Koran Burning is not The Way
As you have doubtless read/watched, an independent Baptist church in Gainesville Florida will mark the up-coming anniversary of 9/11 by performing a burning of copies of the koran (qu'ran) ina public bonfire. The pastor says his motive is to draw attention to his view that islam is of the devil, and is a religion of violence.
In a free country with separation of church and state, he is free to do this. I think he is deeply mistaken to do so. Here is my thinking:
The great majority - experts say about 85% - of muslims are peaceful, law abiding people who contribute to their societies. They practice their faith with nobility and with sincerity. Theologically, I don't think much of the treachings of Mohammed. I don't see him as a true prophet. He was a brilliant general, and leader of men, and statesman. He life seems an example of a man following his own path and believing his own publicity. He lived a full, wealthy, long life full of adulation and power. The very opposite of Jesus Christ. There is much on the life history of Mohammed that is deeply disturbing. Everything is the life of Jesus Christ is awe-inspiring.
I seem Islam as something different from the life of muslims. Islam is a dark extension of Mohammed's teachings. Islam is three things:
1) Islam is a religion centered on obedience. There is no concept of love is this religion. 'Muslim' means 'obedient' or 'servant'. The highest hope of a muslim is to be a servant or slave of God. This is a high and noble aim. Muslims have produce high and great art, poetry and science. I respect that. I respect Christ more, and His teaching centered on love, in which adoption as children of God is the highest ideal. Muslims chant that God is great; Christian sing that God is our loving Father. Surely we who diligently seek God are close. The relationship between genuine muslim and authentic Christian should be a careful, respectful dialog. Burning each other's scriptures is not the way of glorifying Jesus Christ.
2) Islam is an ideology. There is nothing so powerful as an idea. So we all better be very careful to check our ideas. Islam has one central aim: to establish and maintain a total world domination of enforced obedience to the teachings of Mohammed. Period. It seeks an imposed theocracy. Individual freedom - and the right for a people of exercise self-determination is anathema to Islam. As an ideology, (did you read that? - as an ideology - ) Islam is evil, dark and utterly of the devil. It is driven by the devil's spirit bent of power and control. It is the antithesis of love, the enemy of freedom, and the friend of the despot and dictator. It is utter power that had been utterly corrupted. The ideology of Islam is the fruit of a fallen humanity and of 'this world'. Is is to be comprehensively resisted. I long to see genuine muslims dismantle the ideology of Islam. Islam is Mohammedanism gone deeply wrong. Now here is the kicker. Book-burning Christians is an early stage of Christianity going deeply wrong. I long to see authentic Christ-followers dedicate 9/11 to reading and sharing the Holy Bible and then living out a day of selfless service to others as the antidote to a tiny church engaging is an act of fearful hatred.
3) Islam is a merciless system of law. Sharia law is a wicked, dark, oppressive, merciless human system of law. There are some broad parallels between Sharia law and the law code of the Jewish Old Testament, although I will doubtless be criticized for even naming them in the same sentence. I do not imply there is any theological correlation, but that we Christians needs to understand that on the surface, the two can look similar with injunctions to kill sinners by stoning. So proceed with respect and care. While the Old Testament law came from God as an articulation of His Justice, it also contained multiple varied measure of grace and mercy. God's justice is always tempered with mercy - at least this side of Judgment Day. Punishment is usually accompanied by an invitation to repentance and restoration. This the way of Almighty God - hallelujah! The wonder of The Cross is that God died for our sins so that we would never have to. The Judge steps down from the bench and pays the penalty of our crimes against Him. What a truth! Sharia law knows neither mercy nor repentance. It is a heartless, cruel exercise of martial law, invented by a medieval general and impose by ideologists. May God forbid that Sharia law ever prevail. Amen.
In conclusion, I will encourage Journey Church to mark the anniversary of the mass murder of 9/11 by engaging in loving, Christ-like service to our neighbors, and by praying for the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven: first in our individual hearts and minds, then in our families, then in our churches, then in our communities, then in the USA (including Gainesville) and across the muslim lands and the whole world.
As salt and light in the world. May Jesus Christ be glorified. They will know us by our love.
1 comment:
Eddy, some good thoughts that I think can help push people to greater tolerance and understanding. I don't see Islam's ideology as evil though. Parallels can certainly be made to Christ's call for us to go and preach His message to the world and baptizing converts into the church. You also mention the I agree that Christianity today is a choice, but there are many communities in the past where choosing to not be a part of the church or being excommunicated created a sort of social death or at least alienation from the broader community. Additionally, when people claim America is a Christian nation and that Christian morals should dictate our laws, it creates a similar feeling of encroachment upon the individual freedoms of those who are not of the faith. While I understand that Christians feel they are right in their decision making and that their morals are God-given, so does every other faith.
While you contend that love is not present in the Islamic relationship to God, many Muslims might disagree. (although I will not speak for them) The loving Father motif, while present throughout the scripture, is overshadowed often in the Old Testament by the Holy anger of God. Thus there are also many parallels between such this strict enforcement of righteous living in both the Old Testament and the Koran, as you mentioned. While Christians declare Christ freed us from the bonds of such legalism and completed the law, we still apply legalistic approaches to some of what was in the law (homosexuality comes particularly to mind)
Anyhow, I've written a lot, but I enjoyed reading your thoughts, thanks for sharing. It is my hope and prayer that Christians can move to a place where they are known by the rest of the world for their love (as the song goes) instead of by their book burnings, legalism and politics as it seems we so often are today.
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