April 18, 2007

• Peace and safety

  Paul wrote this about 2000 years ago -

  Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)

  It just so happens that the Democrats are currently proposing a "Department of Peace and Nonviolence".   Heh.  You can't fault the Democrats for neglecting the cultural mindset.  Our postmodern culture (about 50% of America and 80% of Europe) is clamoring for exactly that - peace, safety, nonviolence, dialogue, etc.  Anything but war.

  Why?

  Why is the current generation (in the West) so extraordinarily passionate about 'peace' and 'dialogue', that they are willing to give up their freedoms to ensure safety for themselves?  (Example: New York Times' reaction to Virginia Tech shooting: "We need more gun control..")   Gone is the attitude of a former generation: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."  And even more importantly than their freedoms, they're willing to give up the truth itself.

  I think it's not only because the folks in the West are tired of war (which they/we certainly are... the last century has been very violent), but also that since they have given up believing in God and the Bible (i.e. since the West has become "Post-Christian"), they no longer have any ground for truth at all.  Their proposed alternative source of verity is "truth by consensus."  All must come to the table and have an equal voice - only thus may truth be found, says the Postmodern West.

  But the Muslim world believes in no such thing.  Rather than "truth by consensus," they have their Quran which gives them truth.  And when the West invites them to the table, they see it as Allah giving them the world.

  How should we Christians respond?   We should keep untiringly presenting the Truth we have been given from God... the Gospel of Jesus Christ... the teaching of the Bible... the power of God for salvation!  We should share it with love and respect.  And if/when the culture ostracizes or persecutes us for daring to suggest that there's only One Way to God (and that Islam is not that Way), let's rejoice and keep right on sharing the Truth regardless.

  "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me..."  --  Jesus Christ

   

  • 7:59 pm
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