TALIBAN: Answering the unanswerable!

Today's article suggests the Taliban may be ready to release their Korean hostages (mostly women).

I've been personally frustrated by various complaints from Christians and Christian organizations about the silence from the Christian community and the Godblogosphere concerning these "Christian" aid workers. The complaints are warranted to a certain extent but let's face reality.

At this juncture, two male members of the Korean group have been murdered; there is no guarantee more won't suffer the same fate.

Most Western Christians are news savvy and know when they are dealing with ignorant unprincipled people; leaders who have no moral compunctions other than their wild allegiance to an aberrant idea.

This does have a tendency to dampen involvement.

And speaking for myself - I have 24 hours each day to minister for the Lord; I'm obligated to use those hours as a gift (no, I'm not always perfect in their use) and to prioritize my labors. Like Satan, I cannot be everywhere at once, all-knowing, and all-mighty. Most of us are doing the best we can.

And I would suggest that Darfur, the Iraqi Christian exodus, and Arab persecution of Christians in general trump the hostages ... and where pray tell is the UN, man's answer to all of this? What a waste!

In other words, where can my noise, my sweat, and my heart do the most good? And since when is this a problem of the American church only? And is the noise I hear from the Church in the North, South, and East not still "from the Church"? Why is so much guilt placed on the shoulders of the Church in the West? We are one body!

Bottom-line, Paul knew before going "to Caesar" that he might not come out alive; the same was said by Jesus on His entry into Jerusalem.

When we opt to go on mission for God, and opt for a dangerous mission field (the field of another), there is a certain awareness of the dangers involved. In some fields (like Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan) there is a tacit understanding that there are no clandestine black berets lurking in the shadows to extricate us if we get in trouble.

My feeling is the criticism is both warranted (in a qualified sense) and unwarranted (in an unqualified sense). Perhaps the critics should reexamine their criticism.

Chritianity, Criticism, Geopolitics,
Hostages, Korean, Missions, Taliban