Okay, let's face it -- most westerners find Christianity and in particular Christian Evangelicals offensive. I can take it. Don't like it, but I've learned to accept it. I won't use the "hey, that's great; I can turn the other cheek, get slapped again, and be doubly blessed" argument with you. No, I want to ask a serious question and I hope you can give me a logical answer for it. If not, I'll settle for anything you can throw this way. Here goes.
Could somebody please give me the logic behind the position that "Christianity and Christians are so offensive" while "Muslims and Islam" is not? I'm trying to beat my brains figuring that one out and it's really hard. Thus, I'm enlisting your help.
Okay, so maybe you haven't wondered about that before. Well, I think it is time you do. I mean, after all, it impacts how you and I relate very much. And since we still outnumber every other religious group in North America, it makes sense you give it some thought.
If the truth be known, I must admit, I do know at least two fundamental reasons why you find my kind of faith totally unacceptable. Let me give them to you in case you miss them.
First and foremost, is the idea that Christians believe that "Jesus Christ is THE Way, not "a" way." That just does not sit well with many folks. That's an insult to their 'human mind'. It's an affront to thousands of years of traditions and beliefs in other religious systems. But think about it for a moment, if Jesus Christ did indeed die on the cross for man's sin so that our broken relationship with a Holy God could be re-established, why would it be necessary to provide so many other ways? Why would God let His Son suffer when so many other ways would be made available by man -- either some eccentric comes up with it or some smart opportunist that wants to have a following? And besides, that's just it -- "man would be coming up with these solutions" and human solutions to divine issues don't work very well.
Also, what good would a religion be -- dealing with the very being of God -- if it allowed for many other religions as well. If your religion is mono-theistic in nature, and it teaches that God reached down to man through Jesus Christ, it cannot allow for anything else. In fact, if you don't believe me, take a close look at the religion of Islam -- it's monotheistic.
And here's the second thing you find very offensive about us evangelicals. It has to do with our stance on homosexuality. Many of you find it totally unacceptable that we cannot condone alternative lifestyles. Now please understand, because we're really nice folks at heart, we didn't choose this position. No, we found it in our Bible and we accept it. Because to us, you can't pick and choose what you want from Scripture -- it all fits together nicely in context if one really tries to be fair and open-minded about it. Now, if you set out to knock the Bible -- you'll succeed very easily as well. But we do not stop there with our attitude towards homosexuality -- we claim that both God and we love the homosexual. We as humans don't often show it the way we should but that's because we are human. We don't go around saying "round them all up and send them away" or somehow put an end to them, as many have done in the past and still do in some other religions, Islam being one. The problem you have with us (and consequently our problem with you) on this topic (and ultimately the governments and the press seem to be leaning this way) is that you define "loving" someone as equating with "condoning" what they do. That's just not the case. Many a mother and father have loved their children who have gone on to become all sorts of things including getting into serious trouble with the law and drugs, etc. They don't condone, but they don't stop loving and while they may not harbor them from the law, they still offer all the assistance they legally can. And that's just on laws and man-determined issues. As Christians, we take a much more stringent approach to the need to adhere to God's word on issues He outlines for us.
Let us assume for a moment that those are indeed the two major issues with which you find fault in our faith and in us. And here's the question I want someone to provide some logic for or failing that just an answer sans logic. Why is it that Islam as practiced by most true adherents to the Qur'an is not as offensive to Westerners as we are? Islam believes it is the only true religion that must rule the whole world for God and that all those that get in the way must be eliminated. At least Christians do not want to eliminate all those that don't believe in Jesus. We want to let you, for example, live for as long as you can.
Islam also prohibits homosexuality. A member of the Islamic Society of North America, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, has said: "Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption... No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer. People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education. There are many reasons why it is forbidden in Islam." In case you missed it again, Muslims actually believe that it is not an innate characteristic, but one that is learned, and they, along with many of us, are in opposition to the American Psychiatric Association that says it is indeed something you are born with. Christians again don't want to stone homosexuals, we do want to help them deal with their preferred behavior and help them find alternatives.
So, tell me again, why is the West opening their arms to Islam and Muslims while at the same time trying to shut down everything that is based on Christianity? Where is the logic? Where is the fairness? Where is the liberal-mindedness of the new elite in North America?
Would you agree that those are your two main reasons for finding us offensive? Oh, and of course, to that you could also add the fact that most of us are not sincere in what we believe when you see us in action. And I'll agree with that. I'll argue, though, that the same is true of all faiths. So there must be something else that allows you to be more offended by us than by Muslims. What can it be?
Maybe we're easier targets. We won't send our children to blow you up via suicide bombings. We're finding out they're not as interested in pursuing virgins in heaven as we think they are -- I'm sure some of them have a hard enough time pursuing them here on earth (not that they should mind you).
Or, maybe, it's because some of us, do not consider Jews our enemies as Islam considers them. And you won't admit to them being your enemies openly, but come on, let's face it -- they are rich "son of a guns" aren't they? I mean five out of the top six philanthropists in the United States are -- wait for it -- Jewish. That tells you something. Yeah, they're generous too boot. Or maybe you're not too happy about the fact that they have done so well collectively on Nobel prizes. Let's see, between 1901 and 2008, over 750 Nobel prizes were awarded and Jews got at least 163 of them (that's close to 22%). They're brilliant and they help mankind. And yes, they run a lot of law firms and many of the banks, and so on. Is anyone stopping the Greeks (my birth people) from doing it? Or the Canadians (my home people)? Or anyone else? You, for example?
No, there must be something else deep in Christianity that causes you to find it and us so offensive. Let me take one last kick at the can. Is it because if you were to accept Christianity, you'd have to admit that you must rely totally on a God and Lord that loves you and not on yourself at all. You'd have to admit that you were a sinner and totally incapable of saving yourself, your family, and the world? That you no longer can be a "self-made" man or woman? Is that it? Is it that Christianity requires you to admit you cannot be God when you very much want to. Okay, maybe not God, but maybe a "god". When you very much want to be able to make the big decisions like pro-choice on your own replacing God's absolute values on life? When you want to legislate anything you'd like against God's idea of one man and one woman for marriage and you'd like to do away with the family in total? I mean come on, isn't it deep down about replacing God with yourself or as the song sung by women goes, "I am woman...I am strong...I am invincible."
Admit it, I'm getting closer, aren't I? If that's not it either, then please for the sake of God explain yourselves. How is it fair that you're picking on Christians and not Muslims? Is that too much too ask?
Could somebody please give me the logic behind the position that "Christianity and Christians are so offensive" while "Muslims and Islam" is not? I'm trying to beat my brains figuring that one out and it's really hard. Thus, I'm enlisting your help.
Okay, so maybe you haven't wondered about that before. Well, I think it is time you do. I mean, after all, it impacts how you and I relate very much. And since we still outnumber every other religious group in North America, it makes sense you give it some thought.
If the truth be known, I must admit, I do know at least two fundamental reasons why you find my kind of faith totally unacceptable. Let me give them to you in case you miss them.
First and foremost, is the idea that Christians believe that "Jesus Christ is THE Way, not "a" way." That just does not sit well with many folks. That's an insult to their 'human mind'. It's an affront to thousands of years of traditions and beliefs in other religious systems. But think about it for a moment, if Jesus Christ did indeed die on the cross for man's sin so that our broken relationship with a Holy God could be re-established, why would it be necessary to provide so many other ways? Why would God let His Son suffer when so many other ways would be made available by man -- either some eccentric comes up with it or some smart opportunist that wants to have a following? And besides, that's just it -- "man would be coming up with these solutions" and human solutions to divine issues don't work very well.
Also, what good would a religion be -- dealing with the very being of God -- if it allowed for many other religions as well. If your religion is mono-theistic in nature, and it teaches that God reached down to man through Jesus Christ, it cannot allow for anything else. In fact, if you don't believe me, take a close look at the religion of Islam -- it's monotheistic.
And here's the second thing you find very offensive about us evangelicals. It has to do with our stance on homosexuality. Many of you find it totally unacceptable that we cannot condone alternative lifestyles. Now please understand, because we're really nice folks at heart, we didn't choose this position. No, we found it in our Bible and we accept it. Because to us, you can't pick and choose what you want from Scripture -- it all fits together nicely in context if one really tries to be fair and open-minded about it. Now, if you set out to knock the Bible -- you'll succeed very easily as well. But we do not stop there with our attitude towards homosexuality -- we claim that both God and we love the homosexual. We as humans don't often show it the way we should but that's because we are human. We don't go around saying "round them all up and send them away" or somehow put an end to them, as many have done in the past and still do in some other religions, Islam being one. The problem you have with us (and consequently our problem with you) on this topic (and ultimately the governments and the press seem to be leaning this way) is that you define "loving" someone as equating with "condoning" what they do. That's just not the case. Many a mother and father have loved their children who have gone on to become all sorts of things including getting into serious trouble with the law and drugs, etc. They don't condone, but they don't stop loving and while they may not harbor them from the law, they still offer all the assistance they legally can. And that's just on laws and man-determined issues. As Christians, we take a much more stringent approach to the need to adhere to God's word on issues He outlines for us.
Let us assume for a moment that those are indeed the two major issues with which you find fault in our faith and in us. And here's the question I want someone to provide some logic for or failing that just an answer sans logic. Why is it that Islam as practiced by most true adherents to the Qur'an is not as offensive to Westerners as we are? Islam believes it is the only true religion that must rule the whole world for God and that all those that get in the way must be eliminated. At least Christians do not want to eliminate all those that don't believe in Jesus. We want to let you, for example, live for as long as you can.
Islam also prohibits homosexuality. A member of the Islamic Society of North America, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, has said: "Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption... No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer. People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education. There are many reasons why it is forbidden in Islam." In case you missed it again, Muslims actually believe that it is not an innate characteristic, but one that is learned, and they, along with many of us, are in opposition to the American Psychiatric Association that says it is indeed something you are born with. Christians again don't want to stone homosexuals, we do want to help them deal with their preferred behavior and help them find alternatives.
So, tell me again, why is the West opening their arms to Islam and Muslims while at the same time trying to shut down everything that is based on Christianity? Where is the logic? Where is the fairness? Where is the liberal-mindedness of the new elite in North America?
Would you agree that those are your two main reasons for finding us offensive? Oh, and of course, to that you could also add the fact that most of us are not sincere in what we believe when you see us in action. And I'll agree with that. I'll argue, though, that the same is true of all faiths. So there must be something else that allows you to be more offended by us than by Muslims. What can it be?
Maybe we're easier targets. We won't send our children to blow you up via suicide bombings. We're finding out they're not as interested in pursuing virgins in heaven as we think they are -- I'm sure some of them have a hard enough time pursuing them here on earth (not that they should mind you).
Or, maybe, it's because some of us, do not consider Jews our enemies as Islam considers them. And you won't admit to them being your enemies openly, but come on, let's face it -- they are rich "son of a guns" aren't they? I mean five out of the top six philanthropists in the United States are -- wait for it -- Jewish. That tells you something. Yeah, they're generous too boot. Or maybe you're not too happy about the fact that they have done so well collectively on Nobel prizes. Let's see, between 1901 and 2008, over 750 Nobel prizes were awarded and Jews got at least 163 of them (that's close to 22%). They're brilliant and they help mankind. And yes, they run a lot of law firms and many of the banks, and so on. Is anyone stopping the Greeks (my birth people) from doing it? Or the Canadians (my home people)? Or anyone else? You, for example?
No, there must be something else deep in Christianity that causes you to find it and us so offensive. Let me take one last kick at the can. Is it because if you were to accept Christianity, you'd have to admit that you must rely totally on a God and Lord that loves you and not on yourself at all. You'd have to admit that you were a sinner and totally incapable of saving yourself, your family, and the world? That you no longer can be a "self-made" man or woman? Is that it? Is it that Christianity requires you to admit you cannot be God when you very much want to. Okay, maybe not God, but maybe a "god". When you very much want to be able to make the big decisions like pro-choice on your own replacing God's absolute values on life? When you want to legislate anything you'd like against God's idea of one man and one woman for marriage and you'd like to do away with the family in total? I mean come on, isn't it deep down about replacing God with yourself or as the song sung by women goes, "I am woman...I am strong...I am invincible."
Admit it, I'm getting closer, aren't I? If that's not it either, then please for the sake of God explain yourselves. How is it fair that you're picking on Christians and not Muslims? Is that too much too ask?
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In Christianity you have nothing to do with your own salvation. It is by the grace of God. You do not earn a place in heaven amongst the righteous. You do not please God enough for Him to honor your efforts. Your righteous works are like filthy rags because your sin has defiled you. Dead in your trespasses only God can choose you and raise you to new life.
ReplyDeleteMost Christian groups that get along with the world, or blend in better than others are those that ignore, hush, or plain deny this truth.
This is the affront to humanism. This is the doctrine for which we suffer so much for. That God has made us and will damn those that he chooses and save those that he chooses by His will alone.