I was chatting last night with my friend in Borneo and we got on the subject of religion. She is a Muslim (converted from Hindu) and I a Christian. But we very quickly landed on common ground, for where religion is concerned, we are both most disturbed by the damage being done to authentic faith by extremist factions whose adherents know only of violence, division, hatreds, exclusions, bigotries, and phobias, and nothing of the selfless love that binds and heals and shuns all arrogance.
I was struck by the similarities she described in what both Islam and Christianity are suffering at the hands of these loud, misguided miscreants who are laying claim nonetheless to the word of God, perverting and disfiguring what is good and pure, full of charity and grace, making faith hateful, a thing to be shunned and ridiculed.
What shall we do then? Reject what is good because of the evil inflicted upon it? Of course not. God is not changed by those who would change God, for he is the same yesterday and today and forever, and his word will stand forever, just as the scriptures say. Again and again, throughout the centuries, the truth has been under assault, and yet prevails--for those who will hear with meekness, and strive ever more toward the compassion which they have sought and indeed by which they have been sought, will certainly find the way. And we, and all, shall be known by our fruits.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, of figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
--Matthew 7:15-20
I was struck by the similarities she described in what both Islam and Christianity are suffering at the hands of these loud, misguided miscreants who are laying claim nonetheless to the word of God, perverting and disfiguring what is good and pure, full of charity and grace, making faith hateful, a thing to be shunned and ridiculed.
What shall we do then? Reject what is good because of the evil inflicted upon it? Of course not. God is not changed by those who would change God, for he is the same yesterday and today and forever, and his word will stand forever, just as the scriptures say. Again and again, throughout the centuries, the truth has been under assault, and yet prevails--for those who will hear with meekness, and strive ever more toward the compassion which they have sought and indeed by which they have been sought, will certainly find the way. And we, and all, shall be known by our fruits.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, of figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
--Matthew 7:15-20
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