[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by robertthebard: quote: Originally posted by Cerek the Barbaric: quote: Originally posted by IronDragon: Unfortunately the United states has a rather poor history of protecting the rights of minority religions and history is rife with examples of forced conversion of children to Christianity.

Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind listing a few examples of these "forced conversions" for debate purposes. [img]smile.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]The Salem Witch Trials, The Inquisition
edit here: The worst part of some of these, was that the *converts* were still burnt, hung, or drowned. Now I can't attest to the accuracy of this next comment, but I seem to recall reading that the *battle cry* through out the Inquisition was *You're either with us, or against us.* So, since the Bible only allows for two roads, any one not a Christian is a Satanist. I'll pass. I'm not a Christian, and since most of the Christian depictions of Satan come from Wiccan temples in Europe...*Bucklands* for reference on this last little bit about the depiction. [/QUOTE]Those are good examples, robert, but they did not involve children (for the most part). That was why I edited my original statement to include "forced conversion of children". I knew the Spanish Inquisition would be offered as one of the first examples of religious persecution (and rightly so). I don't know as much about the Inquisition as I should, but I think you are fairly accurate about the *battle cry*. I also agree that the Salem Witch Trials are one of the blackest marks on American history and religious persecution. The women and girls accused of witchery were doomed from the moment they were accused. If they managed to survive the dunking seat and other "trials" (ie tortures) they were put through...then that was considered PROOF that they were witches - so they were promptly burned or hung. [img]graemlins/dontknowaboutyou.gif[/img] The only way they could "prove" their innocence was by NOT surviving the various "trials".

Still, as heinous as that example is, it involved mostly women in their teens and 20's - not children.

My point is that most children don't have their own ideas regarding religion or theology...so it is inaccurate to say that they underwent "forced conversions" since this implies they were actively practicing a different religion.

I'm not trying to imply that Christianity has a spotless history. It certainly doesn't. Many atrocities have been committed in the name of Christianity (just as 9/11 was committed in the name of Allah and the Muslim religion). But the actions of a few flawed members should not be considered representative of the religion as a whole.

Oh - btw - the Bible doesn't have "just two roads" (Christianity or Satanism). In fact, the Bible doesn't mention the worship of Satan very much at all. It does condemn the worship of "pagan gods", but Satan is not listed as one of these "gods". The Bible differentiates between believers and non-believers - but it instructs the believers to witness to the non-believers so that they may have an opportunity to know God also. Non-believers are not just automatically "written off" and tossed away.