Ummm seems nothing will stop an attack.
After all France has been one of the most critical of America, yet they also seem to be in the cross hairs. Does that mean that al-qaeda is against anything they want or stand for???
So I guess it comes down to " if you don't believe their way, its no way" and you are fare game.
I think it's the treatment of Muslims within France they don't like. The North African colonial immigrants have a rough deal there from what I have heard.
This has nothing to do with support or otherwise for America.
AQ has issues with the west in general and France has alarge muslim population and historic ties to north africa and the middle east. France also has laws restricting people from wearing muslim dress in public buildings (including public schools).
France has also been the victim of islamist terrorism in the past.
France has troops in Afghanistan (including special forces attached to the US forces operating outside of ISAF) and in Lebanon.
All told, it is not surprising that AQ would threaten France.
Bear this in mind. One of the beliefs in Islam is that the world shound be Islam. Fundamentalists believe that there way is the right way, moderates believe everything will happen over time.
Compare that to Christianity where all we care about is whether people have HEARD the Gospel. What they do with that knowledge is their own personal free choice.
Compare that to Christianity where all we care about is whether people have HEARD the Gospel. What they do with that knowledge is their own personal free choice.
That may be your interpretation of christianity E17 - but it isn't universal. Historically there have always been christian missionaries and assorted groups who see it as their mission to convert as many people as possible. It is not that they merely want you to hear the message, they want you to adopt it and then go out and find recruits of your own.
And they were not and are not necessarily tolerant of dissenters and those with alternative views.
Those who established the original colonies in Massachusetts are a classic example - a christian taliban.
What is interesting is that it was as much a fear of what had happened in the US as anything that had happened in the UK that led the founding fathers to put a separation of church and state in the constitution
The problem with many religions including Christianity is that they suffer from Bush Telegraph Syndrome. And that has nothing to do with 2 US presidents.
There have been millions of people who have acted on behalf of Christianity who have never read a word of the Bible. Most people at the time of the crusades couldn't read anyway.
Mark 16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
What about if they don't believe it?
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Simple really. Doesn't say "off wiv 'is head". The damnation it refers to is not imparted by humans. We are not to judge, lest we be judged.
Colossians 1
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
... and later ('whom' refers to Jesus Christ)
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
May. It says MAY. Not WILL or SHALL or MUST. Just MAY.
If anyone knows of a verse that backs up the crusades and other "infidel" type religious activity by a Christian, please inform me of it. I haven't found it yet.
If it's not in the book, it's not spiritual Christianity, it's human religion.