A study adapted from the book by

Dinesh D’Souza

Dr. Gary VanDeWalker

Evangelical Free Church of Mount Shasta

Study Six:  Christianity and Suffering 

·         The charge is laid that Christianity is evil

o   Religion is declared the bane of history

o   Christianity is seen as the worst

o   The Crusades

§  Christians did do things they shouldn’t have

§  The fact that Islam was invading and taking over countries with armies all the way to Europe is not mentioned

o   The Inquisition

§  Most facts about it are made up

§  Most people received the penalty of penance through fasting or community service

§  Around 2,000 people were killed….this was wrong

o  Salem Witch Trials

§  25 people died

§  They were stopped by a pastor

   o  In modern history most “religious” conflicts are not about religion
             §  Ireland

·        Atheism and the mass murders of history

o   More is said about the crimes of Christianity than atheism

o   Christianity is responsible for the death of 200,000 people in the past 2,000 years

§  Adjusting for population today, the figure would be one million

o   In real numbers, atheism has killed 100 million in the past 100 years

o   The argument can be made that these were not true atheists, but the argument is not extended to the Christians

o   Atheism is operated without moral restraints