Fear

I have been considering the official denial that terrorism is linked to the Islamic religion.  There are four possibilities why our policy elites avoid linking Islam to terrorism: (1) they do not want to inflame the Muslims, (2) they don't want to stir up the public against Muslims, (3) their multicultural, political correctness has blinded them to the truth, (4) they want to help the Islamic cause.  There is a common thread of fear in all of these possible motivations that helps explains them.

It is obvious why our public officials would avoid linking terrorism to Islam because they fear Muslims.  Islamists are well known for their tradition of retribution.  Who wants to get their attention to risk some fatwa that would bring their jihad down on us?  So we need to tread lightly because we don't want to be a target of terrorism which has proven to be very effective against societies characterized by freedom.

Two different orders of fear explain why our ruling elite go to extraordinary lengths to avoid stirring up the public against Islam.  They fear what vigilantes could do which reveals what they think of the public, that we are just mind-numbed robots subject to manipulation by the media.  Well I guess this does apply to a huge segment of our society as proven by the media coverage and riots in Ferguson, Missouri.  The second order of fear from inciting the public against Islam is the reaction to this by the Muslims; if Islamists seek to kill us because of cartoons, how will they react to real persecution?

Political correctness is also motivated by fear.  The politically correct avoid saying things out of fear of offending some group.  In the case of Islam, offending them can make you a target of terrorism.  In our postmodern world, truth is relative to what our trusted authorities declare it to be.  A growing segment of our society just accepts the narrative of the media without question.  People not grounded in the ultimate Truth with a biblical worldview really have no choice but believe the media.   If you say a lie often enough, you begin to believe it.  Adolf Hitler promoted the "Big Lie" in his book "Mein Kampf" as an effective tactic of propaganda.

Then there is the idea that our public officials don't link Islam to terrorism because they secretly want to help the Islamic cause.  This may indeed explain the motivations of some ruling elite but why would they do that?  What possible benefit could come from helping the Islamists gain more power in the world?  This is so irrational that I can only conclude there must be spiritual forces at work inspiring this attitude.  Satan and his minions are able to influence the ruling elite who are not protected by the full armor of God (Ephesians 6).  The ungodly ruling elite fear offending their spiritual masters so they seek to please them by working to establish the totalitarian infrastructure the Antichrist will use to rule the world.  Islam will play a major role in the government of the Antichrist because it advocates totalitarian control over the public.

Fear is contagious. People are dealing with the fear by denying that the unprecedented trends leading to massive changes in the world are really happening.  Yet the feeling is undeniable and I see a general sense of foreboding even infecting those who name Jesus Christ as their Savior. No-doubt it is a strategy of the Evil One to cause the followers of Christ to be immobilized by fear. God's people have been silenced by the fear of offending people of the world. No one likes to be labeled as being racist, unscientific, homophobic, or hateful which are tactics being used to keep people inside the politically correct lines.

While we are entering "perilous times" per 2 Timothy 3:1, now is not a time to be fearful.  "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). Our faith in the truth of God will give us the courage we need to stand against the "wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). God is pleased when we speak out against evil and He will reward our efforts; "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). God uses our courage in the face of evil to help people see that our faith is genuine.  Even people who don't know Jesus as their Savior know the truth about Him in their heart of hearts.  Seeing us demonstrate our faith by courageously shining the light of truth on the world will attract some of them to Jesus because the truth resonates even in people who are aligned against it.

Certainly we make ourselves a target of persecution when we stand up for the truth.  Jesus said that would be the case for those following Him in John 15:20. But He also promised to be with us and use our suffering in this world to our ultimate benefit (Romans 8:28). "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Indications are that we are not far from when Jesus will come for His Bride and bring an end to the Church Age.  The window of opportunity for God's people to stand up for Christ before we leave this world is about to close. The fear around us should give us a sense of urgency to help others embrace the Truth before it is too late.  As Jesus said, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4).