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From: david@fisher.UUCP (David Rubin)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Understanding the Bible
Message-ID: <272@fisher.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Aug-84 10:50:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: fisher.272
Posted: Tue Aug 14 10:50:34 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Aug-84 00:47:31 EDT
References: <1130@ihuxq.UUCP> <934@akgua.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton Univ. Statistics
Lines: 19

Christian belief may not be a sufficient condition for the burning of
heretics, and other acts of intolerance, but in the US and Canada it
is a necessary condition. "Mandates" of some sort are required for all
heinous crimes, and all criminals claim one of two justifications:

	(1) "It is the natural order of things."

	(2) "God commanded it."

Examples of the first include Nazis and sane murderers. Examples of
the second include most Popes (note that I did not say all) and insane
murderers.

Not all Christians are religiously intolerant (in fact, the vast
majority aren't), but nearly all religiously intolerant Americans
are Christians. (Apologies to Dean Acheson)

					David Rubin
			{allegra|astrovax|princeton}!fisher!david