By their love shall ye know them!

Nobody was fooling himself/herself around here about the Arab Spring! We knew of the inherent dangers of it and it looks as if those nightmares may come true!

by Charlie Leck

We knew the Arab Spring revolutions in a variety of nations were dangerous because we knew these were not revolutions for democracy. There was always the danger these movements would turnout as enablers for theocracies to be established here, there or everywhere where the movements took place. We could only hope that any theocratic governments that might be established would not be controlled by ultra-fundamentalists.

Now, we are seeing our worst fears being played out.

It is what happens when religious people believe (quite sincerely and thoroughly) that they are followers of the ONLY way to true salvation or followers of the ONLY true will of God.

It is dangerous if it is a Christian attitude and it is dangerous if it is an Islamic attitude – or the attitude of any faith.

We have got serious problems in places like Libya, Yemen and Iran. And, these problems could spread to other places as well.

The danger develops, of course, when such religions believe that violence against non-followers of their own, true God is just and called for.

As one who believes that the only possible way to define God or the only possible way to describe God is through the concept of LOVE, I am boggled when I see hate and violence used in the name of God.

OMG
How frightening is the hateful defense of religion and religious faith that we are now witnessing! It is so difficult for me to comprehend that people might think they are doing God’s will – the will of Allah – when they turn to such angry and violent actions. However, I must admit that I often hear the same sharp edged, unforgiving voices of hatred and meanness from Christians in my own nation.

A wonderful old Sunday School teacher of mine (Mrs. Beiser, God rest her soul) would explain to me, when I was a child, a very simple concept: “By their love and in the kindness of their deeds shall ye know them – the servants of God!”

I may have been only eight or nine years old, way back then, but I knew with such certainty that she was dealing in essence and truth. Yes, dear woman, you were correct then and it shall always be true.

When my, supposedly Christian, friends send me such hateful emails about people with whom they disagree and spread hurtful, cruel lies about people while, in the same breath, mentioning their love for God, I am left aghast. I want to take their hands and look them in the eye and ask: “Do you really believe you are a child of God? Do you really believe that this is his will?”

“By their love ye shall know the servants of God!”

I weep this morning for the disciples of hate and for those who do not understand that the abiding will of the one God, by whatever name He might be called, is that we ought to love one another even as He loves us all.

If I can teach my grandchildren anything at all, this is the lesson I would like to leave them – that we ought to love one another as we have been loved!

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