Seeing what the Others See in Christianity

 The spread of Calvinism was unusual.  In contrast to Catholicism, which has been maintained by civil and military force, and Lutheranism, which survived in becoming a religion of politics, Calvinism had, for the most part, only its consistent logic and its fidelity to the Scriptures.  Within a generation it spread across Europe. - Charles Miller

Everywhere you look is conquest.  Yahweh the 2 faced God.  O Jesus, meek and mild, the loving good shepherd, Son of the One God who will allow for no other Gods but him

 It is noteworthy that all of these Reformed bodies shared the conviction that Christianity in many parts of Europe prior to the Reformation was little more than a veneer.  As these Reformed believers surveyed Europe, they saw what they could regard only as large swaths of paganism.  The planting of solidly biblical churches was desperately needed.  This explains in large measure the Reformers' missionary focus in Europe. - Joel r. Beeke

They want you to picture a group of erstwhile missionaries walking amongst demon worshipping cannibal pedophiles with their Bibles, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ.  And to be fair, there are certainly places in the world where the fearsome tribal deity, Jahweh, was more civilised than some.  But when it comes to pagan Europe, you had gangs of zealous desert scoundrels, pouring into the beautiful cities in Greece, Rome and the Mediterranean basin, destroying temples and art work, just as they've done in the Middle East.

Tolerance of neighbouring faiths and practices is a pagan virtue, practiced by those gifted with the responsibility of imperial rule.  Monotheistic societies allow for no one other than Jesus.  The puritans escaped to the New World to start afresh, free from the tyranny of Rome.  But their religious tolerance extends only to brands of Christianity.  They slaughtered the pagan 'savages'.  Yahweh brooks no competition.  Yahweh, the Jewish god is a supremacist.

We are all caught up in the apocalyptic theatre of Judaism, Christianity and Islam at war with each other.  We must resist it.  And in our resistance we must be careful not to fall into the Jewish trap of New Age Communistic 'We are One' claptrap.  Tikkun Olam may be a more insidious, subtle face of Yahwism, but it is still one of Yahweh's 3 faces.