Marcia, Thanks really good sites, and informative article. Summer. BTW Brent you do have a point about the Christian radio, the only problem is we have freedom of religion, they do not. Also did'nt Jesus say love your enemies, pray for them. Mt 5. The Lord will have peoples from every kindred, tongue, tribe and nation in heaven. He's the one who said, "forgive them, they know not what they do". Clearly Muslim World Domination is their goal. And Paul said whoever does'nt Love the Lord let him be accursed. So if your enemy is hungry feed him, etc. God will take care for the Vengence, not us.
Hi Summer,
Thinking about all this is really challenging for me. There was a time when everything was clear-cut for me, including stuff like this topic.
Love your enemies meant that if someone did something really wrong to me, I would "bless" them in some way. Here is an example:
I had an employee once, (the first non-Christian to ever work for me) and she did some stupid stuff, like tell patients she wasn't happy in her job when she heard they were hiring etc. After confronting her about this, she gave notice, and made her last two weeks very awkward indeed, even telling me that I was a religious fanatic/hypocrite. (I'm sure I was, as I was totally serving Geftakys at the time)
I gave her 3 weeks severence pay, and even bought her flowers for her last day at work, because she was "against" me. My thinking was that by doing so, I would "heap coals of fire upon her head," and that she would be won over by the "love" that I showed.
I am sure that if her heart softened towards the Lord, I would be the last person she would call, because my actions were whacko at the time. She had zero respect for me, as a person and as a Christian.
What I am trying to say is that I had a mindset that never allowed me to stand against anyone, or anything that was wrong, and never allowed me to defend myself. If I was treated spitefully, I would rejoice that I was being persecuted, and would see it as an opportunity to share Christ. When people owed me money, I wouldn't collect it, etc. Plenty of "saints" have borrowed money from me and never repayed it.
Today, I am convinced that I was totally wrong, and that people are much more inclined to listen to a person who has a backbone and who stands up for themselves when they are wronged. I confused religious persecution---which I have not really experienced outside of the Assembly---with being treated unfairly by a mean person. My reaction was strange, which earned me no respect at all, and actually hindered my testimony.
Now, I look at it differently. If I don't stand up for what is right, I don't help anyone, especially the person doing wrong. I teach my kids to be kind, honest and forthright, but also teach them not to suffer abuse or bullying, and to stand up for themselves.
So, back to the Muslim thing, I think when it comes to nations things are even more different. May God bless those who are led to share the gospel with Muslims. I heard the two women (Heather and Dana?) who were missionaries in Afghanistan, who were imprisoned for sharing Christ. They loved the Afghan people, but were also happy that our military killed the Taliban...interesting.
I think God gives nations the sword, in order to carry out justice in this world. I won't take up the sword in order to execute judgement on unbelievers, neither will I use the sword to defend Christianity, but I have no problem with the idea of our military using the sword against another nation or people...
So, I don't have a heart of compassion for the Islamic nations, regardless of how I might feel about individuals who live there. I do wish they would come to Christ, but they aren't going to, except in small numbers.
I think they, as a nation, deserve to have justice administered to them. The idea of feeding them, or helping them in any way is totally repulsive to me. I see them as enemies, and don't want to help them anymore than I would want to help a rapist who has his eye on my daughter. Rather, I would want to inflict violence with intent to kill on such a person. I wouldn't pray with them, or hand them a tract either.
Rambling thoughts here, to be sure.
I'm just not so sure how to apply all those verses about loving enemies, wiping dirt of our feet, casting pearls before swine, and acknowledging those who are accursed. It isn't so clear anymore.
One thing that is clear, is that I won't shed a tear, or even have a moment of pause over Yasser's death, neither will I mourn when Hussein, Bin Laden or any of the others meet their end. I think it's neat that Hitler is dead too.
I will shout praises and give glory to God when the Beast and False Prophet are cast into The Lake of Fire as well as the wicked.
Just being honest here, and I am open to instruction on the matter.
Brent
