April 3, 2011:

Ponderings of a Pilgrim PASTOR

“Who Is My Neighbor?”

How would you feel if a family moved next door who wanted to worship God in a different way? Who believed that God only loved them and that everyone else would be going to Hell? Who followed strict social rules for their children and wanted them to be educated separately from other children? Who expected women in their group to dress with their bodies fully covered and wear their hair long? Among those claiming loyalty to this group some fanatics have carried out terroristic attacks on people and places in the United States? Who believe that only those who agree with them should be elected to public office? Many of whose group are stockpiling weapons? Who believe that God wants only their group someday to control the Holy Land and the entire world?

Are your new neighbors that I am describing Muslims? No, they are (so-called) "Evangelical" Christians. Though most of these "Evangelicals" are peaceful, some are not. They have carried out far more acts of terrorism in the United States than Muslims. Many are known more for those they hate, i.e. homosexuals, than those they love. Many of them have disdain for traditional American values and would gladly turn the United States into a theocracy if they could. Shouldn’t these people be restricted in where they are allowed to live? Shouldn’t they be expected to speak out when their leaders urge unAmerican behavior? Wouldn’t our country be better off if these "Evangelicals" were encouraged to move somewhere else in the world?

This is utter nonsense, of course. But this is just the sort of thing that some people believe about our Muslim neighbors. Politicians like New York Representative Peter King want to hold the vast majority of peaceful, patriotic Muslims responsible for the behavior of a few extremists. Why not have Congressional hearings into the way that "Evangelicals" are attempting to undermine America?

The glory of America has been its willingness to welcome people of all religious faiths to these blessed shores. The shame of America has been the willingness of some to attempt to deny full acceptance as Americans those who hold different cultural and religious practices than the majority. Isn’t it time that we started acting like Americans instead of "Evangelicals?"

Love,
Pastor Dave

P.S. I enclosed "Evangelicals" with quotations marks because the word means "Good News Bearers" and I find very little of "Good News" in todays conservative, fundamentalist, literalist, Protestant Christians. But that’s my prejudice!