A recent quote by Rosie O'Donnell as a new co-host of The View has gotten a number of folks rather upset. She said, "Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state." I'm not really interested in responding to this remark since the remark is a mixture of hyperbole, a disconnect from reality, a misunderstanding of the meaning of "separation of church and state," and a comparison of apples and oranges. It was a just stupid remark that doesn't really deserve much of a response.
However, as I often do when I hear something like this remark, I considered ways in which it could be true or how I can hyperbolize the remark further. I had an interesting thought, that I think I will share, but takes her remark completely out of context. Christianity is not only dangerous, but deadly. It's not only deadly, but it's damning.
I'm not talking about radical Christians. Radical Christians might be deadly, at least, it's just as possible for a Christian to kill as it is for anyone else. In general, however, Christians can't get very far through the New Testament before being admonished to make peace with their neighbor and with their nation. This isn't a small admonishment either considering the government that they lived under during that time advocated their death and a neighbor that didn't like you could turn you over to the tribunal, which might lead to crucifixion, internment in a forced labor camp, or many other punishments. The Bible doesn't necessarily advocate passifism, but an argument for passifism is more easily made than one for violence.
The Bible absolutely does not advocate or in any way support the kind of aggression that led the conquistadors to follow the "Kill'em all and let God sort them out." No, if Christians behave in this way, they are not, in such a time, following Christ. However, there is a more likely cause for these atrocities. Men have found it convenient to use Christ to give them the power to commit the atrocities they so desire to commit. They are not Christians, but merely wolves poorly disguised in lamb's cloth. Yet, I still say Christianity is deadly and damning.
Christianity is deadly. The word "Christian" comes from the Greek for "little-Christ." Literally, it means a person who wants to grow up someday to be like Christ. Christianity is the collective description of those who want to be like Christ and is defined by a specific collection of beliefs. Unfortunately, that set of beliefs has been compromised and the term "Christian" is used to refer to many disagreeing sects. When I say "Christianity" I am referring to just those who believe in Christ as revealed through the Bible and whose beliefs are centered around Christ's power to save and His deity. When I say "Christianity," I mean Christianity in the same sense as Jesus Christ's apostles used that term in the book of Acts.
Christianity is deadly because Christ defined it as such. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14) Christ says that He is the only way to enter the ultimate life in heaven and, therefore, following another way will lead to death. Christianity is deadly.
Christianity is also damning. God demands nothing less than perfection from His subjects and yet none can claim to have lived perfectly, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.'" (Romans 3:10-12; Psalm 14:1-3) "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God 'will give to each person according to what he has done.'" (Romans 2:6; Psalm 62:12) "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2) "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books... If anyone's name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12, 15) According to Christian beliefs, everyone will be judged according to what he or she does. Everyone, if it were up to just their own actions, would be judged worthy of "everlasting contempt," to be "thrown into the lake of fire."
Yet, if that were the end of the story there would be no "little-Christs." Why bother trying to be like Christ if the reward was just the same as one who didn't? I think the key to life, in such a case, would be to grab as much as you can and try to live this life forever. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1) "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea... And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" (Revelation 21:1, 3-4)
Everyone deserves everlasting damnation, but a few that are called to follow Christ will not be treated as such. They will go on to everlasting life with the creator where the world will be made new. As C.S. Lewis puts it in the Chronicles of Narnia, the shadowlands that we live in now will be replaced with the real country for which this land is only a poor mimic.
Christians need no violence. If we are persecuted and maligned. If we are called "radical" and "dangerous." Even if we are compared to terrorists, we should turn the other cheek daring our persecuters to strike us again. Dare them to heap punishment on their own heads when they face the great white throne of judgement. "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galations 6:7-10) We will stick together and the true believers will accept the malignment cast against us knowing that justice will prevail at the Judgement, even if it does not now.
Dangerous. Yes, Christianity is very dangerous. Christ is not a tame God. Deadly; certainly. Damning; definitely. However, Christians don't have to meter out anything. God will take care of such things on his own behalf, on his own schedule, without any help from "radical Christians."
Finally, anyone reading this: you have been warned. Choose Christ or make your time. All your base are belong to God.
Leave a comment