Racism and Christianity

I have a friend who describes herself as a “disinterested agnostic”. For several years I have tried to understand where she is coming in terms of her worldview. She is quite reluctant to talk to me about these things, which is perhaps understandable. She has been known to make some rather strong assertions regarding morality — for example, female circumcision, treatment of women in Afghanistan, and “white-flight” from schools that apparently have too many Muslims and indigenous attendees.

Recently she wrote about the latter on her blog, to which I responded:

I don’t personally like racism, and certainly feel emotionally for those who suffer at the hands of others, simply because their appearance is different due to minute differences in genetic coding.

However, at an intellectual level, I find it much more difficult to reject racism as evil. Indeed, to believe racism is actually evil, I would have to believe first that evil actually exists.

But how do I get to this realization?

If you are thinking: “what a moron — of course evil exists”, then convince me as to how you arrived that that conclusion.

Stating “this is evil” or “that is evil” is only making assertions, and even racists are good at making assertions. For an assertion to carry any weight, it requires a foundation, lest it just be merely an empty assertion.

So what do you think? Does she have a case, or is she being inconsistent with her worldview? Is she making baseless assertions? Or am i just being too hard on her?

Islam Expert Patrick Sookhdeo in Palmerston North

Patrick Sookhdeo from the Barnabas Fund will be in Palmerston North in September.

Venue: Kingston Street Community Church (website), Palmerston North.

Date:  Wednesday, 3 September

Start time:  7 p.m.

Event sponsored by Global Connections in Mission.

Muslim Awareness Week

I decided to go to a “Koran and Bible” talk at Massey University tonight, held as part of Islam Awareness Week. It was mildly interesting, and perhaps would have been more so had the material been easier to follow. Here are a few thoughts about the meeting:

• Most of the people there were Muslim, with a small handful of others I suspect were non-Muslim.
• The speaker made it abundantly clear, several times, that he did not want to offend anyone.
• He also made it abundantly clear that he was not there to convert or try to convert anyone.
• He made an intense effort to show Muhammad within the Bible, in prophecies and other verses.
• I met several people there who I had taught over the last couple of years, and had a quick and pleasant chat to a few of them.

With those comments in mind, here are a few responses:

• First, the Bible tells us the gospel is offensive. That is not to say that we ought to be offensive! 1 Peter 3:15-16 in fact commands the opposite. But we must not let the presentation of the gospel be subdued by the offense it may cause as it is intrinsically offensive.

But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.  Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

• The Bible claims that there is only one true God and that those who do not follow Christ in this life will be absent from Christ’s kingdom and presence in the next life. It makes many other claims that exclude the possibility of both the Bible and Koran being God’s revelation. So, they cannot both be true. They could both be false, but let’s not fool around by suggesting they could both be true. Simple logic dictates that this is impossible.
  So, if a Muslim stands before people and talks as a Muslim, he is implicitly saying that his beliefs are right, and it logically follows that the beliefs of Christians are wrong. So, the Muslim, believing he is right, must believe that the Christian (me) is wrong. So let’s not beat around the bush — he may not explicitly want to convert me, but it is certainly in the back of his mind, because I am following a religion that is not true, or at least not as true as Islam.
  Personally, I would prefer to be more up front. I would love to have gotten up and shared the gospel with these people, whom I happen to quite like and respect by the way. And I would love to have told them that I DO want to convert them, because I believe they are wrong, their religion is false, and their eternity does not rest in good hands. I would love to have told them they need forgiveness — and that they can have it freely — and that it is by grace and not any works they have to do.
• The thrust of the talk covered a lot of verses in quick succession which would all need to be looked up. There are some great talks and debates on YouTube and www.bethinking.org.uk that cover many of the arguments used.
• Lastly, I hope to have more contact with these people - the men at least. I have found the Muslim women very reluctant not only to talk to me, but even to look at me. I find this sad, but Patrick Sookhdeo from Barnabas Fund (soon in New Zealand) gives this advice in his excellent little book “A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Islam“:

The Christian should only seek to talk to those of the same sex. Any conversation with the opposite sex should be at the Muslim’s initiative. Never touch anyone of the opposite sex, even to shake hands, unless the other person initiates it. Try also to avoid eye contact with the opposite sex, even if a conversation develops.Treat both the Bible and Quran with great respect, not placing them on the floor and not writing in them.

Palmy Conference on Islam and the Church

Come and hear three Australian Christian leaders and a former Iranian Muslim better inform you about Islam and how to relate positively to Muslim people.

To be held at St. Albans Church, 339 Albert Street, on June 10th (Tuesday) and 11th (Wednesday).

Only $50 to attend. (are there student rates available? Or what about just the evening talks?)

Hear the testimony of Iranian convert Dr. Shayesteh, now a follower of Christ, on Tuesday 10th at 7pm.

For more info and to register, contact Steve Jourdain 357 3571.

Qur’an and Crusades

Jihad or Crusades: Which came first? A nice short PDF journal article by Elliot Miller here.

Is the Qur’an Credible? A nice short PDF journal article by Hank HaneGraaff here comparing the Bible and the Qur’an.

Is the Qu’ran Credible?

Two page PDF
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“Islam and the Suffering Church”

Patrick Sookhdeo is speaking at Crossroads Bible Centre on Saturday 29th April from 7pm to 9pm. Anyone interested in Islam should try to catch this meeting. Patrick is a convert from Islam and is international director of the Barnabas Fund (http://www.barnabasfund.org/).