Saturday, November 14, 2015

The impression

We have all heard the saying about making a good first impression.  I would have to say that at this point in history, and many other times as well, Islam is not making a good first, second or third impression.  Right now, accurate or not, when people hear "Islam", they think "terrorism". 
Much closer to home, we should be asking the question about ourselves.  If we have taken the name of Christ upon ourselves, what impression do people have of us and of Christ, through us?
It seems to me that both Scripture and church tradition teach that our one goal should be love.  Wouldn't it be absolutely wonderful if people, when they heard our name, thought "For all his faults, I know that guy really cares."

1 comment:

  1. Islam hasn't been making a good impression for the last thousand years, or since the hordes emerged from Medina, if memory serves. Nearly every terrorist attack being Islamic puts nail after nail in the coffin of the "It's just a small minority making the majority look bad" coffin, and the aggressive invasion of Europe and ensuing rape epidemic essentially nukes the "They don't represent true Islam" defense from orbit. Wild donkey of a man living in hostility towards his kinsmen, indeed. Pardon the rant, I'm just not cottoning to what appears to be their big move towards global takeover. Anyways, people also tend to paint Christians with a broad brush as ignorant complainers but I think when they get to know one personally, they (possibly begrudgingly) admit "Okay, he/she is pretty nice, actually, for a church-goer..." But it's uncomfortable because it pokes at cherished presuppositions. And of course, we have our disagreeable minority.
    But to draw a parallel between that and Islam doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you run the numbers and see that 1% making the 99% look bad doesn't equate well to 99% making the 1% look bad. And yet, our 99% may have no effect on those whose hearts are hardened anyways, partially because of their attempt at redefining love and our disinclination to accept it, but of course that's no reason not to persevere and represent. Who knows who may be silently observing (besides the Obvious)...

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