・Once upon a time this Rev. Mark S. Bollwinkel quoted my article on the Iban Bible issue in his sermon at his Church.(Lily)
Los Altos Comn Crier (http://www.losaltosonline.com)
Respecting Islam, rejecting prejudice will help defeat terrorism , 6 May 2009
by Rev. Mark S. Bollwinkel (senior pastor of Los Altos United Methodist Church)
Imagine defining Christianity by the actions of the Irish Republican Army of the 1960s or the white supremacist groups here in America today who wrap their hatred in Christian doctrine.
Yet when it comes to our Muslim neighbors, it would seem we are all too willing to let the Osama Bin Ladens of the world define for us the religion and life of the 1.2 billion Muslims in the world.
In common discourse and throughout the media, we use such terms as “Islamic terrorists,” as if terrorism had anything to do with the religion of Islam when in fact it is antithetical to it in many ways. We commonly use the term “jihadist” to label violent extremists indirectly supporting their twisted misinterpretation of the term – “jihad” is used in the Koran to describe “the struggle” within the individual’s life for submission to the will of God.
By using such language are we really suggesting that 1.2 billion Muslims are terrorists by nature of their religion? Was the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh, described in the press as a “Christian terrorist” because he was a baptized Christian? Did the media posit him as a model for Christian life in America? Of course not! Yet it would seem we allow a violent fraction to define the world’s second-largest religion.
I have had the privilege of living and working for more than five years in former British colonies (India, Kenya and Malaysia). In each location I had close association with Muslims and their communities. At no time did anyone I meet attempt to convert me or speak negatively against my own Christian faith.
In the 1980s, our church had the opportunity to resettle Muslim young men escaping the terrors of the Communist regime in Ethiopia. One of these men has become a dear family friend. Twenty-seven years later, he is a U.S. citizen. He is as appalled as I at the violence of Sept. 11, the ongoing warfare within the Middle East and those who misuse his faith to manipulate other Muslims.
Jesus’ compassion for and relationships with those of other religions suggests that those who follow his teachings can be examples of just such respect for our neighbors of other faiths. And that means rejecting prejudice in exchange for humility and a willingness to learn about others different from ourselves. We will defeat terrorism by rejecting the power of fear and prejudice on which it depends.
(End)
