Middle East Problems

As we all know, there have been major problems in the Middle East for a very long time. We also know that recently there have been riots and the resulting violence has expressed strong anti-American sentiments. News reporting indicates that the attacks in Lybia included some organized para-military actions which were too coordinated and effective to be simply the result of spontaneous street violence. Of course, here at home, there have been all manner of politically inspired assessments. Not surprisingly, our strongly held beliefs seem to influence what we think.

There you  have it. Just as Democrats and Republicans are spinning their own take on the situation, so, too, do we find particular 'agendas' in assorted news outlets. One huge question is, "Did the government know about the impending attacks and do nothing, leading to the deaths of four people, including the ambassador?" And this question is all the more poignant in our little church because one of the ambassdors over there is related to a parishioner. It is a small world, after all, and the people involved are real humans with real lives and real families...

I think we need to understand that Muslim Arabs are just like us in many ways. They, too, have assumptions, beliefs, and strongly held opinions. These are the lenses through which they see the world. They do not understand, at a core level, our insistence on 'freedom of speech.' They do not tolerate certain anti-religious slurs (if directed against their religion). Their culture celebrates certain types of behavior. In all these things they are just like us, only different. That, to me, is the starting place. We need to  understand that they "do not get us" any more than we "get them." We also need to apply a lesson from Saturday football. People cheer for their team. And the more fanatically one loves one team, the more likely one is to see other teams in a negative light. Many (most?) Arabs do not think the USA is the good guys. They can point out concrete examples of American offenses. They have probably got some objectively valid complaints (mixed in with tons of more subjectively generated concerns). All this does not mean we are wrong and they are right. It does not justify what they are doing. But it is helpful to think and ponder before we react in kind.

To further muddy the waters, it is a Christian's duty to give his/her first allegiance to Jesus. It is why we make lousy citizens on occassion. No matter how loudly we cheer our nation, love our nation, serve our nation, we can never be "America (or England, or France, or Irag, etc.) First" patriots. For us it is always Jesus First. His vision and His values shape our citizenship in this world.

That is what makes it so hard to know what to do. Once I understand that the rioters suffer from the same blindness and ignorance which plagues all human responses (reactions) I can have some insight into their rage and its source. There is no lack of extenuating circumstances at play. One hears that the typical Arab is poor, uneducated and enjoys few opportunities to improve things. We also hear that their understanding of their faith is often very narrow and tolerates no disrespect (as they describe it). But, if they are 'invading' US 'soil' and installations and killing American citizens, then they have engaged in behaviors which demand a response. For my tastes, the first response should not be an apology. It may be the expedient thing to do and perhaps it is diplomatically more effective (I do not know), but it is not helpful back home and at some point our citizens also have a right to have their beliefs respected. Christians have been murdered for their faith in Arab countries. So who wants to talk about religious rights and respect?

In the end, there comes a time when people have to make truth claims, too. Is Jesus the Son of God or not? There is good reason to believe that Islam is actually a combination of Jewish and Christian heresies. I came across this reading a 7th Century theologian. It is what I truly believe. Does that justify assassinating me?There is, after all, a reason why all three are called the religions of Abraham. And this relationship means that eventually the three streams make an assessment about the truth claims of the other. Jews do not buy the Jesus claims of Christians. Many centuries after Jesus Islam reworked His story with their own truth claims. I am part of the group which believes Jesus is The Son of God and the Savior of the world. Do we need to kill one another as a corollary of our religious beliefs? No. Not at all. But we often have and that history is writ large in the memory, imagination and hearts of many people. We cannot start from scratch. And history shows we have all been as likely, sometimes more likely, to kill our co-religionists with whom we debate theological points than we are the other-religion's believers.

If people want to protest, fine. Give voice to your outrage. However, at the point that shouting becomes shooting, the game and its rules change. As a follower of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, I have to wrestle with that response. I need to decide what I can and am willing do. But as a citizen of a nation I understand that if nations around the world continue to justify violent attacks on my fellow citizens then at some point my government may well decide appeasement must give way to defense. Perhaps the rioters on the street are seeking martyrdom. I understand why some people think armed Marines should be happy to accomodate them. My inclination is to warn them off but not allow any breaching of the wall. I do not want to flippantly say such things. Those Arabs are also brothers and sons and mothers and sisters. What I know is whatever choice of action, Jesus says, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." And today, that admonition for true discipleship is being tested. To love and pray for people who have destroyed and murdered is hard. But then, following a Crucified King has always been hard.