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Edited on Fri Apr-11-08 08:41 AM by Stevepol
I got the following LTTE from a friend in the mail recently. It's an answer to another letter and says a lot about the attitude of many fundamentalist Christians in the country, those who still sing W's praises despite the obvious muddle he's got everything in.
The XXXXX
April 9, 2008
xxx X Street
XXX, Kansas XXXX
Attn: XXX XXX
Gentlepersons:
The editorial “Christianity receives unfair portrayal” (April 7th, ’08) is simply balderdash. The whining, poor-us, “nobody loves us” article is myopic, immature, and self-serving. Before I explain why, let me first establish that I am a Christian of 74 years, baptized as an infant, raised in the church, and retired after serving as a priest in the Episcopal Church for some 40 years. My objection to that editorial is based upon the faith I live and the Lord I follow.
I believe that Christianity receives the portrayal it warrants. When Christians are humbly faithful, not blindly and belligerently certain, when they are servants and not masters, and when they depend upon God rather than act as if they are necessary to defend Him, Christians are highly praised and loved by all people and religions. Sadly, many Christians like the author present themselves as certain, superior, and absolutely necessary. That’s when we become obnoxious spiritual bullies and promote our faith in self-righteous arrogance. We receive the negative portrayal we deserve.
When followers of Jesus feed His hungry, heal His sick, cloth His naked, free the oppressed, and care for the least of His brethren Christians are portrayed with honor. When we love as He loves, our neighbors and our enemies; when we forgive “AS” we’ve been forgiven; when we are “peace makers”, not war makers; when we strive to overcome evil with good, and never return evil for evil; when Christians believe Jesus and do His work, we are welcomed by all, and are blessed by humankind. Christians receive the negative portrayal deserved when we act as if we are not only “chosen” but also preferred by God. We Christians are portrayed as we live.
For me, Jesus is the “way, the truth, and the life”. Jesus is the truth I seek to live. As the author says, all religions can be wrong, and there can be only one truth. But God’s truth is much larger than anyone can comprehend with our limited wisdom. We all may have some of the truth, but none of us may have all the truth. I seek the expressions of God’s truth that may expand, challenge, or even correct my understanding. These expressions can be found in the truths known by others. I listen and learn rather than simply reject and condemn. The whole truth is larger than any of us can claim as exclusively ours.
As concerns the portrayal of Islam, I find Muslim extremists vilified far more severely than are Christian extremists. We hear much about the Taliban, Al Quida, Sunni and Shiite extremists, their cruel decapitations, their suicide bombings and their subjection of women. But we hear little of the “Phelps cult of contempt” of Topeka, the extant K.K.K,. The Jetts’ cult, and their treatment of women has only recently been noted. Our Iraqi campaign, dubbed “shock and awe”, an obvious terrifying tactic designed to cower a whole nation; the barbaric terror of Abu Grhab and our water-boarding torture sanctioned by our Christian president receive little more than a shrug! And these are but a few examples of accepted and/or ignored homegrown extremism.
The retreat to religious absolutes is the haven of the frightened and faithless. Such persons are the bane of every religion. Such aggressive religion is the cause of more wars and death than any other force upon earth. It is the “absolutist” that creates the terrorist, regardless the religion.
Every religion has blood on its hands. The Judeo-Christian heritage has no justification to self-righteously accuse others of wantonly killing unbelievers. Read the Bible and study our history. The first jihad of the sword was inflicted by Joshua against Jericho. Christians stand accused of the pogroms against Jews, the Inquisition against “non-believers”, the support of slavery of Africans and the “ethnic cleansing” of Native Americans (Indian Reservations)! Judeo-Christian “holy writ” is as bloody as anything found in the Quran.
To infer that the peace and prosperity enjoyed by America is because we are favored by God is blasphemous. America is as sinful as any nation; Americans are as sinful as any people; and Christians are as sinful as any religious people. I hope that all who claim in the name of God absolute certainty, consequent superiority, and obvious necessity be rejected. When religious violence condemns, oppresses and slaughters people, and then claims that such barbarity is God’s will, it should be denounced and opposed.
Gandhi was reported to have said that he would be a Christian if he had ever seen someone acting like one. No Christian need worry about being portrayed unfairly when he/she truly loves, serves, and gives of themselves like a Christian, a true disciple of Jesus. The author of the article needs to learn that truth before he childishly complains of mistreatment. The author states that his Christianity is incompatible with Islam. Obviously, what he calls Christianity is incompatible with my faith….and I’m a Christian.
Agape and shalom
Fr. XXX XXXXX, Episcopal Priest –retired
XXXX, Kansas
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