The Post on “Christian Terrorism”

The arrest of Eric Rudolph leads the Washington Post to ask: “Is he a Christian terrorist?”
The answer, apparently, is Yes. Rudolph had “a long association with the radical Christian Identity movement.” Professors are enlisted in the cause: “Based on what we know of Rudolph so far, and admittedly it’s fragmentary, there seems to be a fairly high likelihood that he can legitimately be called a Christian terrorist,” says one “expert.” Never let fragmentary information stand in the way of slandering Christians.
Another “expert” says: “If Christians take umbrage at the juxtaposition of the words ‘Christian’ and ‘terrorist, that may give them some idea of how Muslims feel’ when they constantly hear the term ‘Islamic terrorism.’ Religiously inspired terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon, and every major world religion has people who have appropriated the label of their religion in order to legitimize their violence.”
Well, no, Rudolph doesn’t actually make me feel like a Muslim. I have no idea what his religious views are, if any. As far as I know, he is simply a nut. But I do know that there is no branch of Christianity that advocates setting off bombs in public places. There are no ordained Christian ministers–not a minority, not a few, but none–who advocate mass murder on behalf of any religious or political cause.
I can imagine feeling like a Muslim. I would feel like a Muslim if people were afraid to offend me for fear that I might kill them. I would feel like a Muslim if survey data showed that Eric Rudolph was one of the people most respected by Christians. I would feel like a Muslim if Christian towns named streets after Eric Rudolph. I would feel like a Muslim if Christian politicians gave speeches praising Eric Rudolph. I would feel like a Muslim if governments of Christian countries paid money to members of Rudolph’s family to honor him and to encourage future bombers. I would feel like a Muslim if thousands of Christians turned out at rallies to praise Rudolph and encourage others to emulate his example. I would feel like a Muslim if Christian ministers and priests gave sermons encouraging mass murder. I would feel like a Muslim if Lutherans, Catholics and Methodists poured out of their churches on Sunday mornings, incited by their religious leaders, looking for someone to kill.
Until those things happen, the Post can take its anti-Christian propaganda and shove it.