As a follow up to our conference on "Engaging Our Muslim Friends with the Gospel", I'd like to commend an article to you from the January 20, 2009, "Time" magazine -
Click Here. The article entitled: "The Fort Hood Report: Why No Mention of Islam?" asks the question, why did the 86 page report on the November 5, 2009 shooting deaths at Fort Hood, Texas not once mention the name of Major Nidal Hasan, the shooter, and why did it not mention his Muslim faith as a factor related to state of mind and motive? This is what the author of the article refers to as "studiously ignoring Islam."
As followers of Jesus, we cannot studiously nor carelessly ignore Islam and its impact in our world. In the increasingly secular, postmodern, relativistic environment in which we live, the politically correct stance of bending over backwards in the name of tolerance is unwittingly playing into the strategy of an Islamic theocratic worldview - one that happens to be among the least tolerant imaginable. This is a case where extreme tolerance and lack of confrontation, results in being unloving - the opposite of the ethic and command of Christ.
Herein lies the challenge for those of us who are serious about loving God and loving others, including those who may want to do us harm. Most of the conversations regarding Christianity and Islam either turn shrill and lead to fear and potential hatefulness or they go to the other pole of trying to show how similar Islam and Christianity are, as if there are no real dividing differences. The differences between the teachings of Jesus and the teaching of the Koran could hardly be more contrasting. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Islam teaches followers to practice jihad on all of the infidels who deny Islam's teachings. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ as God incarnate got so personally involved in redeeming us from sin that He sacrificed Himself on the cross for us. The Koran teaches that Jesus did not die nor resurrect, fully negating the biblical gospel of redemption. The truth is that a good Muslim may be required to kill a Christian, particularly if he/she wants to be assured of making it directly to paradise. In contrast, being a faithful follower of Jesus may mean that we are required to die for a Muslim. Even if we would die for a Muslim, that act would have nothing at all to do with us going immediately to heaven when we die. It has everything to do with Jesus dying on the cross and rising again, the very teaching that the Koran denies.
The fact that U.S. soldiers are dying daily at the hands of Muslims and Muslims are dying daily at the hands of U.S. soldiers only complicates the emotional passion and fear between Muslims and Christians. We must recognize, even when our government may not, that democracy, particularly in its western form, is not compatible with the Koranic teachings and the theocracy it requires with Shar'ia law. Jesus' question: "What does it profit someone if they gain the whole world but lose their soul?" reminds us that no matter how many victories are experienced on the battlefields or on jetliners, the ultimate victory is found in the one who gave His life as a ransom for many. Humanly speaking, there are many reasons to fear but "perfect love casts out all fear" (1 John 4:18). The gospel way is not the way of shrill fear mongering. Nor is it a studious ignorance that tolerates everything, even when to do so is unloving. The gospel way constantly speaks the truth as we understand it in love. To faithfully represent Jesus Christ in the world, let's engage our Muslim friends with the gospel that engaged us and won our hearts and minds.