Addressing The Root Of Terror

Why are America, Britain, and the rest of western civilization so unprepared for Mumbai-style attacks? A former head of Britain’s SAS recently said that if such an attack had taken place in the UK, hundreds would have died. The lack of preparation may be blamed on the failure of the west and its institutions to confront Islamic teachings that are at the root of the terrorists’ ideology. Robert Spencer writes:

Hamas leader Khaled Mash’al recently declared that “the day will come, within several years, when this world will change, submitting to the Arab Islamic will, Allah willing.” If Islamic clerics stopped talking about making the world submit to Islamic law and began to teach genuine tolerance of unbelievers and acceptance of them as equals, Islam’s image might begin to improve.

If Muslim leaders worldwide energetically condemned all those who maintained belief in the Qur’an’s literal words of war and in the traditional Islamic doctrines regarding jihad warfare (whether by hot war or by stealth), as well as declaring beyond the fold of Islam anyone who wished to impose Shari’a upon unbelievers by force, and if those leaders demonstrated their sincerity by actions instead of mere words, informed non-Muslims might begin to think better of Islam. . . .

Unless such changes come, the governments of the west must recognize that their open societies and tolerance for diversity are being manipulated as weapons against them. The doors of our nation must be shut against the growing tide of Islamic terrorism. One way to begin is by speaking the truth about the foundational ideology that drives the terrorists.

Read Robert Spencer’s article here. . . .

The Christian Worldview

Quoting J. Gresham Machen:

“The Christian cannot be satisfied so long as any human activity is either opposed to Christianity or out of connection with Christianity. Christianity must pervade not merely all nations but also all of human thought.”

Liberty Is Given By God

Quoting Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

“Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever.”

Michelle Malkin On Closing Gitmo

What Does Your Church Leadership Feed The Sheep?

Are you a pastor, elder, or deacon in your church? How would you evaluate your own faithfulness to the Bible or the faithfulness to the Scriptures of those who lead your church? Do the elders and deacons lead by example in devotion to studying the great doctrines of Scripture? Are they bold to correct heretical teachings? Do they desire for the congregation to feast on meat or are they content with watered-down milk dispensed in small doses each Sunday? J. C. Ryle addresses this issue:

We lack both the men and the message of the 18th century. No wonder if we do not see that century’s results. Give us like-men and a like-message, and have no fear that the Holy Ghost would grant us like-results. Wherein do evangelical Churchmen fall short of their great predecessors in the 18th century? Let us look that question fairly in the face.

Let us come to particulars [about the churchmen today]:

They fall short in doctrine. They are neither so full nor so distinct, nor so bold, nor so uncompromising. They are afraid of strong statements. They are too ready to fence, and guard, and qualify all of their teaching, as if Christ’s gospel was a little baby, and could not be trusted to walk alone.

They fall short as preachers. They have neither the fervor, nor fire, nor thought, nor illustration, nor directness, nor holy boldness, nor grand simplicity of language which characterized the last century.

Above all, they fall short in life. They are not men of one thing, separate from the world, unmistakable men of God, ministers of Christ everywhere, indifferent to man’s opinions, regardless of who is offended, if they only preach truth, always about their Father’s business. (Christian Leaders of The 18th Century)