A JEWISH JIHADIST AND CHRISTIAN INFIDELS

In our world today there are those who believe that the killing of infidels is appropriate behavior. They believe that they will be blessed of God if they take the life of those who fall away from the truth. There are those who follow a system of religious law that not only sanctions, but in fact demands that unarmed and defenseless unbelievers be sought out and killed. The followers of this radical theo-political mixture of religious and civil law are called Muslim Jihadists. Jihadists carry out their extreme murderous actions with very little if any rebuke from the more centrist Muslims who follow a less lethal variation of Jihad.

Of course, most western Christians are shocked and repulsed by the actions of Muslim Jihadists. We interpret “honor killings” as barbaric and criminal behavior. We conclude that these armed religious zealots are, at the least criminals, and at the worst soulless animals without consciences. Many have determined that those who, in the name of God, and in obedience to the dictates of their religious faith, kill defenseless infidel men, women and children, have themselves crossed an invisible line beyond which redemption cannot be obtained. Simply put: we have put Jihadists in a class of un-savable people. They cannot be saved and the only logical response is to destroy them.

If we truly believe this, then we must conclude that the Apostle Paul should have been sought out by early Christians and killed… For, Paul (known by the early Church as Saul) was a Jewish Jihadist. With the blessing, sanction, and the written religious/legal authority to do so, Saul was no different than the modern day Jihadists that flew airplanes into the Twin Towers on 9/11. He pursued unarmed and defenseless Christian Infidels, including women and children, and had them killed. Motivated by religious zealotry, Saul was no different that Osama Bin Laden… And yet… The Lord saw fit to knock Saul off his horse onto the hardened dirt of the Damascus Road, and offer to him the gift of redemption… the gift of eternal life!

Was it for crimes that I have done He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond decree?
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light…

The early Church was very unwilling at first to accept this new Convert to Christianity. No doubt! Can you imagine what would happen if Osama Bin Laden showed up somewhere claiming to have converted to Christianity!!!??? I will be completely honest with you… I would personally have a lot, and I do mean A LOT!!, of trouble with this. Yet, that is exactly what the early Church was expected to do… Allow a Jewish Jihadist into the fellowship of the Church.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me…

Am I suggesting that if Bin Laden was captured, he should not be prosecuted? Absolutely not! He should be prosecuted and punished… The question is not should Bin Laden be held accountable, but rather, why was Paul not prosecuted for his participation in the murder of Christian Infidels; for, both men are guilty of the same crime.