"Persecution" in Nigeria

In the last decade, there have been more than ten thousand deaths related to riots and slayings of a religious nature. Many of these have been Muslims killing Christians, as we have seen in many articles posted in the West.  The headlines are clear: "500 Christans killed by Muslims in Nigeria" or today's headline: "Muslim Radicals Kill 150 in Nigeria, Goal Sharia"

What these headlines completely neglect is that Christians are also killing Muslims in Nigeria.  This isn't a one-sided attack from one religious group to another.  This is what we call war.

To label this as "persecution of Christians" is misguided.  Yes, innocents are being killed, as they do in all wars. And this is a crime against all humanity.  But innocents of both Muslim and Christian beliefs are being killed by both Muslims and Christians.  And it is both the Muslims who are trying to control the law and Christians, in opposition to their religious and political enemies.

This isn't persecution, it is prejudice.  It is two sides refusing to listen to each other.

And worst, this is a large population, calling themselves "Christian" yet being very un-Christlike.  We need to pray for these Christians.  Not that they escape persecution, but that they learn to love their enemies.


Sources:
Schleitheim, "Christians Killing Muslims"
Religious News Summary, Crosswalk, Nov. 9, 2011

"Burn A Qur'an Day"

Burn a Qur'an Day

Somehow Dove World Outreach Center thinks that burning Qur'ans is an excellent way to show the love of Jesus.

Wow, this seems very Western-centric. Let's see, allowing the billion Muslims in the world to characterize Christianity as God-hating, scripture hating bigots-- is that the way to show Jesus' love?

The article reads, "Most people who criticize are also the people who don’t do anything,” said Jones. “If they do not like our method – they don’t have to like our method, they don’t have to adopt our method – then they should do something themselves,” he said, proposing they go door-to-door to distribute Christian literature about the love of Jesus.

Okay. I've gone to Bangladesh and talked to people in mosques. I taught the word of Jesus in a way that it could be heard. I made friends with Muslims and handed out New Testaments. I didn't change the world, but I was there. Jesus is about loving our enemies, not communicating that we hate them.

This isn't evangelism, it is war. Jesus did not come to judge or to destroy, but to save.

Christian Pacifism 101

The strongest argument for Christian pacifism is the New Testament. The simplist argument is Jesus said "love your enemies" and then described that loving includes not harming, not killing. To love someone is to do good to them; to kill someone is the opposite of doing good (See Mark 3:4).

The reason why Jesus and the others didn't get preach against soldier's killing is because, for the most part, they didn't. They acted as a police force in Judea, not a military killing machine-- the Romans who did that work were sent elsewhere.

The NT as a whole argues against the whole miltary machine. Revelation-- getting back to topic-- is an excellent example. The whole book glorifies martyrs-- those who submit to death rather than have their faith be compromised-- and assumes that those in the military machine are those who kill the martyrs. It's a pretty fair assumption. But even if one disagrees with that assumption, we have to admit that those who participate in the society of the Beast-- the military empire-- and those who participate in Babylon-- the commercial support of empire-- are condemned. If we accept this as Scripture, we have to take it seriously and not just dismiss its radical notions.

BTW, the basis for saying that the early church was anti-military isn't based on Roman records but on Christian documents. We have martyrologies of soldiers becoming Christians and then were killed because they refused to participate in warfare. We have early Christian authors saying that participating in the military in unacceptable for a Christian. To see these sources, you can find them in Eberhard Arnold's excellent book, "The Early Christians."

12 Values

I also received yesterday from the same person 12 values to live by. I had already made my own, but I revised it:

Freedom: To grant everyone the God-given freedom they have to make their own choices, even if poor

Tolerance: Accepting that others believe differently than I, while still standing firm in Jesus.

Responsibility: Whatever results from our actions, we resolve to deal with the negative ones

Community: In whatever community we live in, we resolve to live by those principles, even if uncomfortable

Faithfulness: To keep our word and our loyalties in relationship

Do No Harm: To never, under any circumstances, damage another unless for their benefit by their will

Golden Rule: Treat others with the same amount of respect, love, care, compassion, and consideration that we would be treated

Compassion: Putting myself in the other person’s need, and trying to meet it

Generosity: Never keeping anything for myself that someone else needs more

Self-Sacrifice: Meeting other’s needs even if it means to not meet my own

Courage: Standing up for Jesus and His gospel in all situations, especially with other believers

Hope: Trusting in my actions that Jesus is returning to rule the world

Nine Principles

I received yesterday "9 principles" that someone lives by. I didnt' care for them, so I made my own:

9 Principles:
1. The only nation without compromise is the Kingdom of God

2. Jesus is my chosen Lord over that Kingdom

3. Jesus is my Lord and I will obey Him over all other principles or laws.

4. God is my allegiance and I will work for and serve Him.

5. Those who love God will obey, work for and serve the Kingdom of God over the nations of men.

6. The people of the Kingdom of God are the poor and persecuted who live in Jesus, and those who unequivocally support them.

7. Service to the Kingdom of God is using whatever resources we have for those who have greater needs than ourselves

8. All true power rests in God, so to make real change we must pray.

9. No one has the right, in the name of God, to damage anyone.

The Law of Jesus

First posted in MennoDiscuss in response to the question, "If we are all followers of Jesus, should Jesus' teaching be a law, and if so, how literal should we be?"

1. For those of us who declare Jesus as Lord, Jesus' teaching is law.
2. And Jesus is the only teacher of the law we have (Matt 23-- "And you shall call no one teacher, for you have but one teacher and that is the Christ")
3. Under Jesus, we are all equal in trying to understand the law of Christ and in trying to obey it.
4. We are to assist each other to be obedient to Christ
5. However, if we have a disagreement as to how to obey Jesus-- as long as we do not deny a principle of Jesus-- then we must allow other's their interpretation without judging them. (Romans 14)
6. Nor, if we hold to a more loose interpretation, should we cause our brothers to sin against their interpretation. (Romans 14)

Even this brings up a lot of points.
For instance, my "interpretation" of "love your enemies" means that followers of Jesus should never kill anyone under any circumstances. Does this mean that I can't fellowship with a brother or sister who holds to the idea of "loving them in your heart" but harming them in the flesh? I believe that the interpretation is in reality opposed to the teaching of Jesus, not in harmony with it at all. But what I can do is pray that the Holy Spirit reveal the truth to them, over time. But I shouldn't deny fellowship with them simply because of a misunderstood interpretation.

On the other hand, I would not allow such a person to teach in my congregation, because it says in Scripture that one who stands against the word of Jesus is a false teacher and shouldn't be allowed in the church (I Timothy 6; II John). I do, however, allow people to publicly have a discussion about these interpretations with me in front of my church, so people can hear the different points of view and make their own choice. It is good to allow the Holy Spirit reign to lead people as He will.