Islam Versus Democracy

Can Christians Influence Both?

Scriptures

Genesis 12:1-4; John 4:1-26

Theme

Blessing the nations

Sermon Summary

Christian witness necessarily includes influencing the world’s religions as well as the world’s governments

Introduction

1.   In the past weeks, an Afghani man faced the death penalty for having converted to Christianity from Islam

      a)   the arrest

            i)   Abdur Rahman, aged 40, returned to Afghanistan in 2002, after spending 15 years overseas, in Pakistan and Germany

            ii)  seeking custody of his children from their grandparents

            iii) converted to Christianity when in Pakistan over a decade ago

            iv) a relative, acting out of an alleged personal vendetta, reported Mr. Rahman’s conversion to the police and he was arrested in March (2006) and refused to renounce his Christianity and return to Islam

            v)  the punishment for “apostasy” in Islamic law, upon which Afghanistan’s constitution is partly based, is the death penalty

      b)  the protest

            i)   George Bush, the US President, vowed to use political leverage against Afghanistan

We are working with the Afghans and we look to a favourable resolution of this case [...] We've been very clear: The freedom of religion is a fundamental principle of democracy (Condoleeza Rice, US Secretary of State)

            ii)  John Howard, the Australian Prime Minister, threatened to withdraw Australian peace-keeping troops from Afghanistan

This is fundamental stuff, you cannot support a regime which allows people to be executed because they have changed their religion. I mean, that is as about as fundamentally intolerant and as medieval as you could possibly get.

            iii) The British, Canadian, Italian, and German governments have all publicly voiced their concern

      c)   the dismissal

            i)   Wakil Omari, spokesman for the Afghanistan Supreme Court, told a French newspaper that the court had decided not to pursue its case against Abdur Rahman after hearing testimony that he was mentally disturbed

According to his relatives, his cousin Abdul Munir ... and his daughter, Maria, he's not mentally fit. He's mad.

            ii)  “Religious tolerance and freedom of conscience appear to have been forgotten”

This story is a powerful reminder of the potential impact of clashing worldviews. Who will rise up on the world scene to help negotiate between worldviews? perhaps even influencing all parties, whether political or religious, towards the kingdom of God?

Religion and politics often mix like oil and water

1.   The worldview of Islam is divided on the issue of applying the death penalty to converts from Islam

      a)   “no compulsion in religion”

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects Evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. (Qur’an: 2: 256)

If it had been the Lord’s Will, they would all have believed —all who are on earth! Wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! (10: 99)

And say to the People of the Book and to those who are unlearned: “Do ye (also) submit yourselves [to Allah] ?” If they do, they are in right guidance, but if they turn [away], thy duty is to convey the Message; and in Allah’s sight are (all) His servants. (3:20)

Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware (of evil): if ye do turn [away], know ye that it is our Messenger’s duty to proclaim (the Message) in the clearest manner. (5: 92)

If then they turn away, we have not sent thee as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message). (42:48)

      b)  holy war (“jihad”) against non-believers

Fight [the Unbelievers] on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere [...] (8:38-39)

Fight those who believe not in Allah now the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, now acknowledge the Religion Of Truth, from among the People of the Book, until they pay the jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (9:29)

O Prophet! Strive hard against the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell —an evil refuge indeed. (9:73)

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other. (48:29)

2.   Afghanistan constitution attempts to reflect Islamic law, while respecting human rights

      a)   prosecutors charged Rahman based on Article 130 of Afghanistan’s constitution

Article 130 enables prosecutors to bring forward cases of alleged crimes about which there is no codified law [...] The same article, however, calls on courts to rule “within the limits of the constitution” and “in a way to serve justice in the best possible manner”.

      b)  Article 7, however, entrenches respect for international treaties signed on behalf of Afghanistan and for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the government of Afghanistan is bound to uphold Article 18, which provides that “everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” and that “this right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice”.

While self-appointed spokespersons for Islam regularly portray a ‘soft’ commentary on Islam as a peaceable religion, the fact is that from the inception of the first Muslim community, at Medina, under Mohammed, Islam has been promulgated ‘by the sword’: “By the time Muhammad died, on 8 June 632 [ten years after his ascendency in Medina], he and his followers had united the entire Arabian peninsula under his leadership, and had started to expand into the areas now known as Syria and Iraq.” I believe that it is safe to say that an interpretation of Islam as being aggressive toward non-Muslims is the predominant interpretation worldwide.

Mr Anwarzai [Afghanistan’s ambassador in Canberra] said that while Mr Blair and Mr Howard were entitled to their opinions, the death sentence for apostasy was in accordance with Islamic law.

The Weakness of Western Democratic ‘Evangelism’

1.   the hypocrisy

      a)   “Britain and the United States have only shown a commitment to democracy and human rights where these have not interfered with their own economic and military interests. Having sabotaged democracy in Iraq and Iran in the Cold War era, the US and Britain now take credit for bring democracy to the former and for leading a moral crusade against the latter.”

      b)  lack of international outcry to the genocide in Rwanda (1994), and religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria and Sudan (present)

      c)   inconsistency of response to nuclear development in Iraq, North Korea, India, Pakistan, etc

2.   the ‘evangelism’

      a)   increased promotion of Western economic, political and cultural institutions

The men who run the world are democrats at home and dictators abroad [...] They and the global institutions they run exercise greater economic and political control over the people of the poor world than its own governments do.

      b)  an example: Canada ignores political and economic sanctions against China and Cuba so as to promote ‘Canadian values’ through trade

An effective human rights policy requires us to make use of positive levers of influence as well as the various forms of sanctions at our disposal. With China, for example, we are developing systematic and wide-ranging contacts. Our goal is to open that country to the values Canadians espouse even as it opens up to the world economy.

The ‘Stained’ Intertwining of Christian Mission and Colonialism

While Western democracies may claim a Judeo-Christian heritage, it is false to claim that their legislation and foreign policies are derived exclusively from that heritage. Politicians act on behalf of their own interests first, the interests of their supporters second, and the interests of their country last. The Church should not have ever intertwined its mission with the affairs of political States.

Christianity: A Blessing and A Servant to the World’s Religions

1.   the Church is the extension of God’s election of Israel

2.   accepts, and often fulfils, the covenants between God and Israel, the prophecies, and the commandments directed toward them

      a)   “a blessing to all nations”

I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2-3)

      b)  “a light to the nations”

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles [...] (Isaiah 42:6)

      c)   a servant to the nations

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jeremiah 29:7)

The Christian mission is to work with God to reconcile the world to Himself. Thus, in regards to salvation, Christianity is necessarily exclusivistic.

Does this dictate the overthrow of other religions? I do not believe that it does, as witness of God’s salvation can come in many forms, both within the Church and without. That is to say that elements of positive witness to God can be found in the sacred texts other religions (e.g. the eight-fold path of Buddhism), as well as in the example of practitioners of other religions (e.g. Mohandas Ghandi was an Hindu).

Should we encourage believers of other religions to convert to Christianity? That is a really tricky question, especially given that, as per the quotation from Jeremiah, service to, and blessing on, the nations may actually reflect positively on the gods of those nations. Our example is Jesus, who, in His dealings with non-Jews, did not ever condemn or dictate their conversion to Judaism. He did, however, encourage and celebrate their faith in God, and instructed their lifestyle to reflect that faith.

Conclusion

1.   Christian witness can and must be directed towards influencing the development of the world’s great religions as much as towards influencing governments for peace, equality, etc

      a)   Pope Benedict XVI, in a letter drafted by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano, called upon the Afghanistan president to dismiss the charges

I am certain, Mr President, that the dropping of the case against Mr Rahman would bestow great honour upon the Afghan people and would raise a chorus of admiration in the international community [... dropping charges] would then contribute in a most significant way to our common mission to foster mutual understanding and respect among the world's different religions and cultures

            i)   The Roman Catholic pontiff attempted to influence the positive development of Islam towards values of God’s kingdom

      b)  Christians will be given opportunities, in both positive and negative contexts, to witness for Christ before the rulers of this world

On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. (Matthew 10:18)

            i)   Will we be ready?

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

The story of Abdur Rahman is troubling, but inspirational. This convert to Christianity returns to his home, in a country aggressively opposed to non-Muslims, in order to restore his family. During his arrest, he bravely asserts, and refuses to renounce, his faith in Christ Jesus, even though he will likely face the death penalty. It is hard to imagine that such situations can exist in our contemporary world.

Unfortunately, our contemporary world is rife with sin and corruption. While I applaud the outspoken efforts of our own Prime Minister on behalf of Mr. Rauman, I am saddened that even those efforts towards righteousness pale in light of alleged mixed agendas.

The followers of Jesus must stand up and speak out against all sin and corruption, in whatever form that takes, even if political, societal, or religious. But we do so in order to be a blessing, a light, and a servant of humanity, so as to guide and influence everyone and every system towards the kingdom of God.

sermon delivered by Ian Forest-Jones
at Hurstville Church of Christ
on Sunday, 2 April 2006
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