People of Faith

Generalisations
Following on from the last discussion, about not making generalisations about people. I would like to talk about Christian (And Western) thinking about people of other faiths, especially Muslim peoples.

Over the last few years I have received many emails and articles with information on Islam, usually telling us the 'true nature' of Islam. Most often it comes via a Christian source. Either the information shows how violent Islam is, or how inferior to Christianity it is. How Christians have nothing in common with Islam especially, when using the Arabic word "Allah" for God. Finally how Islam is quickly taking over the Western (nee Christian) world.

Often these articles are written by and sent by Christian folk who love God and have a real burden to reach the world for Christ. Their motivation is pure and honourable.

The facts that are in these articles are often correct and the historical stories are usually well documented, if however coming from a biased western, christian point of view.

Violent Religion
Many Christians point out that Islam is a violent religion. I have often counted this by saying that most Muslims round the world are just your average family person and when you get to know a Muslim they often are like you and me. I still believe this, however a recent article said that this notion is not valid because as with the Nazi's, when good people do nothing and stand on the sidelines while others participate in violent acts, then these people will triumph. This is true when good people do nothing then evil triumphs. People need to stand up against those people, groups or nations that promote violence over peace, war over dialogue, force over love.

Islam came out of a violent history and it did spread in the early days through conquest and forcible conversion. Today however Islam is spreading more by birth and immigration than war. Although I realise that in some African places there are some stories coming out that Muslim groups are trying force an Islamisation on their country.

Islam is not the only religion that has used force, unfortunately Christianity doesn't have a great track record; think about the Crusades, Inquisitions, Reformation and colonial days. Today Islam is associated with terrorist groups; Sept 11, London bombings, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Palestine. These are true places of ever increasing levels of violence and lack of respect for the value in human life. What is happening today in the name of Islam must be dealt with by the world, by Muslim people especially, by other means apart from the gun.

The article I have just read says that fanatics have taken over Islam, like they did in Germany, Russia and China, that the only group we should be concerned about are the terrorist. "As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life". It says that because moderate Muslims are not standing up then, "Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany , they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun".

Now this might be true in essence but how will we ever be able to reach Muslims if all we do is concentrate on the fanatics. How will there be dialogue with Muslims if all we see is a person wanting to take over the world. Instead of seeing Islam as a violent religion (because that automatically makes followers violent people) we need to see them as people loved by God, people that Christ came to save from sin to reconcile to God. We can't be blind to the fanatics and just stand by while people are butchered by terrorist, we need to encourage all Muslims to own the problems within Islam and to claim Islam back for them. We need to stand against those in the west who preach war above bridge-building. We, the ordinary 'Jo public' can't have much effect on the terrorist, they almost become irrelevant to us. Our point of contact is with the Muslim we live next too, see on our streets invite into our homes.

Counterfeit Religion!
Other articles talk about how wrong Islam is, built on a lie, so inferior to Christianity. They like to belittle Islam, showing all the mistakes and inconsistencies, and with the ultimate humiliation those practising Islam. One writer had just engaged an Imam in dialogue and felt he had won the argument, he was so proud that he had made the Imam 'look like a naughty school-boy caught doing wrong' and at the end 'you could have heard a pin drop as the Imam held his head down in shame'. He might have won the argument but I doubt that he won his soul. We might have all the answers and prove that the Quran is incorrect, an impostor, having stolen text from the Bible etc. If we come into a room and say your faith is wrong, your prophet is not really inspired, what effect will that have on the believer? Try looking at this from a Christian stand point. How do we feel when a Muslim says that what you believe is wrong, the Bible has been corrupted and is inferior to the Quran. That Jesus is not God just a prophet. We don't like it, we feel that the most important part of our life has been trampled on and that the person saying these things could never be our true friend.

Instead of throwing stones at Islam we need to build bridges so we can talk and make Friends and love them unconditionally - like God does. If we are firm in our own faith then we don't need to pull theirs apart but find points in common to open dialogue. Use the Quran in our conversations, learn about their faith in a non-judgemental way without giving away anything of our own believes.

World Conquest
Lastly the articles talk about Islam taking over the world through immigration and birth rate. These articles look at what has been happening with birth numbers amongst immigrants how they are projected to expand while native Europeans are declining.

"The human habit is simply to project current trends into the future. Demographic realities are seldom kind to the predictions that result. The decision to have a child depends on innumerable personal considerations and larger, unaccountable societal factors that are in constant flux. Yet even knowing this, demographers themselves are often flummoxed. Projections of birthrates and population totals are often embarrassingly at odds with eventual reality." ( Martin Walker)

It is true Northern European birthrates have been declining alarmingly over the last number of years and Muslim peoples have been migrating to northern countries usually with higher birth rates. For those who cherish a romantic illusion of a time when Christendom reigned supreme, then this will be alarming.

But population figures do not always follow predictions, there is some inductions that certain European countries are showing a slight increase in birthrates and a country that has seen huge growth is now predicted to decline, that is China. Many experts also believe that immigrant populations will show a slowing of birth rates as they become second generation and more prosperous. So you cannot accurately project out figures and say this trend will continue.

Fear Verse Love

What do these attitude towards Muslims do to the average Christian person? I feel they create a sense of fear towards Muslims, a competitive attitude with Islam and a feeling off "I need to convert these Muslims so I can get rid of this 'evil' religion"! Let's keep Muslim out of our country because they are here to take over. Our religious freedom or special status will disappear.

This is in complete contradiction to the Biblical record and the motivation of the early followers of Christ. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2: 8 "We loved you dearly - so dearly that we gave you not only God's message, but our own lives too." and in Chap 1:3 "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ".

Romans 10:1 "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites (Muslims) is that they may be saved.
2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness"
1 Cor 10:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love".
Paul based his ministry on love and also he spoke of an indebtedness to all people to preach the gospel. Jesus says that, "we are to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbour as ourselves"
Our neighbour is not just the person living next to our house but all who are without the gospel.

So if we come towards our Muslim brethren as people we want to love because God loves them then it must change our attitude. Muslims must not become an item on our agenda, a project. We will not win them to Christ by belittling their faith or systematically exposing their errors. We will struggle seeing them come to faith through door knocking or inviting them to church. Muslims come from a culture of relationships, family, honour, commitment and outward piety. If we want to see Muslims come to faith then we need to change in our attitude, motivation and worldview.

Attitude, Motivation and World-view
Our Attitude should be the beginning of change. We see the Muslim as a people loved by God and we love them too, they are valued as human beings, we see them as individuals all different. So we remove the stereotypes that have been circulated. They are not all terrorists, they don't all want to see me, an infidel, killed. Because I value them I want to build bridges towards them so I can live the gospel and talk the gospel with them. I do not fear them because they become my friends and come into my home and I into their homes. We learn from each other and share meals together.

My motivation is out of love and respect. It is not to change them, to make them leave their religion. It is to be their friend and my hope is that God's Holy Spirit would bring them to faith, but I will remain their friend even if they don't come to know Jesus.

My world view will change from a mono-culturist to a multi-culturist. I can learn from other cultures and faiths. That Islam is not the "other' out there but our neighbour. That I need to see that western is not always the best. To the Muslim, his world-view is very precious. It is his whole way of life. Jesus Christ desires to become the very center and core of that world-view. To the Christian who is entrusted with the task of introducing and stimulating that change, the task is awesome, challenging and sometimes frightening. But to those of us who have had the privilege of meeting transformed Muslims, the task is eminently worthwhile!

I want to build bridges of understanding, weave faith into life (live my faith. Share my life), and make the most of opportunities that God gives to me each day. What a difference it would make if every believer became friends with a Muslim and their family, invited them into their homes, played together and then pray together.

Lets not be frightened into taking notice of Muslims, lets welcome them into New Zealand and learn to love them.