More Thoughts on Muslim Rage
Since I last commented on the outburst of Muslim anger over the Pope’s remarks, several church buildings in Muslim areas have been desecrated, several death threats against the Pope have been made, and at least one person has been murdered. This is hardly the way for Muslims to refute the Pope’s citation of a medieval characterization of Islam as a violent religion.
I think a few more observations are in order. First, the fact that many Muslims have reacted hysterically to the Pope’s comments does not change the fundamental injustice of the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis, or the tragic error of Israel’s ill-fated bombing of Lebanon. I do not believe that if the Palestinian issue is resolved that all Muslim radicalism will vanish overnight, but neither do I believe that Muslim excesses justify the treatment of the Palestinians (not to mention the utter ruin of Lebanon).
Second, I think it is important for Americans to realize how Muslims perceive the Pope. Many Muslims equate Christianity with Catholicism. For instance, it is common for Muslims to define the biblical doctrine of the trinity as the belief in God the Father, Jesus and Mary. Or to believe that if a Muslim converts to Christianity that they are transferring their loyalty to the Pope. Consequently, when the Pope speaks, he represents all of Christianity in the minds of millions of Muslims.
One of the great problems in Muslim-Christian dialogue is misunderstanding, which often grows out of clumsy generalizations. Muslims are certainly not alone in shallow stereoptyping. Many Christians have no clue what Muslims believe about God, Jesus or the Bible, and have almost no concept of the differences between Sunnis and Shi’ites. And if we do not even understand what the other believes, how can genuine interaction and debate ever take place?
Here is my challenge for you – talk to a Muslim. I bet there is a Muslim in your neighborhood, or a local shop, or school. If nothing else introduce yourself. Greet them with a standard Arabic greeting: “Assalamu alaikum.” Start the dialogue that is crucial if the gospel is to spread.
“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-22)
I think a few more observations are in order. First, the fact that many Muslims have reacted hysterically to the Pope’s comments does not change the fundamental injustice of the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis, or the tragic error of Israel’s ill-fated bombing of Lebanon. I do not believe that if the Palestinian issue is resolved that all Muslim radicalism will vanish overnight, but neither do I believe that Muslim excesses justify the treatment of the Palestinians (not to mention the utter ruin of Lebanon).
Second, I think it is important for Americans to realize how Muslims perceive the Pope. Many Muslims equate Christianity with Catholicism. For instance, it is common for Muslims to define the biblical doctrine of the trinity as the belief in God the Father, Jesus and Mary. Or to believe that if a Muslim converts to Christianity that they are transferring their loyalty to the Pope. Consequently, when the Pope speaks, he represents all of Christianity in the minds of millions of Muslims.
One of the great problems in Muslim-Christian dialogue is misunderstanding, which often grows out of clumsy generalizations. Muslims are certainly not alone in shallow stereoptyping. Many Christians have no clue what Muslims believe about God, Jesus or the Bible, and have almost no concept of the differences between Sunnis and Shi’ites. And if we do not even understand what the other believes, how can genuine interaction and debate ever take place?
Here is my challenge for you – talk to a Muslim. I bet there is a Muslim in your neighborhood, or a local shop, or school. If nothing else introduce yourself. Greet them with a standard Arabic greeting: “Assalamu alaikum.” Start the dialogue that is crucial if the gospel is to spread.
“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-22)
posted by Shane at 2:45 PM
1 Comments:
Shane, you said: Many Muslims equate Christianity with Catholicism. For instance, it is common for Muslims to define the biblical doctrine of the trinity as the belief in God the Father, Jesus and Mary.
I'm assuming you know that the Catholic Church does NOT believe this about Mary or the Trinity. Muslims who perceive the Catholic Church in this way are simply not very conversant with what the Catholic Church teaches, just as they have not been overly careful to ascertain exactly what Pope Benedict said.
I find that many people hold gross miscaricatures of Catholicism that would fall apart were they to actually delve into Catholic history and literature. They would also, barring any extreme Protestant-like ideologies, find much in Catholicism that is beautiful.
A well informed Catholic would also deny that becoming a Christian equals "transferring loyalty to the Pope." They would say that their obedience to the "Successor of St. Peter" is no different than your or my allegiance to St. Peter himself; both are allegiance TO CHRIST by adhering ourselves to the one who speaks on behalf of Christ (recalling Christ's words: "Whoever hears you, hears me.") Protestants may disagree, but the charge of "loyalty to a human" often lobbed against Catholics is simply irresponsible and inconsistent.
Benedict does represent Christianity to a large degree, whether we like it or not. And, truth be told, I think I'd much rather he represented us as a whole than many of the self-appointed experts in our religious heritage, not to mention the thousands of whackos throughout fundamentalism, in general.
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