Is Islam Really Such a Threat?

Infiltration: How Muslim Spies and Subversives Have Penetrated Washington by Paul Sperry
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I appreciate the investigative journaling on the topic of the real threat by Islamic ideologies. However, it was extremely tedious for me to read. I started the book in January and did not finish this one until basically July. I think I read seven other books and parts of two others in-between starting and finishing this one. I was never very excited to read it, it was more like a duty to finish because I started it.
I do not believe the rhetoric regarding Islam being merely a religion of peace exploited by a small minority of extremists. I do not believe, we as secular Americans, have an adequate grasp on what Islam actually is. I believe it is important to look deeper. Of course we do not want to believe the threat is widespread, in fact many entirely dismiss the threat coming out of the Islamic world. I personally would love to be a peace-loving hippie saying with all the ardor I could muster, "why can't we all just get along?" The best part of the book was the afterword, regarding the "death-loving jihadists and their supporters and facilitators" being the "perfect enemy, for the following ten reasons":

NO.1 Patience
No.2 Language Barrier
No.3 It is a family enterprise in addition to a Muslim enterprise
No.4 Different Calendar
No.5 Aliases (including differences because of the language barrier)
No.6 Freedom of Religion (our own being exploited)
No.7 Typically Muslims are not easy to bribe
No.8 Tax-Exempt Terrorism (Our own Tax laws exploited)
No.9 Saudi Protection
No.10 The "Racism" and "Bigotry" Defense*


*(try using this as a Christian in Saudi Arabia see how well that goes over)

On the other hand, as a person leaning toward civil libertarian views, it is very difficult for me to accept some of the proposed solutions offered, also in the afterword:

No.1 Not in my backyard
No.2 Enforce the Oath of Allegiance
No.3 Profile Muslim Travelers
No.4 Audit Muslim Charities and Mosques
No.5 Break off official ties with CAIR
No.6 Expose the Saudi Embassy
No.7 Deny security clearance to Muslim activists
No.8 Offer scholarships in Arabic
No.9 Fight Muslim Activism in Public Schools
No.10 Step up Counterterrorism Training at Quantico

At issue for me is our freedom to verbally express our ideas and express our religion without fear of the government. If we start limiting this for one group in the name of "safety and security" it is not difficult to change the definitions and apply it to another group. Soon enough I could be the target. This is demonstrable in history which is why we have this "freedom" in the first place. Also peace loving hippies have wound up on the terrorist watch-lists in America as well. Obviously there is no easy solution!
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I was thinking free speech and free exercise of religion could be an expression of "loving our enemies". Or just in general about not allowing our ignorance to be our downfall but rather our loving choices. What do you think? On a personal level, what should we do when we feel we are being exploited because of our goodwill?

HE was Speaking to ME about My Ways

YADAH247 3 weeks ago
My opinion;the title of the video is intended for shock value which would entice some to listen. A common tactic employed on YouTube. It doesn't really do the testimonial justice nor really get to the "heart" of the message. I think the ensuing doctrinal debate in these comments also misses the point. Also I can't help but feel the sensationalism, the music, etc. on cue at the end [1:35:40] is exactly the kind of thing he talks about when he speaks of human effort and human ways. -1:22:50-1:28:15
Journal Entry 3-13-2012
I wish to reckon things as the Lord would reckon. Not be tied to the evil reckonings that oppose the Lord. I want to not show what I know about secondary things but clearly and boldly stand on solid ground of primary things. Not despise being thought simple, not despise being thought naïve as the world reckons naivety. Not self righteous; not despise words or definitions or fear being defined or falsely judged. But being true, having integrity and a pure conscience before God and man. Consumed of the Lord and sure of where I stand in relation to Him that matters. Being confident in who he wants me to be and sure of how he sees me. Quick to repent and not destroyed by fears or insecurities.

Someone helped ME

   When I look at myself lately, I remember this scene from the movie The Basketball Diaries and I imagine this is what I look like.  (on the inside at least)  In the scene, Jim Carroll (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is experiencing opiate withdrawal.  There are chills, cramps, and all sorts of snot and tears.  It is rather despicable.  He is "helped" through the process by his friend Reggie (played by Ernie Hudson.)  Reggie basically sits by his side and prevents him from leaving to die in his old habit. It raises two questions in me; "Where does one find a friend like Reggie?" Secondly, "How does one become a person like Reggie?"

I have never been addicted to heroin but there are plenty of aspects of “self” that have not gone to the cross easily.  Every time I begin the process that is necessary to be liberated I am quite certain this is what I look like.  And who can bear it?  The common American style “church” from what I’ve seen, doesn’t seem to be structured in such a way to endure such madness.  I haven’t much relied on the Spirit but I have relied on the flesh that I am suppose to mortify.  (Romans 8:13)  This mortifying process Paul talks about (Colossians 3:5-25), “putting off the old man” and putting on the “new man” isn’t necessarily pretty.  There are certain things that are required of us to see to it that we stick through until we come out clean.  We need to go through genuine repentance and be in true community.  There is a certain “forbearance” necessary that won’t let each other get by on a “little taste” but yet will stick by when it gets really rough and downright nasty.

This brings me to my next point.  I am currently reading the book The Game Plan: The Men's 30-Day Strategy for Attaining Sexual Integrity.  It is not a bad book so far. (I am only on day 15)  On day nine it talks about setting up an “accountability structure”.  Obviously the principle is clear from Scripture and he makes the case well enough using the sports analogy.  However, the sample conversation ones partner should have if one fails to stay “sober” during the week, kind of pisses me off.  That part makes it seem as if I would be getting someone to hold my hand like I am a little girl. (no offense to little girls)  It sounds anything but “pushing” and “challenging”.  I have watched a lot of MMA and there is one thing I find when it comes to their training, those guys do not take it easy on each other in training.  I am sure it is true in any sports training.  The idea is to make it as painful and grueling as possible in training to be prepared for anything in the real fight, game, or whatever the case may be.  People that train well, find the actual event easy in comparison.  So if I am going to take it easy on myself and allow myself this sin or that one, the last thing I need is some mamsy pamsy dude that will also take it easy on me.  What happened to all that “pushing” and “getting in your face”, and “yelling” that he talked about earlier in the chapter, using the analogy of working out?  Confession should never become painless.  What good does it do if it is?  “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  It is painful because our brothers in the faith are going to require something of us; something that we obviously didn’t require of ourselves if we find ourselves needing to repent of a known sin again.  They are going to hold our face up to the mirror and demand we actually take a look even when we would rather refuse.  The opponents of your faith are not going to take it easy on you when they discover what a hypocrite you actually are.  If we want to live in the Spirit there is a mortification process our “body” must undergo.  The reason I submit myself to such a process is as the Apostle Paul says,

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18 (KJV)

The Game Plan by Joe Dallas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is not a bad book.

(view spoiler)[On day nine it talks about setting up an “accountability structure”. Obviously the principle is clear from Scripture and he makes the case well enough using the sports analogy. However, the sample conversation ones partner should have if one fails to stay “sober” during the week, kind of pisses me off. That part makes it seem as if I would be getting someone to hold my hand like I am a little girl. (no offense to little girls) It sounds anything but “pushing” and “challenging”. What happened to all that “pushing” and “getting in your face”, and “yelling” that he talked about earlier in the chapter, using the analogy of working out? Confession should never become painless. What good does it do if it is? (hide spoiler)]

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“Hey Don’t You Know You Offended Those Guys?” (and the Syrophenician Woman)

Being Right Doesn't Always Mean You're Right — Cry of the Indigo Bunting: Finding God in the Everyday :
This sermon was preached on Sunday, September 9th, 2012 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church , DeKalb, Illinois.  The text was Mark 7:24-37 . ..

I read this sermon, about a week before Christmas, on Jesus encountering this Syrophenician Woman, as recorded in Mark's Gospel.  Although, Mark does focus on Jesus’ humanity, highlighting him as the ultimate servant, I am not convinced the conclusion drawn in this sermon is the reason Mark included this story.  By “conclusion” I mean the “big idea” of the passage, not the application of that idea.  Is it true that the “big idea” in this passage is that Jesus was wrong by what he said to the Syrophenician woman, regarding his primary mission?

But Jesus said unto her, "Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs." Mark 7:27 (KJV)

According to this article Jesus, the Syrophoenician Woman, and Little Dogs, one reason Jesus' comment is not as unkind as it first seems is because the words in Greek indicate a “little pet dog” which would have been cared for, as opposed to a mangy uncared for dog. 

A three year old mixed breed Border Collie.

A feral street dog photographed on the main road of the city of Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia.

That may well be, or this may be a bit of a cop-out (I don’t speak Greek), but either way I am not so quick to presume Jesus was wrong.  I have thought about this for weeks.  Neither Mark nor Matthew, who also recorded this encounter (Matthew 15:27), indicate that Jesus was wrong.  Interesting enough, just prior to this story in Matthew’s account, Jesus quotes Isaiah, calling the Pharisees hypocrites, “honoring God with their lips but their hearts are from him.”  It is “what comes out of a man which defiles him.”  Jesus’ disciples come up to Jesus and basically say, “Hey don’t you know you offended those guys?”  It was of no concern to Jesus (outwardly).  “What God has not planted will be rooted up.”    Furthermore, Matthew not only indicates that the disciples were present during this encounter with the Syrophoenician woman, he also further highlights that Jesus told them the primary purpose for his proverbial statement. (15:24)  As this "little dogs" article points out, Jesus was consistent about being sent to the “lost sheep of Israel” first.  (“Lost sheep” could be construed as less then flattering as well)

Nevertheless, it seems to be a fallacy to assume because a statement is “not nice” it is not “Christ-like”.  This presupposes that being “Christ-like” is equivalent to being nice according to ones own understanding.  Of course love is “patient and kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4) but it doesn’t necessarily “make nice” according to the way those that don’t have the mind of Christ “make nice”.  For it “rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth".  And the truth hurts sometimes.  Those of us that don’t have the mind of Christ on a matter, would rather compromise the truth in order to “make nice”.  Christ Jesus never did this.

There are many examples where Christ seemed impatient and his comments could be construed as unkind.  Examples such as calling very religious men a “brood of Vipers”. (e.g. Luke 3:7)  Or saying to his good friend Peter, “Get behind me Satan”. (e.g. Mark 8:33)  Peter surely didn’t mean to talk for Satan, perhaps he thought he was showing concern for Jesus’ well being.  Notwithstanding, it was Satan who told Jesus he could have the world without going to the cross.

When one takes the story of how Jesus responded to offending the Pharisees and the story of how he supposedly offended the Syrophoenician woman, coupled together it highlights the contrasting ways God is approached or blessings ascertained.  Just as in the parable (Luke 18:9-13), the religious way says, “we are not like these other men, we wash our hands and bowels before we eat”, and the sinner that admits their low condition and simply asks for mercy, “let me have a crumb that falls off the table”.  “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

How do you suppose Jesus would have responded if instead of saying, “truth Lord”, she took offense at his saying?

"Offend ME with Your Love" (one has to start somewhere)

I heard these words come out of my mouth the other day, “Offend ME with Your Love”.  I thought it was somewhat catchy and therefore indicated it would be the title to my next book.  “You have to start somewhere”, I was told, “I guess you started with a title.”  And now I have started a blog.  In the course of things, we will come to find out what exactly is meant by such a phrase.  I suppose I have in mind the “offense” which is the Cross, and generally speaking how the ways of the Lord are not the ways of this world; and the LORD’s ways are not my ways.  So “political correctness” aside I would not mind discussing and challenging some of the common sensibilities of my society in this day and age.

I was joking with some people that one of my “NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS” was to be mad at everyone for no reason.  Of course that would make me doltish.  “What would that accomplish?”  Really though, I do intend to be mindful of things that offend me.  Not so I can focus that attention on the offender,  hopefully with the mind of Christ and the Spirit of the Lord, I can allow myself to ascertain “what is at the heart of the matter” and allow the redemptive, sanctification work of the cross to have it’s way in me. 

For a more practical sounding approach to seeing offense as a "problem of the self" and a list of ways to help to choose not to be offended, check out "How to Choose to Not Be Offended"