By in
Rhode Island’s Future
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King
After 400 years of terror, isn’t it time
for all Christians to speak out against ‘Radical Christian Extremism?’
Slavery was terrorism: Plantations were
concentration camps.
The Native American genocide was terrorism: The Trail of
Tears was a death march.
Hangings by slave patrols and the Ku Klux Klan were
terrorism: These murders—often perpetrated or approved by white
‘Christians’—were intended to grieve, horrify and intimidate blacks.
Virtually all who committed these acts
of terrorism claimed they were Christians.
This radical Christian extremism
persists. Militant Christians still verbally and physically attack gays and
blacks, Muslims and immigrants. They justify their hate by appealing to Jesus
and the Bible.
Actually, the word ‘Christian’ may not
apply to any who perpetrate these horrors. Should terrorists be called radical
‘Christian’ extremists? Their claims of following the tenets of Christianity
are wholly false. More than a billion Christians should not be smeared by those
committing acts of terrorism.
Their crimes are perversions of Christianity.
The same is true of radical ‘Muslim’
extremists. Their claims of following the tenets of Islam are wholly false.
More than a billion Muslims should not be smeared by those committing such
acts.
Their crimes are perversions of Islam.
This political blame is based on fear
and hatred. These are not Christian motives. As stated in I John 4:18, “There
is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out all fear.” Also, Jesus insisted
Christians must love, not hate, their enemies. He modeled this love throughout
his life and even during his crucifixion.
We must contend with our fears: our
fears of blacks; our fears of gays; our fears of Muslims; our fears of
immigrants. Unchallenged fears result in misplaced rage and scapegoating of
‘the other.’ This leads to verbal attacks and violence against hated groups.
Racism and homophobia are repulsive.
Islamophobia and xenophobia are abhorrent.
Insisting all Americans oppose Muslim
immigration or be castigated as purveyors of politically correctness is
obscene. Yes, we must seek to be correct—politically and morally—but we can
only do so, as the Apostle Paul states, by “speaking the truth in love” (Eph.
4:15).
What is the truth? Muslims are our
neighbors. Muslims are soldiers serving our country. Muslims are patriotic
citizens. And Muslims are no more deserving of prejudice than Christians.
What does love require? We must treat
the vast majority of Muslims as neighbors, not enemies. We must respond with
compassion to the extraordinary hardships of refugees, including Muslims. We
must see Muslims as human beings—people who have far more in common with us
than differences.
Love also requires those of us judging
others must first judge ourselves. Jesus was explicit: Before taking the speck
out of our neighbor’s eye, we must remove the log from our own eye.
Those using a broad brush to paint all
Muslims with the taint of terrorism imagine falsehoods. Let’s reject our biases
and diligently seek truth.
Moreover, let’s ask to what degree our
Christian community is responsible for historic acts of terrorism which
executed and enslaved millions. Orlando, San Bernardino, Paris and even 9-11 are
horrific singular acts of terror. Contrast these with the multitudes of
‘Christian’ atrocities spanning centuries.
Does evil and apathy prevail among
American Christians? Could it be that we Christians really do need to account
for the log in our eye?
We can choose to scapegoat those having
nothing to do with perpetrating terror attacks. Or we can conscientiously
oppose such evil massacres, come together, foster unity, and overcome our fears
and hatred by speaking the truth in love.
Rev.
Harry Rix is
a retired pastor and mental health counselor living in Providence, RI. He has
50 articles on spirituality and ethics, stunning photos, and 1200 inspiring
quotations available at www.quoflections.org.