66 Sermon Illustrations on Martyr

The church is expanding faster than ever in history, but it is not without a "horrible" cost, an expert on the persecuted church said at a seminar in Fort Worth, Texas.

"We are living in the greatest age of the expansion of the church ever," said Paul Marshall, senior fellow at the Center for Religious Freedom, Freedom House, Washington, D.C., and author of the 1997 book, "Their Blood Cries Out."

Citing the growth of the church in China from 1 million in 1980 to an estimated 50 million in 1999, Marshall said, "There is nothing in the Book of Acts that shows church growth on this scale. There's nothing I know of in the history of the church in any country at any time which has church growth at this scale." [Holwick: China's church growth is high, but this estimate is probably too generous; see http://www.amityfoundation.org/ANS/Special%20Reports/howtocount.htm]

The global growth of Christianity, he said, is not coming in Western Europe or the United States, but in places outside the West. "Africa will soon be the continent, if not already, with the greatest number of Christians," Marshall said. "Christians in the world are more likely to be Chinese or Nigerian or Sudanese than to be Westerners," he said, adding that about 80 percent of those in the church live outside the West. "If the church diminishes in the West, in terms of the kingdom of God, that would be a sad, but a small thing," Marshall said.

The cost of growth has been persecution of the church, Marshall said, which is a horrible, depressing thing that God nevertheless has used for good. "These are evil, unjust things that should be fought," he said. "But what is the other side? What is the good news of which this is the dark side? The good news is the spread of the gospel, the growth of the church, the power of the gospel in people's lives."

Marshall made his comments at a seminar on the persecuted church held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A panel discussion included Marshall; Al Meredith, pastor of Fort Worth's Wedgwood Baptist Church; Karen Bullock, Southwestern professor of church history; and Getaneh H. Getaneh, a street evangelist who was tortured for his faith in Ethiopa.

Marshall reported to the 150 people in attendance several incidents that have occurred since the middle of September:

-- The senior Roman Catholic bishop in China, who has spent 15 years in

prison and has been repeatedly tortured, has disappeared, last seen

with Chinese government security officials.

-- A prominent national leader in the unregistered Protestant house church

movement in China was executed Oct. 14, 1999, by firing squad, the

second leader of this movement to be executed in the past two months.

-- Chechnyan militants have kidnapped a young Baptist deacon and are

demanding that his church sell its building and use the money to pay

the ransom. The deacons' predecessors have been kidnapped and

beheaded.

-- In India, a 26-year-old Catholic nun was raped and mocked for her faith.

-- The Myanmar military government attacked 22 villages of a tribe who are

mostly Christians. Witnesses said the military beat and stabbed to

death many people.

-- A Coptic Orthodox priest in Egypt was shot. A Coptic bishop faces from

eight years in prison to the death penalty on charges resulting from

his reporting that 1,200 members of his diocese had been tortured in

August and September.

-- In Vietnam, Sept. 17, security police raided a house church, arresting

and interrogating an evangelist and two others.

-- In a largely Christian Sudanese province, 700 people die from starvation

each day. An estimated 50,000 mostly Christian children have been

sold into slavery for "the going rate" of $50.

"We are talking about things that are recent -- not 2,000 years ago, not 200 years ago, not even 20 years ago or last year," Marshall said, "In these particular cases, not even two months ago. This is the situation that we live in now. It's Nov. 2, 1999."

An estimated 200 million Christians are exposed to persecution in about 60 or 70 countries, he continued. And the persecution is worsening in countries like China, Vietnam and North Korea, the latter which Marshall said is "perhaps the worst situation for Christians in the world."

Marshall also listed Islamic countries where Muslims who become Christians face the death penalty, including Sudan, Mauritania, Iran and Iraq. In other countries, he said, the threat comes from family members who have been shamed by the conversion. "Often you are much more in danger from an uncle than you are from somebody else in many Islamic countries," he said.

It is illegal to be a Christian in Saudi Arabia, he continued, and in Pakistan, blasphemy laws have been used against Christians.

In some countries like India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Butan, "increasingly aggressive Hinduism and Buddhism" persecute Christians, Marshall said, adding that in some countries like Ethiopia and Mexico, "Christians" persecute other Christians.

The reasons for persecution are political and theological, Marshall said.

"In the modern age, when the church grows, democracy grows. When the church grows, human rights grow. This is simply an empirical fact," he said, citing a 1997 report by Freedom House. In that report, 79 of 86 democratic countries were "culturally Christian." The remaining seven included Israel, South Korea and Taiwan. "The Christian faith affects the way we live and it affects the way societies go, and that worries them," Marshall said.

He quoted two Chinese newspapers and Chinese police documents that write about the importance of squashing the churches because of what happened in the Soviet Union. "If China does not want these things repeated in its own land, we must strangle the baby while it is still in the manger," a Beijing newspaper said.

"Tyrants cannot have another king of any kind whatsoever," Marshall said. "Another king means another loyalty. You have a loyalty to something more than them. That's why they kill you. That's why the church is repressed. The fear is real, because [Christianity] will open up a society."

In a Far East Economic Review cover story on China titled, "God is Back," a Beijing government official is quoted as saying, "If God had the face of a 70-year-old man, we would not care if he were back. But he has the face of millions of 20-year-olds and, therefore, we are worried."

Marshall listed five ways that churches in America can be more involved in helping the persecuted church.

-- Be informed and pray constantly. Marshall said the Internet can keep

people informed of the world situation. He also noted, "No church

should ever meet for congregational worship without praying for the

persecuted church."

-- Make contacts within the persecuted church. "We can go there. ... We

can know them and they will change our lives," he said.

-- Publicize the plight of the persecuted church. He commended non-

Christians Michael Horowitz and Abe Rosenthal who have "done more

than any Christian" to draw attention to the problem.

-- Pressure the U.S. government to take action. Last fall with a 98-0

vote, the Senate passed the International Religious Freedom Act.

-- Include the entire church, not just the church in America, in our

definition of the body of Christ.

"When we use the term church, what's the image that comes to our mind?" Marshall asked. "The first response should be, 'I am a member of these people we've talked about in Vietnam, or Ethiopia, or Nigeria or in Romania.' God has made us one with one another, as one body; we share the same joys and the same sufferings."

*

Br Carl Lawrence of Haven of Rest relates an account of a stunning miracle, received from reliable sources in the nation of China. A 70-year-old Pastor, “John”, was a prominent house church leader. At great personal risk, he had taken on the task of receiving 10,000 Bibles for distribution.

The civil authorities were seeking to locate the Bibles, and were trying to track down the Bible distributors. John hid the Bibles, carefully burying them under a friend's barn, with the aim of circulating them later. The police arrested him, and special investigators from Beijing questioned him on the whereabouts of the Bibles. Pastor John refused to talk. During the interrogations and beatings he would close his eyes and pray. This small, frail man who was not afraid to die frustrated the interrogators.

John was taken into the prison courtyard, where he was made to stand upright on a tall wooden box. About 4 feet high and very narrow, the top of the box had just enough room for his feet. The police put a noose tightly around his neck, fixed to a wooden crossbeam just above him. His interrogators shouted at him, “We have given up on you. The moment you move, or your legs collapse, you will hang yourself. This is the penalty for your stubbornness.” You see, they were afraid to kill him. If they let him kill himself, they would call it suicide.

Two policemen were assigned to watch Pastor John's last moments. The interrogators also watched through a hidden window. The policemen hardly looked up at Pastor John, they gambled. John said: “As they gambled at my feet, I felt a great surge of power in my body. I felt like Jesus Christ on the cross. He, too, must have looked down and felt the same power when He saw the soldiers casting lots for His clothes, utterly indifferent to His agonies.” And there were agonies. Pastor John's body cried out for sleep. His legs began to swell, and the day passed into night. Night into another day, and Pastor John remained still. He didn't move. He started talking to the policemen. He told them about Jesus. He told them that he was not afraid of death because of Jesus. They laughed at him.

Pastor John's legs developed cramps. All feeling was gone. Four days and four nights. Five days and six. Seven days and nights. His only relief was the rain. He stuck his tongue out to gain a few drops of moisture. It almost seemed to wash his filthy body. Eight days, nine days. The word was getting around the prison. An almost holy hush gathered over the compound. “No man can survive that long”, they would say. “No food, no water, no rest; this is impossible.”

Ten days, eleven days, twelve days. Thirteen days had passed, thirteen long nights. Pastor John still stood on the narrow box, the noose tight around his neck. But he would not let go. His legs were swollen almost beyond recognition. The policemen continued to mock him, but everyone in the prison seemed to be holding their breath.

A huge thunderstorm hit the prison. The sky went black, the rain pelted down. Pastor John's resistance finally ended. As a crack of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder shook the prison, he knew it was all over. Through his delirium, he vaguely heard the thunder and fell forward into the arms of Jesus, as the noose tightened around his neck.

In a few moments he awakened. He was soaking wet, lying in a small room, not in the arms of Jesus, but in the arms of two policemen. One was splashing water on his face; the other was massaging his legs. All Pastor John could do was to cry in pain as the policemen cried as well. “Please, “ they shouted, “don't die. Please don't die.” “Why?” he answered, “Why can't I die?” They said, “Because we want to know your Saviour Jesus. You see. He saved you. A flash of lightning cut the rope above your head just as you fell. Don't tell us that Jesus didn't save you.”

Pastor John was released. There was no more interrogation. The guards did accept the Jesus who sent the lightning. The Bibles were later quietly dug up and distributed, and became a source of comfort to many Chinese people. Br Lawrence observes that in China there are no special ministers traveling about performing miracles. Miracles happen when God wants them to, in a way that only God can do them. And they are only a part of what is accepted as normal to a man like Pastor John.

(Condensed from “Report of the Church in China”, June 92)

*

Sami Dagher is one of the main characters in a story I never grow tired of hearing. Ravi Zacharias tells of a time when he was traveling through a tense and volatile land in a van that “moved more by prayer than mechanical ability.” Through a territory often hostile to Christianity, Dagher drove cheerfully, his van's bumper bearing a sticker that read: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” As they continued along the dusty, winding roads, they approached an intimidating group of soldiers who immediately motioned them to stop. Through the van's lowered windows, a soldier rested the barrel of his gun. Looking at the driver with steeled eyes, the soldier asked blankly, “Are you carrying explosives?” To Ravi's utter horror, Dagher replied, “Yes, this van is full of explosives.” Rummaging under a canvas, as the soldier stared intently, Sami pulled out a New Testament. Placing it in his hands, he said, “This is the dynamite. It’s not the kind that will hurt.”

Reverend Sami Dagher is a man who thoroughly lives the apostle Paul's directive, “Never be lacking in zeal.” Ravi describes him as a man who pours more enthusiasm into his “good morning” than most people do in an entire conversation. He is the picture of zealousness. He is also a man who lives out Paul's instruction in its entirety: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:9-14).

Dagher is the leader of the Christian and Missionary Alliance churches in Lebanon, founder of a growing church in Iraq, and the director of a humanitarian center that provides aid and medical care to Lebanese and Palestinian refugees. It is the same clinic that was in the news in recent years after one of its volunteer nurses was shot in the head by a militant after she answered a knock at the door. Threats have not been uncommon to those who serve Christ beside Reverend Dagher; Christian persecution is a reality they are always aware of. Yet, after this murder, many insisted the danger was too much for their doors to remain open. To those who made the suggestion, Dagher simply replied, “We provide medical and educational services to a large number of people in addition to a range of spiritual services. Let them come to us and say what mistake we have made. We do not force anyone to come here. As for me, this is my city and I am ready to wash their feet.”

The church in Iraq has also been the target of violent threats and vandalism. It began as a small underground gathering with five families holding Bible studies and prayer meetings in different homes. Yet despite persecution, the church has grown dramatically in recent months, and they now meet in a large two-story building, topped by a lit cross. A sign on the building boldly proclaims, “Jesus is the light of the world.” Despite daunting shadows or darkened days, with all that is in him, Sami Dagher believes in this hope. The light of Christ is real. The story must be told. “If they want to kill us all,” he proclaims, “we are ready to die. But we are not going to close either the clinic or the church.”

C.S. Lewis once said that miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story that is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see. The faith of men and women in areas that require sacrifice and suffering, who live among those who attempt to destroy zeal and hope, is a miracle that shouts of the story I take for granted: Christ died; Christ rose; Christ is coming again. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of me. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12). Might our lives reflect the same story that Christ has written across history. For some stories cry out for repeating.

________

Copyright © 2005 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

*

For the next 10 months, presidential candidates will be telling us how they plan to make the world a safer place for Americans. Now, that’s good, of course, but there are other people whose safety American Christians ought to be concerned about: that is, Christians suffering for their faith around the world.

Sadly, as you know, there are many examples of this suffering. A recent story in Al Jazeera’s English-language service described how Islamic radicals are “testing” Indonesia’s reputation for “for tolerance and moderation.”

Moderation? I wonder what the Christians of East Timor, an estimated 200,000 of whom died during Indonesia’s 25-year occupation, would say about that reputation. Needless to say, this example of Indonesian “moderation” goes unmentioned in the Al Jazeera article.

Instead, we are told about a Muslim group called the “Anti-Apostasy Alliance.” This group targets churches and Christians throughout the island of Java, Indonesia’s most-populous island.

As its name suggests, the greatest object of the Alliance’s ire are converts to Christianity. A spokesman told Al Jazeera that “Conversions to Christianity in Indonesia . . . have become increasingly serious.” He then added that “in my judgment I think it is a bigger evil than terrorism.”

Given the well-documented willingness of Islamic radicals to use violence to further their ends, calling anything a “bigger evil than terrorism” is no idle threat. It is the verbal equivalent of painting a “bull’s-eye” on the back of every Javanese Christian.

While Islam is the religion typically associated with the persecution of Christians, it does not have a monopoly on the practice.

In the week following Christmas, Hindu extremists burned 14 churches and killed one Christian in the Indian state of Orissa. The attacks are part of a larger campaign of violence prompted by Hindu fears over — that’s right — people converting to Christianity.

As I have told you all before, many of the converts come from India’s lowest castes, particularly the Dalits. Rather than allowing these poorest of the poor the consolation that Christianity offers, Hindu nationalists attack them, their churches, and target their clergy.

Worst of all, they often do so with the complicity of government officials: Orissa is governed by an ally of the Hindu nationalist BJP party. An archbishop told local television that the “government has allowed [the attackers] to continue.”

You probably will not hear this issue brought up at a presidential debate. That is why American Christians have to make the mistreatment of their brethren an issue in this year’s elections.

This is especially true given our privileged position: We are citizens of the most powerful nation on earth, a nation for whom freedom of religion is, arguably, the first freedom.

We also have experience at bringing the suffering of people in faraway places to the attention of our fellow Americans, whether it has been the plight of North Koreans, the Sudanese, or the global AIDS crisis.

God has put us in this privileged position so that we will speak out for those around the world who are being persecuted. So, pressure the candidates whom you encounter. They want to know what you think? Tell them.

________

Copyright (c) 2008 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

Sami Dagher is one of the main characters in a story I never grow tired of hearing. Ravi Zacharias tells of a time when he was traveling through a tense and volatile land in a van that “moved more by prayer than mechanical ability.” Through a territory often hostile to Christianity, Dagher drove cheerfully, his van's bumper bearing a sticker that read: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” As they continued along the dusty, winding roads, they approached an intimidating group of soldiers who immediately motioned them to stop. Through the van's lowered windows, a soldier rested the barrel of his gun. Looking at the driver with steeled eyes, the soldier asked blankly, “Are you carrying explosives?” To Ravi's utter horror, Dagher replied, “Yes, this van is full of explosives.” Rummaging under a canvas, as the soldier stared intently, Sami pulled out a New Testament. Placing it in his hands, he said, “This is the dynamite. It’s not the kind that will hurt.”

Reverend Sami Dagher is a man who thoroughly lives the apostle Paul's directive, “Never be lacking in zeal.” Ravi describes him as a man who pours more enthusiasm into his “good morning” than most people do in an entire conversation. He is the picture of zealousness. He is also a man who lives out Paul's instruction in its entirety: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:9-14).

Dagher is the leader of the Christian and Missionary Alliance churches in Lebanon, founder of a growing church in Iraq, and the director of a humanitarian center that provides aid and medical care to Lebanese and Palestinian refugees. It is the same clinic that was in the news in recent years after one of its volunteer nurses was shot in the head by a militant after she answered a knock at the door. Threats have not been uncommon to those who serve Christ beside Reverend Dagher; Christian persecution is a reality they are always aware of. Yet, after this murder, many insisted the danger was too much for their doors to remain open. To those who made the suggestion, Dagher simply replied, “We provide medical and educational services to a large number of people in addition to a range of spiritual services. Let them come to us and say what mistake we have made. We do not force anyone to come here. As for me, this is my city and I am ready to wash their feet.”

The church in Iraq has also been the target of violent threats and vandalism. It began as a small underground gathering with five families holding Bible studies and prayer meetings in different homes. Yet despite persecution, the church has grown dramatically in recent months, and they now meet in a large two-story building, topped by a lit cross. A sign on the building boldly proclaims, “Jesus is the light of the world.” Despite daunting shadows or darkened days, with all that is in him, Sami Dagher believes in this hope. The light of Christ is real. The story must be told. “If they want to kill us all,” he proclaims, “we are ready to die. But we are not going to close either the clinic or the church.”

C.S. Lewis once said that miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story that is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see. The faith of men and women in areas that require sacrifice and suffering, who live among those who attempt to destroy zeal and hope, is a miracle that shouts of the story I take for granted: Christ died; Christ rose; Christ is coming again. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of me. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12). Might our lives reflect the same story that Christ has written across history. For some stories cry out for repeating.

________

Copyright © 2005 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

*

In November 1964, anarchy broke out in the Belgian Congo. Assemblies of God missionary J. W. Tucker knew he was at risk, but obediently stayed where God had placed him. One day, a mob attacked Tucker with sticks, clubs, fists, and broken bottles, killing him. Then they took his body and tossed it to the crocodiles in the Bomokande River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tucker had obeyed but it seemed a waste. Thirty years later, John Weidman, a close friend of Tucker’s, was in the country (by then known as Zaire) and learned how God used that missionary’s sacrifice. The Bomokande River flows through the middle of the Mangbeto tribe, a people virtually without the gospel. During a time of civil war, the Mangbeto king became distressed with the violence and appealed to the central government in Kinshasa for help. The central government responded by sending a man called the Brigadier, a well-known policeman of strong stature and reputation who came from the region of Isiro. By the way, Tucker had won the Brigadier to the Lord just two months before he was killed. The Brigadier determined to reach the Mangbetos with the gospel realizing it was the only way to peace. Being a relatively new Christian, he did his best to witness, but he was met with no response. Then one day he heard of a Mangbeto tradition that said: “If the blood of any man flows in the Bomokande River, you must listen to his message.”

This saying had been with the Mangbetos from time immemorial. The Brigadier called for the king and all the village elders. They gathered in full assembly to hear his address. He said, “Some time ago a man was killed, and his body was thrown into your Bomokande River. The crocodiles in this river ate him up. His blood flowed in your river. But before he died, he left me a message. This message concerns God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to this world to save people who were sinners. Jesus died for the sins of the world; He died for my sins and your sins. I received this message, and it changed my life.”

As the Brigadier preached, the Spirit of God descended and people began to fall on their knees and cry out to the Lord. Many were converted. Since that day, thousands of Mangbetos have come to Christ and dozens of churches have opened. All this stemmed from the obedience of the man whose blood flowed in the Bomokande River. A man who did what God told him to. God is sovereign, whether we obey like J.W. Tucker or don't obey like Balaam. As Proverbs 21:30 says, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” How is God speaking to you today? Obey.

Patrick Hamilton studied under Martin Luther in Wittenberg. He literally ignited the Reformation in Scotland. As he burned at the stake in 1527, he said, "As to my confession, I will not deny it for awe of your fire, for my confession and belief is in Jesus Christ... I will rather be content that my body burn in this fire for confession of my faith in Christ than have my soul burn in the fire of hell for denying the same."

____________________

Original illustration began with the accout of Polycarp, which can be found at HolwickID #1549

The Arabic word for God is Allah, and missionaries wrestle with what to say in evangelism. For instance, should they track with the classic Campus Crusade opening, “Allah loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”?

It seems odd, since a lot of baggage goes with that word, including its frequent use by terrorists, who shout “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is great) as they kill innocents. So some translators prefer to use the Arabic expression for “the Lord” -- Al-Rabb.

Of course, the same name can be used for two different persons, as when we find a batch of John Smiths in the phone book. Similarly, the “Allah” whose nature and works are revealed in the Bible is distinguishable from the Allah of the Quran. There are many ways to demonstrate this, but let’s take the case of God’s agape love -- as in “God is love” (1 John 4:8b).

This is not simply the acquisitive desire of eros; the friendship love of phileo; or the instinctual mothering, familial love of storge. It is the self-sacrificial love of a Father who gives up His “only begotten Son” to murderous torturers in order that a host of unsavory characters might be spared destruction.

Muslims speak of the “99 names of God,” which include references to his kindness -- expressed, for instance, as “exceeding beneficence” (Ar-Rahman), “exceeding mercy” (Ar-Rahim) and “generosity” (Al-Karim).

But these are the virtues of a potentate who has plenty of resources to spare injury to himself. In contrast, the God of the Bible exhibits a costly love not just in terms of how big a splash His generosity makes on the recipients but also in terms of the pain it causes Him in the giving.

Consider Romans 5:8, which teaches that, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ [God’s Son; God incarnate] died for us.”

While the Quran’s Allah shares the Christian God’s capacity to “avenge” (Al-Muntaqim) and “afflict” (Ad-Darr), he does not provide a self-sacrificial way of escape. The Muslim Jesus (Issa) is only a prophet, and his suffering no more injures God than, say, the death of John the Baptist.

Not surprisingly, this plays out in contrasting Christian and Muslim ethics. Consider the Christian, Paul, who wrote, regarding his fellow Jews, who were missing salvation, “ ... I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:3).

Notice that Paul was not saying he was willing to martyr himself for entry to paradise, but rather to forego paradise if necessary.

Yes, Arab peoples are known for their hospitality to the stranger who comes to their home. These people, many of whom are Muslims, will share their food and drink even when these provisions are in short supply.

They may have to miss a meal of lamb because of their generosity. But this is a far cry from the generosity-unto-personal-ruin of which Paul speaks.

In this same vein, Christian saints and Muslim saints are of a different stamp. Muslims are inclined to venerate the warrior Mahdi, buried in Omdurman, Sudan, or the pious Sufi mystic Ali Hujwiri.

Christians, on the other hand, more readily turn to a Gianna Beretta Molla, who refused both cancer treatment and an abortion so that her child rather than she might live.

Or the missionary Jim Elliot in the book “Through Gates of Splendor,” who fired his pistol in the air to scare away his native attackers in Ecuador. His refusal to turn the pistol on these “infidels” meant the loss of his own life, since they weren’t ready to face God on high.

When your god is not willing or able to suffer real loss to help his enemies, it is not surprising when his disciples follow suit. What a difference it makes to worship the God whose personal sacrifice was horrendous, the God who set the template for self-forgetful love in service to sinners, even those who would do believers harm.