Something else I have been pondering about the scheduled Koran burning is that the media might be just as much at fault for putting the lives of Americans around the world in danger because of their treatment of the story. The burning is scheduled by a small church in Florida. If the media had not jumped on this story and made it much bigger than it probably would ever have been, I bet that very few, if any, lives would be in danger. Therefore, should this pastor decide to go through with his plan, and should someone around the world lose their life because of the decision, the media is at fault too for putting that person's life in danger. The persons committing the violence because of an idiotic display halfway around the world are also at fault, and should receive the blame as well. When idiots in Florida burn a book and idiots in the media cover the event, a person is not excused from responsibility for being an idiot that acts out in violence.
One final set of thoughts. I think that Christians need to be very wise before invoking certain American rights. This pastor has every right under the Constitution to do what he is planning to do. The Muslim community has every right to build a mosque at Ground Zero as well. However, just because we as Americans have the right to do something does not mean that we should do it. Christianity is supposed to be a peace loving religion just as some proponents of Islam state that it is a peace loving religion. However, Christians often take actions that do not promote peace. I am not suggesting peace at the expense of the gospel. There are going to be people who think that you are not promoting peace just because they do not recognize the gospel of Jesus Christ as true peace.
The church in Florida has an opportunity to promote true peace. By burning the Koran in such a public way, the church is Florida is being an example of hatred instead of love. I believe that this is just as unwise as certain Islamic leaders planning a mosque and Islamic cultural center so near to Ground Zero. Do both groups have every right to do what they are planning to do? Yes. Are both groups unwise for planning what they are planning? Definitely. One of the problems in the American church today is we want to talk about our individual rights too much. Just because we have the right to do something does not mean that it is wise to do it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
You Really Should Watch This
If you can make it to the end (I watched in two sittings to get there), you will not be sorry. Wow.
I do not think I have ever seen anyone that fired up sharing their name before they ever get to the heart of their message.
HT: @drmoore and Political Wire
I do not think I have ever seen anyone that fired up sharing their name before they ever get to the heart of their message.
HT: @drmoore and Political Wire
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Two Completely Unrelated Things
(1) I have a new reason to watch The Biggest Loser this season. One of the contestants is a woman who was one of my really good friends in middle school and part of high school. You can read more about Sandy here. She lived within walking distance of my house, so I remember hanging out quite a bit. I hate the color pink, but I will be rooting for pink this season on The Biggest Loser! Sandy's brother, Mike, died this past spring just a few days after trying out for The Biggest Loser. His death was due to complications because of his weight. I hope that Sandy and Mike's story will encourage people to get up and get moving. So if you see any Facebook/Twitter posts pulling for pink, I have not lost my mind, but I am cheering Sandy on!
(2) It is probably unfair to include this in the same post since it is so completely unrelated. I do not usually write about things that are too written about on blogs, but I am making an exception for the Florida church. There are some things that strike me about the burning of the Koran in the Florida church. One of the things that struck me was covered here with some of the same thoughts I had about how it might not be smart to burn other people's religious books. Something else that I have been pondering is that this Florida church seems to be willing to risk other people's lives for what they think is the gospel instead of their own lives. It is no secret that certain Muslim zealots are willing to kill, riot, terrorize when someone does something offensive to a belief that they hold dear. There were murders, riots, and calls for death due to a cartoonist drawing a picture of Mohammed. This Florida church knows this. Yet this church is willing to risk the lives of others around the world because it wants to prove a point? What point it is exactly that they are trying to make anyway? We are called to risk our lives for the gospel, not the lives of others. Sometimes our actions for the sake of the gospel may put others at risk. New converts are often subject to persecution and therefore, conversion can result in a risk. However, this church is putting lives at risk without conversion, without risking their own lives, without actually taking the gospel where it needs to go.
Finally, if you have a heart for reaching the Islamic world for Christ, you are not going to do what is quite possibly the most offensive display towards the Muslim community in an effort to reach the community for Christ. We are called to love our enemies, not hate them. Burning the Koran is a sign of hate. I do not like to see millions/billions of people around the world deceived by the Koran, but that makes me pray for those who are sharing the gospel to Muslims around the world, or send money to missionaries in that part of the world, or research ways to share teh gospel with a Muslim, or show acts of love and mercy towards Muslims. Love would not lead you to burn the books just to be completely shut off from all opportunities to share the gospel because of your act of hatred.
I am slightly encouraged to see that the pastor is now "praying" about his decision due to the government attention that he has received and due to the counsel he is receiving from others in the Christian community. I sincerely hope and pray that he considers whether his church's actions are going to bring glory to God and further the spread of the gospel or hinder the spread of the gospel. I cannot think of how this act will spread the gospel. Instead I can only see how it can potentially endanger mission efforts around the world. I do trust that God can use this event to open conversations in mission efforts around the world and hopefully lead God's people to prayer and a commitment to spreading the gospel to those who are of the Muslim faith.
(2) It is probably unfair to include this in the same post since it is so completely unrelated. I do not usually write about things that are too written about on blogs, but I am making an exception for the Florida church. There are some things that strike me about the burning of the Koran in the Florida church. One of the things that struck me was covered here with some of the same thoughts I had about how it might not be smart to burn other people's religious books. Something else that I have been pondering is that this Florida church seems to be willing to risk other people's lives for what they think is the gospel instead of their own lives. It is no secret that certain Muslim zealots are willing to kill, riot, terrorize when someone does something offensive to a belief that they hold dear. There were murders, riots, and calls for death due to a cartoonist drawing a picture of Mohammed. This Florida church knows this. Yet this church is willing to risk the lives of others around the world because it wants to prove a point? What point it is exactly that they are trying to make anyway? We are called to risk our lives for the gospel, not the lives of others. Sometimes our actions for the sake of the gospel may put others at risk. New converts are often subject to persecution and therefore, conversion can result in a risk. However, this church is putting lives at risk without conversion, without risking their own lives, without actually taking the gospel where it needs to go.
Finally, if you have a heart for reaching the Islamic world for Christ, you are not going to do what is quite possibly the most offensive display towards the Muslim community in an effort to reach the community for Christ. We are called to love our enemies, not hate them. Burning the Koran is a sign of hate. I do not like to see millions/billions of people around the world deceived by the Koran, but that makes me pray for those who are sharing the gospel to Muslims around the world, or send money to missionaries in that part of the world, or research ways to share teh gospel with a Muslim, or show acts of love and mercy towards Muslims. Love would not lead you to burn the books just to be completely shut off from all opportunities to share the gospel because of your act of hatred.
I am slightly encouraged to see that the pastor is now "praying" about his decision due to the government attention that he has received and due to the counsel he is receiving from others in the Christian community. I sincerely hope and pray that he considers whether his church's actions are going to bring glory to God and further the spread of the gospel or hinder the spread of the gospel. I cannot think of how this act will spread the gospel. Instead I can only see how it can potentially endanger mission efforts around the world. I do trust that God can use this event to open conversations in mission efforts around the world and hopefully lead God's people to prayer and a commitment to spreading the gospel to those who are of the Muslim faith.
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