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It shouldn't need to be said, but I guess it does. Christianity has members all over the world. It is not a kingdom made up of one people group, one color, or one nation. There are brothers in Christ all over the world. I have Christian brothers who are Chinese, Indian, American Indian (Natives), African, African American, Jordanian, Arab, etc. They come from all the nations. I have brothers and sisters that I know personally from Nigeria, Camaroon, Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, Romania, France, England, Scotland, Australia, China, Korea, Cambodia, Japan, and on and on.
When I write against Islam, it is not bigoted against any race or nation or people. To be a Christian is, and always has been to be "against" the world --contra mundum, as the ancient Christians said, "Against the World."
We believe that Jesus is the only way. We believe that all belief structures have some truth in them, but ultimately are undone if they don't have the truth of Jesus as the Lord of all at the center. I want to be clear, we know this is offensive. But we don't hate anyone. At least we're not supposed to. I know I don't. When I speak ill of Islam, I am speaking of a false belief system. I am not speaking of hating people. I don't want to hurt Muslims. I want to save them. I want to separate them from their false faith and introduce them to Christ.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SAY THIS EITHER, BUT CLEARLY I NEED TO: I don't want to do this by force. If someone tells me they don't agree with me and are offended that I desire that they believe in Jesus, I will not hate them, nor kill them, nor pass laws to force them to change. They are free to do as they please. I will still love them as best I can.
I ALSO SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SAY THIS, BUT I GUESS I NEED TO: geo political comments are about strategies of governments. Such opinions belong to us all. But to prefer one government over another (as I do, and most people do) doesn't mean that I hate the people of any other government or culture.
We serve a Lord who said that people from every "Tribe, tongue, and nation will worship Him." I believe that. I have seen a good bit of that in my life.
Peace.
2 comments:
Oh, my goodness! When I saw your post today, I checked out the comments on your last post. It is interesting that so many equate hatred of a belief system to hatred of a people group. Like you, I hate belief systems that keep people away from the truth and in bondage--I do not hate people, and in fact ONLY hate the belief systems because of the damage they do to the people who are victimized by them. These belief systems include Islam, and also knee-jerk ANYTHING. To respond to Nick (whose comment I didn't really understand), I am very sad and ashamed to say that I was a knee-jerk liberal for many years, as were most of my friends and co-workers; I know whereof I speak. There are also knee-jerk Christians; anyone who refuses to study the facts for themselves is in danger of missing the true issues at stake. As Christians, we are commanded to love others and to share the truth with them (isn't this the same thing?), although sometimes this offends people. I try to share the truth without being offensive myself, and sometimes fail, and for that I apologize.
Please understand that there are probably millions of lovely Muslim people who do not condone violence--HOWEVER, they disagree with the basic tenants of their own religion! Islam's goal is to take over the world for Islam, and to kill all who will not convert. That is a fact, and not an attack on any person. For us not to believe this truth is what the leaders of Islam want; we are handing the world over to them and their oppression. They are "laughing all the way to the bank," having successfully pulled the wool over our eyes.
Mike, I thought that you might find this interesting given the last few blogs that you have had posted about Islam..
Wife Beating is Islamic Therapy
Unbelievable this guy is now suggesting wife beating is a form of therapy in Islam. Either way the Quran does allow a man to beat his wife. Help the weak but beat your weaker wife...
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9ee_1178481271
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