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Has there been any Christian group that held as one of its main points of belief the conviction that Christians in no circumstance should (are allowed to) kill other people just because of their religious views?

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"Christian Pacifism" comes to mind, however that is not limited just to "their religious views" – Marc Gravell♦ May 1 '12 at 11:38
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Are you looking only for groups who would kill for other reasons, but not for differences in religious views? I don't know of any. But grammatically your question includes groups which wouldn't kill for any reason, and that's a long list. – TRiG May 1 '12 at 20:04
@TRiG - I am looking for a group that would have it as its rule not to end other people's life just because of their religious views, no matter how heretical or non-christian those views may look. – brilliant May 1 '12 at 23:04
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Fine: Jehovah's Witnesses, Quakers, and any other Christian pacifists won't kill people for any reason, including their religious views. Does that answer your question? I don't know any groups that mention religious views specifically. – TRiG May 1 '12 at 23:11
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@brilliant Quakers are strictly non-violent in all cases as an article of faith. – Affable Geek May 2 '12 at 1:37
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Yes

The view you describe applies to pretty much all Christianity. I know of no existing Christian groups that believe Christians should ever kill other people because of their religious views. That's not to say that all modern Christian groups are non-violent (many Christians believe in killing in self defense, capital punishment, etc), but that is a separate question.

There have been a few dark spots in "Christian" history, such as the Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials, but these are the exception and not the rule.

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Under Deut 17, the Bible commands this killing (I guess it would be "slaying", technically). – Marc Gravell♦ May 2 '12 at 15:35
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@MarcGravell, right - and the question of why we (Christians) do not believe this applies to us is a separate question. For this answer, it suffices to say that we do not. – Eric May 2 '12 at 16:08
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Deuteronomy though, must be filtered through the Christological lens. You can't just read it and assume it is commands to Christians. You might read the Didache or the Gospels and say yes, this is a command to Christians, but the Old Testament was traditionally spiritualized through Christ. – RiverC May 2 '12 at 18:39
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Side note: 21 people were executed during the Salem Witch Trials, while at least 40,000 people were executed in Europe for the crime from 1450-1750. I think it's a little unfair that this relatively minor episode is so often used to define the Puritans. (Here is an article which goes into a little more detail.) – Brian Koser May 3 '12 at 2:06
If you examine the witch trials, especially the ones in Europe you will find that many were not actually done through or by the church at all. – DJClayworth Mar 27 at 23:52
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Yes many groups of Christians become pacifists in theory and some actually in practice like the Quakers. Christians however as a group never were completely non-violent. Jesus didn't teach solders to quit their job just not to extort yet he very clearly didn't preach harming others in revenge. The church at Jerusalem began with the death penalty. A few years later in the Pauline epistles acts of the government were ordained as well. The Old Testament of course is filled with by God's permission. In summary some believers may be pacifists but God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit surely are not though they very rarely enact such severe punishment.

Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Act 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

ESV Luk 3:14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

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