Letter: Christianity bred hatred

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2000 | 9:44 a.m.

There were eight crusades between 1095 A.D. and the end of the 17th century. Christians justified their killings and hatred by claiming to "deliver the Holy Places" from first Mohammedan tyranny, then anyone not Christian.

How can we forget the famous Spanish Inquisition from 1478 to 1834? Again, Christians (Catholics, this time) drove out and killed thousands of Jews, Protestants, and other non-Catholic believers, justified this time by claiming they were not Catholic.

Getting closer to today's era, we have Nazi Germany. Again Christians led the hatred of thousands to displace and kill millions of Jews, Slavs, Russians, handicapped, gays and Gypsies. This time the justification was to "get rid of breeders of all evil."

Don't these people remember the early church and the way Christians were persecuted and killed for what they believed and practiced? What about the Mormons who were expelled and killed in Illinois? Where are your memories? Or is this the start of another era of hate?

How can you raise your children to hate others? Don't forget that you reap what you sow.

ROBERT M. WANTROBA

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