What if the tables were turned?

Yesterday, members of the Afghanistan Taliban murdered ten Christian doctors in cold blood, execution-style. These doctors, from several countries and church backgrounds (including my own denomination) had been providing medical services to Afghan villagers.

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They hiked for more than 10 hours over rugged mountains — unarmed and without security — to bring medical care to isolated Afghan villagers until their humanitarian mission took a tragic turn.

Ten members of the Christian medical team — six Americans, two Afghans, one German and a Briton — were gunned down in a gruesome slaughter that the Taliban said they carried out, alleging the volunteers were spying and trying to convert Muslims to Christianity. The gunmen spared an Afghan driver, who recited verses from the Islamic holy book Quran as he begged for his life.

If there was any question about this incident being a hit specifically to Christians, look no farther than the bolder text. And lest you say “ah, but what did they expect, trying to convert Muslims?”, please note the following:

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told the AP that they killed the foreigners because they were “spying for the Americans” and “preaching Christianity.” In a Pashto language statement acquired by the AP, the Taliban also said the team was carrying Dari language bibles and “spying gadgets.”

Frans said the International Assistance Mission, or IAM, one of the longest serving non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan, is registered as a nonprofit Christian organization but does not proselytize.

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Serving those in need is a natural outgrowth of a Christian’s love for the Savior. Many, many Christians pursue careers of service because of their love for others. But the outgrowth of radical Islamist jihadism such as that practiced by the Taliban appears to be hate and murder.

The question that immediately springs to mind is: what if the tables were turned? What if a group of Christians decided to enter the proposed Times Square Mosque and murdered a couple dozen Muslims because of their “outreach” to American Christians? The Muslim community would be seething, as would many others. It would not at all be surprising to see retaliatory terror acts in the U.S.  More airliners into skyscrapers, perhaps?  Or shoe bombers?  Bombed embassies?  More U.S.S. Cole-style attacks?  Another Fort Hood?

But such a scenario will not happen. True Christians do not murder those who believe differently. They love them and pray for them.  A liberal, knee-jerk response to this would be to compare this with the sicko who murdered abortionist George Tiller.  To that, I respond – Tiller’s murderer was no Christian, and his act was condemned widely by Christians around the world.  If someone slaughtered a large group of Muslims in this country, the act would be roundly condemned by non-Christians and Christians alike.

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Perhaps these radical Islamists simply consider this act to be “morally neutral” mubah as pointed out in a RedState member diary posted earlier this afternoon…and there will be no perception of need for condemnation.  I dearly hope we see thorough, unqualified condemnation of this act from leaders of Muslim nations. But I am not holding my breath.

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