Faith's Shadow Side

I read a long article in the Atlantic recently, about what ISIS really is about. If you're interested, here's the link: http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

It took awhile to read, and probably I will read it again because, as a Christian, it's important for me to struggle at understanding this. The writer makes a good case for saying that ISIS is in fact rooted in Islam, and its motives are not just political but quite religious. This organization does not represent most practicing Muslims, but its philosophy--and yes, there is a philosophy here--relies on a certain interpretation of certain passages of the Quran.

Does this sound familiar, Christians? Members of ISIS believe that the time has come for the world to return to a state in which the caliph rules, and this rule includes vanquishing the enemies of the Prophet. This rule would take the world back to an earlier time and a system of law as it was in the days of Muhammad.

Again, I ask, does this sound familiar? How often do I hear certain Christians who speak as if what they really want is for the whole world to revert to Old Testament law? In their loyalty to, say, the demands found in the book of Leviticus, they support capital punishment and oppress homosexuals. They try to keep women in their proper place. For some reason, they don't try to go out and buy slaves. And, unlike ISIS followers who are trying to fulfill a very similar kind of system, they don't seem to condone cutting off the hands of thieves. Selective reading, I guess.

It gets even scarier. Christians who are rooting for a "back to the O. T. basics" sort of faith are generally the same people who pledge their support to Israel regardless of how its government behaves. They are waiting for a literal fulfillment of history as found in the book of Revelation. In fact, they long for the Apocalypse because it will bring Jesus back in triumphant glory. It's quite interesting when we try to shape the world--and foreign policy--to fulfill to the letter not only ancient law but also a highly symbolic mystical vision.

ISIS longs for the Apocalypse because it will bring back the rule of the Prophet once for all. In fact, Jesus will help the prophet in this final, horrible cleansing and reaping of the world.

This is a shadow side of religion, and it's dangerous no matter whose religion we're talking about. When believers focus on a few sacred texts and ignore the rest, when they refuse to listen to the counsel of those who disagree with their interpretation, when they decide that God is on their side and only their side, and when they believe that the real answer is to kill off all their opponents--well, what should we expect?

We Christians should read our Bibles thoroughly on a regular basis. We should know what passages we are choosing to follow--and acknowledge the ones we conveniently ignore. We need to wrestle with the difficult words until we understand how they express the heart of our faith. Ignorance and denial will not help us. And digging in our heels will only make things worse.

As a follower of Jesus, I understand that he said some very weird things, and he made some statements I may never understand. But the heart of his message is that we are to love God and our neighbor. Everything else must be measured against that standard. Otherwise, I might swerve off into some shadowy place in which my faith warps into something else and I end up hurting others. When belief is not tempered by love, anything can happen.