The riots go on . . . and on. Some NATO personnel carelessly burn Qurans that terrorists had been using to pass secret messages, and the Afghan population goes wild. Two U.S. soldiers are killed, then two U.S. military advisers, who should have been safe in one of the government buildings, are shot and killed by one of the Afghan security force personnel they have been training.
The riots escalate. No matter that President Obama sent over an apology. What has transpired is an insult to Islam, as apparently is most everything a Westerner does. It’s time to take to the streets, express outrage, call for the killing of Americans, and forget that the Taliban ran a brutal operation before our arrival. They don’t care; they prefer the Taliban.
It’s just another normal day with the religion of peace.
In Iran, we are now told that pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is scheduled to be executed. His crime? Being a Christian and refusing to recant his beliefs. At one point, Iran seemed to realize that putting someone to death simply for being a Christian might affect their public relations, so they declared his real crimes were rape and extortion. That was so blatantly phony, no one bought it. The international “community,” such as it is, is now asking the Iranian government not to follow through on the execution. If that government doesn’t listen to the request, no big deal; the “community” will go back to its appeasement policy.
Personally, I have no problem with some kind of apology for the original action of burning the Qurans. Even though I don’t consider it a holy book, and the action definitely not a crime of any sort, we should avoid inflaming an already inflammatory situation. But the sense of proportion is out of whack. Where is the Afghan government’s apology for the out-of-control, fanatical response to the incident? Which is really worse, burning some books out of carelessness or mobs racing through the streets trying to kill Americans—and succeeding?
If President Obama is so sensitive to religious beliefs, I await his reversal of policy on the HHS mandates that violate religious liberty in his own country.
Is there really any hope for helping Afghanistan or should we just wash our hands of the whole country? An emotional response is that we leave them to their own fate. Unfortunately, that fate may be the return of the Taliban and outright coordination once again with Al Qaeda. This is very much one of those between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place decisions.
As for pastor Youcef, it would take a miracle now to save him in this life. His martyrdom, should it occur, will be a travesty of justice, but also a grim reminder that Christians need to come to grips with reality. Western Christians, in particular, have never had to face this type of persecution. This should lead us into sober reflection and an examination of our own hearts before God. Is our faith genuine? Would we face death as unflinchingly as Youcef Nadarkhani?
We may have to answer that question someday because the religion of peace may put that question to us.