A short history lesson on Christian violence

I nearly choked on my falafel when I read JC Wilcox’s statement, “There are many who claim, citing the Bible, that Christianity has a history of violence, but it does not.”
Huh? The Spanish Inquisition wasn’t violent? Burning Joan of Arc, Giordano Bruno and a host of others at the stake wasn’t violent? The medieval wars between the Catholics and Protestants weren’t violent? The Crusades weren’t violent? Looks to me as if JC needs to read a good history book.
He’s also a bit off-base in claiming that the Old Testament is “Jewish, not Christian”. Actually, it’s both – written by the Jews, adopted by the Christians. The Christian claim that Jesus was the Messiah is based on prophecies in the Old Testament. Jesus himself declared, “Until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the [Jewish] Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:18.) He also said, “Salvation is from the Jews.” (John 4:22.) That must be pretty upsetting for contemporary Christians, who are not Jews, and for Muslims, who regard Jesus as a prophet but are not particularly keen on Jews.
Christianity was a Jewish cult before Paul of Tarsus came along and took an axe to it. He decided that Jewish circumcision and dietary restrictions were obstacles to his programme of converting masses of pagans who didn’t want to have their willies cut and fancied an occasional hotdog. Paul wrought so many innovations that modern Christianity ought more properly to be called Paulianity.   
JC ought to do a little more research before popping off, and The Nation ought to have a fact-checking app to run all its letters through before printing them. But that would curtail their exuberance and spoil all the fun.
Ye Olde Pedant