Further, the terrorist leader seems to also label Jews and Christians as infidels: “We must be loyal to the believers and those who believe that there is no God but Allah. We should also renounce the atheists and infidels. … God says: ‘Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion.’ It is a question of faith, not a war against terrorism, as Bush and Blair try to depict it.”
So as much as our leaders try to stress that this is a generic “war on terror” or a challenge against “man-caused disasters,” the Islamists trying to kill us see the conflict as religious in nature. It’s not a question of us turning it into a religious war. They have already announced a religious war—a new crusade—on all of us, whether we have agreed to their terms or not. And they particularly have placed Christians and Jews in their crosshairs.
What does that mean for the West? First, it means that many Americans who are not very religious have unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of a religious war. Whether we believe in God, or karma, or human reason alone, we are all at risk. After all, a bomb does not distinguish between Christian, Jew, atheist, or Muslim before it maims or kills. The bin Ladens of this world see us all as crusaders or infidels—in other words, as legitimate targets. It matters not whether our faith is vibrant, lukewarm, or nonexistent.
Second, it means that Christians, Jews, and indeed all peace-loving people must unite against a common foe, much as we did against the Third Reich. Our survival may depend on it.
What special message does this new crusade send to those of us who take our stand on Jesus Christ as the foundation of our lives? Since we are now official targets of the Muslim terrorists, doesn’t it make sense to live what we say we believe? It is senseless to die for the name of Christ if you’re not willing to live for him...
Read the whole of Stan Guthrie's essay for BreakPoint right here.)
