Please, if you love God, stop showing pictures of Hamas (and any organization like it) with a sarcastic caption like, “I thought Islam was a religion of peace?!” Out of the estimated 1.6 billion Muslims in the world there is a small minority (Gallup says 7%) that preach hate and blow people up intentionally (check this video out). They get a lot of press but they are not representatives of Islam.
As a Messianic Jew, someone well equipped to understand persecution for my heritage and my faith, I am pleading for education and less ignorance. I am grateful to Professor Larry Poston at Nyack College for helping me to understand people and their beliefs before we make judgments on them. Radicals of any kind are simply radicals.
People can use any religious text to support their radical beliefs. Take your pick of the issues: Slavery in America, hatred of homosexuals, killing Jews, destroying Israel, hating Arabs, Apartheid in South Africa, aborting babies. People have- and will- continue to twist passages in the Bible, the Quran, and any other religious text to support anything they want. Those people are often radicals.
Critics will say, “What about the passages in the Quran that teach about Jihad and violence?” As a Jew, I will answer that question with a question, “What about the passages in the Bible where God tells Israel to eradicate it’s enemies?”
As a Messianic Jew, someone well equipped to understand persecution for my heritage and my faith, I am pleading for education and less ignorance. I am grateful to Professor Larry Poston at Nyack College for helping me to understand people and their beliefs before we make judgments on them. Radicals of any kind are simply radicals.
People can use any religious text to support their radical beliefs. Take your pick of the issues: Slavery in America, hatred of homosexuals, killing Jews, destroying Israel, hating Arabs, Apartheid in South Africa, aborting babies. People have- and will- continue to twist passages in the Bible, the Quran, and any other religious text to support anything they want. Those people are often radicals.
Critics will say, “What about the passages in the Quran that teach about Jihad and violence?” As a Jew, I will answer that question with a question, “What about the passages in the Bible where God tells Israel to eradicate it’s enemies?”
Don’t be a radical and don’t judge an entire people group or a religion based on radicals who want to dominate the conversation. They don’t. They can’t.
I love Israel and I love Palestinians. Being Pro-Israel does not mean you have to be anti-Palestinian and being pro-Palestinian human rights doesn't mean you have to be anti-Israel. Friends, we need to be sensible and less ignorant because the world needs Yeshua (Jesus). If we don't represent Him well, the world is not going to find Him. Especially on social media.
I love Israel and I love Palestinians. Being Pro-Israel does not mean you have to be anti-Palestinian and being pro-Palestinian human rights doesn't mean you have to be anti-Israel. Friends, we need to be sensible and less ignorant because the world needs Yeshua (Jesus). If we don't represent Him well, the world is not going to find Him. Especially on social media.
BAM! Good dose of truth, Rabbi. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks man!
DeleteIt sure would do a world of good if the 93% 'peace-loving Muslims' were to repudiate their 'sacred writings' from allah via Mohammed calling for the beheading, and dismemberment of Jews and the 'People of the Book' (Christians) specifically...did you hear that? Silence. I have to wonder if the majority of Muslims are like so many Christians and so many Jews, just ignorant of the details in their holy books that they put so much faith in, just being satisfied to do good works and trying to be a 'good' person.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure Matt. I've known many moderate Muslims and even called many friends. But their moderate stance doesn't change the extreme danger facing us. I'd also say that America is still not facing the full force of the wave that is rising out of these Muslim countries. Europe is beginning to experience it...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10204749966531325&set=vb.1302145658&type=2&theater
AND
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152152385206290&set=vb.652106289&type=2&theater
When thinking about moderates please listen to the moderates who have experienced just how much that helped them...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry3NzkAOo3s
How does it all start? With good solid moderate education/parenting...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClYwDzrTaEs
So, yes, there are moderates and I 100% believe in engaging them but I cannot say that this helps our overall situation which is RISING antisemitism and INCREASING deception about the reality of Israel. The wave that is coming to America is not a matter of IF but WHEN.
Jonathan Moore
Jonathan, I realize the issues in Israel and Gaza are dangerous and complicated. Religion does that. There are strong beliefs on both sides. I would never want to split Jerusalem. I am a Jew and believe that Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people.
DeleteMy only point here is that we cannot, should not, group an entire religion (Islam) with Hamas and any percentage of Muslims who preach hate and death.
I am against terrorism. I am against hate. As I know you are as well. I watched the videos you posted and I think they only strengthen my point. Islam isn't bad. The translation of Islam into hate and death is bad.
I am with you that Anti-Semitism is a real threat that we have to take seriously. My call is for us (messianic's) to not be radicals in response to radicals. For the record, self-defense is not radicalism.
I hear you. I think that we agree on 90%. There may be 10% that might disagree in the "super spiritual world". I still think that Islam at it's core is demonically motivated. Of course that sounds like crazy-talk in America today but... I still have to say it seems crystal clear from my seat.
DeleteJust because the our American Diet Coke version of everything leaves room for coexistence with diet coke Muslims, it doesn't mean that the root is a connection to an evil source. BTW, I am for the coexistence that exists in that place. I call that "opportunity".
I can't get around the fact that Islam's first 100+ years of growth came from military conquest and subjugation of new people under Allah. Whereas Messianic Judaism (at least New Covenant believe) began with almost 400 years of persecution by antagonistic nations.
Feel free to delete this since I'm posting tired and probably not speaking well enough to have muslims you know read this and misunderstand.
Much love to you and your family.
Hey Matt, I appreciate the spirit in which you write this very peace affirming article. I also appreciate and agree with your intent to not vilify a whole people for the actions of a portion of them. However, 7% of 1.6 billion is over 110,000,000 "preach hate and blow people up intentionally." That is no small minority. The entire population of Germany during WWII was only 80,000,000 and look at the carnage, death, and mayhem only a portion of that population did to the whole world. I have Muslim friends and know that they are not all jihadists. I'm just extremely concerned about the 110 million who are.
ReplyDeleteFor real! I am not advocating that we should not be concerned about terrorists and terrorism. I just believe they need to be accurately categorized for what they are: Radical Terrorists with a bent to destroy.
DeleteWe must fight against them but we need to know who the enemy actually is!
thanks for sharing this post i like this post.
ReplyDeletenice post keep sharing this post.
ReplyDelete“This religion (ISLAM) is strong enough, and can lead the people in the right direction.”- Rabbi
ReplyDeleteplease watch & share https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGA4LgTxc8M