So, this isn't new whatsoever-but it's troubled me more and more as time goes on. I wonder whether or not America is as "Christian" as we say we are. Turn through any of the hundreds of cable channels available today or simply serf the Internet and you'll find it. Slander and vitriol by so-called "Christians" against what they say is "terrorism", but is more so targeted against the religion of Islam. You hear it at work or on the radio or just watch Fox news and many people masquerading as Christians demonizing a whole religion based upon the acts of a few extremists. People who dress in traditional Muslim garb being cursed and terrorized and labeled as a terrorist or sympathizer to a terrorist association. Many people who lead this chorus of unfair and downright gross generalization are fundamental Christians, or are claiming to be.
The (Reverend?) Terry Jones of Florida, is famous for wanting to and then eventually burning the Koran at the behest of many that it would incite violence and already intensify some dangerous feelings of those abroad against America. This isn't Christianity, and it isn't right. I piled on when Osama bin Laden was killed, but then relaxed when I really thought about whether or not God looks favorably upon us for rejoicing the death of another person, no matter who they are. I'm glad he died and got what he had coming, but our mass celebrations scatted around the nation made us look no better than other nations whom we look down upon and chide for it.
The fact that we would paint a religion with such a broad brush is saddening as well as narrow-minded. Timothy McVeigh bombed a building in Oklahoma City in 1995 and killed close to 200 people. He claimed that he was a "Christian". The Crusades were religiously sanctioned military campaigns in which thousands were killed in the name of "Christianity". Would it be fair to label all Christians by the acts of these few people? I'm quite sure we would object to that;but then-why do allow ourselves to do this to others?
As a Christian, what others do, represent, or say doesn't give me a right to judgethem. I just need to try to be the best person or Christian that I can be. It seems to me that these people who claim Christianity do so in ignoring one of it's most basic tenants. That tenant is LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13:13 states "Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love". I would challenge any of my Christian brethern to tell me why they can't love our Muslim brothers and sisters who have not embraced extreme terrorism as a way of life, or would stand by passively when a so-called "Christian" says something inflammatory against a group of people and does nothing to correct them.
No comments:
Post a Comment