A Response to Charisma Magazine's Apparent Islamaphobia

Seedbed.com (Asbury Theological Seminary) ^ | 11 SEPT 2014 | Timothy Tennent

[Starstruck]

I’m a Christian and I’m Islamaphobic. Even though I don’t believe them to be right, I don’t have the same feelings towards, Hindus, Buddhists, Shenism etc. I feel a huge percentage of Islamics would wish to see me dead.

[The Grammarian]

Whether extremists represent "true Islam" is immaterial. The issue here is the proper response of a Christian as a Christian.

Note that Dr Tennent says that "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 crux for him is simply that "the long-term solution is not military action, but the gospel of Jesus Christ." The same gospel which calls us to "love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us."

[The Grammarian]

Go to India. Hindu extremism is just as anti-Christian as Muslim extremism. Same with certain forms of Buddhism (Nichiren, for example).

[The Grammarian]

See my comment just above.

[The Grammarian]

To clarify, that would be the comment aimed at Travis McGee.

[publius911]

It is so sad, that people who support ISIL by quoting the Bible are like peas in a pod with the Muslim Mass Murderers. Opposing ISIL is like supporting the Third Reich.

R-I-I-I-G-G-H-H-T!

[publius911]

They openly waged war on America and our very first war was against the muslim pirates.

The profound problem with ignorance is it creates a world that doesn't exist.

Most liberals might know about the Barbary pirates, but saw them as pirates who happened to be muslim, rather than the reality the world has to deal with : Everything ugly in the world happens to be perpetrated by ugly animalistic muslims, some of whom happen to be pirates.

[publius911]

Whether extremists represent "true Islam" is immaterial. The issue here is the proper response of a Christian as a Christian.

Such monumental arrogance! You are not qualified to decide for everyone else what is the "proper" response; or who is a proper Christian.

Of course, if you're merely a sociopathic megalomaniac, I can simply ignore you.

[The Grammarian]

Such monumental arrogance! You are not qualified to decide for everyone else what is the "proper" response; or who is a proper Christian.

I dunno, a highly-respected Christian missiologist who has written extensively on evangelizing in the Muslim world and who is the president of one of the foremost evangelical seminaries in the US certainly seems qualified to offer what he thinks to be a more appropriate response to Islam than un-Christian fear, violence and hatred to me.

[Biggirl]

“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…”

.....Yet NOW the greatest Christian shrine is under the protection of both the nation of Israel and the IDF.

[Nevadan]

Throughout Christian history Christians have often thought they were living in the very last days before Jesus returns. Many Christians believe that today as well. I think we are, but could be wrong as so many others have been. But if these truly are the very last days, all it takes is a world map to see how Islam is encroaching and invading the world. Between political correctness and a high birth rate, Muslims are wielding increasing control of western democratic countries and are calling for sharia laws to be imposed. They are not integrating in their new countries but are demanding that the citizens of western countries bow to their cultural expectations. At present there is very little pushback, primarily due to political correctness and the Lefts accommodation of Islam while concurrently opposing Christian and Jewish influences in Western culture. I don't see things improving for us. I think Islam will continue to increase in power and control, especially with leaders like Obama, Hillary, Kerry, etc who refuse to tie any atrocities of Islamic followers with their religion. If this is the case, and western countries such as those in Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia continue to allow this blight and destruction of Islam to expand, things will inevitably get worse and worse for Christians and Jews in our world. There is no peaceful coexistence with Muslims when they are in control. There is only conversion or death. So, I don't know what will happen in the future or when the final battle of Armageddon will occur. But I can clearly see the trajectory that human history is currently on, and I fear the future for my kids, my grand kids, my country, and the world if the death cult from Hell called Islam is allowed to grow and wreak havoc on the world. So DJ, what are your thoughts on this?

[DJ MacWoW]

I have no idea when Armageddon will happen, we've actually been "in the last days" since Christ was crucified, but I do know who the enemies of God are and Islam is at the top of the list.

I believe Christians will be driven underground and it certainly looks like that will happen unless somebody, Christians, start getting some courage and speaking up, LOUDLY. The church has forgotten how to defend herself and by "church" I mean every Bible believing person that draws breath.

The Church has been fooled into believing that anger is a sin and so is defending themselves. Horse hockey! The Word says "Be angry and sin not". We are allowed to be angry. What's important is what we do with that anger. And God never tells a believer not to defend God or His Word.

What's the PC police's favorite meme? Oh yeah, "Don't judge!" Yes judge! And loudly. Either we start yelling or we'll continue to be treated like whipped curs.

[Nevadan]

I totally agree with you. Muslims are anti-Christ and they are anti-Jews. They are our enemies. I hope that many will come to Christ, but they are so brainwashed that it is ridiculous to encourage pacifism as a Christian response while Islam marches on with their goal of world domination, making it harder and harder to spread the God or for believers to even survive.

BTW, did you see the article posted a few days ago: How Should Christians Expect Our Nation to Respond to ISIS? With Wrath and Vengeance http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3200794/posts

It was excellent

[DJ MacWoW]

No. I hadn’t seen that article. Thank you, it is very clear and concise.

[Dick Bachert]

While I agree with the long-range solution offered, the Great Commission is moot if all Christians are dead and gone.

And please remember that the Commandment ACTUALLY READS “Thou shalt not MURDER”.

As sons of King Jesus, we have the right to defend the faith AND ourselves!

[Pontiac]

Of course, if you're merely a sociopathic megalomaniac, I can simply ignore you.

Hitler, Stalin and Mao were a sociopathic megalomaniacs do you think it would have been wise to ignor them?

As a general rule any sociopath is dangerous.