Judgement Day (by Jackie Greene)

Raise your hand if you hate terrorism. Raise your hand if you hate the death and destruction from planes crashing into buildings, car bombs, and suicide bombers. Raise your hand if you hate terrorists. Raise your hand if you hate Muslims. Raise your hand if you love Jesus. Keep in mind, you can't justifiably raise your hand for all of these - you have to choose.

I've been getting so many emails lately with pictures and stories and videos of these radical Muslims who have cried out for the blood of our leaders, our soldiers, and even us. Included in these emails are blatant expressions of hatred toward all Muslims - and most, if not all, of these emails have been sent to me by Christians. This absolutely breaks my heart! I understand that Jesus was asking something extremely difficult from us when he told us to love and pray for our enemies, but could we at least TRY to do what he commanded of us?!

Let me do another survey:
Raise your hand if you know of a Christian who has ever lied. Raise your hand if you know of a Christian who has ever committed adultery. Raise your hand if you know of a Christian who has ever passed judgement upon someone else. Raise your hand if you know of a Christian who has ever hated anyone. Unless you're lying to yourself (in which case, if you're a follower of Christ, you'd fall in the first category), you should have raised your hand for each and every one of these. In fact, if we go back into history we can even raise our hands at knowing Christians who have mercilessly slaughtered people (namely Muslims - how ironic!) in the name of Christ during the Crusades (and even more recently than that). So does that mean that Muslims and everyone else should disrespect the Bible? Does that mean that Christianity is a violent and hateful religion? Does that meant that Jesus preached messages of murder and war? NO! It means that people are dumb and do stupid things even when they're taught to love and respect others.

I'm ranting, that's obvious - sorry. It's just that it breaks my heart to no end when I hear people who supposedly are followers of Jesus Christ who jump onto the hilltops to tell the world how much they hate Muslims, terrorists, homosexuals, global warming advocates, Democrats, Communists, or anyone else for that matter. My challenge to all you "Christians" out there is to pick up your Bible every once in a while and try actually reading and living it!

Matthew 5:43-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the terrorists/Muslims/homosexuals/global warming advocates/Democrats/Communists/etc* do the same? . . . Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

*words in italics changed for cultural relevance