No, this is not a parody, it's all too real
If Christians were so "Christian" we could live peacefully, or so says some all-knowing theologian speaking in, of all places, Tennessee:
So, we can only achieve harmony with Muslims if we first "forsake the Christendom model"? A better example of western civilization in full retreat I cannot imagine. Were it not so depressing, it would be hilarious.To live peacefully with Muslims and Jews, Christians must put aside the notion that their faith requires the creation of a Christian kingdom on Earth, a Lipscomb University theologian told an interfaith gathering at the university.
"We are not going to get very far in our relationship with Jews or Muslims if we do not let go of this idea," Lipscomb professor Lee Camp said at Tuesday's conference.
The unusual gathering of several dozen clergy and lay people was devoted to
resolving religious conflict in Nashville and around the world."We need to forsake the Christendom model," Camp said. "The most basic Christian commitment … is that we say we believe in the Lordship of Jesus. But, if we claim that, how can a Muslim or Jew trust us, if we say Jesus is the Lord of all Lords?"
But if that weren't enough, there is still more; you should also bone up on your Islam:
For Kahled Sakalla, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Nashville, some of the answers lie in better education about Islam in the non-Muslim world.Sorry Kahled, the problem isn't our limited knowledge of Islam, it's the unlimited capacity for violence and mehem in the name of your faith. With apologies to Shakespeare, the fault dear Kahled, lies not in your stars, but in yourselves.
The level of guile that we are constantly presented with is breathtaking. Islam has been the main source of bloodshed for the past quarter-century, and they can't even admit it much less stop it. Islamic countries openly foment and finance terrorist activities toward the West, while their leaders spew forth the vilest anti-Semitism and overt calls for the destruction of Israel. They do all of this while claiming "victimhood" and "intolerance" and American leftists and the media are more than happy to play the part of useful idiots.
UPDATE: A reader had brought to my attention a follow-up article in which Dr Camp disputes how his comments were taken, and in fairness, I feel compelled to bring this to your attention.
As I told the reader, while I think that Dr. Camp's clarification somewhat softens some of his rather extreme quotes from the conference, I still disagree with his basic thrust.
2 comments:
I think it would be beneficial to read Dr. Camp's response to the article.
Theologian disputes how article described his talk
It should make clear that the newspaper misrepresented his statements.
Fair enough Phil. Thanks for writing and for bringing this to my attention. Alas, there is still a part of his views that bother me. As do many, he seems a bit fixated on centuries-old Christian excesses and therefore feels it incunbant upon Christians to rebild the bridge of trust with Muslims.
Look, I don't want to rehash this whole Crusades thing, but Islam violently took control of the Holy Land well before the Christians launched the Crusades to violently retake it. There's plenty of blood on everyone's hands.
Dr. Camp says: "The claim of the Lordship of Jesus has often been divorced from Jesus' call to be merciful to those with whom we differ. In fact, the claim has often served as a battle-cry, an imperialistic profession used to destroy Jews and Muslims. In view of this history, Jews and Muslims have good reasons for not trusting those who wear the name Christian."
The "lordship of Jesus" has not been used as a battle cry to destroy Jews and Muslims for more than half a millenium. On the other hand, the primacy of Islam has been used as a battle cry to destroy Christians and Jews as recent as, well, today. Why does not Dr. Camp put the burden of inspiring trust on Islam as he does on Christianity?
I don't think Christian attitudes are at the center of our problems today. Today's blood is clearly on the hands of Muslims, not Christians.
While I think that Dr. Camp's clarification somewhat mitigates his rather extreme quotes from yesterday, I am still troubled by his overall mindset.
Post a Comment