The News outlets featured a story today about that Jesus may have
had a wife. There is nothing to support that claim, the text is only
partial and the sentence that starts with "Jesus said, "my wife..." ends
there. This ancient text is probably part of the gnostic writings and
thus irrelevant.
But, to my point, I don't see Catholics or
Christians protesting in the streets, rioting and killing people,
burning the American Flag and storming the University which examined the
text and came out with the statement. What a starch contrast to the as
Hillary Clinton put it the other day, "great religion" of Islam. Great
Religion? One stupid YT video can bring forth death, hate and
destruction to a whole region. One little remark about Muhammad or a
cartoon of him leads to suicide bombers, and the killings innocent
people.
One remark leads to hate, the killing of four Americans
and the threat of the radicals to kill more Americans. That is anything
but a peaceful religion. Where are those who normally come out and speak
out against Christianity, the Hollywood elite and Atheist like Bill
Maher?
What if we as followers of Jesus Christ, would go out
into the streets killing and rioting every-time someone says anything
against Jesus, Who is used a swear word everyday, Who gets spit on by
liberals and Atheist everyday? How come that Christians don't react like
radical Muslims to a depiction of Jesus in the series of South Park?
Or what about the paintings about Jesus? One that was very offensive,
named "Piss Jesus"
was displayed in an art gallery in the 90's. Yet there was no
retaliation towards the artist. I could list many more offensive remarks
and insults that are made against Jesus and Christians everyday, but I
think you know them already.
Christians are not called to hate
and kill people who may offend them. Jesus and His teachings, Who in my
opinion is the total opposite to Muhammad and the teachings of the
Koran, told us to love your neighbor as yourself. We are to love, even
those who hate us or offend us. That is what makes Christianity
different from Islam. We do not by force convert people or kill them if
they do not want to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. We turn the other
cheek.
We do not repay evil with evil. Love will always triumph
over evil. It was Jesus, who Muslims regard as a prophet (obviously not
heeding any of His teachings) that taught us:
"But I say to
you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
"that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun
rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust." Matthew 5:44, 45.
As Christians we do not follow a
doctrine of Jihad or Sharia law, we follow Christ and His teachings of
love and forgiveness. As we see these unrest in Africa, the Middle East
and beyond, let us as followers of Jesus not turn to hate. Let us pray
for the Muslim world and for the radicals that one day the would have their eyes opened and that they will see that Jesus is the Messiah.
"Love
suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade
itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but
rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are
prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part
and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then
that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a
child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became
a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly,
but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as
I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the
greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
That is what Jesus and His Apostles taught past generations and us today, love your enemy and do not hate. Be wise, but not foolish. Do not seek revenge. Vengeance is mine says the LORD, I will repay.
I'm
sure that many of the radical Islamist have never even read the Koran.
Many have not even seen that dumb YT movie, yet they go out and riot.
They listen to radical clerics and Imams that use the Koran and Muhammad
to further their agenda and ideologies. They are blinded by this
religion of antichrist. Let us pray that they will see the light one
day. God is doing a mighty work in the Middle East and surrounding
areas. We may not understand everything, but His purpose will be
fulfilled. God loves the Muslim world and He wants them to return to
Him. the true and living God.
And in closing, just for those who
teach that the God of the OT is different from the God of the NT, here
is what Jesus was quoting: "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear
any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your
neighbor as yourself: "I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18.
The reality is that the entire world is crying for the Palestinians
to be given a state. I say, “Yes, let’s give them a state.” Now that we
are agreed on that though, the first thing we must do is to identify
who the real Palestinians are. Neither they nor Palestine are mentioned
in the Koran. Why?
A little lesson in history: The etymology of the word “Palestinian”
in English is derived from the Old French word “Philistin,” from Late
Latin it is “Philistinus,” and from Late Greek, “Philistinoi.” They were
not an Arab or a Semitic people,
but were more closely related to the ancient Greeks and originated in
the Aegean region of Asia Minor. Any student of the Bible knows that the
Philistines were enemies of Israel.
In the history of the Philistines is also the story of the young Hebrew man, David, son of Jesse, who was incensed that a Philistine
warrior was allowed to challenge the one true God. The enemy of Israel
had advanced to the Valley of Elah and there challenged the Israelites. They produced a brobdingnagian (gigantic) champion, Goliath of Gath.
David volunteered to fight the giant and went out to face him with his
slingshot and five smooth stones he had retrieved from a dry river bed.
He slipped one of the stones into his sling and smote the Philistine on
the forehead. He used the giant’s own sword to behead him. Jehovah God
gave David the courage and skills not only to face Israel’s enemy, but
to kill the challenger. The Israelites pursued the Philistines all the
way to the city of Ekron.
The Philistines were ultimately defeated, absorbed into the
Babylonian/Persian Empire, and by the late fifth century BC, had
disappeared.
In 135 BC, Simon bar Kokhba, a Jew, proclaimed himself Prince of
Israel, Son of the Star, the Messiah, and led a revolt against the
Romans. The Roman governor and two legions of soldiers were defeated.
Bar Kokhba controlled the state of Israel from the Fort of Herodium just
south of Jerusalem. His coins were inscribed, “Year one—the redemption
of Israel.”
The Roman emperor, Hadrian, in response razed 985 villages and killed
almost 600,000 Jews. Hadrian wiped Jerusalem and Judea off the map and
deliberately renamed the area Palaestinia after the Jews’ ancient enemy,
the Philistines.
So, spread the word. Wanted: Non-Arab Philistines. As soon as all
these peace-loving nations can prove that Philistines are back, then
let’s persuade the Arab League to absorb them as refugees the way Israel
did with the Jews and all nations have done. Let them then turn over
the territories that have become a nightmare for the Jewish people
to the Philistines. You can be certain of one thing: there will
probably be some pretty large dudes in the bunch. Goliath was a
Philistine, and from what I know about him, he was not what you would
call a “happy camper.” I expect life will not be too pleasant for
mythological Palestinians when they meet the original Philistines.
To fulfill the reality of a Palestinian state, the world must demand that the vast majority of the land occupied by Arabs
in Judea and Samaria be returned to Israel. The people that call
themselves “Palestinians” must return to the Arab lands from which they
came. Then true Palestinians, the proven descendants of the Philistines,
could have their land. Since there are none to be found on this planet,
perhaps the next Mars rover will find them. By Dr. Mike Evans
