Image via the Young FogeyThe xenophobic hysteria which seems to be sweeping the country lately (or at least the internet) is frankly more than a little disturbing. To whit I think the Florida pastor planning on burning the Quran is a selfish obnoxious idiot who doesn't seem to care that his grandstanding could get people hurt or killed. Yes, the overwhelming majority of Muslims are no more violent than ordinary Christian Americans. But just as we have our psuedo Christian violent groups (the KKK, Aryan Nation etc.) they have theirs. However there are people who are enthusiastically cheering him on. So let me pose the question...
What is the objective?
Are we going to convert any Muslims by burning their sacred book? Who knows. But I will simply note that in my entire life I have never once met anyone, or even heard of anyone, converted by insulting them.
If conversion (which is the ultimate commission we all have as Christians) is not the objective, then what exactly is it? Is it simply intended to insult or strike back at 1.6 billion people who this man perceives are his enemies? If so, where does Scripture command us to return evil for evil (granting for the sake of argument that all Muslims are in fact our enemies)? Is it his intention to declare a sort of Holy War against Islam and all Muslims? And if so, who exactly gave him the authority to do that? Clearly 99% of the Muslim world does not see itself as being at war with us, although many of them have profound religious differences with us, something that I fully reciprocate.
Long time readers of this blog will note that I have been a frequent and severe critic of Islam. But that is a far cry from condoning an act that will be seen as deliberate sacrilege. Many of the same people who are cheering this man on have been appalled when in the past someone of another, or no religious faith acquired a piece of consecrated Communion from an Orthodox or more usually a Catholic Church and desecrated it. I respectfully submit that this is no different except in our obvious differences in identifying the sacred.
Finally, we are clealry commanded to do all things in love. Where is the love in this act? If someone is going to contend that this is motivated in some way by love and charity you are going to have a tough sell here. I see only malice and hatred.
As an American who has no wish to see the government interfere in matters of religion (that is a slippery slope), I respect his right to burn the Quran. As I have said many times, in America everyone has an absolute right to be a damn fool, even an obnoxious damn fool. Just as I have the right to let them know that they are fools. But I do think it is sad when some poor kid trying to get money for college might have to take a bullet in order to protect that fool's rights. They do not constitute even an insignificant percentage of the world's Muslim population. But yes, there are dangerous fanatics with guns who will take it upon themselves to return this gesture with violence.
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The following is an excerpt from Father Sophrony’s Saint Silouan of the Athonite:
Father Silouan’s attitude towards those who differed from him was characterized by a sincere desire to see what was good in them, and not to offend them in anything they held sacred. He always remained himself; he was utterly convinced that ’salvation lies in Christ-like humility’, and by virtue of this humility he strove with his whole soul to interpret every man at his best. He found his way to the heart of everyone - to his capacity for loving Christ.
I remember a conversation he had with a certain Archimandrite who was engaged in missionary work. This Archimandrite thought highly of the Staretz [Saint Silouan] and many a time went to see him during his visits to the Holy Mountain. the Staretz asked him what sort of sermons he preached to people. The Archimandrite, who was still young and inexperienced, gesticulated with his hands and swayed his whole body, and replied excitedly,
‘I tell them, Your faith is all wrong, perverted. There is nothing right, and if you don’t repent, there will be no salvation for you.’
The Staretz heard him out, then asked,
‘Tell me, Father Archimandrite, do they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the true God?’
‘Yes, that they do believe.’
‘And do they revere the Mother of God?’
‘Yes, but they are not taught properly about her.’
‘And what about the Saints?’
‘Yes they honor them but since they have fallen away from the Church, what saints can they have?’
‘Do they celebrate the Divine Office in their churches? Do they read the Gospels?’
‘Yes, they do have churches and services but if you were to compare their services with ours - how cold and lifeless theirs are!’
‘Father Archimandrite, people feel in their souls when they are doing the proper thing, believing in Jesus Christ, revering the Mother of God and the Saints, whom they call upon in prayer, so if you condemn their faith they will not listen to you…. But if you were to confirm that they were doing well to believe in God and honor the Mother of God and the Saints; that they are right to go to church, and say their prayers at home, read the Divine word, and so on; and then gently point out their mistakes and show them what they ought to amend, then they would listen to you, and the Lord would rejoice over them. And this way by God’s mercy we shall all find salvation…. God is love, and therefore the preaching of His word must always proceed from love. Then both preacher and listener will profit. But if you do nothing but condemn, the soul of the people will not heed you, and no good will come of it.’
" But I do think it is sad when some poor kid trying to get money for college might have to take a bullet in order to protect that fool's rights."
The soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are not fighting to protect the civil rights of Americans. For that matter, they are not even fighting to protect Americans, much less America's cultural and territorial integrity. If they were, they would be stationed on the Mexican border and in the numerous and growing no-go zones of American cities.
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