tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3581047259314187297.post6290025494698544712..comments2023-11-17T09:22:32.786+03:00Comments on Circumpolar: “It’s time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose”Warrick Farahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389839484261120626noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3581047259314187297.post-15774554906650382262012-09-20T18:38:24.814+03:002012-09-20T18:38:24.814+03:00Warrick,
We agree much more than it sounds like. ...Warrick,<br /><br />We agree much more than it sounds like. It is true there are evangelicals who should spend much less time on fear, and more on figuring out how to live out our call to minister and witness to our Muslim neighbors. Nevertheless, it is also true that there are those in the emerging church who should spend less time bashing other Christians and more on figuring out to stand firm in all of God's wisdom and council.<br />Robert Sievershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06073575336019621976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3581047259314187297.post-63878711508756672102012-09-19T19:28:29.846+03:002012-09-19T19:28:29.846+03:00Make that 120,000,000!Make that 120,000,000!Jonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05285243777267656606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3581047259314187297.post-41739375631928888252012-09-19T03:06:19.658+03:002012-09-19T03:06:19.658+03:00It's difficult to sort it out sometimes. Ther...It's difficult to sort it out sometimes. There is a Muslim neighbor who is genuinely friendly and kind and helpful, but who points out that when things get "tough" religiously, he will have no choice but to kill you. Then there's the radical whose life is totally redeemed and transformed and he would give his life for you, as did Jesus.<br />Having lived in Muslim nations for many years, I made friends. Some, taught that I was a "kafiira" (infidel) was surprised to learn that I talk to God, and love God, and know that God loves me. They were ignorant of what true Christians believe and do and were pleasantly surprised by my faith. Other friends threatened to kill me because of the very same faith.<br />I have read and heard too much to naively ignore that the goal of radical Islam is world domination by any means. Even if only 10% of Muslims are radicals, that's 120,000 individuals bent on my destruction, and the "west" and Israel, and any nominal Muslim, and anyone who gets in their way. Spawn of the master deceiver, they know no other way, and it has been spoon fed to them since infancy. Ah, but God has mercy; aren't we grateful of that? Mercy for us, mercy for the spawn, mercy for the naivety, mercy for the deceived.<br />Let's reach out in the love and compassion of Jesus to them all. Remember that the Apostle Paul was once Saul the terrorist.Jonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05285243777267656606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3581047259314187297.post-80448681833055971762012-09-18T18:26:05.127+03:002012-09-18T18:26:05.127+03:00Hi Robert,
Forget that McLaren wrote it- a Muslim...Hi Robert,<br /><br />Forget that McLaren wrote it- a Muslim could have written this and it would still be true.<br /><br />Evangelicals haven't done a good enough job confronting the Islamophobia in our midst. That's the point. <br /><br />I think McLaren would totally agree with your last paragraph (as do I). And we have to wage spiritual warfare with love and prayer, not fear mongering. And Jesus didn't motivate through fear (speaking of spiritual warfare!). Of course there is a dark side to Islam. It's just that we have a dark side too, as the post makes clear.Warrick Farahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00389839484261120626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3581047259314187297.post-26659504904405408032012-09-18T17:10:41.684+03:002012-09-18T17:10:41.684+03:00I have not been impressed by Brian McLaren in the ...I have not been impressed by Brian McLaren in the past, and this article just confirms that. <br /><br />As usual, McLaren gives us half the story. Jesus calls us to be as innocent as doves and as shrewd as serpents. McLaren has the first part of that command down and beats that drum over and over again. However, there is the flip side. There IS such a thing as spiritual warfare. Many Christians in Muslim lands DO live in fear. <br /><br />Does this mean we should send around provocative emails and foster fear? Of course not. Does this mean we should disengage from making Muslim friends? Of course not. But let us also not downplay the negative aspects of Islam that undercut, subvert, and attack the message of God at every turn. Let us preach the gospel in BOTH deed and word to our Muslim neighbors.Robert Sievershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06073575336019621976noreply@blogger.com