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Caryn Riswold

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Meet the NotReligions: Christianity, Islam, and …?

Meet the NotReligions: Christianity, Islam, and …?

Last updated on: December 7, 2012 at 8:00 am by Caryn Riswold

Meet the NotReligions: Christianity, Islam, and …? 2012-12-06T09:49:05-07:00 Caryn Riswold

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So, apparently, we’ve been doing it all wrong. Christianity isn’t a religion! It’s a philosophy. Here’s how Bill O’Reilly explains it to us:

Also you heard an atheist on this program last night say the federal holiday of Christmas imposes religion on him. What religion would that be? He says Christianity. But Christianity is not an organized religion, a church that can be imposed. There are many different churches that promote the Christian philosophy in many different ways.

Does the atheist think the federal government is promoting Mormonism? Lutheranism? Catholicism? What? After that interview the crazy Web site People emerged screaming that I’m wrong. Christianity is indeed a religion. This people are so stupid, it’s painful.

Christianity is a philosophy. You don’t have to believe Jesus is God in order to admire his view on life.

Millions of Muslims admire Jesus as a prophet. In fact the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian philosophy, that’s what shaped our constitutional tenets. Again if you are stone-cold dumb and don’t understand the difference between an organized church and a philosophy, I cannot help you.

And guess what! Islam isn’t a religion either, so those Muslims BillO mentioned are super-confused.

Here’s how Warren Throckmorton sums up what Liberty University’s Mat Staver said:

Mat Staver, Dean of the Liberty University Law School told OneNewsNow, the “news service” of the American Family Association that Islam is more political ideology than religion and as such does not merit the same religious liberty protections. Staver said

“One of the issues, however, that needs to be considered is whether or not there will be much emphasis placed on advancing the Muslim cause,” he notes. “Certainly that could be a concern to many people around the country.”

He explains why that should be a concern in a law school.

“Islam is a political ideology. Certainly it takes characteristics of religion, but by and large, at its core, both in the United States and around the world, it is a political ideology,” Staver asserts. “Consequently, to use the same kind of laws for an advancement of a political ideology that you would for religious liberty could eventually cause some concerning issues that we want to address.”

O’Reilly apparently corrected himself the next day, and who knows if Staver will choose to correct himself and clarify that indeed Islam is a religion. I’m betting no on that.

These are two recent and blatant examples of mischaracterizing a religion in service of one’s own political ends: Nativity scenes at federal courthouses, and continued marginalization of and hatred toward Muslims.

Who’s next?

God Bless America?

Maybe Jon Stewart can help:

!!!!

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c The War on Christmas: Friendly Fire Edition – Bill O’Reilly’s Philosophy www.thedailyshow.com

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