An interesting situation arose for a couple of Fox News employees kidnapped by the religion of peace recently. They were held for a time to allegedly enact an exchange of Mohammedan prisoners for the two media employees. When it became apparent that was not going to happen, the kidnappers faced the pressure of their fellow Mohammedans employed by Mohammedan media outlets.
The kidnappers had a dilemma: how to ditch the abductees and look like weak morons to their fellow death-cult Mohammedans? The Islamofascist so-called Holy Jihad Brigades offered the Fox News abductees three choices:
[C]onversion to Islam, paying the jizya (non-Muslim tax paid to their Muslim masters) or war [death].(Ross Rants and Raves) The Fox News employees chose the option that preserve their lives.
My first reaction was good choice. I suspected (I really don't know) that they were not particularly religious Christians. Since Americans have freedom of choice and religion, a mere recanting of their conversion to Islam would be a simple enough task.
Then I came across this blog Ross Rants and Raves. Scott Ross asks, "What would you do?"
This got me to thinking. I am a strong believing Christian but not necessarily a highly disciplined Christian. I have issues I need to pray through because I mess up once in awhile. (Yes and I know some of you Christians do as well but are afraid to say so.) After some thought, this became an issue of publicly denying Christ to save my life. Ouch! Suddenly I thought, "Is that the right way to go?"
After all that is how much of the Middle East and North Africa became Mohammedan. These were Christian lands for the most part in which people had to make a life and death choice. Obviously many chose life, for the area is overwhelming Mohammedan since their particular days of conquest. A few managed to participate in second class apartheid by paying the jizya (tax) of dhimmitude (thus giving up rights of humanity and giving up the right to practice their faith in public without being executed).
What would I do? What would you do?
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2 comments:
I like to think that nothing could cause me to publicly deny Christ. He suffered immensely on the cross for my sin and forgives me immediately when I come to Him sincerely in repentance. How could I deny Him? Or what? Death means heaven for me. I believe He would give me grace to stand firm. Too many martyrs have died for their faith in horrible ways not to believe that God gives dying grace and martydom grace as well...
Everyone who claims to be a Christian is not. That's another topic. Are You Really a Christian
You provide some pretty good Scriptures on your link Are You Really a Christian. There are also Scriptures that the Father looks at the "heart" of a man. Also Scriptures the confession of the Lordship of Christ and belief that he is Risen and you shall be Saved (Romans 10). The 1 John 1:9 confession brings forgiveness of sin.
Since all Scripture is valid and true there must be a middle ground that binds together into an answer.
I think martyrdom arises when there are no other options. Did the Fox News guys have other options? Where they even professing Christians or secular minded Americans? Can one be compelled to profess something under duress and recant when the duress is absent, i.e. knowing that the duress will be absent?
My thought is if the choice of apostasizing Christ under duress and living a life willing that denies Christ is an actual denial. Further my thought is if a conversion under duress occurs and a rescue to a Land in which freedom reigns allows a recantation of a forced conversion is not a denial of Christ.
I am not dogmatic in those thoughts, for I am truly uncertain if it is correct.
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