How do you square your Christian faith with hatred of Muslims? (VANITY)

As one looks at the articles and comments found on Free Republic, you can see the complete and utter loathing, disgust, and outright hatred towards Muslims. It is viewed as a justified hatred, built on the actions Muslims have taken for decades against Americans and others. Notable attacks include the Beirut bombing of the Marine barracks, Beslan in Russia, the recent San Bernadino attack, and of course 9/11.

However, I was challenged by a few friends recently as to how a professing Christian can have a deep-seated hatred for Muslims. They reminded me of Jesus' command to love one another. They pointed out that He wasn't just talking about Christians loving other Christians (which can be difficult sometimes), but about Christians loving people in their communities...even those one may count as an enemy.

It's been pointed out to me that Christ's death on the cross wasn't just for me...it was also for the Muslim. He wants them to come to know Him as their Savior just as much as He wants us...or me...to. The problem they see is that someone won't want to come to know Christ if those who say they're His followers are in your face telling you that they hate you.

When I point out to them about the danger that Muslims have time and time again posed to society, they argue that Jesus didn't care if they were dangerous- He wanted His followers to love them, And, if that love had an element of risk associated with it, His followers were to love them anyway. A reminder of what that looks like can be seen in the story of the Christian men who ended up martyred by the Auca tribe in South America.

In any case, what they said is making me think. I want to know how one can reconcile a hatred for Muslims with Jesus' command to love people. It does seem that you can't do one and do the other as well. Yes...I am aware I may very well be opening up a huge can of worms, but this has been bugging me and I wanted to discuss it with my fellow FReepers.

Although I don’t hate Muslims, I’ve contemplated how to square stopping/banning immigration from Muslim nations with the Great Commission. Missionaries can go, and that’s good, but it seems there’s another piece. My opinion won’t be a popular one, I’m sure.

I think the recent posts on this thread I’ve read are on the right track. As with so much in the Christian walk, bathing decisions in prayer is the key. I *do* think Christians are called to go where it’s dangerous to spread the Good News. Does that mean bringing potential danger to our shores? I don’t like the answer, but I think it’s yes — though not in the way we’ve been doing it. The current system is insane. Giving visas to obvious jihadis makes no sense whatsoever. Just as there’s a cultural Christianity that misses the point of a saving faith in Christ, so I think there is a cultural Islam that (thankfully) also misses the point of the Islamic death cult.

I was once an enemy of God, bound for an eternity separated from Him. I’m thankful He sent someone to tell me about Jesus. Those born to a Muslim need salvation as much as I and I think believers are (at least part of) the mechanism God has chosen to spread the Good News. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I don’t think God expects us to wall ourselves off and “be safe.” That isn’t what daily picking up one’s cross and following Jesus means to me.

Welcome to FR.

Are you trying to make a point? Now if you have a scripture that points to “unconditional”, please point it out and explain it. But afterwards (or if you can’t find one), please read Hebrews 10:26-31 and note that conditions have to be met.

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