Christians Under Assault – Does it Matter? Should it? (Part I of II)Dr. Robin McFee
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/christians-under-assault-does-it-matter-should-it-part-i-of-ii?f=must_reads
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”John 13:35
As Christians continue to be displaced, tormented, tortured, and killed throughout the Middle East, especially in regions controlled by radical Islamists under the influence of ISIS, Al Qaeda franchisees, and fundamentalists bent on religious purification and/or global Caliphate, it is tempting (and right) to summarily denounce the lack of concern by the West in general, and the current Administration specifically for inaction, and ignoring the ethnic cleansing of Christians from their legitimate homes throughout the Gulf region, as well as Africa, and parts of Asia. Our anger, frustration, sorrow and concern can be magnified recognizing the destruction of historically important churches, and disruption of Christian communities is based upon the crime of prayer and faith, and is largely unprovoked, unless one considers worshipping by conscience in a tradition different from the majority as provocative.
But lest we fall into the trap of “there” versus “here” or “them” versus “us” as if the actions occurring thousands of miles to the East are somehow otherworldly, a “foreign” experience that we in the “enlightened” United States or West wouldn’t devolve towards, or that the behaviors of intolerance overseas is indicative of a barbarism unknown on our own soil, or representative of an intolerance we are distanced from, is to ignore the true depth and breadth of threats contemporary Christians face. And it is to some degree, to ignore our own culpability as Christians in this ongoing assault against us, and our religion. Moreover it ignores the reality we are a global world – mountains and oceans no longer protect us.
As readers of FSM recognize, I have been critical of President Obama for his flawed foreign policy. And to be sure, at least in part, his mishandling of Iraq, Syria, ISIS, Iran, Russia, Bahrain and jihad in general have fanned the flames of the emerging Christian genocide occurring, or at least set the stage whereby the attacks are done with the knowledge no serious consequence will be realized. Certainly President Obama’s demonstrable lack of concern for the Christian crisis, the growing number of refugees displaced from their homes thanks to ISIS, and an anemic military response to contain radical factions has allowed our adversaries a sense of impunity and immunity that would not occur in the face of a more resolute US leader.
Though the opinion President Obama has been ineffective internationally, and seemingly unconcerned about Israel or Christians in the Middle East holds true for many in the FSM community – writers and readers alike, in limited fashion, a growing few on the left are also frustrated at the seeming inaction or at least inattention by POTUS as pertains to Christians.
One of the most vocal and high profile liberals – Kirsten Powers – a political pundit, Obama supporter, and Christian, wrote a powerful piece in her April 21, 2015 USA Today column. In it, Powers asked the question “What do you call it when 12 men are drowned at sea for praying to Jesus?” She points out the glaring (one would hope) truth in her ‘Answer’… “Religious persecution.” She goes on to write “Yet, when a throng of Muslims threw a dozen Christians overboard a migrant ship travelling from Libya to Italy…Obama was mute on the killings. He failed to interject any sense of outrage or even tepid concern for the targeting of Christians for their faith….When three North Carolina Muslims were gunned down by a virulent atheist, Obama rightly spoke out against the horrifying killings. But he just can’t seem to find any passion for the mass persecution of Middle Eastern Christians or the eradication of Christianity from its birthplace.”
Powers continues this theme in her insightful and timely book The Silencing: How the Left is killing free speech, by saying “The intensity of illiberal intolerance of orthodox Christianity is escalating and it’s scary to project where it might end up.”
Political will is predicated by the currency (votes, donations, public support or outcry) garnered or expended relative to an action or cause, especially if the appropriate leader tasked with the problem is inherently biased against such activities. Which is why any discussion about strategies to rescue Christians from being persecuted throughout the Middle East – especially in a nation that was lost on Obama’s watch (Iraq) – requires addressing the interconnectedness of Main Street USA Christians as well as all people of faith, freedom of speech, which is a critical mechanism to garner or silence support, and America’s leaders.
Liberals, Christianity, Freedom of Speech and Political Policy
In the epilogue of Powers’ book The Silencing, David French a free speech advocate and senior counsel to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) states the following “…anti-Christian discrimination can be reflexive…” He goes on to reflect upon a situation where Cornell Law School might not have considered a Christian candidate were he (French) not present on the committee. The other members of the interview group were his friends and colleagues from academia. French continues “a little bit of true intellectual diversity can go a long way towards reversing its (anti Christian) effects. Those folks (on the committee) were my friends, yet their biases were deeply ingrained.”
Powers advocates for greater dialogue across the divide of ideas, and has written about the assault on freedom of speech. “…the illiberal left doesn’t characterize that (criticizing Christianity) as a “phobia,” nor should they. To the illiberal left Islam cannot be criticized without recourse to bigotry; on the other hand, the illiberal left seems to regard Christianity as the very definition of bigotry.” Powers throughout her well researched and powerful book brings to light the widespread and growing intolerance – one might argue vilification – of Christians in academia and the media. And by extension, one could argue such vilification invades Main Street USA.
“Will ye contend for God?”
Job XIII, 8
While President Obama has not been a good custodian of our prodigious military might, or strong leader of the free world – a title, and call to action which befalls all US Presidents, to lay blame solely on POTUS ignores a wider problem we as Christians face, and with it, our responsibility required to become the sorely needed solution to the various threats we (Christians, and our nation’s interests) face here and abroad.
Job learned the hard way that “why” is a child’s question, so I will avoid that same childish impulse in terms of asking why are Christians under assault, and why does it appear no one – especially our fellow congregants, or our leaders – really seems to care from Main Street to High Street to Rue whatever.
Instead it might be a better question to ask what underpins the seemingly widespread lack of concern for Christianity under assault, and do we bear some responsibility for it?
I’ve long suspected that the reason Obama doesn’t fight for Christians, beyond perhaps his own personal view of the faith, is the lack of political impetus or public outcry – where is the need or demand to act from the public squares, from his party or from a groundswell of loyal opposition?
Almost all government actions involve a cost in political capital as well as money and sometimes result in elections lost or worse, bloodshed. Governments often need a loud and forceful push.
At one time the churches were the home of civic powerbrokers, the foundation of a community, the forum for great discourse, and impetus for social change – the political “push.” Up until the last 20 yrs or so, nothing important happened without the support of the leading houses of worship. Now many folks dismiss worship, if not outright faith as the dying gasp of a bygone era. That societal shift reflects a shift in political influence as well.
Were it not for Fox News, and the likes of Bret Baier doing in depth reporting on the plight of Christians at the hands of ISIS, and a few other online Conservative sites, and scattered houses of worship along with some evangelicals, you would not know about the threat or its significance, given the main stream media does not make the issue one of primary concern.
“They’ll know we are Christians by our love”
Contemporary hymn written by Peter R. Scholtes
There has been a significant change in the demographics of churchgoing in the US, and that has not been missed by political leaders. Numbers mean influence. Moreover there is a growing negative perception about Christians – some deserved, mostly not. Christians’ ability to influence global affairs, and help those abroad who are under attack rests on our ability to capture the hearts and minds – of allies, kindred faithful, policy makers, heads of state, people of different faiths, and those who misunderstand or outright dismiss us. This is not to lay blame on Christians here or abroad – I’m not a fan of blaming the victim. But we do have a responsibility how our message (presumably love if we are followers of Jesus), or image are perceived, and the consequences.
They’ll know we are Christians by our love – really? In spite of widespread charity, philanthropy and volunteerism performed by congregations of all Christian traditions from Maine to California, there remains a perception that Christians are bigoted and self righteous. Sadly we have been painted by a brush that applies to a few intolerant folks in our faith families, but does that mean society has a right to toss the Baby Jesus out with the Proverbial baptismal bath water?
Many of faith (Christian, Jew or Moslem) stand on principle various interpretations of God’s words – whether on abortion, gay marriage or other issues – but do we show love and compassion for folks with whom we disagree? Do we make clear the difference between behaviors and the people who do them? Or do we come across as the morality police, and hanging judge all rolled up into one? Do people know we are Christians by our love? The attendance free fall from many churches across America gives a clue.
To be sure, people of faith run the gamut from highly liberal – in their theological interpretations and politics, to the very conservative. Some like me are born again Christians of the last commandment variety – on the assumption Jesus is the Son of God, and that He and “Dad” spoke on occasion, I’ve based my faith on His 2 last commandments – love God, love one another. I leave the people judgment, which is way above my pay grade, to a Higher Authority. That isn’t lost on my liberal friends, who I take as sincere more than damning me with faint praise when telling me I’m one of the few Christians they like because I care about people, and don’t judge folks based on their differences. (They are still ticked off that I criticize Obama’s policies).
Sadly there is a negative perception, especially among liberals, the media, and academics about people of faith. The film “God isn’t dead” where a strident, former Christian turned atheist professor who has declared war on God and students who dare to believe in the Almighty, challenges a student to “prove” God isn’t dead. The public humiliation of the student along with denigration of religion and people of faith goes beyond the silver screen or classroom portrayed in the film. It is widespread, growing, and dangerous.
In the hallowed halls of academia – the supposed bastions of free thought and free speech, Christians increasingly are under assault as intellectual discourse in the public arena of ideas has been replaced by pillorying students and faculty of faith in the public square of ridicule. This is one of the weapons used to dehumanize and delegitimize Christians.
As if silencing free speech in academia, subjecting students to an ant-religion narrative in the classroom, being threatened with lower grades, or relegating free thoughts and expression to designated “free speech zones” (I thought the USA was one big freedom of speech zone) isn’t an Orwellian reality that ought to send a chill down all of us – liberal, conservative, moderate, rich, poor, educated or not, it is part of what seems to be a concerted attack by the left, certainly the “illiberal left” as Powers asserts, or intolerant among us, to silence, and make subhuman people who are Christian.
Just a quick look at Powers book, the scant law suits filed in protest to malignant censorship, the few high profile events on campuses shedding a bright light on persecution of the faithful, or a visit to the website of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) would give an insight into the enormity of the problem. FIRE -an organization dedicated to protecting freedom of speech on college campuses – a daunting task to be sure, describes the issues at individual colleges and entire university systems such as the 23 California State University campuses, where Christian organizations are losing official recognition, and being targeted. While the US has not seen rampant physical attacks on Christians or Jews, although there are more than enough cases to make one concerned, it does not require a major stretch of the imagination to both understand how a lack of outrage or concern among our political leaders, or media can set the stage for worsening attacks or wholesale slaughters of Christian men, women and children.
Discussion
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me”
Martin Neimoller
My initial plan for this article was to write about the politics and policy changes we must demand of POTUS and Congress to defend our Christian brothers and sisters abroad, while welcoming refugees here onto our shores. But as I started reflecting upon a book I’m writing about people of faith, recalling my interactions with friends, colleagues and political contacts who hold mixed views of Christians, and reading books such as Powers’ Silencing, and other references, it became clear the bigger issue in terms of convincing folks the need to rescue Christians; the reality that most folks, perhaps on a visceral, subconscious level don’t really think we’re worthy of rescue. Down deep one suspects such negative feelings are harbored because the media, academia, and even political leaders don’t seem to share a positive enough view of our legitimacy as fellow creatures to the grave, such that we don’t really warrant protection. We are, to borrow a term from Powers, “delegitimized.”
It is an old tactic that predates Saul Alinsky – to demonize people with whom we disagree so that their very personhood is called into question. If you can create the stereotype that Jews are subhuman, selling Nazism is not a hard act. The same is true when the media try to portray Republicans don’t care about the poor, or Christians are homophobic, and bigots. Once the image is created, and the big lie told/sold often enough, the stereotype becomes real, and the adversary group becomes less fully human, and thus much easier to target without remorse or consequence by even moderate people.
In the book “Less than Human: why we demean, enslave and exterminate others” by David Livingstone Smith, he writes “Demoting a population to subhuman status excludes them from the universe of moral obligation. Whatever responsibilities we have toward nonhuman animals, they are not the same as those we have toward members of our own species. So if human looking creatures are not really people, then we don’t have to treat them as people. They can be used instrumentally, with complete disregard for their human worth – they can be killed, tortured, raped, experimented upon, and even eaten.”
It is not a stretch to suggest such dehumanizing can evolve from anti Semitism in Europe pre World War II to delegitimizing Christians in the 21st century.
Over time I’ve seen article titles on the Internet “are there any gay Christians?” which is to suggest all Christians are homophobic bigots. In part, we did it to ourselves. Let’s be clear – disagreeing with abortion, gay marriage, interracial marriage, women not being ordained or other important matters could be issues of conscience or a result of upbringing, prior experience, or outright bigotry. Not all people who are anti same sex marriage are homophobes albeit some certainly are. But the media paints both the person of conscience and the bigot as identical – and condemns Christianity because of it.
Recently a colleague – liberal, atheist – told me he wished Christians would stay out of politics because they bring religion into the discussion, and make decisions based upon faith. He continued “most Christians are male chauvinist, racist, anti gay bigots.” He quickly added “except you. You’re a nice Christian – you like people” (My head started to explode, as I kept reminding myself WWJD). I asked him if atheists should be allowed to participate in politics, or given more attention than people of faith in the political arena. He said “yes,” because atheists were more accepting of people, and less judgmental. Apparently the irony of dismissing people of faith because of their faith, revealing his own act of non-acceptance was lost on him. As a former atheist, I was saddened by his belief structure. He is not alone. Many share his opinions. Even on my most anti-God days, I never delegitimized my friends who were among ‘the faithful.’ But that is the new narrative – Christians are judgmental, their faith obstructionist to rational, thoughtful policies, and therefore need to be marginalized, vilified, and silenced. So is it any wonder the cavalry is not being unleashed to rescue Christians under assault overseas, or in the US?
What has been the most disturbing for me has been the lack of concern from within our midst. Speak about betraying our own kind – where are the letters to the editor, the opinion pieces from high profile clergy, the thunderous exhortations from our religious leaders? Of the ten different houses of worship I’ve attended in the last two months, only two (a fundamental country church that feeds the poor, and nurtures the sick, and a Jewish synagogue) have had the courage or moral clarity to speak about the attack on our brothers and sisters in far off lands. Shame on us for our own complicity, and silence!
But unless we as Christians from our own pulpits, pews and the public arena express outrage, garnering support based not as much on saving Christians as saving people who just want to pray in peace, a common shared humanity, or the simple notion that protecting a group of people being hunted for their faith is not about Christian versus non-Christian, it is about doing the right thing – defending an innocent underdog, how on earth can we expect others to give a damn? Unless we challenge the anti Christian narrative, and give a compelling reason why it is a false narrative – by demonstrating “they will know we are Christians by our love…” we can expect more of the same on campuses and in the Middle East because we will have failed to capture the inherent decency of people. Freedom of faith and speech – they are about recognizing that the least among us deserves protection. Without it, more people will be tossed off ships, beheaded publically, silenced in our educational institutions, and dehumanized until, like creatures we can’t relate to, Christians, like Jews or others before them, just won’t matter (or exist).
Conclusion
Christians under assault – Does it matter? Should it?
It has been my experience that if folks don’t stand up to a bully beating down on one person or group of people, when the miscreant moves on, eventually he or she attacks someone we care about. By then is it too late?
Many wise folks have said variations on the theme that we need to be the change we want to see in the world. If that is the case, then some introspection about who we are and what we believe in as Christians is vital, including how we interact with others. But this isn’t just a Christian problem. It is a Jew and Moslem problem. They, too have a target on their backs with ISIS, and in the intellectual battlefields of the US.
The next step is to take our message to the streets, to the halls of Congress, to the doorstep of the White House, to the media, the pulpit, the classroom, and using the outlets in our own communities to create a sense of solidarity and community. We need to tell our story – Christians do a lot of good for society feeding the poor, aiding the sick, rescuing the abused, including founding many of the leading universities, like Harvard, now known as the Kremlin on the Charles, or Swarthmore College, or Temple University, that have graduated great leaders, healers, entrepreneurs, and have historically been bastions of free speech; sadly some are becoming part of “the Silencing.” It is time to change the narrative about who we are as Christians. It is also time to challenge the anti-free speech bullies.
And we need to tell their story – the Christians in Iraq and elsewhere under assault for no other reason than existing, and praying in a way that is different from intolerant and aggressive Jihadists.
As Neimoller cautioned decades ago – today it is the Christians, and many are silent. Tomorrow will it be folks the intolerant left actually care about? By then, will there be anyone left to speak?
To create a play on words from Powers’ book, we – liberal, conservative, Christian, Jew, agnostic, atheist, rich or poor, educated, in school or not, need to in one loud voice work towards a new volume about contemporary society called “Un-silence – how Americans resuscitated Free speech” and in the process inspired our leaders to have a concerted, multipronged approach to protect Christians under assault. One way might be supporting folks like ACLJ, and FIRE.
As large numbers of American Christians continue to be disconnected from the plight of our Middle East faith family, and unaware of the assault on faith that is emerging in domestic politics, education and the media, greater effort to get engaged is needed. Powers’ last paragraph offers some good advice. “The moral of this story is simple: we should all make efforts to invite people who hold different views into our worlds. Contrary to popular thought, familiarity doesn’t breed contempt it breeds understanding and tolerance. Now go make some unlikely friends.”
Time to “go make some unlikely friends” in our community…and garner support for people dying as we speak.
Part 2 will address some of the geopolitical efforts, collaborations, as well as military options that need to be considered, and soon, if we are to prevent a Christian genocide in the Middle East.
Dr. Robin McFee, MPH, FACPM, FAACT, is medical director of Threat Science – and nationally recognized expert in WMD preparedness, who consults with government agencies, corporations and the media. Dr. McFee is the former director and cofounder of the Center for Bioterrorism Preparedness (CB PREP) and bioweapons – WMD adviser to the Domestic Security Task Force, numerous law enforcement and corporate entities after 911, as well as pandemic advisor to federal, state and local agencies, and corporations during the anthrax events, SARS, Avian and swine flu epidemics. Dr. McFee is the former chair of the Global Terrorism Council of ASIS International, and is a member of the US Counterterrorism Advisory Team. She has delivered over 500 invited lectures since 9-11, created graduate level courses on WMD preparedness for several universities, authored more than 100 articles on terrorism, health care and preparedness, and coauthored two books: Toxico-Terrorism by McGraw Hill and The Handbook of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Agents, published by Informa/CRC Press.
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