Posted on 09/11/2014 2:43:59 PM PDT by The Grammarian
This past Sunday, Charisma News published an article by Gary Cass, the CEO and President of DefendChristians.org. The article was entitled, “Why I am Absolutely Islamaphobic.” They subsequently removed the post, no doubt in response to a #takedownthatpost campaign. Because the article was focusing specifically on formulating a Christian response, and because of the gravity of the article’s proposal, I will persist in my response. The article can still be found on the defendChrstians.org website. Gary Cass’ Three Options
The article surveys many examples of Islamic extremism around the world, including ISIS, and argues that Christians are faced with only three options, two of which he dismisses. The first option is Conversion. Cass argues that Muslims will not be converted because “The Arab Muslims are God’s sworn enemies, and are ordained by God to be against everyone.” He cites Genesis 16:11,12 as support for the impossibility of converting Muslims to the faith. The second option is, D.A.M.N. – meaning “Deport All Muslims Now.” Cass favors this idea but believes that American politicians do not have the courage to do this.
Finally, Cass lands on the only remaining solution, violence. He calls Christians to “trust God, then obtain a gun(s), learn to shoot, teach your kids the Christian doctrines of just war and defend yourself.” He asks, “How many more dead bodies will have to pile up at home and abroad before we crush the vicious seed of Ishmael in Jesus’ Name?”
The fact that Charisma magazine would publish such an article in the first place demonstrates anew how the Christian church has not articulated a proper response to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. Raymond Lull
We just might have to go back to the 13th century for a little perspective. Raymond Lull lived at a time when Islam was, quite literally, on the move around the world. Half of Spain had fallen to Islamic armies. Most of central Asia had turned to Islam and the Holy Land had been sacked and burned. The church’s response, like Gary Cass today, was to take up arms. The result is the legacy of the Crusades, which lasted from 1095 to 1291, leaving a tragic history from which the church has never fully recovered.
Over the course of the Crusades 700,000 Christians took up arms and sought to defeat the armies of Islam. However, the crusades ended in bitter defeat, with not only Islamic victories, but putting an end to the hope for a reunification of Eastern and Western Christianity. It is estimated that between five and six million people lost their lives as the result of the Crusades.
Raymond Lull wrote,
“I see many knights going to the Holy Land in the expectation of conquering it by force or arms; but instead of accomplishing this object, they are in the end all swept away themselves. Therefore it is my belief that the conquest of the Holy Land should be attempted in no other way than as Christ and his apostles undertook to accomplish it; by love, by prayer, by tears, and by the offering up of our own lives. It seems that the possession of the Holy Sepulchre can be better secured by the force of preaching than by the force of arms…”
Jesus calls for us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:43-48). Cass seems to forget that there is a fourth option; namely, to bear witness to the in-breaking rule of God. We may be martyred for the sake of the gospel, but we must learn to love, even in an age of hate. What we must not do is respond to violence with more violence. We must not return hate with more hate. We must face hate with the power of love. We must face violence with the power of the gospel.
We, of course, encourage governments around the world to act. Violence even in the name of Allah must be stopped. ISIS must be defeated. Relief must be given. Justice must prevail. Christians, Muslims, Yazidis and other innocent people in the region must be protected. But, the long-term solution is not military action, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our hope is in the faithful witness of the church and the return of Christ who will vindicate His people and set things right. In the meantime, our role is to find extravagant ways to bear witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ. Christians should not take up arms to defend ourselves. We are never called to hate. Even the Just War theory of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas was not designed to support Cass’ views.
There is no greater testimony to the power of love to overturn hatred than our Crucified Savior. As God in Christ hung with his hands outstretched He was showing us a better way. “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). We remember anew his words, “In this world you may have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Raymond Lull was stoned to death in Algeria on June 30, 1315 at 80 years old. As Christians we are not called to stand with those with the words of hatred and vengeance on their lips. Rather, we are called to stand with the Apostles, the prophets and the martyrs, remembering that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). This is the faith which overcomes the world.
Agreed. However military action is the solution to to these 'musts'.
We, of course, encourage governments around the world to act. Violence even in the name of Allah must be stopped. ISIS must be defeated. Relief must be given. Justice must prevail.
we can still protect the innocent.
we can still defend ourselves.
in this age one can lob devices that destroy cities halfway across the world. so much for being able to even get close enough to share Jesus with them.
governments are instituted by God, Godly ones, to protect their people and administer justice and keep the internal peace. you cannot just let these outside powers roll over us because we’re Christian, that is an abrogation of government protecting their people.
The tale in which we are the unwitting characters has only two possible conclusions. Each is the product of those who frame the conflict - not the ones who have that conflict forced upon them.
The two endings are:
The whole world is Mohammedan.
~OR~
There are *no* Mohammedans in the world.
Again - THEY have set the terms of conflict.
There, I fixed it.
I am frickin petrified of them, they cut off the heads of innocent people and children and rape captives. Yeah keep them away.
The problem is that they cut the heads off people who try to bring the gospel to them, and there are no more Christian nations to bring it to them with sufficient protection.
Islam has been a pox on humanity for 1400 years.
If Charisma mag is islamophobic then great! Its a Christian mag...get that!!
When Christian churches can worship in Mecca then we will not laugh at that word islamophobia.
What truce? The moslems laid siege to Vienna twice after the Crusades, they brutally occupied Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, the Balkans, and etc. into the 1800’s and 1900’s. They openly waged war on America and our very first war was against the muslim pirates.
They’ve been at war with everyone else for all of their existence and there’s NEVER been a truce, just times when they were not strong enough or confident enough to attack us.
I also need the latin for "makes me vomit" to append the word "homo".
That pretty much covers it.
I believe that Armageddon will be Christians vs Islam. God already told us who will win.
Imagine how much death, slavery, and suffering could have been avoided over the last 1400 years if good Christian folks, along with Hindus, Jews, and other religions who would be decimated by islam, had snuffed out the threat in the 7th century and confined it to whither and die in the deserts of Arabia.
Psalm 144:1-3 (KJV)
1 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
3 LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
There is a time when the Church must arm itself and fight. World War 2 was a perfect example. Another good one is the Revolutionary War.
I have lately began to wonder if that will be the case.
Could you elaborate? I’d like to hear your views.
That has been true sine Mohammed was raiding camel caravans.
If there is truly An Antichrist in the world it is Islam itself or Mohammed and his legacy.
Yes. I really believe the end is between the descendants of Issac and Ishmael.
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