No I haven’t seen the Innocence of Muslims video and I don’t intend to watch it. The fallout is enough.
Here’s some thoughts:
– Terry Jones should NOT have promoted or shown the movie. It shows the same lack of judgement that caused him to attempt a Koran burning 2 years ago – something that I felt was very very wrong. This is the reason I started Blog a Koran Day to help create some understanding.
Any chance we can send Dog the Bounty Hunter to serve up Pastor Terry’s warrant and read a few Bible verses at the same time?
– The Coptic Christians from Egypt involved in the film have disgraced the Coptic Church, of which I now have some deep connections from my visit to Cairo last year. They should have known better.
– ALSO, I agree with Brian McLaren that evangelical Christianity in USA has an issue with Islamophobia that it refuses to address.
PLEASE READ MY POST called Random Thoughts on living with Muslims in which I outline some ways in which our family has learned to live with and among Muslims.
– Related: The Skinny on Egypt’s Prayer Gathering
Andrew, thank you for your post on this matter. I am saddened to see how Christians in general, but American evangelicals in particular, are associated with such shameful views of Muslims. I had heard about McLaren’s new book yesterday, but it was helpful to read the summary via the CNN blog.
I was also disappointed when I heard the Coptic connections with this idiotic film, “The Innocence of Muslims.” Thankfully, Coptic leaders around the world have denounced this film and those who produced it.
The other day, I was reflecting on the way that we as American believers need to respond and react, even in the face of the death of one of our ambassadors. I returned to some words in the Cape Town Commitment, which I found timely and insightful. I’d love to hear your response over at my blog: http://mwerickson.com/2012/09/13/loving-our-muslim-neighbors/.
you are wrong skinny!
its not funny that you want to send a warrent on terry or filmmakers, in america its called freedom of speech. which doesn’t exist in middle east countries who have called on their arrest and deaths. you can be sure the film maker who got outed by the media will be assassinated.
christians in america dealing with islamaphobia. what in the world does that mean? it was united states who got hit with planes on 911. you got a people being persecuted in the middle east for being christians for crying out loud for no fault on their own.
the CT Commitment challenges us to focus on dialogue, not ridicule. I like it.
yep i have seen the persecutions first-hand, but i still believe that respectful dialogue and relationship building is a better way than poking fun of religious founders and stirring up unrest all over again.
Sir, I think Americans don’t have “Islamaphobia” as much as they worry about Islamic Radicals running whole governments, i.e. the Muslim Brotherhood now running Egypt, etc. It is almost the same argument that accuses Christians of being “homophobic”. Most Christians are opposed to the agendas that are being placed on most of the rest of society, and are not against the person individually.
My family and friends have worked with the Refugee ministries in many cities, which is often a ministry to Muslims who have made it to the U.S. after facing persecution. We have been to Muslim countries on mission trips. We minister as much in the U.S. as possible on behalf of persecuted Christians, some of whom have Muslim roots and face persecution from their countries. All of this is done in spite of the fact that I do not want to see the Muslim Brotherhood in power in Egypt, I don’t want to see the radical flag of Islam raised in Libya after our Ambassador was killed. I don’t want a 14 year old activist getting shot in the face in Pakistan for calling for educational reforms for women.
This generic claim by McLaren of “Islamaphobia” is typical of his habit (it appears) of often over generalizing a serious topic and casting guilt upon generally concerned people. Most people I know lend a hand to help the hurting Muslim in the community, while at the same time denouncing the violence that occurs at the hands of those who have hijacked their religion. If I’ve learning anything, perhaps dialogue is working individual to individual (as we’ve probably both seen in the mission field). But, in general, nation to nation, leader to leader, dialogue unfortunately is not working with Muslim governments.
(I’ve not seen the video, but I’m seeing all of the fallout).