Bishop Kukah in Nigeria is facing threats from violent Islamists. You know, the Boko Haram crowd. One of the reasons the Islamists hate the Catholics over there is education. The Christians are trying to teach the children and that's not halal to some.
The education gap in Nigeria is wide; Christians have high literacy rates and Muslims very low. Overall the country is actually about 50-50 in terms of the Christian-Muslim religious breakdown (Islam is concentrated in the north), but Christians tend to hold many more top governmental positions precisely because they’re better educated.That's all well and good, but if it doesn't result in at least some conversions and a general change of heart, he's going to end up right back where he started. It's fine to give away free samples, but you need to ask the obligating question. He might be a bit better off with some good will from the local Muslims, but that's not been a reliable method of preventing attacks and possibly genocide.
So Bishop Kukah’s goal is to build a boarding school that is open to all young people regardless of religion. The live-in arrangements are essential, not least for security reasons, but also to ensure kids get decent nutrition, a proper amount of sleep, and the experience, Catholics and Muslims together, of amity.
See also: Christians, Iraqi.
Conversions when Islamic apostasy is punished by death are going to be pretty tough, I guess I'd feel a bit better about this if the West would admit what we're up against and accompany this with some serious military action. Turning the other cheek and forgiving people who attack you is quite supportable. Suicide isn't.
Depends on if the goal is to be safe, or to subtly convert.
ReplyDeleteThe latter is probably more on target, and very, very dangerous for everyone involved. (not as dangerous, long term, as any other option-- but I'm looking short and in this world)
Part of what makes Christians so hated is that mere exposure *is* usually enough to get converts.
"... Turning the other cheek and forgiving people who attack you is quite supportable. Suicide isn't."
ReplyDeleteAh, but under "liberalism" that's not what our rulers are doing, whether we're talking about domestic crime or about terrorism and/or war. Rather, what our rulers do is to "forgive" the transgressor for his transgression against *other* people.
It's of a piece with the propensity of "liberals" to engage is "charity" with *other" people's money.
Foxie, I'm fine with subtle sales techniques. What I don't see is that obligating question even being considered in the first place. It's as if doing nice things for people is enough. It's not. I've known plenty of pretty nasty people who would appreciate your kindness and then go off and do evil things and never put 2 and 2 together to change.
ReplyDeleteIlion, it's easy to be generous to criminals and terrorists when you live in a gated community.
If you're right, that's down right scary. They're taking a route that is stupidly obviously going to put people into deadly danger, and they're not even going to be standing beside them when they take the risk?
ReplyDelete"... it's easy to be generous to criminals and terrorists when you live in a gated community."
ReplyDeleteYes, it's easy to be "charitable" with other people's money.
And, it's easy to be "forgiving" for other people injuries/injustices.
Or, to put it more generally, it's easy to be "sacrificial" with *other* people's lives.