Let me state first of all, I am an unapologetic Christian,
holding firm to what I believe to be the truths of the Bible and the concept
that I believe, Jesus meant exactly what he said when he said, “I am the way,
the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” I also
believe the Bible is correct when it says, “There is no other name under Heaven
which any of us can be saved other than the name of Jesus.” While I have issues with Radical Islam, I
have strong disagreeing points of view from a religious perspective with any
system of faith that prescribes to salvation offered by anyone other than
Jesus. I also have serious issues with the way many who profess their faith as
following Jesus who also are doing and saying the things they are regarding
Muslim people.
I think it a serious mistake to not draw differences between
Radical Islam and Moderate Islam in the same way I think it a serious mistake
to compare all Christians to Westboro Baptist Church. It is dangerous to paint
all people of faith under a single color, when in reality, there is a
difference. When we paint others with a broad brush, we unfortunately include
people under that color that does not fit there. I am no more a part of the
same faith system of Westboro Baptist Church or the KKK than many Muslims are a
part of Radical Islam. We would all serve ourselves, and our neighbors well to
remember that reality.
A number of years ago I served as a volunteer pastor in the
areas of Evangelism and Outreach at what was then named Westport Mennonite
Brethren Church. That church, near Tulsa Oklahoma between Collinsville and
Owasso sat on a corner called German Corner. It was so named because prior to
World War 2 many who were a part of that church were immigrants from Russia and
Germany. During the outbreak of World
War 2 many at the church still spoke German and if not mistaken, the church
still had German speaking services because it was the native tongue of many at
the church. You can imagine the attitudes of many within the community with the
outbreak of World War 2.
Many of those in the community just like many other German Americans
were dangerous to many people. These German immigrants were people who had left
the persecution in Germany, to find freedom in America, they were a peace
loving people, opposed to war but also understanding of the need for actions to
stop Hitler. Many Mennonites were put in
internment camps in America, just as were many Japanese due to a fear of
association with their land of origin. This last year, I drove by one of those
internment camps and I was reminded of a story, which I heard first hand which
brought tears to my eyes, as well as the person telling the story, some 45 or
50 years later.
While at Westport I also worked with our middle school
youth. I had a concern that many Mennonite Brethren people had forgotten their
history, a sad commentary especially since many of those experiencing and
living through that history of coming to America were still alive. There was
one such lady who was a part of the church that I wanted to share her story. I
will never forget that experience.
This lady was in her 80’s and she was one of those who came
to America with her parents to experience freedom. I will never forget her
telling this story and her memories of being a young girl during World War 2.
While it was close to 50 years later she would still cry telling of how she was
treated during this time. She was bullied at school, had her hair pulled,
called a Nazi and on and on. She would be beaten up, over and over again,
simply because she was from Germany. She was guilty by association because she
spoke German and was from Germany. She now understood more than most the
freedoms afforded those who came to America, she understood what it felt like
to have that dream and understanding ripped out from under her. As she told her
story, I and others, wept, the hurt had lasted so long and what had been done
to her was so wrong. The concerns many had about her and her family, at least
to me, seemed similar to the way many are now treating many Muslim people.
I wonder sometimes about if we really think about the faith many
who say they are Christian, represent. How do others see or respond to our
faith by our words and actions? I also
think about how we proclaim the beautiful aspects of America while in reality,
some promote a concept that is nothing like America. Now don’t take me wrong, I
understand an appropriate vetting process, I understand the need to seek and insure
safety as much as possible but as I look at comments on social media I am
perplexed; How can we promote the respect for our soldiers who serve on the
battlefield, yet at the same time, ridicule and belittle a United States Marine
or others who served in our armed services who happen to be Muslim?
Unfortunately, I believe many are allowing Radical Islam to
win. We cower in fear and the way many show that fear is the way they group a
whole group of people into the same category as the radicals. When the first
response is to group all people into a radical group, we in many ways become no
better than the people we throw under the umbrellas we do. We end up having a
form of hatred in how we react. While we may try to mask it as caution,
concern, etc.…, there is no doubt, there is for many a hatred that is certainly
unchristian, and I challenge, for a nation of immigrants who says it supports the
concepts of “The American Dream,” unfortunately rips the head off of the Statue
of Liberty and all she stands for.
I challenge for Christians, put on the armor of God and
display the attitude of love for all people that Christ commands us to put on. Sometimes
that battle is won with love, and believe me, it can be a real battle to love
even our enemies. Our responsibility is to mirror Jesus, not some political
slant. I would say to those Americans who are so quick to hate, to reflect on
our history as a nation and the mistakes we have made as a nation. Let’s learn
from those mistakes and do all we can to not repeat them. Now again, as a point of clarification, I am
not supporting Radical Islam, I believe that it is a nations responsibility to
do all it can to destroy all such forms of terror, there is in fact, no
reasoning with some people and it is time we quit trying to do so. There really
is very little reasoning with people who want to kill and destroy you, it is
best of course if we try to prevent from getting to that point but that for a
current group of people is too late, maybe not for others, but for some, yes,
it is too late. Now understand we have to be careful to not throw all Muslims
under the same umbrella. It is a sad day in America, I still believe we live in
a great nation, unfortunately, the actions of hatred by some tear down brick by
brick much of what has made our nation great.
May we rebuild her as opposed to tear her down. God help us all.
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