I stepped into my cold Jeep this morning and switched on the radio for news, as I do most mornings, to listen to the happenings of this as I drove to class. The Mike Gallagher show was on; this morning's topic was the possible conviction and execution of a man in Afghanistan for converting to Christianity. It's ironic that a free-and-democratic Afghan nation would be exactly opposite of what President Bush and Prime Minister Blair intended.
Secretary of State Rice "urged" the President of Afghanistan to intervene, but the way things look, that seems highly improbable. Most conversations have shifted into whether Islam is a peaceful religion. If so, how can it be called peaceful when it executes people for converting to another religion? Others constantly remind us that Christians were once this way - during the Inquisition. I'd like to believe that Christians have move beyond this state... but I'm not so sure. Christians still advocate destruction of people and nations, not for religious views but for political ones. We don't threaten to kill people in our country, but somehow deem it appropriate in reference to another state.
Point: a democracy can still be a theocracy. When people want 'one nation under God' they can vote it into existence. And when a nation becomes a theocracy radical, errant interpretations of holy scripture can become law and cases like the one in Afghanistan become OK and the norm within the society. Our job as Christians, is not to legislate our beliefs and morals to others who are not Christians and therefore don't hold the same ones we do, but rather to live as witnesses to the changes that have taken place in our live because of Jesus the Christ.
So where should Christians stand on this issue? Prayer. I don't believe that guns and wars are going to solve this problem, in fact they haven't done anything to even lessen it. And Christians who advocate taking sucy actions are much different from those of demanding this man's execution. Matthew 5:38-48 demands a standard of peace from all those who follow The Way. A stand of nonviolence and peace is really the only to display a true relationship of the love who is Jesus.
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2 comments:
Religious freedom is costly. Christianity is lethal. This man may be forced to give up his life, but aren't we all called to surrender everything? Shouldn't every Christian follow in Christ's path and die a martyr's death?
Ok, I am not sure I really believe that but just felt like being a little controversial this morning. A martyrs death is not the worse thing that could happen to this man, though, right? I am not sure how I could face it, don't get me wrong, but this time on earth is fleeting and we are but as grass so in the long run, it's all good right?
Mmmmm rice...btw...have u started your research on Julia Childs?
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