a result of taking the bait.
When I think about most Christians, though, I think I would consider them “lukewarm” rather than extremist because if they really believed this awesome stuff they would be going around witnessing almost all the time, and not keeping so much of their beliefs as a Sunday theoretical exercise. The extremists may be poor ambassadors, lousy Christians, and annoying, but I will give them credit that at least they are willing to act on what they believe.
Alan
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FightingFat
Guest
I think that there are many beliefs in the world. You are Catholic because you were born Catholic, or you married a Catholic, or you studied and decided Catholicism is the truth. Whatever, people out there have arrived at different conclusions on their journey of faith. They are entitled to make that decision and nothing will change that. If there was a blindingly obvious answer to the life, everyone would be a part of that faith. Extremism is born of not accepting that other individuals are entitled to make their own decisions, or of fear of something different, or of your intransigent beliefs being eroded.
Evil is usually a privation of good. Extremism may play at having good intentions- for example, salvation, but ultimately it can only be flawed.
Evil is usually a privation of good. Extremism may play at having good intentions- for example, salvation, but ultimately it can only be flawed.
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mosher
Guest
What is the definition of an extremist? I am convinced that we throw this word around a lot and we don’t really know what we are saying. As Allenfromwichita noted Christ was an extremest the Saints were extremists. But are these not the very image of the faith live well?
I would argue a different way. Just as the Christain “extremist” is the truer and more radically devout according to the faith this holds true in other religions. Extremist Muslims are living the principles of Islam to the fullest as Orthodox Jews are living Judaism to the fullest as the Saints are living Christianity to the fullest.
I would argue a different way. Just as the Christain “extremist” is the truer and more radically devout according to the faith this holds true in other religions. Extremist Muslims are living the principles of Islam to the fullest as Orthodox Jews are living Judaism to the fullest as the Saints are living Christianity to the fullest.
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mark_a
Guest
I was using it in the modern day newscast sense of the word.What is the definition of an extremist?
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ALLFORHIM
Guest
Hi,I was using it in the modern day newscast sense of the word.
So you are talking about theIslamic terrorists or christians who bomb abortion clinics. Is that what you mean?
That is what I would think of regarding newscasts of today.
AFH
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AlanFromWichita
Guest
In those examples, I think the religion makes the extremist, or possibly the misapplication of their religion that does so. Even Christianity can be used as a weapon of fear and terror, and has been used that way in the past.Hi,
So you are talking about theIslamic terrorists or christians who bomb abortion clinics. Is that what you mean?
That is what I would think of regarding newscasts of today.
AFH
It seems that this might be one of the “side effects” as opposed to the “desired effects” of religion. The extremism could grow independent of religion over time and under oppressive circumstances, but such circumstances also result in the growth of religions so there is possibly a coincident growth as religion attempts to be an “antidote” for the ills that any given society imposes.
Alan
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Alberich
Guest
If used in the modern sense of the word, I think it’s the person that makes the religion extreme (generally). I think that, at least in Western culture, extremists tend to be people that need something to latch onto, and find religion to suit their purpose. (Other options might be sports, relationships, work…) However, instead of accepting the religion as it is, I think the extremists will tend to warp the religion to fit whatever preconceived beliefs and preexisting needs they might have. From that point, they cannot tolerate attacks on their religion, and become more and more “extreme” in their devotion to it.
Alberich
Alberich
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