"This is not "hate mail. I don't hate you, and I don't hate Muslims. [But] any effort by a Muslim organization to align themselves with Christians has nothing at all to do with a sense of common faith or building bridges, but rather everything to do with co-opting uninformed Christians as a credible shieldfor their indefensible ideology. It's like a pedophile joining the Boy Scouts."Yes, this is what we're up against, people. And yet today we lit the second Advent candle -- so now we have both Hope and Peace shining in the darkness of a world clearly in desperate need of both. So Hope for healing and work for Peace. And pray for the people who send us this kind of polemic -- that they be healed of the fear that blinds them to the neighbor God loves just as much as God loves them.
Kyrie eleison.
7 comments:
File this right up there w/ (the well-worn) "I'm not a racist, but..."
"for their indefensible ideology": ah yes, the Them. Bigotry, defined.
I suppose that the absence of threats or obscenities makes the claim that this is not, "hate mail" as commonly defined, somewhat credible. But then I ask myself, what exactly does, "indefensible ideology" mean?
I see only two equally ugly possibilities:
1) the writer thinks Islam is not a religion. I would suggest based on the context that this means only Christianity (perhaps broadly defined? Nope!) is a religion.
2) the writer has elected to graft onto Islam the Jihadist violent beliefs of the Taliban inter alia.
Both techniques are hateful and wrong. And both have a long dishonorable history.
So, yes it is hate mail, and deciding not to express hate towards you or All Saints by aiming at your guests changes nothing. The ancient laws of hospitality which the Hebrew Scriptures affirm, make it clear. Attack my guest and you attack me.
FWIW
jimB
Very simple.
If you believe in the GOSPEL then you believe this statement by Jesus:
I am the way, the truth and the life; none comes to the father but by me.
This makes Islam an irrelevant religion, and thus an indefensible ideology.
See you and raise you John 10:16 ... as for "indefensible theology" quite frankly the glass house of our Christian heritage doesn't tempt me to throw around stones.
Finally, the only story we have from Jesus about "the final exam" has nothing to do with theology but with whether or not we've "done it unto the least of these." (Matthew 25:40 in case you need the ref)
And onward we go ...
"Simple" is definitely the best description, Joe, in every aspect.
Nice article in the NYT; nice to know that my friends in Pasadena carry on doing the Lord's work of reconciliation.
"[Scripture passage] = [my opinion about ______]"
Doncha just love this game? Everyone can play!
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