I'm going to try to speak to the three highlighted points above because they seem to reflect both the intellectual and emotional tone of the thread.
I've read the
transcript of the President's 2015 National Prayer Breakfast and feel confident in saying that the theme of the President's speech can be summed up in the 2nd sentence to paragraph 9:
Religious faith used for good...religious faith subverted and used for evil. No matter what commentary you've heard about the speech, if after listening to it or reading the transcript yourself you don't walk away with an acute understanding that people and/or groups claiming to be of a particular faith have done evil things in the name of their Holy deity, then you've missed the point entirely!
While I would agree that one should never mix religion with politics (i.e., "God spoke to me and I was compelled to ask Congress for authority to destroy our nation's enemies showing no mercy"), I don't think it's wrong to ask God for a military victory over those we are at war against (i.e., God, bless our troops as they go into battle against a foreign enemy; may they be victorious.). The trick here is
the war must be justified.
As to the issue of the Crusades (and the Spanish Inquisition), I find it interesting that people would even attempt to gloss over the evil that was done in the name of God and Christ during such times. It did happen! Why the Crusades or the Inquisition began, who started it, whether or not either were benevolent is really irrelevant. Fact is, people did commit murder and other vile acts during such times in the name of God and Christ. They put their own personal ambitions ahead of their religious calling or the humane tenants of their faith. Doesn't matter whether they were during "modern times" or medieval times. The fact remains that even those who believed they were doing "God's will" still committed sinful acts in His name.
