Holy War

One thing was surprisingly absent from the news during the past holiday season: the war on Christmas. The previous few years seem to have been dominated by stories about merchants or manufacturers or municipalities who banned Christmas imagery and even the phrase, “Merry Christmas” from their premises. Perhaps I was sleeping, but I missed that this year. I love a good argument about freedom of speech and religious expression during the celebration of the birth of the Savior. It makes a great platform to announce the reason for the season. (Note tongue in cheek.)

But while our “culture war,” as Bill O'Reilly likes to call it, may be in remission, the tragic events in Paris today bring to mind how important it is to understand that some religious fanatics really do practice war on those who don’t follow the tenets of their religion. The murders at Charlie Hedbo remind the sensitive world-watcher that killing in the name of one’s god is not some Medieval aberration, but rather a present reality.

Although there were those who attempted to downplay the religious motivations of the 9/11 attackers, that day woke clear thinkers to the fact that war has been declared and it is religious in nature. The real truth is that 9/11 was far from the first salvo fired by the radical proponents of Islam against their “Great Satan,” the United States. The World Trade Center had previously been attacked, mostly unsuccessfully, back in 1993. The African embassy bombings (1998) and the USS Cole (October 2000) were also evident tokens of the war few people recognized.

On one hand, I am in awe of the total commitment displayed by the Islamic radicals. I can almost respect it. Although their tactics are deplorable to civilized society, their commitment is laudable. If only more Christians were so totally committed to their faith. I am not suggesting that armed Christians spray the Grand Haven city council with bullets in protest of the decision to disguise the cross on Dewey Hill. When Jesus said that after He left, His disciples might want to strap on a sword, I don’t think that is what He meant. (The complete discussion of His intent is the subject of another post.)

What is clear is that too many believers sit motionless when radicals with different beliefs assault their traditions and institutions. I don’t doubt that if half the citizens of Grand Haven who find no offense in a cross on Dewey Hill had stood up, the cross would still stand. Apathy is the enemy’s most effective tool. As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” So we don’t need Kalashnikovs to fight since “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,” but we do need weapons. Apathy and inaction do not qualify.

I pray it will not take incidents happening here like the attack in Paris this morning to wake up believers in this country to the fact that a war has been declared. We need to be aware that our beliefs are being just as maliciously attacked by more subtle warriors in the name of tolerance and political correctness. I don’t mean to equate the ACLU or the GLBT movements with ISIL, but shame on us if we wait until we are facing assault weapons to stand for our rights. Truthfully, I wonder if many believers will stand against real persecution if they won’t stand against the more subtle kind we face now.

I love the story of a church in a persecuted land which was invaded by a group of armed men. The men aimed their weapons at the congregation and told those who would not die for their beliefs to leave. After some skulked out, the men lowered their weapons and said they wished the worship to continue now that only true believers remained. I never want to be in that situation, but I hope I would be among those who remain if ever I am.