What We Do in the Name of Religion

I'm often surprised by what people will do to each other in the name of religion. Just this past presidential season displayed the widespread bias of evangelicals against Mormons. Though he tried to hide his disdain, Mr. Huckabee probably smiled when Mitt Romney opted to drop out of the race. Those Mormons are a cult you know and the nation has been spared being seized upon by this stray evil. Well, I suppose I shouldn't be a sore loser... but its tough for us Basicguy's to accept defeat or disappointment with the needed grace.

As interesting as I find this particular issue, there is a far bigger picture that I'd like to address in relation to religious abuse. I came across an interesting article today written by Ken Timmerman. He writes a column often dealing with the Middle East and the challenges this country faces there. He often has insights from well-placed connections. In this article he covered the Kurds in Northern Iraq. Notice this:

“The Kurdish regional government in Northern Iraq is providing a safe haven to several thousand Iraqi Christians who have fled persecution in other parts of the country, government officials and local pastors told Newsmax.

“Unlike refugee camps set up for some 100,000 Shia Muslims fleeing attacks from Sunnis, which are closely monitored by Kurdish security forces, Christians have been encouraged to live anywhere.

“‘Christians in Iraq need special attention, because they’ve been suffering because they are Christians,’ Deputy Prime Minister Omar Fattah told Newsmax in an exclusive interview in Erbil. ‘Maybe we give some instructions to others where they can go, but to Christians, never, because we are not afraid they will be terrorists.’”

Did you catch that? The Kurd’s welcome Iraqi Christians and allow them to live anywhere “because we are not afraid they will be terrorists.” They can’t do the same with sunni or shia Muslim’s because there is no telling what you’ll get. And yet the Christians flee Bagdad and other cities in their homeland because of the abuse they suffer… even unto death.

Now I know that there have been years of darkness even among Christianity. But that was ages ago. Christians have matured and come of age. Christianity led the world into an age of progress and civility. Then radical Islam showed up on stage and has violently imposed its archaic beliefs upon the world.

It’s sad isn’t it? A people who once offered the world so much in all the educational disciplines has fallen pray to a religion and a movement that seeks to plunge the world back into the dark ages or Old Testament times. All the progress and good that God has wrought through His children over the years is threatened by this growing threat.

So basically speaking, it is surprising what people are willing to do to each other in the name of religion. I’m glad to be part of a people that others “are not afraid they will be terrorists.” Now, if only Mr. Huckabee would let me be a Christian.