Ok, so I have an extremely Christian friend. He is conservative and generally a very nice person, but occasionally he posts things on his facebook page that are for all intensive purposes flame-bait to anyone that does not share his views. Most often this statements or articles are heavily biased and often wrong, but he agrees with the overall message (usually quite hateful towards non-Christians) so that all his little buddies can giggle and bash those who are not white, Christian, and conservative. On these occasions, his non-Christian conservative friends will often post a comment correcting something in the statement with actual facts. Rather than debate with them, he deletes their comments. This has happened to my fiance several times.

Yesterday he did it to me. Now, as most of you should know, that was a very, very bad idea because it pissed me off.

The thing that he posted was an article about Spain, written by a Spaniard. The writer was blaming Muslims for Spain's decline and went on and on about how it was because of the Holocaust, and that European culture died with the Jews. He called Muslims lazy, violent religious zealots that were "taking advantage of their host countries" and "causing the decline of Spain from her former glory." For those of you who never paid attention in a history class (I hope there are few of those, because this should be obvious to even the worst history student), there are some glaring hypocrisies here. Firstly, Spain has a deep-seated cultural hatred of Muslims ever since the Moorish Conquest and is perhaps one of the most anti-muslim countries in the world. Remember hearing about the Reconquista? Next, the writer apparently forgets that the whole of Europe was fiercely antisemitic prior to the Holocaust, especially Spain (they kicked the Jews out during the Reconquista as well). Historians are actually surprised that it was Germany that started it and not France or Spain. So yeah, so much for the "peaceful Jews that were the cornerstone of European culture." Finally, the wording and imagery that the writer of that article used to lay the blame for all of Spain's problems at the feet of the Muslims was identical to the kind of rhetoric used by Hitler against the Jews to start the Holocaust in the first place. Also, over 200,000 Muslims were killed in the Holocaust as well, not that the author cared about that either. I pointed all of that out, nice, factual, and logical. And he deleted it, leaving only the comments of his friends that bashed the Muslims, the country, and anyone they didn't like.

Now, I ask you, as people that share many of his views, is that right? Because I don't think it is. He has posted things on my wall that I don't agree with, but I have never deleted anything that he has said, instead I debated with him. So many Christians, him included, whine that people have hostile attitudes towards them and they don't get it... actions like that are why people are hostile! It is perhaps the highest level of disrespect towards another person.

Nope, it's not right. Christians show that they are Christians by their love. I gave a similar comment about Westburo Baptist Church, of how they are not Christians because of no signs of love and wrong theology. But there should be evidence of love in Christian's life. They can disagree, but they shouldn't discriminate because of it.

These posts sound more like white supremacy posts rather than Christian posts. Maybe give an example of his posts?

In an intellectual standpoint, him deleting people's comments is wrong in a conversation (unless because of language, which doubt that is the case here.)

But from what you are describing, his actions are wrong. Maybe ask about his beliefs while you are at it...I have a small feeling that his theology might be off.

Not sure of his denomination, but for the most part it sounds similar to yours but more political. I think he posted it because it bad-mouthed Muslims and liberals.

I got a "apology" amidst a huge preachy thing that was basically an attempt to convert me... which I personally also take offense to and he knows it.
His reply to my calling him out for deleting a post about the truth:
"Jesus Christ loves you and I love you. I apologize that what was done seemed offensive, but I was actually trying to avoid a conflict. Rather than entering in yet another fruitless debate I just decided to remove your posts. In hindsight, I probably should have just removed everyone's posts so as not to seem like I was deleting only dissenters, and for that I am sorry. I was not going to say or do anything offensive in the debate that would have ensued, but I cannot speak for anyone else that is on my friends list and so my actual intent was to prevent conflict.

Truth? Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him. He loves you and He died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and was resurrected on the third day all according to over 300 fulfilled prophecies. Without accepting Him into our lives and confessing our sins we are going to die eternally. That is truth. There are a lot of misinformation and lies and a myriad of opinions, but our worldview shapes our entire perspective of everything, so if our worldview does not have THE TRUTH in it, it will not matter how many sources we quote, because it will not have the fundamental foundation of all truth.
I will never delete you as friends either in life or on facebook and I will always strive to continue with you to show you the truth of God's love. I apologize for, in my humanness, not being a very good example of that sometimes. I am just a sinner saved by the grace of God. Yet in that grace I know of an abundance of peace and life and joy that anyone without Christ will never experience. I want you very much to have that too. I have personally witnessed and seen the very hand of God move in my life, and I know for a fact of what I speak. Everything else are periphery issues that we can always disagree on (indeed there exists an abundance of evidence that even fellow Christians do not always agree). So please forgive this apparent breach and hear the heart behind what I am trying to express."

... apparently challenging an erroneous worldview with historical fact is fruitless. Yet he left the comments of his other friend who was saying things like Muslims are the new Hitler and that Obama is their leader because he didn't have a huge public Easter celebration and that next they were going to change the true meaning of Christmas and some other conspiracy theory bulls**t that has no factual basis and is just more hate speech.


When I replied to this and forced him to look at the fact that he had posted an article full of hate speech towards a non-Christian group his defense was that the author wasn't Christian.

.... That does not change what they wrote and that he posted it.

Elara : yes,that is wrong on just about every level.spain was probably the most agresive empire,striping there conquests bare and sending the loot home.many historians argue spain is poor because they imported so much stolen gold it lowered the value and caused a financial recession.plus they were ruled by facists not that long ago.as for religious extremists,the spanish inquisition.they killed and tortured all non catholics(including protestants) who wouldnt convert.
I wouldnt say all,because i dont stereotype but most of the spanish i have met have been absolute jerks,even when i was in spain.they seemed angry and selfish,i have met a few nice ones,but they have issues.

thenumberone : Yeah, I also remember something about excessive overgrazing by sheep contributing to the decline of the Spanish empire... my ex ended up coining the phrase "sheep ate Spain" as a result of learning about it.

I personally have had two encounters with Spaniards, both teachers in my old high school. The first one was my Spanish teacher and all the issues I had with her are detailed in the "worst experience with a teacher" thread. The second was my statistics teacher in my senior year and she was the polar opposite, one of the nicest people I have ever met even though her accent was so strong that it made lectures very hard to understand.

I don't see how this is right in any way.

Any time you bash a people based on race, religion, or political views, you are just hurting the people you represent.

As someone who is white, but an atheist and liberal, I can see he and I would not get along at all. If not for the way he presents himself, then for the unneeded bashing.

I don't generally see eye to eye with many people who are heavily religious mind you (some have called me a rebel :s), but even I know that this is wrong on many levels.

Spainiards are like every other people on the planet. They are equal to Americans, to blacks, to Australians, to French, to Jews to Arabs to any other race, ethnicity, or religion period. Equality is right, and he seems to view them as lower than himself, which only shows his own shortcomings.

I'm sorry if I didn't get the full point, because this isn't my strong suit, but I felt it neccesary to chime in on this one.

legacyme3 : I totally agree with you on that point about hurting who you represent. That writer, whatever his faith was, made all Spaniards look bad. My "friend" in turn made himself look bad.

So... he insists that what he posted was not a conversion attempt because he didn't quote scripture.... Riiight....

I wear a pentacle around my neck, and I have done so for over a decade. That has the nasty habit of random people that recognize it or hear about it trying to convert me (it has happened a lot) and the majority of them usually don't quote scripture either. A few have, but not many. So, if 9/10 people that have tried to convert me in the past sound just like this, and then he posts his "apology"... what logical conclusion am I going to make?

I think it is not right to post intentionally inciteful comments for the purpose of flaming people.

I'm not particularly literate on the Spanish Reconquista or the history of Muslims in Europe but I am aware that besides the 6 million some Jews killed during the Holocaust, there were 6 million some non-Jews, including Muslims, who were also executed. History and conflict have a way of graying the lines.

If your friend thinks he's right and he deletes negative comments, that's his right. He can control what is said on his boards.

He's also a ideologist and there is no sense debating someone who is obviously close-minded to any other opinions. If I were to make a suggestion, I would say ignore what he has to say. You arguing with him will not bring a conclusion and it certainly seems to upset you. If you keep in touch, don't respond to anything he posts. He's just looking for attention.

It's not worth your blood pressure going up. Try removing your emotions from the discussion.

Nope that is NOT right at all.. It is highly disrespectful like you said in my eyes also though. I am a Christian and I have alot of views and beliefs in different things but what he did was completly rude and uncalled for. I hate to say this but its not really Christian to hate on other people cause of there color or background. It's just what I believe in.