Have the Terrorists Won?

Have the terrorists won?  Okay, allow me to ask the question differently.  Have the Muslim extremists been successful in their quest to strike fear in the hearts of people worldwide?  Have they been able to suppress freedom with the threat of violence?  I think we would have to answer yes.

They have the leaders of the most powerful nation on earth (U.S.A.) cowering to their demands.  Think about it.  Some nut threatens to burn the koran and the muslim world threatens violence.  How does the free world respond?  We have everyone from a high profile general to the Secretary of Defense running scared.  "Please don't burn the koran.  We don't want to upset the muslim world."

What really chaps my hide is that CNN published a story in May of 2009 where the U.S. Military burned Bibles in Afghanistan.  The general intercepted them.  We can't have Bibles in Afghanistan.  Now he could have returned the Bibles to the churches that sent them.  But no, he feared that they might find their way back into Afghanistan.  We can't have that.  Bibles in Afghanistan might upset the peace-loving muslim community and provoke them to violence--not that they are violent people.  So, he burned them.   Don't you dare burn the koran.  But the Bible?  That's not a problem.

I am embarrassed by the cowardly actions of our leaders.  How about you?

Burning the Koran?

How does offending the Muslim community by burning the Koran build up the Kingdom of God?  As Americans we may be entitled to our own opinions, but as Christians we do not express them.  It may be our opinion that our neighbor's baby is ugly, but we don't express it. 


Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Eph. 4:29 (NABS-U)

How does slamming the Muslim community and burning the Koran give grace to those who hear?

Romans 12:17-18 (NASB-U) says, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone." That includes the Muslim community.  The passage goes on to say, "Respect what is right in the sight of all men. [18] If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

How does burning the Koran build peace?  I am very confused.  Burning the Koran seems to violate the loving, sacrificial teachings of Jesus Christ on so many different levels.

Christian Faith Is Not A Hobby

Many people throughout the world practice their religion at the level of a hobby.  Hobbies are activities or interests primarily pursued for pleasure.  They pass the time.  From  a hobby perspective a Muslim or Christian may be viewed no differently than a stamp collector.  So, why can't we all  just get along?  "We have more in common than we think."  For those who practice their religion at the level of a hobby, they do have a lot in common.  But for those who take their faith beyond that of a hobby, the differences are wide.   

However, as a hobby our faith is void of objective reality and is reduced to private feelings, attitudes and perspectives.  It's not about truth, just different ways to practice our hobbies.  Religion is tolerated in our culture as long as it does not rise above the level of a hobby.  As long as it doesn't influence our thinking it is acceptable.  Important aspects of life and death would certainly take precedent over one's hobbies.  You can serve on the Supreme Court, just don't let your hobby influence your judgments.  Throughout the Free World Christianity is tolerated as long as it is practiced at the level of a hobby in the service to the secular demoncracy.

That's one of the problem with Muslim extremists.  They have elevated Islam to more than a hobby.  According to public opinion the problem in the Middle East is not Islam, it is the commitment that some extremists have to Islam.  That's the problem and that's what needs to change.

It seems to me that our general game plan in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan is to create a liberal secular democracy to which commitment to those secular democracies is more important than commitment to Islam.

Such a game plan is not just happening in the Middle East.  I heard on the news this morning that all extremists--those who take their faith beyond the level of a hobby--are dangerous.  Both Christian and Muslim extremists are considered dangerous by some and must be controlled.  But, how do they define extremist?  What does the Christian extremist look like?  Self-sacrificing?  How dangerous is that?