Remember Mike Warneke?  In the 70's and 80's he taught the church and the world all about the rituals and darkness of satanism, based on his own years as a satanist priest.  The only problem was, he never dabbled in the occult beyond playing with a Ouija board as a kid.  Cornerstone magazine did an amazing piece of investigative journalism to expose Warneke for the charlatan he is (Look him up here: http://www.answers.org/satan/warnke.html )While I am no fan of the Satanic Bible or satanism in general, it is not a secret underground of child sacrifice and devil worship, as Warneke protrayed it.  In fact, Satanism doesn't even believe in satan or anything spiritual.  It's a hard core atheist philosophy based on hedonism and total self gratification.  They consider satan a symbol of hedonism, but not an actual being.  When Warneke's hysteria was exposed, I never thought about Evangelical pop culture the same.


Fast forward to 2011.  Today the AP ran a story entitled: Detroit prayer event puts Muslim community on edge (See article here:  http://news.yahoo.com/detroit-prayer-event-puts-muslim-community-edge-080208099.html. )  According to the article, "A demonic spirit has taken hold of specific areas (in the US), Detroit among them, organizers of the prayer event say."  The ministry, known as the Call, says,"Detroit is a "microcosm of our national crisis in all areas, including the rising tide of the Islamic movement."  Like Warneke's misinformation on satanism, the Call and other extremist groups are painting an inaccurate picture of Islam, and we, like sheep, accept it without question.  Yes, terrorism is real, no question.  But let's remember that the worst act of terror in our country before 9/11 was committed by a blond haired 'Christian' named Timothy McVeigh.  Terrorism is not unique to Islam.

While groups like the Call want to make Osama the face of Islam, my family and I know a different face:  Dina, a two year old girl, who stole Rose's heart at the Revere Beach this summer.  Dina and her mom and sister were there each day that we performed, and when an unexpected thunder, lightning and hail storm hit the beach, Dina clung to Rose as they huddled in the pavilion together.  I don't want to teach Rose to pray 'for (or worse, against)  the Muslims'.  I want her to learn to pray for Dina.  And the immigrants we meet at the Portland and Lewiston Root Cellars.  And their parents, who let their kids go to the Root Cellar after school program when others in their religious community would oppose them doing so. 

In no uncertain terms, I want to once again be clear that I am an evangelical Christian.  In other words, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus, and that historical fact sets Him apart as the one true Messiah and Savior.  I believe it's important to bring that message to the world.  But I also believe, in so doing, we need to do it in the way Jesus taught us.  "Bless those who persecute you.  Bless them, do  not curse them."  "Blessed are the peace makers."  "Love your enemy."  "When you've welcomed the stranger, you've welcomed Me."  Let's stop allowing the Call, or FOX News, or Pat Robertson tell Christians how to respond to the growth of Islam in our country, and listen to what the Jesus we claim to follow has to say.

   

Rose and Dina at Revere Beach.  Look at those eyes; She never took them off of Rose!