Of course, there had been terrible deeds done by Christians in the past in the name of their religion. But Christianity ended greater barbarism for much of the pagan world. Even in its most terrible days, even under the most corrupt Church leadership, even during the most unjustifiable wars and persecution of minorities, Christianity was indisputably a force for the improvement of man. The U.S. was actually based on Judeo-Christianity and has been a beacon for all countries as a symbol of democracy & justice for all. It was Christianity which transformed the ethics of both the ancient and modern world. We wouldn't have a universal concept of human rights being implemented among virtually all countries across the world had these countries not been christianized or colonized by the West. In fact, the only countriess that object to the universal declaration of human rights are Islamic ones because they see the western notion of human rights as a secularization of Judeo-Christian morality.

Christianity is the root of all of the worlds current problems

And the driving force behind the totality of civilization as you see it today so....

Uuuuh... any colonized country that the Western countries, especially the U.S., either created war in, sent to war, or threatened to invade for causes like the red scare, cold war, or any irrational fear the US had. Mainly Nicaragua, El Salvador, Haiti like 30 times, Iran, etc.

You mean that the millions of natives in the Americas deserved genocide?

Cultural exchange is possible without ransacking, genocide, rape, and war.

Clock them

No.

What's an example of some of their "backwards" thinking that should be forgiven?

Yes, white people just felt like anything which wasn't inherently white, was evil.

I agree! The effects of colonization even in countries where it happened so long ago such as those in Latin America still can be felt in the way people think and act. It will take a while for those countries to catch up.

Nope! In fact Europe started to develop faster when it became increasingly secular

I feel like people in this thread are trying to say that we should forgive Muslim countries for imprisoning / executing gay people I hope I'm wrong

I feel like people in this thread need to keep in mind that conquest and clashing of cultures is something that has always been a part of human history. It's a bit revisionist to try to blame EVERYTHING on the USA. Native American tribes clashed. African tribes clashed. It was Europeans who did a lot of damage. But if the tables were turned it could have been any race.

Be equally mad at Spain, Portugal, England, France, etc. Be equally mad at the Romans. Be equally mad at the Macedonians. Be equally mad at the Ottoman Turks. Be equally mad at the Asante. Be equally mad at emperor Qin. Etc.

Agreed. Imperialism is part of the inherent background of all of humanity. The whole history of the world is actually replete with conquest and domination. More advanced civilization had always conquered those less advanced upon finding them. If it was not the Europeans that came into power and colonized the world and someone else did, the world would be totally different from what it is today. Globalization probably would have not taken place and there would be no international laws respecting each other's territory and the colonialism and imperialism that had been going on since the dawn of human civilization would have never ended.

I do think western countries have no business meddling in Middle Eastern politics.
Democracy isn't for everyone, look @ how we ruined Libya + Egypt

Africa is different, i do think it needs foreign guidance, otherwise you end up with Zimbabwe, Uganda and such.

No, but you can't expect immediate change either. It's unrealistic, especially considering that Muslims are currently at war with themselves.