MISSIONARY FIELDS: The Price of Intolerance!

Have you been a verbal testimony this week to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ?

If, like me, you are currently attending a Christian accountability group then you probably have been asked that question at least once a week; perhaps you were the one asking it. On most occasions, the answer I give is usually no. Regrettably, more often than not, I have not been a verbal testimony to Christ's supremacy. It bothers me that my answer isn't yes. But lately I have been more bothered by the methodology of just what is involved in testifying about Christ.

This evening, Maria and I were watching The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. There was a segment on the U.S. Air Force Academy's latest attempt to combat perceptions of religious intolerance on campus. It seems that charges have been filed by non-Christians claiming that evangelicals have been proselytizing that those who do not believe in Jesus as their Lord and savior are going to "burn in the eternal fires of hell!"

The academy in reaction to these charges has instituted a new program called, RSVP: RESPECTING THE SPIRITUAL VALUES OF ALL PEOPLE. It is intended to help cadets understand the values and principals of those who are not Christian and to, hopefully, promote a sense of tolerance and respect for different faiths. But certain evangelical groups are fighting this program and are accusing the government of interfering with their right of religious expression. They see the military as some sort of mission field in which they are duty bound to spread their message to any and all who can hear it, no matter who objects to it.

It is times like these when I wonder what Jesus would do. Maybe one of the reasons I have resisted in being a verbal testimony to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ is that I don't want to come off sounding like one of these people. It is hard enough to live one's life in a Christ-like manner in this world without having to apologize for and explain the behavior of certain individuals who act more like the Pharisees than Christ. When I think of Jesus I think of a man who was inviting, not preachy; a servant, not holier than thou; and most of all someone who was immensely popular. No matter where he went, hordes of people just flocked around him. He was a people person. Far different from the conservative evangelicals who claim to represent him.

It has been VERY difficult these days being a Christian. At Ann's kinship the other day, a young woman (a senior in high school) was sharing about how she is treated by her classmates when they find out she is a Christian. It's as though she's a Martian or something. They see her and they immediately think of Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell, someone who's trying to take away their rights or twist their minds. Sad how we are all lumped in together with the radical right.

I believe the United States is paying the price for what these individuals are doing in God's name. The actions of a good many righteous people are being undermined by the tactics of the ideologs. And, while Rome burns, Satan is laughing. I believe the challenge for all of us is not to twist the arm of those who aren't believers, but to love them and accept them right where they are. Shaming someone into accepting Christ is not only futile; it's not even biblical. As someone who is in a 12-step program I can testify that no one ever stayed sober because of intimidation. In deed, the 12 steps are a spiritual program that is based on attraction rather than promotion. It has worked flawlessly for over six decades. Perhaps if the Church adopted the attitudes and "suggestions" of 12-stepers, there would be a lot more people turning to Christ, and less bitterness and resentment over religious intolerance.