Explosion Liverpool

[vetran]

Don't we take it as read anyone who tries to blow up a hospital is a nutter?

I regularly describe terrorists of all types as Nutters regardless of it being frequently religion inspired.

[SimonMac]

I see that the bomber was a "Christian". Does this mean that all Christians are bombers, or that he wasn't acting in a particularly Christian way?

I would prefer to believe the latter, but that doesn't go down will with the Wailers.

Why do christian converts get "air quotes" while islamist converts don't?

[northernladuk]

Why do christian converts get "air quotes" while islamist converts don't?

Could be the cynical view that it was nothing to do with converstion and all to do with getting hjs asylum application though?

[NotAllThere]

It is suspected he was Jordanian, but not known. The Times reports that people who knew him said he converted to further his asylum claim. It's possible, but since conversion from Islam to Christianity can lead to death if he were returned to his native country, it's a bit of a risk. A couple of Christians who knew him at his conversion, seem convinced it was genuine. I guess he might have fallen away. (c.f. Parable of the Sower).


I'm sure the facts will out in subsequent weeks.

[WTFH]

Could be the cynical view that it was nothing to do with converstion and all to do with getting hjs asylum application though?

Could be the view that sections of the press rely on. That anyone who calls themselves a Christian would never carry out an act of terror, therefore put quotes around it.
Let's forget The Troubles etc, as they are ancient history to be forgotten/ignored and only look at the last 20 years.

[vetran]

Why do christian converts get "air quotes" while islamist converts don't?

well maybe they get to choose for personal advantage?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-29008267

Every year in Pakistan, several hundred young Christian or Hindu girls are forcibly converted to Islam, and sometimes married off.

The growing radicalisation in the country is making life increasingly hard for the 10% of non Muslim Pakistanis - and they have little recourse in the face of violence.

The BBC's Kim Ghattas met two girls who were forcibly converted, with very different experiences.

[northernladuk]

Could be the view that sections of the press rely on. That anyone who calls themselves a Christian would never carry out an act of terror, therefore put quotes around it.
Let's forget The Troubles etc, as they are ancient history to be forgotten/ignored and only look at the last 20 years.

Didn't we celebrate one such act just 11 days ago? Wasn't the gun powder plot a Christian act of terror?

[malvolio]

Didn't we celebrate one such act just 11 days ago? Wasn't the gun powder plot a Christian act of terror?

No, not really. However the Christian ethos is primarily "Love they neighbour", not "Blow the bastards' women and children up". As is Islam, come to that. Those who are doing these things have no right to claim any religion, they are uniformly deluded idiots who can only operate under someone else's delusions in the hope of an unattainable reward.

Also, becoming a Christian is one of the steps you can take to help get through the asylum process. Nobody said you had to believe in Christianity though.

[d000hg]

Why do christian converts get "air quotes" while islamist converts don't?

It would partly depend on if you attribute your actions to your religion or you happen to claim a religion separately?

Of course us Christians have things like the Crusades, I don't know if that's more or less 'legitimate' than Islamic Jihad. By which I mean Christianity has very little to endorse violence but some people say Jihad is part of Islam and I have no idea if they're just trouble-stirrers.

[NotAllThere]

Didn't we celebrate one such act just 11 days ago? Wasn't the gun powder plot a Christian act of terror?

Yes. It was a Catholic plot to bring down the Protestant government and king.