 The
Wrath of Islam
One of the greatest threats to western society is
posed by the continuing rise of Islam.
Wilfred Wong
examines this threat and suggests how Christians can react to this
challenge
American embassies around the world
are on high alert after a new threat of attack by Islamic militants in
the wake of US missile strikes against targets in Afghanistan and Sudan.
These strikes were in retaliation for the bombings of American embassies
in Tanzania and Kenya in which more than 200 people died. The Americans
suspect Islamic militants of being responsible for the bombings and that
Osama bin Laden, a Saudi-born millionaire, masterminded those attacks.
Bin Laden has an inheritance estimated at £200 million, which he devotes
to his ‘holy war’ against Jews and the West. He is reported to have an
international network of Islamic militants ready to do his bidding.
Religious Persecution
With an estimated
one billion Muslims, Islam is one of the largest religions in the world,
and it continues to grow rapidly. Islam is also the most aggressive of the
major religions towards Christianity. As part of my work with Jubilee
Campaign for persecuted Christians worldwide, I have come across numerous
cases of Christians in Islamic countries facing persecution or
discrimination for their faith. In Egypt, Christians have been gunned down
by Islamic militants and forced to pay money to Islamic groups. The
Egyptian police have not only failed to provide adequate protection for
the Christians, but also joined in the persecution on many occasions. In
Pakistan, several Christians have been falsely accused of blasphemy
against Islam and imprisoned. Some have even been assassinated by Islamic
fanatics as a result. Non-Islamic worship is banned in Saudi Arabia, so no
churches can be built and it is illegal to have Christian meetings.
Christians in that country are
often detained and tortured simply because they meet together for worship.
Evangelistic activities are outlawed. In Iran, at least four evangelical
Christian leaders have been killed by Iranian government assassins since
1994. Several churches have been destroyed in Indonesia during attacks by
Muslim mobs. Five Christians were burned to death in their church in
Situbondo in 1996 when a Muslim mob attacked it.
False Conceptions
These are just some
examples of the religious persecution against Christians in many parts of
the Islamic world today. However, we should avoid two extremes when
dealing with the problems posed by Islam. One mistake is to assume that
all Muslims are violent and intolerant. This is not the case as many
Muslims are moderate and disapprove of the violence perpetrated in the
name of Islam. While there is much room for righteous indignation at the
injustices which Muslims inflict on others in the name of Islam,
Christians should be careful not to harbour hatred against them (1 Cor
13).
The other extreme to avoid is
one of failing to condemn the injustices perpetrated in the name of Islam,
for fear of offending Muslims or of appearing to be anti-Islamic. By the
distorted logic which pervades much of Political Correctness’ in the West
today there’s open season on criticising Christianity but a general fear
of making negative comments about Islam.
Under Islamic Shar’ia law,
converts from Islam to other religions are considered to be apostates, and
the death penalty is proscribed for them if they fail to return to Islam.
Though many Islamic countries do not fully implement this harsh law, it
does encourage a very hostile attitude by the authorities and individuals
towards those who have left Islam for Christianity.
Islamic extremism is on the
rise but at the same time the Holy Spirit is moving among Muslims in a
remarkable way. Since Islam began in the seventh century, there has never
been a greater openness on the part of Muslims towards the Gospel. Muslims
around the world are converting to Christianity in unprecedented numbers.
Reports abound of Muslims having dreams about Jesus or seeing visions
which lead them to Christ. The harvest is ripe in the Islamic world but
the workers are still too few.
Dangerous Times
We should also be
aware of the growth of Islam in the West. Westerners are converting to
Islam and Muslim evangelists are increasing their efforts. Some Muslims
are even using so-called converts from Christianity to Islam to give
public testimonies on how they found the ‘true’ religion. A number of
Muslim groups recently wrote a joint letter to the Queen, urging her ‘to
embrace Islam’. Mosques are being built in increasing numbers in western
countries, often with Saudi Arabian funding.
Islam is increasingly being
used as a weapon against Christians. It is not the only belief system
which has been used to attack the church in the twentieth century.
Communism and Fascism were once major threats to Christianity. At present
the church has to deal with mounting attacks from both Islam and secular
humanism.
We live in dangerous,
uncertain times when good, divinely inspired leadership is urgently
needed, both in politics and in the church. The West lacks committed
Christian political leaders who place God’s commandments above political
expediency. Many leaders in the church have also watered down the
commandments in the scriptures and undermined the authority of the Bible.
Ironically, some of those who call themselves Christians have done more
harm to the church than outsiders could ever accomplish. Liberal theology
only gives ammunition to Muslims who attack the Bible as a corrupted book
and point to the Koran as the final and true revelation from God.
Meeting the Challenge
With so much decadence
and complacency in the West, many Muslims believe western civilisation to
be in rapid decline. They feel that Christianity has failed the West, and
that the time is coming for Islam to take over. How then should we respond
to the growing challenge from Islam? I believe there are a number of
measures which the church should take:
1. Pray and Fast
– Seek God’s guidance in dealing with Islam. Pray for Christians
persecuted in Islamic countries and for those engaged in mission to
Muslims. Pray for the conversion of Muslims, an end to Islamic extremism
and the violence it causes, and for wisdom on the part of political and
church leaders in their dealings with Islam (Eph 6:10-18).
2. Support Mission to
Muslims – Perhaps
God is calling you to be directly involved in mission to Muslims or to
support it by prayer and giving.
3. Support Christians
Persecuted by Muslims
– You can help persecuted believers by writing letters of concern to your
MP, asking him/her to raise these issues with the government of the
country concerned. If you would like to become a letter-writing activist
taking up cases of persecuted Christians from time to time, write to:
Wilfred Wong, c/o Ian Bruce MP, Room 201, Norman Shaw South, Victoria
Embankment, London, SW1A 2HZ. In some cases it is also helpful to give
financial assistance to persecuted Christians (1 Cor 12: 25-27).
4. Examine our Spiritual
Commitment and the State of Society
– The general spiritual weakness of western society and the widespread
complacency in much of the western church has given an opening for Islamic
influence to grow. Misguided as the Islamic extremists are, we should ask
ourselves whether we are willing to demonstrate at least the same levels
of commitment and willingness to sacrifice as they do. Islamic extremists
exercise military-like discipline and are often willing to die for Islam –
are we willing to give up our lives for the Christian faith?
Many Christians do not even
want to give up their time for God let alone their lives. Muslims are keen
to share their beliefs with non-Muslims, are we committed to witnessing to
Muslims and other non-Christians or are we more concerned about being
embarrassed?
Prophetic Voice
The western church should also
do more to protest against the growing moral anarchy in society and to
work for the spiritual renewal of the West. As parts of the western church
have sought to justify practices like homosexuality, fornication and even
abortion, the church has failed to speak with a clear prophetic voice. By
comparison, Muslims generally speak clearly and uncompromisingly about
what their religion considers to be right and wrong. It is no wonder that
some westerners turn to Islam because of its certainty regarding what it
claims to be God’s commandments.
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