I've been reading over the comments, regarding Islam and violence, over at Joshua Claybourn's site. Some good comments there. One from Lee Anne Millinger says that such things happen when religions gain worldly power. I agree with her with the cases of Rome and Geneva, but not Nazi Germany, which had about as much to do with Christianity as Timothy McVeigh. Modern-day unbelievers point to the Nazis as evidence of Christian anti-Semitism, but it just isn't so. Vincent Carroll and Dave Shiflett debunk that modern myth in their fine book, "Christianity on Trial".
Another commenter, (I cannot find it again so sorry for no credit!), claims that terrorism is different than normal run-of-the-mill violence in that it intentionally targets innocents. That's a good point. Based on what I read in Unveiling Islam, by Ergun Mehmet Caner and Emir Fethi Caner, Mohammed and followers resorted to violence against caravans on trade routes in order to obtain provisions for their growing movement. A man at my church tells me that Mohammed only resorted to violence when he thought his movement would be eliminated. Is this terrorism or routine violence? God will judge.
Joshua Claybourn states that most Muslims are not violent, but most nations are. He's got a point there, as the rhetoric coming out of the Middle East (view some of it over at MEMRI) is pretty hateful stuff. I'd add that even if a minority are violent, that cannot be ignored. Most Americans are non-violent too, but that doesn't mean we can ignore law enforcement and punishing criminals.
Finally, another comment whose source I cannot find, says we are still obligated to respond with love toward our enemies. While true, I believe that obligation is put upon us as individual people of faith. That obligation does not mean that we, as a collective nation, should lay down our arms and pretend that our differences can be overcome by diplomacy if our opponents do not act in good faith. I believe that there are differences in God's expectations of us as individuals and as nations.
Posted by joelfuhrmann at October 19, 2002 05:18 PM