I’d like to address BuffyBot’s comments this morning.
I can understand her frustration with many of the comments. Dwelling on who among us has suffered more harm at the hands of our fellow man fails to allow us to look for solutions. I agree that every injustice must be met with empathy and should not be forgotten – or denied – in order that it might never be repeated.
But while we will remember the injustice, we cannot afford to allow our hearts to be consumed with the anger and rage it initially inspired. We must get beyond it in order to begin to live again. And it is forgiveness of our “enemy” – our fellow man who has wronged us – that leads us into the light again. This is the victory of the Cross.
Without so doing, we’re forever consigned to the hell those emotions produce. And there is nothing this world can offer us to ease that pain. Our hearts need to be changed.
This is precisely what the Reverend was doing in his rantings with his parishoners – stoking the flames of hell. He was failing to lead his flock out of the grip of death and “guide them back to Christ” -and ultimately, to life. This was the solution offered in Mr. Chetwynd’s letter; a solution sadly missed by many readers.
And missed by Mr. Obama himself. Rather than guide his pastor and the flock to Christ where healing begins, he looks to the world for the answer – offering a solution that is only temporary at best.
For those of us who have demanded Muslims take a stand against those who would subvert their faith, are we Christians who remain silent as our faith is defiled any less guilty?
I encourage all Christians who know the salvation of the Lord to “guide back to Christ” those of us who’ve lost our way.
