Oh, yeah. This will work. They’re already fighting us for trying to steal their oil, impose our democracy, etc. Imposing a religion on them (which is what the Islamic militants want to do to us) is clearly the right approach.
Robin Hayes says we will win in Iraq by “spreading the message of Jesus Christ” there.
[North Carolina:] Robin Hayes has the solution to the Iraq war: have our soldiers convert all Muslims to Christianity.
Having won the election by only a hair’s width and almost getting himself kicked out of Congress seems to have had some profound psychological effects on poor Mr. Hayes. A speech that flip-floppin’ Robin gave last week at the Concord Rotary Club seems to prove he has finally gone off the deep end.
Our local weekly newspaper the “Concord Standard and Mount Pleasant Times” reported on Mr. Hayes speech in his hometown:
First there’s the usual talk of how we’re “winning” over there: “The war in Iraq has got to be won; it’s being won” (A couple of months ago Hayes said that the rise in violence in Iraq was an indication that we’re winning.)
Then comes the real kicker: “Stability in Iraq ultimately depends on spreading the message of Jesus Christ, the message of peace on earth, good will towards men. Everything depends on everyone learning about the birth of the Savior.”
So if we just turn our soldiers into missionaries everything will be okay, Mr. Hayes? First we sent our men over there to take out the WMD’s, then it was to “spread democracy”, now you want them there to “spread the message of Jesus Christ”?
It so happens that people in Iraq already have a savior but unfortunately for Mr. Hayes it’s Muhammed, not Jesus.
If we can’t keep Muslims from killing each other over there, I don’t think that trying to make them all Christian is going to be any easier.
With this kind of talk Hayes just plays into the hands of Al-Qaeda by confirming what their leaders have always been saying: those American soldiers are just modern Crusaders. He is thereby strengthening the beliefs of terrorists that want to kill every American soldier they come across.
Jesus saves, Mr. Fusion withdraws.
It’s much easier for people to forward an idea without having to suffer the consequences if it was a dumb and dangerous one.
Too many ignorant religious fanatics never spent more than 1 year overseas dealing with other cultures and religion. Spending time with others.
Less than 10% of US citizens have ever travelled overseas.
How in the world would they know what works overseas?
Never had to worried about the smart ones, just scared sick of those with half-baked intelligence and overpowering stench of self-rightious.
People are simply nuts.
Word up, Travel Guide.
Wait a minute – STEAL THEIR OIL??? Yeah I wish! Once again the posters miss the real issue here. Never mind the religious stuff, no experts on the subject here, or ever were. Who ever claimed we were stealing oil!??! Yeah, if gas prices had dropped by a bug a gallon a year or so after invasion, I would have bought the argument. Obviously this never happened. If I thought we had a prayer (heh) of sucking out oil from this place for free for any length of time, then at least some claim could be made that the war had a purpose. Not a good one, of course, but isn’t war supposed to be about controlling resources? If you’re not fighting to take oil, or gold or whatever, why are you there? The food? The women?!
This is why we should get out. Nothing left to be gained. America does NOT know how to run an empire – never has. Nor do we want to. Time to leave.
Amen.
#31, James how right you are.
Jesus Hernandez is a lifeguard at the community pool. Saving lives is his job.
And the wife did ask me to withdraw some money from the bank today.
After a quick scan, I agree with traax (#36) – it tends to the secularists that can be dangerous.
JimR (#26) – you seem to have the point. Rich men don’t have to give up all their material possessions. The focus is on serving others. Teach a man to fish, etc.
The point of the quote that started this rabbit trail (it is easier to lead a camel through the eye of a needle than to get a rich man into heaven) is that often the wealthy are focused on themselves and retaining their own wealth. It is an inward focus that does damage, not an outward focus interested in the welfare of others.
We must remember when reading the Bible who Jesus the man was, and who he was speaking to! The Jewish people at the time love to illustrate messages and points with wild exaggerations and colorful speech (“..pluck the beam out of your eye before the splinter out of your brothers”). Their intent is to make a point, not to be taken literally. When we read the Bible with our own cultural filters, we can easily lose site of that.
To the original point of the article, I ask again what is wrong with using Jesus message in Iraq. I think it does bring true peace.
#37, …I ask again what is wrong with using Jesus message in Iraq. I think it does bring true peace.
Comment by Kerry — 12/23/2006 @ 4:31 am
It would be the same as inviting Richard Dawkins to preach at your church some Sunday. Actions speak so much louder then words.
When Iraqis are shot because they didn’t stop their car quick enough at a blind American check point, when they are rousted and hauled off to jail only on suspicion and held for months, when most everything done by the Christians has a gun pointed at them, it is too late to say ”Hey, we come in peace”.
#37, Kerry… ditto of what Mr. Fusion said. I’s already a religious mess in Iraq. Why throw oil on the fire. I’m outa here to enjoy holiday festivities with family and friends. Best wishes to all.
Most “Christians” never found a problem that they couldn’t make worse by injecting religion, but there’s a first time for everything, eh?
Let us prey (pun intended).