A Thought For The Week Of June 13, 2016

"Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs." (Proverbs 10:12, NIV) The Bible speaks a lot more about love than it does about hate - probably with good reason. I'm writing this the day after the horrible act of hate that took place in Orlando, Florida. The current reports say that 49 people died and more than that were wounded. It's being called either the deadliest mass shooting in American history, or the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States since 9/11. Either way, the shooting was an act of hate - motivated by hatred of the west combined with hatred of the LGBTQ community. And there was certainly some religious motive. The attacker has claimed allegiance to ISIS, and so Islamic extremism played a role in this. Religious extremism is always a problem, and has always been a problem. As Christians, we should remember that the crucifixion of Jesus was motivated at least in part by the religious extremism of the religious leaders of his community who opposed his teachings, and we need to remember that there are also Christian extremists, who have done everything from murder doctors who perform abortions to destroying entire cultures to imposing their agenda on some third world countries which have made homosexuality a crime punishable by death. There's Jewish extremism; there's Sikh extremism; there's Hindu extremism; there's even Buddhist extremism. Extremism arises when we become so convinced of our rightness, our righteousness and our superiority that we feel the right to impose our beliefs on others, and to punish them if they don't accept what we accept. It's no surprise, then, that an extremist group like ISIS targets other Muslims as much as anyone else, because so many Muslims don't agree with their extremist agenda. As I read through the news, I've already seen the inevitable suggestion that "religion" should be banned, because it only leads to hatred. Which isn't true, of course. The vast, vast majority of people of faith (any faith) that I know are loving and peaceful people. But we shouldn't deny that in general terms "religion" does seem by its very nature to breed extremism. But is the answer to give up on our faith? Of course it isn't. "Religion" isn't going to go away. The problem of religious extremism of any kind isn't going to be countered by getting rid of religion, simply because that won't happen. I am a person of Christian faith because I believe in Jesus Christ as the incarnation of God. Neither examples of deranged people killing and hating in the name of Christ or any other religion, nor the arguments that religion is bad because of that, will change that fundamental conviction in my mind. Nor will it change the views of devout Muslims or Hindus or Jews or anyone else. The only real solution is for people of faith - all faiths - to start living by the principles of love that are at the centre of all faiths. We may not agree with each other. We may strongly disagree on many things. But people of all faiths have a common core of love behind their beliefs. In spite of the words of Proverbs 10:12, this love may not cover all wrongs. The hurt and pain inflicted on members of the LGBTQ community by the events in Orlando and by so many others who have been targeted by religious extremists will take a long time to heal, and expressions and acts of love may not be enough. But they are a start. People of faith need to begin living by love rather than talking about love. If the vast, vast majority of people of faith who reject extremism would go that one extra step to actually living in and by love, and be emboldened by that love to openly counter extremism and hatred wherever it appears - that would make a huge difference to the world. Deepest condolences to the victims of Orlando and their families, and to victims of religious violence wherever it rears its ugly head.