So, it is no surprise that ultra right wing Michelle Malkin would write a very misleading hit-piece that would seek to capitalize on the breaking story about a young Muslim American arrested on suspicion of trying to bomb in Portland.
The Title of the article:
"Just another bomb-plotting jihadist yelling :Allahu Akbar!"
Then ... I read the comments posted by Malkin's loyal followers on Facebook. They were nasty, racist, narrow-minded, uneducated, hate-filled and laced with empty arrogance (i.e.
Mohamud, meet Bubba!!" by Patrick Burrowes). There were many who called for a bullet in the young man's head, not allowing Muslims to live in the United States, profiling Muslims ... and just unmentionable kinds of hate. This was done all in the name of God & country. But those who talk about Jesus & America ... I never once saw God or Grace.
I could not help but ask:
Do you know what Allahu Akbar Means?
It is the same as me going to Sunday Praise & Worship at Church singing that hymn made famous by Hillsong (a Christian music band): "How Great is our God" ...
Do you know what the word Jihad means?
Simply put, it means "to Strive". In the religious sense .. it is the striving of the human spirit to reject the ways of the world to be nearer to God.
Do people not see the simplest of truth in all of this?
While not all Muslims are terrorists ... while not all Whites are racists ... while not all Blacks are gangsters ... while not all Christians have historically killed millions in the name of God ... and while not all writers are actual "journalists" ... hate & ignorance is always hate & ignorance. And it is not exclusive to one particular religion, country or culture.
Our words can heal or hurt. Our ability to think beyond our own ideology can bless or curse many generations to come -- literally & spiritually.
I ask: did God make Muslims in his image ... just like He made Christians? Does God love Muslims just like He loves Christians? what would God expect of us? Would God want us to lay down our swords of political righteousness and raise-up our arms of Grace?
Grace is best described when you reach out to someone you truly believe does not deserve your kindness, understanding or acceptable. Because that is what God does for us - daily.
So ... why then is it Disgraceful to offer Grace?
Why are we - as people - so afraid to consider the possibility of Grace for those we do not like?
Why is it that we find it so easy to tear down another religion or faith in order to legitimize our own? Does God really need us to legitimize Him? Or ... is our faith and ability to offer Grace so infantile that we have to use religion as a weapon in order to survive our own sense of insecurities and lack of deep faith?
Grace ...
By offering grace and willing to lay down our lives for Grace & unconditional love alone -- do we not emulate Christ? Isn't THAT the antithesis of all things hate?
While the word Jihad has been used for bad purposes by some extremists within those who practice Islam - can we not be honest and say that even our own Christian faith's Biblical scriptures have been used for extremist purposes such as racism, to oppress nations and justify slavery?
True Christianity takes courage -- the kind of courage that wins the inner battle between our self-loathing, fears, biases and ignorance And God's grace that calls for patience, kindness, hope, unconditional acceptance, love, not dishonoring others, not delighting in evil and more.
To suggest that we approach our enemies - whether they are in our everyday lives or geopolitical lives - with Grace might sound disgraceful ... but that's just it.
Grace ... because it encompasses all evil with unconditional love & courage ... is disgraceful in the human realm of existence.
But the choice is ours -- we can live embracing our hate or we can live "striving for" Grace -- that higher place of Godliness.
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