I don’t know about you, but I get angry anti-Muslim emails all the time. They are always under the guise of “bringing understanding and awareness.” How do we respond?
First let me ask some questions to the Christians who might be reading this:
Question #1. Are we called to fear or love?
Question #2. Are we calling fear “understanding” in order to mask our fear?
Question #3. What drives out fear?
Question #4. What emotion do some of these emails invoke in your heart? What does that emotion lead you to do?
Question #5. What does God think of Muslims?
Question #6. What do you think of Muslims?
If you can answer these questions honestly, then read on….
Here is the text that I’ll refer to from this recent email I received:
‘Please, correct me if I’m wrong,but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against theInfidels of the world and, that by killing an infidel, (which is a command to all Muslims) they are assured of a place in heaven. If that’s the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?’
It’s crazy talk. I have lived amongst and served Muslims in the name of Jesus for 28 years and I know of NO Muslim who would agree with anything here. I know of NO Imam who has called for an indiscriminate holy war against infidels.The Qur’an says nothing even close to that.
The word “infidel” in English is “Kafir” and it means pagan. One without religion. Christians and Jews are called “the people of the book.” “The friends of God.” “The closest to us.” One verse in the Quran has God speaking and it says “I will make the followers of Jesus greater than all the rest.”
Saying these things does not mean that I think Muslims are okay without a personal relationship with Christ – I’ve given my life so they would know Jesus. But it’s an entirely other thing for Christians to spread fear and hatred of a whole people group by propagating such nonsense as these emails. Why do we have to make someone look bad? Does it make us feel better? More righteous?
At the most there are 4 million Muslims in American – making them somewhere around 1%. They feel hurt. Misunderstood. Alone. Scared. When Chris or I see a Muslin on the street we immediately go and speak with them, often bringing them to tears just because we stopped and said hi.
Think: the Muslim may be the hero in Jesus’ story – the Good Samaritan may be the Good Muslim. Or maybe they’d be the hurt one in the ditch. Don’t be the Jewish priest or Levite who passes by – too busy being religious to see the hurting man (Muslim) in the ditch. Stop and help. In the name of Jesus. Stop.
