I think people should choose how to worship, though I am a devout Christian who believes in Jesus as only Savior. God lets us choose our life journey though not every path leads to him. When we offer his Good News to others, we must let them decide whether to accept or reject it.
The USA and Canada were unashamedly and openly Christian in the past. Christmas and Easter were national celebrations. Today, Christians have to fight the courts to hold Christian events in civic places, ostensibly because such might offend someone from another religion or an atheist with a clever lawyer.
Though the US Constitution was not signed only by devout Christians, it created room for the peaceful coexistence of personal faith, institutional practice, and government. Separation of Church and State meant government was forbidden to obstruct the practice of Christianity, as well as other faiths. That forbidding of Government interference in the religiosity of its citizens has been eroded as legislators impose laws barricading public and private faith from civic life.
What sheer stupidity to be so "politically correct" that we allow the open practice of faith to be eaten away, one law at a time, a little here and there, by those who take offence to Christianity. Let those bothered by Judeo-Christian morality who want Islamic rules go live under a Muslim government. Let those who want no Christian celebrations move to an atheistic country and enjoy anarchy or communist-style controls. Want amoral government? Go to a place where every favor is dependent on a bribe, every political position determined by nepotism and corruption. But please don't impose such trials on North America in the name of civil liberties!
Care for the poor and needy, opportunities for holistic creativity and enterprise, and communities that watch out for their neighbors are biblical plumb-lines that created our national conscience and social standards for centuries. Sadly, we Christians haven't lived up to our core values.
Yet how has anyone benefited by rejecting Christian morality and the Ten Commandments as societal foundations? In real life, are our bosses more dedicated to the well-being of their employees? Are our neighbors and their children more trustworthy? Are our coworkers more honest and hard-working? Would we leave our kids alone with adult acquaintances? If not, what has eroded our feelings of peace and safety more than our undermining of biblical morality?
Within a generation, we may have an entire rewriting of what it means to worship. In places like Iraq, Muslims are killing, maiming, and impoverishing my Christian brothers and sisters. And Iraq may be the signpost of the future if the so-called "religion of peace" takes over in the West. Growing anti-Christian sentiments in my home country deeply offend me as a one-sided attack against the benefits of truly Christian holiness, goodness, and righteousness.
Where Islam dominates, there is a sharp difference between Muslim and non-Muslim, male and female, servant and employer. What a direct contrast to Christian egalitarianism. The biblical statement of "there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free," carries beyond the Church's walls into a healthy society.
- Muslims encourage big families. Many children mean more votes in Western-style democracies. Within a generation, Muslims may simply outvote Christians in North America and Europe to bring in their own laws and cultures.
- Muslim solidarity against outsiders (infidels) means many Islamists will vote for radical Muslim agendas if the other choice is a Christian's or other religion's proposal... even if it means losing privileges and freedoms.
- Muslims entice spiritual seekers with promises of peace and surrender to God. But Islam demands only conformity to a culture and rituals. Unlike Christianity, it does not require transformation of the heart.
- Islam attracts people with its simple legalism (5 Pillars of duty) and an equally simple entry formula. Conversion requires no spiritual rebirth, only a simple statement that Allah is the only God and Mohammed is his prophet.
- American prisoners, the disenfranchised, and immigrants are targeted for conversion to Islam, especially among African Americans and Latinos with backgrounds in Catholicism or other formal traditions.
- Muslim militants recruit dissatisfied and rebellious youngsters in the West to destroy their own culture in the name of religion. Many acts of terror are now perpetrated by silly young men and women, caught in the webs of extremest lies and loyalties.
- Worldwide, Muslims are ruthlessly and systematically wiping out Christians and other religious adherents in their own nations. (Try to name one Muslim country that is truly welcoming and peaceful toward Christianity or other faiths.)
- I have lovely Muslim friends who decry violence, but they are quiet voices in a religion that is increasingly militant because of Islam's core values. "Kill the infidel" is climbing on Islam's to-do list. Radical imams preach from their holy book to encourage their followers to earn spiritual capital by killing anyone outside their particular brand of Islam.
- The Islamic religion continually and loudly demands freedom to worship in North American neighborhoods. However, one of Islam's core beliefs is that if a mosque is erected, that ground belongs to Muslims forever. There's no converting a mosque into a modern funky dwelling like is done with abandoned churches. A mosque proclaims itself as holy ground from its consecration day onward... and they're not giving it back, ever. EVER.
- Muslims use Christianity's respect for others, including freedom of speech, to promote their own agendas. They do not offer similar concessions to other faiths in Muslim-controlled countries. For example, Saudi Arabia funds development in poorer countries, they specify that Muslims get the best jobs, have educational privileges, etc.
- Muslims do not feel obligated to offer the religious respect, accommodation, or political correctness toward Christianity that they expect for themselves in the USA. Threaten to burn a Koran? Worldwide protests from Muslims, so the American government bends over backwards to prevent it. Shred hundreds of Bibles in Saudi Arabia? Burn Bibles on American military bases in Afghanistan? Fine, let the pieces fall, the smoke rise, and ignore any objections from Christians.
Read more:
*O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:9-11 KJV
*Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-14 NKJV
Thanks for linking to my article (Muslims do not feel obligated to offer the religious respect), it's appreciated.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I am an Atheist who does not believe in banning religious displays in civic places.
Bernie, I read a few of your blogs and enjoyed them. Ideas enrich all of us when there is free exchange with room for disagreement without malice. I'll check back often.
ReplyDelete