As part of an effort to help other readers in considering the source of the materials presented in this node (especially in case one or more of the cited sources ceases to be available in the future), I tried to find out a bit about the sites cited by the above writeups.
BigHoliday cites two sites, CASMAS and Chalcedon. The first is best described by the following quotation from their page:
"The Coalition Against Slavery in Mauritania and Sudan (CASMAS) is a human rights, abolitionist movement started by activists from Mauritania, Sudan and the United States on March 5, 1995. The mission of CASMAS is to bring together abolitionists/human rights groups from Mauritania, South Sudan and North America to collectively fight for the eradication of institutionalized and chattel slavery and other forms of human rights violations in Africa, especially in Mauritania and Sudan."
Chalcedon is a Calvinist Christian organization, which lists among its purposes the following commitment:
"Chalcedon is committed to recovering the intellectual foundations of Christian civilization. We do this in two main ways, negatively, we expose the bankruptcy of all non-Christian (and alleged but compromising Christian) systems of thought and practices. Positively, we propose an explicitly Biblical system of thought and action as the exclusive basis for civilization. Only by restoring the Christian Faith and Biblical law as the standard of all of life can Christians hope to re-establish Christian civilizations."
I can't resist quoting this, as well--it really isn't related at all, but it's listed first of "five great ways to show your kids you care":
- Teach them that they are natural-born sinners subject to the wrath of a Holy God, and call upon them to trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation from eternal punishment in hell.
BaldGhoti's writeup cites Nextext, a site which makes educational texts available online, and the Catholic Encyclopedia on New Advent, which describes itself thus:
"New Advent is a Catholic website, featuring the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Summa Theologica, and a collection of the Church Fathers."
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BaldGhoti's points do not serve to establish the point s/he attempts to make, that
Christianity is exactly as guilty of persecution as other religions of comparable size. However, they can be used to suggest that Christianity has not been blame-free throughout its history. The largely historical nature of the examples chosen (with the partial exception of
Native American persecution--partial only because it seems to have been more pronounced in days happily gone by) serves to weaken the more
salient point that modern-day Christianity is still involved in persecution--additional examples could be of assistance here.
On the other hand,
BigHoliday's writeup seems unconcerned with making distinctions between the actions of individuals, churches, and governments. Also, it presents a good deal of
anecdotal evidence, often the hallmark of a weak argument. Still, it's important for present-day policymaking that these sorts of issues enter the public consciousness.