(no subject)
A Comment Posted on Eboo Patel's Washington Post Blog "On Faith:"
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2007/11/rudy_and_pat_bff/all_comments.html
"As muslems, we hate all of our governments. As a concerned Christian, why dont you tell your great wonderful Western nations to stop putting us puppets in power. Need I remind you off all the puppets in the Middle East that the U.S. placed in power? If the puppet isnt a good enough of a dictator, crazy Islamists take over. As muslems and arabs, we are stuck between dictators sent to us by America, or Iran and other crazies. I am not sure how, but soon God willing our people will get off their butts and take these people out of the governments. Of course we all denounce Iran. I dont denounce their religion but all their politicians who are crazy. I also denounce Bush and his cronies. This doesnt mean I dont love america or Iran or Palestine or wherever. I dont hate Jews just because I am Palestinian. I dislike some of the Israelis policies. But i dont hate Jews.
Koran does not command murder. No religious book does. Poeple need to quit spreading lies. The bible isnt exactly a childs book either. We all have our faults. Just dont be a hater like these idiot politicans in every country want us to be."
you know - this is poorly written with plenty of misspellings (but then the post-er is probably not a native English speaker, so I am NOT criticizing) - but I must acknowledge the sad truth that I see in this post. Among all the rhetoric of international hatred, have we as Americans stopped and pondered what it would mean if we seriously considered that perhaps we don't need to run the world?
another post pointed out the racism inherent in American anti-Muslim rhetoric (this racism which manifest in late fall 2001 with the murders and hate crimes against Sikhs and Hindus because they LOOKED not-White)...
these huge systemic evils are radical institutional problems, yes but they are also seriously personal, individualistic problems which require the gentle and eventual transformation of millions (billions) of individuals... can we start teaching and loving in a way that invites our neighbors, sisters and brothers to love rather than hate? what can the church do to inspire love rather than hate?
and how much of our rhetoric of hate in quasi-christian-American culture comes from our doctrines of exclusivity of salvation in Christ? Aren't we called to reconsider, if doctrines of exclusive salvation in Christ HAVE in the past led to racism and crusades and hate, how can those doctrines be reconsidered/re-articulated in ways that actually witness to the abundant LOVE and commitment to mutual concern that are more congruent with the gospel themes of justice, concern for the marginalized and love?
just some thoughts for general consumption...
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2007/11/rudy_and_pat_bff/all_comments.html
"As muslems, we hate all of our governments. As a concerned Christian, why dont you tell your great wonderful Western nations to stop putting us puppets in power. Need I remind you off all the puppets in the Middle East that the U.S. placed in power? If the puppet isnt a good enough of a dictator, crazy Islamists take over. As muslems and arabs, we are stuck between dictators sent to us by America, or Iran and other crazies. I am not sure how, but soon God willing our people will get off their butts and take these people out of the governments. Of course we all denounce Iran. I dont denounce their religion but all their politicians who are crazy. I also denounce Bush and his cronies. This doesnt mean I dont love america or Iran or Palestine or wherever. I dont hate Jews just because I am Palestinian. I dislike some of the Israelis policies. But i dont hate Jews.
Koran does not command murder. No religious book does. Poeple need to quit spreading lies. The bible isnt exactly a childs book either. We all have our faults. Just dont be a hater like these idiot politicans in every country want us to be."
you know - this is poorly written with plenty of misspellings (but then the post-er is probably not a native English speaker, so I am NOT criticizing) - but I must acknowledge the sad truth that I see in this post. Among all the rhetoric of international hatred, have we as Americans stopped and pondered what it would mean if we seriously considered that perhaps we don't need to run the world?
another post pointed out the racism inherent in American anti-Muslim rhetoric (this racism which manifest in late fall 2001 with the murders and hate crimes against Sikhs and Hindus because they LOOKED not-White)...
these huge systemic evils are radical institutional problems, yes but they are also seriously personal, individualistic problems which require the gentle and eventual transformation of millions (billions) of individuals... can we start teaching and loving in a way that invites our neighbors, sisters and brothers to love rather than hate? what can the church do to inspire love rather than hate?
and how much of our rhetoric of hate in quasi-christian-American culture comes from our doctrines of exclusivity of salvation in Christ? Aren't we called to reconsider, if doctrines of exclusive salvation in Christ HAVE in the past led to racism and crusades and hate, how can those doctrines be reconsidered/re-articulated in ways that actually witness to the abundant LOVE and commitment to mutual concern that are more congruent with the gospel themes of justice, concern for the marginalized and love?
just some thoughts for general consumption...