| Stopping the Lies |
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As a pastor, I receive lots of emails. Many of them are catchy sayings or beautiful images. Recently, I have
seen a few that had me laughing out loud. A few of the emails I received go directly to the electronic trash,
while a few raise the hair on the back of my neck. One of those emails came to me via five different
people…in two cases, they were asking only for my opinion.
Some of you may have seen the email in which the author is questioning whether a Muslim can be a good
American citizen. It supposedly quotes numerous passages from the Koran, though it twists their meaning
and context to show why we ‘true Americans’ should be very concerned about the Muslims among us.
Finally, the email concludes with the statement that Barack Obama is a Muslim, thus he should not be
president.
I cannot count the number of ways in which this email is troubling. First, it reinforces bigoted stereotypes.
You would have thought this country would have learned from the internment camps of both WWI and WWII
that such blanket statements are both destructive and immoral. Second, we are using another faith’s holy
book in a way we would not want our holy book to be used. Using similar techniques, I could argue how the
Christian God wants unruly children to be put to death, rape victims to be killed, and people with diseases
excluded from participating in any formal religious ceremony. When taken out of context (and certain words
left out of the quote), I could make Shakespeare into the greatest advocate of terrorism. The email is not
only shamelessly false in its argument, but it demonstrates real ignorance. All a person needs to do is
actually have an encounter with Muslim citizens in this country to discover they are good citizens, not in
spite of their religious faith, but because of their religious faith.
And finally, the line about Barack Obama being a Muslim should be laughable if it were not for the fact that
many in this country read this email and believe it. Whether you like Barack Obama or not is not the point.
Blatant lies hiding in the shadows of ignorance should always have the light of truth cast upon them. If
Barack Obama fails to become President of the United States only because a small radically conservative
Christian group fashioned and propagated fabrications, then Democracy itself is in jeopardy. In fact, Barack
Obama is an active member at a United Church of Christ congregation in the Chicago area. The United
Church of Christ is our sister denomination, and we do all of our overseas ministry with them. Yet let me
make it clear—I do not want anyone to vote for Barack Obama simply because he is a Christian. What a
great day it will be in our Nation’s history when race, sex and religion play no part in determining whether a
person is a good candidate or not.
Christians should understand how this email is so incredibly unhelpful in our evangelistic and interfaith
efforts. So many intelligent non-Christian folks have received this email. They recognize it for what it
is…bull—poop. And they lump all Christians with those who wrote this email. Unless we ‘reply to all’ when
we receive this email and condemn it for what it is, we deserve to be grouped together with such shallow
and hate-provoking people. Let us not put another brick in the wall of fallacy and intolerance that divides
an already fractured society. Instead, let us be the people who more fully represent the notion that love and
understanding are the greatest tools toward peace and a hopeful future.
Bruce
seen a few that had me laughing out loud. A few of the emails I received go directly to the electronic trash,
while a few raise the hair on the back of my neck. One of those emails came to me via five different
people…in two cases, they were asking only for my opinion.
Some of you may have seen the email in which the author is questioning whether a Muslim can be a good
American citizen. It supposedly quotes numerous passages from the Koran, though it twists their meaning
and context to show why we ‘true Americans’ should be very concerned about the Muslims among us.
Finally, the email concludes with the statement that Barack Obama is a Muslim, thus he should not be
president.
I cannot count the number of ways in which this email is troubling. First, it reinforces bigoted stereotypes.
You would have thought this country would have learned from the internment camps of both WWI and WWII
that such blanket statements are both destructive and immoral. Second, we are using another faith’s holy
book in a way we would not want our holy book to be used. Using similar techniques, I could argue how the
Christian God wants unruly children to be put to death, rape victims to be killed, and people with diseases
excluded from participating in any formal religious ceremony. When taken out of context (and certain words
left out of the quote), I could make Shakespeare into the greatest advocate of terrorism. The email is not
only shamelessly false in its argument, but it demonstrates real ignorance. All a person needs to do is
actually have an encounter with Muslim citizens in this country to discover they are good citizens, not in
spite of their religious faith, but because of their religious faith.
And finally, the line about Barack Obama being a Muslim should be laughable if it were not for the fact that
many in this country read this email and believe it. Whether you like Barack Obama or not is not the point.
Blatant lies hiding in the shadows of ignorance should always have the light of truth cast upon them. If
Barack Obama fails to become President of the United States only because a small radically conservative
Christian group fashioned and propagated fabrications, then Democracy itself is in jeopardy. In fact, Barack
Obama is an active member at a United Church of Christ congregation in the Chicago area. The United
Church of Christ is our sister denomination, and we do all of our overseas ministry with them. Yet let me
make it clear—I do not want anyone to vote for Barack Obama simply because he is a Christian. What a
great day it will be in our Nation’s history when race, sex and religion play no part in determining whether a
person is a good candidate or not.
Christians should understand how this email is so incredibly unhelpful in our evangelistic and interfaith
efforts. So many intelligent non-Christian folks have received this email. They recognize it for what it
is…bull—poop. And they lump all Christians with those who wrote this email. Unless we ‘reply to all’ when
we receive this email and condemn it for what it is, we deserve to be grouped together with such shallow
and hate-provoking people. Let us not put another brick in the wall of fallacy and intolerance that divides
an already fractured society. Instead, let us be the people who more fully represent the notion that love and
understanding are the greatest tools toward peace and a hopeful future.
Bruce