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Sunday, February 07, 2010
Gospel Truth: A Sunday Rumination
Sometimes I begin to wonder if reading other Web writers might be bad for me.
I know, I know: if you're going to orate, you have to know what's "in the air," and what others are saying about it. But when the subject is religion, the Nonsense Quotient (NQ) sometimes gets so high as to be unbearable.
Consider how those anxious to excuse religion X from criticism demand that we ignore the documented statements and deeds of its practitioners. There's a low-idiot NQ for you. Consider how many persons think their opinions about religion Y take precedence over what religion Y actually preaches. Their NQ is in four digits. Finally, we have persons so anxious to condemn religion Z that they deliberately misconstrue a single, metaphorical statement by its Founder, in a way that contradicts every explicit statement that Man ever made. That's not just a high NQ; that's a sign of a severe mental illness, a hatred of Godly things that puts its sufferer at odds with reality, not to mention much of the rest of Mankind.
In a way, I'm grateful to some of the above. It was from pondering their various deceits and deficiencies that I found my way back to Christ. The seminal event was my realization that I could no longer stand to hear a particular family member, who thinks he's a wit and, as is often the case with such, is only half right, make crude, derisive sexual jokes about priests and nuns. Things snowballed from there.
All the same, there's a war on. You have to know which side you're on. Neutrality is discouraged.
Today, courtesy of Vlad Tepes, we have the following:
“For too long religion has enjoyed the benefit of the doubt, taking all the benefit and allowing none of the doubt.With the rise of Islam and political correctness, the threat it now poses to our basic freedoms is beyond a joke.
Award-winning comedian Pat Condell gets serious and gives religion the kicking it deserves in his popular and controversial video monologues, sixty of which are collected here for the first time, including Welcome to Saudi Britain, Free Speech Is Sacred and Wake Up, America.”
Dig that, Gentle Readers? Spurred by "the rise of Islam and political correctness," Condell "gives religion the kicking it deserves." No differentiation; no attempt to draw critical distinctions. Just open, unabashed venom toward religion as such, toward faith as a category of human mentation.
Mr. Condell, I hope you ego-surf, because I have a challenge for you: Debate me on the subject of religion. I promise you a comeuppance you'll never forget. I expect that, if you live long enough to come to your senses, you'll thank me for it.
When I spoke of manning the battlements, I meant it.
At least Condell is honest about being opposed to all religions, dismissive of all creeds with a supernatural component. But would you imagine that he's in danger from Christian terrorists? Or Jewish or Zoroastrian ones? Do you think the Dalai Lama is prepping a suicide bomber to seek out Condell and detonate in his presence?
Yes, men have done terrible things to one another in the name of religion -- just about any religion you might name. But in some cases, those terrible things have been commanded by the religion, and in others they’ve been forbidden by the religion:
Islam:
Fighting is prescribed upon you, and you dislike it. But it may happen that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that you love a thing which is bad for you. And Allah knows and you know not." [Qur'an, Sura 2:216]Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of the Shaitan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Shaitan; surely the strategy of the Shaitan is weak. [Sura 4:76]
"I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their fingertips off them." [Sura 8:12]
But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. [Sura 9:5] \
"Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, of the people of the Book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued." [Sura 9:29]
"O Prophet! Struggle against the unbelievers and hypocrites and be harsh with them." [Sura 9:73]
Therefore, he who commits acts of violence in Islam's name is acting in accordance with its founder's direction.
Christianity:
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." [Matthew 5:9]
"If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile." [Matthew, 5:39-41]
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." [Matthew, 5:43-45]
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" [Matthew 22:37-40]
Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way? [Matthew 26:52-55]
And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down, and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they say unto Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with His finger , as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the oldest, even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised himself up, and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” [John, 7:53 - 8:11]
Therefore, he who commits violence in the name of Christianity is contradicting the explicit commands of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, Redeemer of Mankind, and Supreme Authority over the Christian faith. That's the "gospel truth."
Regardless of your opinion about whether Jesus really was the Son of God -- don't bother arguing with me about it; we'll both find out for certain soon enough -- is it intellectually honest to lay the violence men do at His feet? Is it just?
The Pat Condells, the Sam Harrises, the Richard Dawkinses, and the Eric Raymonds of the world have their position; I have mine. Choose according to your tastes.
One of my great pleasures of recent years has been to have Kate Dembinski for a friend, and more recently as a Co-Conspirator here at Eternity Road. Kate isn't just a pious young woman; she's also an excellent expositor of the foundations of Christian faith. More, she "walks it like she talks it." But most relevant to this tirade, just by existing, she helps me to dispel the doubts and uncertainties that every devout Christian must sometimes experience: the "you must be out of your mind" feeling that comes now and then despite all prayer, devotional rituals, and Christian charity. That's a benison worth its weight in rubies. (Kate's weight, not mine.)
Granted, even if I were alone in my faith -- if there were no other followers of Christ remaining on Earth -- if the last Bible had been burned and the executioner were approaching my stake with the torch -- it would not affect whether Christianity is true or false. The popularity of a faith is not dispositive; in the nature of things, it cannot be. But even if "any man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one" (Thoreau), the knowledge that one is not alone is an important buttress to the psyche.
Today, with Christianity under assault from all sides, with governments bowing before Islam and clamping down on visible, audible expressions of Christian faith, helping one's fellow to dispel that lonely, I-must-be-crazy feeling is among the most important of charitable acts.
Do you know a "lonely Christian?" Perhaps, someone who's alienated from his family, like Rifqa Bary? Someone who's constantly surrounded by others who mock him for his faith? Or perhaps someone whose Earthly trials have dragged him near to the lip of despair?
Can you imagine a more charitable, more constructive thing you could do than to get together with such a person? Bring him a black-and-white and a cup of coffee? Pray with him and for him? Reassure him that, whatever the superficial signs might be, he's not alone, and most certainly not crazy?
The Mormons already understand this. They practice "home teaching," in which designated members of a congregation undertake to visit others at home, to guarantee that no member will come to feel isolated or apart. It's one of the great strengths of their community, which the rest of us would do well to emulate.
No, not everyone, however much he might need it, would be receptive to such a visit. Some would deem it unacceptably intrusive. That doesn't mean the attempt shouldn't be made.
No, there are no atheists in foxholes. But a man in a foxhole can get awfully lonely.
May God bless and keep you all.
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