How would Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who organized the International Quran Burning Day, respond if a local imam in Chicago organized an International Bible Burning Day? I never ceased to be amazed at what people will say and do in the name of Jesus!
Before anyone begins to think that I am a typical post-modern religious relativist, let me just put that idea to bed. I believe that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6), that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). I do not believe that Mohammed was a prophet of God. Is that said clearly enough?
I bet this pastor has no Muslim friends. Having friends you love who differ from you changes the tone of your conversations, even when you cannot change the core truths of those conversations.
And knowing Jesus changes the tone of your conversations. What do you do with these words even if you consider Islam of the Enemy: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27)?
I’m sure this pastor has said that they don’t hate the people, just the Sin that the people represent. I’ve said those kinds of things myself, but why does it always feel like a very, very impoverished expression of love? What parts of Sin can we hate before we can’t tell the difference any more between the Sin and the Sinner? This is a legitimate question.
Isn’t the problem that in our frailty, we do not control our “hate” well—such a strong and terrible word—so we have difficulty avoiding the slippery slope that starts with the SIN, but finds its way too quickly to the sinner. Maybe it is more God’s role to hate Sin? Since God is perfect Love, He doesn’t slip at all where we too often slide.
Perhaps this is why Jesus told the parable of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13:
24Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28” ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’29” ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ “
We Christians apparently are not adept at telling wheat from weeds—at least that’s what Jesus said. The day will come when He will judge with righteous judgment—and it will be a terrible day for those who do not love the truth! But until then, God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
I don’t think Paul would lead a church to burn the Torah. He didn’t take a baseball bat to the idols in Athens! He didn’t melt the silver Artemis icons in Ephesus. I don’t think he would have burned Qurans either. Paul’s words that I keep hearing are “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some (2 Corinthians 9:22).
My wife and I have a lovely back yard with lots of flowers and shrubs and beautiful growing things that we inherited from the previous homeowners. We are this week, for at least the third or fourth time, changing our yard service. They keep pulling up flowers because they can’t tell them apart from the weeds! And they are professionals!!
I gave up weeding our yard long ago! I’m gradually learning to give it up in the world as well!
What about you?
Mark's Blog 
Great post! I think North American Christians have a hard time dealing with persecution. Maybe because we are not used to it, or we feel like, as US citizens, we are immuned to it. We tend to forget that Jesus told us to expect it, (John15:20) and bless those whose persecute us. (Romans 12:14).
I also liked your thoughts on Matthew 13. Fresh perspective!
Thanks,
Shevin
I agree wholeheartedly with the tone of this post. Jesus made a good start, but he could have done much better by letting us know we do not have enemies and that people do not hate us. Hate is just the label we attach to people’s fear. Others are not our enemies any more than we are their enemies. We all just get overcome by fear, fear which is fed by our imagining that other people are something other than well intentioned.
On that subject, we talked about Phillipians 3 last night. There Paul characterized some people who disagreed with him on theology “dogs and evildoers”. It is good to speak out about what Terry Jones is doing. It is also good to speak against what Paul is doing. It is difficult to see others as good, when we are told they are bad.
Great article.
I wish more people, so called christians would read that post! Unbelievable how selfrighteous some are and still think they act in the name of our precious Lord who is much more gracious.Who do we think weare, judging His creation?
By the way I have some beautiful weeds flowering around me!
Good luck with your garden, the one with the flowers and the onewith the colourful people!
Have been thinking about IBQD and was happy to read your post. I came away with an initial two thoughts and will likely visit your post again. First, “Having friends you love who differ from you changes the tone of your conversations…” Well put. And the more inward-looking an individual or group, the less likelihood there is if having friends who are different. Vicious cycle of isolation. Second, I have never interpreted or heard the Matthew 13 passage taught as anything but fiery judgment, but in this context, I see a gentleness that comes from wisdom.