Oh, yeah. This will work. They’re already fighting us for trying to steal their oil, impose our democracy, etc. Imposing a religion on them (which is what the Islamic militants want to do to us) is clearly the right approach.
Robin Hayes says we will win in Iraq by “spreading the message of Jesus Christ” there.
[North Carolina:] Robin Hayes has the solution to the Iraq war: have our soldiers convert all Muslims to Christianity.
Having won the election by only a hair’s width and almost getting himself kicked out of Congress seems to have had some profound psychological effects on poor Mr. Hayes. A speech that flip-floppin’ Robin gave last week at the Concord Rotary Club seems to prove he has finally gone off the deep end.
Our local weekly newspaper the “Concord Standard and Mount Pleasant Times” reported on Mr. Hayes speech in his hometown:
First there’s the usual talk of how we’re “winning” over there: “The war in Iraq has got to be won; it’s being won” (A couple of months ago Hayes said that the rise in violence in Iraq was an indication that we’re winning.)
Then comes the real kicker: “Stability in Iraq ultimately depends on spreading the message of Jesus Christ, the message of peace on earth, good will towards men. Everything depends on everyone learning about the birth of the Savior.”
So if we just turn our soldiers into missionaries everything will be okay, Mr. Hayes? First we sent our men over there to take out the WMD’s, then it was to “spread democracy”, now you want them there to “spread the message of Jesus Christ”?
It so happens that people in Iraq already have a savior but unfortunately for Mr. Hayes it’s Muhammed, not Jesus.
If we can’t keep Muslims from killing each other over there, I don’t think that trying to make them all Christian is going to be any easier.
With this kind of talk Hayes just plays into the hands of Al-Qaeda by confirming what their leaders have always been saying: those American soldiers are just modern Crusaders. He is thereby strengthening the beliefs of terrorists that want to kill every American soldier they come across.
Kerry, if I gave up what I own to someone who needs it, I would become the needy. Would that person then give me back my stuff?
If you are a true Christian you must be very poor, rich, poor, rich, poor…
JimR -
If you give up the material things that you have for someone who needs it, you may be poorer in terms of material wealth, but you have gained something infinitely more valuable. (And I have yet to see someone who has given much in faith not be rewarded).
Now in fairness, I haven’t given up everything that I have (by any means), but I get the point. I try to overcome my own selfishness and pride, especially when I encounter those less fortunate than I am. And I’m getting better at it.
Where can I go wrong by giving? I am happier by having less, and have helped improve someone else’s position.
If we had that attitude as a nation, we might not be in this position in Iraq, and assuming that we were, we might be in a better position to pull ourselves out of it.
Maybe it’s time to bring back The Flying Nun. Put SJ in a black wig and send her to Baghdad or Pyongyang. We’d then find out in sitcom-space whether the timeless message of “Love Thy Neighbour…”… before trying it in the big bad world. Syndication profits (sic) could go to a fund to teach the Iraqis Aramaic (akin to teaching early English so that students can read Chaucer) so that they can read the Gospels in the original.
The world’s best comedic minds could be challenged by trying to make the situation funny.
And a question: are U.S. politicians ever subjected to anything akin to Marg, Warrior Princess? I think it could be a fruitful interaction. But fear that Marg would be shot by a zealous security agent.
#18 – Kerry said:
“#16 – Muslims start with the Bible, but the Q’uran was not written down for many centuries after Jesus lived. Who better to speak on the subject, his contemporaries or those 5 centuries removed?”
So by your rational the New testament is not much better than the Q’uran since nothing in the New Testament was written by a contemporary of Jesus. The earliest written book, Mark, did not come for over 50 years after the death of Christ. The Gospel John was not written until over 250 years so really the New testament quotes and paraphrases in the Q’uran cannot be that inaccurate since Jesus was considered a great figure by Muslims.
[edit: comment guide]
Kerry, why is supporting the needy with material things better than keeping your wealth and helping the needy (who are able) to support themselves by investing in infastructure, education and job creation? If there are no wealthy, the alternative isn’t that everyone will not be needy. Quite the opposite. If it wasn’t for profit and wealth, there would be no improvement to quality of life. We would still be riding donkeys and dying from Polio and isolated in distant communication. It may have been barely adequate advice for the times, but shortsighted and ignorant of a larger more complex population.
Say, everyone by 50 AD had followed Jesus advice/threat. All wealth would have been distributed evenly no matter who deserved it, worked for it, accumulated it, or did nothing for it. When distributed evenly, the wealth of vthat time would not have gone far. Then what?
#26, Jim,
I like it when I can agree with a Canadian. It makes me feel so,… so,… well, warm and fuzzy inside. I suppose if Christ ever came back, he would probably come to Canada. Everyone uses his name so much it’s like calling him home.
I would predict he would be born again in Dildo Newfoundland. Lot’s of good fisher folk, hard scrabble existence, he could take the first bus to Toronto when he comes of age.
That is still a good comment though.
Go Leafs Go !!!
How on earth do morons like Robin Hayes get elected to Congress?
Please publish his email address so I can kindly tell him to kiss my ass.
Mr. Fusion, the feeling is mutual. It must be that warm fizzy time of year.
Yes Jesus would find a nice home in sleepy, naive, agreeable Canada. He would play hockey of course…. “Here take the puck, you need it more than I do…”
You’re right, Dildo, Newfoundland is the kind of town Jesus likes. In 2000 years no one will be sure it ever existed.
Have a nice holiday Mr. Fusion. Give those protons a rest.
Jesus saves, Mr. Fusion withdraws.
It’s much easier for people to forward an idea without having to suffer the consequences if it was a dumb and dangerous one.
Too many ignorant religious fanatics never spent more than 1 year overseas dealing with other cultures and religion. Spending time with others.
Less than 10% of US citizens have ever travelled overseas.
How in the world would they know what works overseas?
Never had to worried about the smart ones, just scared sick of those with half-baked intelligence and overpowering stench of self-rightious.
People are simply nuts.
Word up, Travel Guide.
Wait a minute – STEAL THEIR OIL??? Yeah I wish! Once again the posters miss the real issue here. Never mind the religious stuff, no experts on the subject here, or ever were. Who ever claimed we were stealing oil!??! Yeah, if gas prices had dropped by a bug a gallon a year or so after invasion, I would have bought the argument. Obviously this never happened. If I thought we had a prayer (heh) of sucking out oil from this place for free for any length of time, then at least some claim could be made that the war had a purpose. Not a good one, of course, but isn’t war supposed to be about controlling resources? If you’re not fighting to take oil, or gold or whatever, why are you there? The food? The women?!
This is why we should get out. Nothing left to be gained. America does NOT know how to run an empire – never has. Nor do we want to. Time to leave.
Amen.
#31, James how right you are.
Jesus Hernandez is a lifeguard at the community pool. Saving lives is his job.
And the wife did ask me to withdraw some money from the bank today.
I would like to point out that countries that are Christian in nature tend to be more stable, it’s the secularist portions in those countries that cause all the trouble.
It’s the same portion that insists upon exporting their pornography and lifestyle. It’s the same portion that insist upon removing all religious context from public life. It’s the same portion that promotes adultery, homosexuality and child sex.
As for converting the Muslims to Christianity, this might be a profitable course of action, but Christ did not teach the forceful conversion of non-believers just the spreading of His Word. Staying there means accepting this limitation and the resulting conflict, and deaths, that would result from those that follow the other side. And just in case you missed the book or Revelations, when Christ comes again he’ll come as a Warrior to bring Judgement, not just as the Healer and Savior.
Socialist/Islamist/Communist not much difference they both insist upon ruling all aspects of one’s life. One can see how the both are so suited to each other, just like Stalin wasn’t any different from Hitler neither are the socialist, communist or Islamist.
If were trying to conquer the area then we are doing things incorrectly, taking a page from their own book would be more instructive. Every time the bomb or blow up something you do the same with a ration of 10 to 1 in deaths. Again this is not acceptable under our current political or moral beliefs and even discussing it is a waste of time.
The only acceptable solution, from a secularist point of view, is find another Saddam and put him in power. He would then kill thousands and stabilize the country, but this probably won’t happen instead we’ll hang on for a few more years, killing a lot more of our people, then pull out leaving Iran and Syria to fight over the carcass. This will of course destabilize the entire area, but then we’re well on our way to importing thousands of Muslims and we’re soon find enough fighting over here to keep us busy for quite some time.
Dhimmi’s can relax a little, but the poor secularist it’s either convert of loose their head. I’m betting all this anti-religion stuff will slip quietly from the public arena soon enough, what will the ACLU do? For those that are perverted little sex fends, whatever who cares what happens to you. Welcome to the new dark ages, will there be a new renaissance?
After a quick scan, I agree with traax (#36) – it tends to the secularists that can be dangerous.
JimR (#26) – you seem to have the point. Rich men don’t have to give up all their material possessions. The focus is on serving others. Teach a man to fish, etc.
The point of the quote that started this rabbit trail (it is easier to lead a camel through the eye of a needle than to get a rich man into heaven) is that often the wealthy are focused on themselves and retaining their own wealth. It is an inward focus that does damage, not an outward focus interested in the welfare of others.
We must remember when reading the Bible who Jesus the man was, and who he was speaking to! The Jewish people at the time love to illustrate messages and points with wild exaggerations and colorful speech (“..pluck the beam out of your eye before the splinter out of your brothers”). Their intent is to make a point, not to be taken literally. When we read the Bible with our own cultural filters, we can easily lose site of that.
To the original point of the article, I ask again what is wrong with using Jesus message in Iraq. I think it does bring true peace.
#37, …I ask again what is wrong with using Jesus message in Iraq. I think it does bring true peace.
Comment by Kerry — 12/23/2006 @ 4:31 am
It would be the same as inviting Richard Dawkins to preach at your church some Sunday. Actions speak so much louder then words.
When Iraqis are shot because they didn’t stop their car quick enough at a blind American check point, when they are rousted and hauled off to jail only on suspicion and held for months, when most everything done by the Christians has a gun pointed at them, it is too late to say ”Hey, we come in peace”.
#37, Kerry… ditto of what Mr. Fusion said. I’s already a religious mess in Iraq. Why throw oil on the fire. I’m outa here to enjoy holiday festivities with family and friends. Best wishes to all.
Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
——————————
CITIZENS, The UNITED STATES is a socialist country. This is the log.