If you are a Christian in a foreign country, can you talk freely about your religion to others? This article will analyze what its like for Christians in the countries of India, China and Iran, and correlate it to what Glenn Beck is trying to do with Christianity here in America.
Glenn Beck held a “restoring honor” rally in Washington D. C. over the weekend and thousands of people gathered at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to listen to what he and others, including Sarah Palin, had to say about helping to restore the values that founded this great nation.”
From the event announcement flier:
Forward: Understanding What America Is and Isn’t
As a surprise to many, the United States is not a democracy, but a representative republic with rule of law; the U.S. Constitution.
Despite the attempts by the U.S. government to spread democracy all over the world, the minority in a country cannot survive without the rule of law. When two wolves and a sheep decide what to have for dinner, what will the main course be? The sheep of course. This is essentially what democracy represents.
In attempts to restore her honor, as Glenn Beck puts it, keep these words from the Declaration of Independence in mind while reading this article;
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Every human deserves Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, as long as they aren’t breaking any law. While some Christians may think things have gone terribly wrong here in America, and they have to some extent, we also need to be tolerant of those who are not Christian, reaching out to them in love, not division as some in the media and elsewhere would have you do.
Christians in India
Just as there are Christian fundamentalist groups in the U.S., there are Hindu fundamentalist groups in India. What these groups try to do is maintain the status quo of nationalism. Rather than accepting those who think differently in a loving manner, they prefer to stop the progress of any other group that is different than their own.
According to Time magazine;
India’s right-wing Hindu groups and political parties allege that Christian groups are forcing Hindus to convert against their will, in an effort to change the nature of India. “They want to convert people to Christianity and convert the country into a Christian land,” Swami Laxmananand Saraswati, head of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), one of India’s biggest Hindu nationalist groups, told Indian reporters.
Of course this is the fear that some fundamentalist Christians have with the minority of Muslims that are growing in numbers in their countries as propagated in this video. In the U.S., Muslims represent approximately 1% of the population and pose no threat to the 80% that are Christian.
It is this sense of nationalism however, that has led to violence in India as reported from the Times article;
On Christmas Eve and Christmas day, Hindu nationalists in the Kandhamal area attacked churches and convents and set fire to houses belonging to Christians, killing one person and injuring at least two dozen more. Since then, more than forty Christian houses have been set ablaze despite curfews and increased police patrols. Local Hindus say the violence began after Christians attacked a Hindu leader. Christians say the attacks — the latest in several bouts of religious violence that have plagued the state over the past few years — were sparked by church plans for a performance to celebrate Christmas.
Christians in China
China has come a long way in their tolerance of Christianity, yet many Christians in China still will not profess their religion openly for fear of losing their government job. Christians also don’t have the freedom to publish books without government restrictions.
The following is an excerpt from Dr. G. Wright Doyle’s article, “Are Chinese Christians Being Persecuted?”
Though Buddhists and Daoists practice their religions openly, and sometimes with government sponsorship, Christians must submit to close supervision and severe restrictions. You can’t just publish any Christian book; the censors still have the determining voice in the issuance of a Chinese ISBN. Some topics are still just too “sensitive.”
Being too open about your Christian faith could stunt your career. Discrimination against believers is still widespread. Party members and government officials are not allowed to profess faith in Christ, though many do privately.
There is also the fear that these groups of Christians can become too powerful and subsequently pose a threat to the government. Dr. Doyle goes on to say in a review he wrote about the book, “How “Dangerous” Are Chinese House Churches?”
Everyone familiar with the Chinese house churches knows just how a-political they have been – so far. It would be a great shame if, because of history, government fears that they will coalesce into a popular rebellion with aspirations to political power leads to greater repression. It would be a horrible tragedy if those fears became a reality.
Christians in Iran
Iran is a country where 98% of the citizens are of the Islam faith. According to Open Doors USA, since 2005, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president, things have become worse.
Gradually their (Christians) freedom to practice their faith has been restricted. Ordinances curtailing the rights of Christians were in existence since the revolution of 1979. They are now more rigorously enforced than before. Christians can not meet with Muslims in order to share their faith; Muslims are not allowed to visit a Christian church. Ahmadinejad applies the laws more stringently in order to prevent Muslims from converting to Christianity.
There has even been talk of a death penalty for apostasy, meaning anyone who questions the regime’s religious ideology, could be put to death.
You won’t find many Iranians talking negatively about their leaders as the Islamic Penal Code of Iran imposes a severe penalty;
Article 514- Anyone who somehow insults the founder of Isla mic Republic of Iran – Khomeini, or the Supreme Leader of the country should be sentenced to imprisonment from six months to two years.
After reviewing the above, are you happy that you live in a free America where no matter what religion you are, you can practice freely, as long as you obey the rule of law? This what our great nation is all about. Wouldn’t it be nice if this tolerance of others beliefs could be practiced everywhere in the world today? Should not the United States lead by example?
As a Christian, we are taught to love all mankind, despite their differences. Our leaders today need to practice what they preach if they are going to use Christianity as a crutch.
Glenn Beck’s Hidden Agenda
When Glenn Beck was on stage pronouncing “unity for all,” including the African American, Native American and Latino speakers speaking and in attendance, it would have been nice to see representatives from the Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu community, among others. While the heritage of our nation was and still is Christian, it is also a heritage tolerant of all religions.
This event that Beck put on was advertised as a “non-political” event but looked more like a religious event with some military praise thrown in. It seems to me that Beck has an ulterior motive despite his saying this was not a Tea Party gathering;
There is no mention of Christianity in this description, but he did say on his show a few days before the event the following;
Saturday’s message — shhh! It’s a big secret. I’ve only talked about it for six months on one of the biggest cable news shows in history and the third largest radio show in America — but only six months, so — shhh, keep it down. Just between us. Don’t tell anyone in the media: The secret is God.
Glenn Beck does say he wants to “unite the American People.” But it is who he wants to unite that I challenge each and every Christian to question.
Does Glen Beck wish to unite just those Christians who support war, or can he unite Americans no matter what their view of war or religion is? This I believe is Beck’s hidden agenda. His intention is not to unite those who are not of the Christian faith that do not agree with fighting unnecessary, undeclared wars.
The Glenn Beck Majority
Remember Reverend Jerry Falwell’s “Moral Majority?” It was Falwell who put together the “I Love America” rallies across America. It was this effort that eventually got Republican presidents elected in 1980, 1984 and 1988. Falwell put his support behind George H.W. Bush instead of Robertson and Robertson lost in his bid to become president to Bush. Robertson subsequently formed the “Christian Coalition” and Falwell passed away along with the moral majority.
80% of American may be Christians in America today, but not all 80% of Christians support the wars we are fighting. It seems that Beck is trying to form his own Christian party, one that supports the wars and neo-conservative thinking that “we must attack them before they attack us.” Or, along with many Tea Party leaders, are these people just Christian conservatives in wolves clothing?
Glenn Beck’s Unity for Neo-Conservatives
Becks ego is so inflated that he believes he is the chosen one to lead America back to what he claims our Founding Fathers envisioned. He was on stage saying things like, “And I testify to you this day” and repeatedly chanting, “unity for all!”
I believe it is this “unity” that Beck is trying to accomplish ala Jerry Falwell in trying to capture the vote of the Christian right. This is the same neo-conservative Christian right who gave us two wars under the Bush leadership and set our nation up for the economic downturn that is now being blamed on the Obama administration. Of course the Obama administration is making things worse, but back in the days of the Bush administration, you didn’t see Hannity, Beck or anyone else questioning what our leaders were doing. Christians were duped then, just as they are being led down the same path again by those who are trying to convince them through Christian messages, ala Falwell, to “trust in me.” Sorry Glenn, I don’t trust you. I know where your bread is buttered and you are receiving much more than 30 pieces of silver for your betrayal to what the Bible teaches.
Beck continuously speaks to what our Founding Fathers have said on his show in trying to build a following that he personally feels he can lead to the promised land. But is he trying to take our nation down a path of no return in adherence to the neo-conservative “New Republican” mantra of war first and ask questions later?
I Call Into Question Beck’s Motives
As long as Beck continues to impress upon Christians that unity does not include those who think differently than we do, I question his motives.
Questions for Christians: What solutions do you have in obeying the commandment of “Love thy neighbor as thyself?” How would you approach those of a different religion? Would you approach them in “love” as the commandment dictates, or would you listen to media and political leaders who prefer to attack countries first on false pretenses and ask questions later? Is there a difference between patriotism and nationalism? Can an Muslim be a patriot? Do Muslims in America celebrate July 4th along with everyone else? What about the Hindu’s, Chinese and Iranians that were born in the United States? Can they be patriotic too?
My reason for writing this article is to question why you think the way you do. Is it because you follow the patterns of how your parents think or does what Glenn Beck say really influence you? Does what your parents say and think or what Glenn Beck says resemble the words taught to us in our youth;
“Blessed are the peacemakers.” Matthew 5:9
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[a] This is the first commandment.
And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[a] There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30,31
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