A FOLLOWER LIKE THE FOUNDER

Earlier in the year at the National Prayer Breakfast, our president in response to recent Islamic terrorists' slayings admonished Christians not to get on their "high horse." His reason? Christians had their Crusades. More recently, at the White House Easter Prayer Breakfast in the aftermath of the recent slaying of 147 Christians in Kenya by Islamic terrorists, the president spoke of the "less-than-loving" expressions made by Christians. This latter remark was made after calling attention to Jesus' example of love and mercy and our responsibility to emulate Him. This was a declaration of the total lack of hate and violence in the Founder of Christianity. The president's contrast of the less-than-loving expressions by some who call themselves Christians made in the context of the true nature of Jesus, Christianity's Founder, although probably unnoted, begs the unintended conclusion that there is no connection between these acts or words of unkindness of so-called or erring Christians and true Christianity as exemplified by its Founder. It is easy to discover what kind of behavior Jesus advocates. One needs only read the Sermon on the Mount: "Resist not evil; turn the other cheek; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you," etc. In the first speech above, the realities of the historical context of the Crusades aside, this diversion from the atrocities of contemporary Islamic terrorists to the atrocities of many centuries past Crusaders reveals two important things: 1. If, as was being purported, these Islamic terrorists do not represent true Islam, why, in the comparison, are the Crusaders to be taken as representative of true Christianity? 2. Although Islamic terrorists' killings can be historically connected to the life and words of Islam's founder, Mohammed, any killings or terrorist activities of so-called "Christians" can never be linked to the life and words of Christianity's Founder, Jesus. The fact is many Islamic terrorists appeal to the historical life and words of Mohammed as their mandate for their atrocities. No "Christian" terrorist, inquisitor, or Crusader, can accurately justify his actions by claiming he is only following the historical life, words, and example of Jesus. This leads to a broader point: Whether recognized or not, a true follower of a religion is simply one who follows the words, teachings, and example of its founder. None is a true follower of Islam if he does not follow Mohammed. None is a true follower of Christianity if he does not follow Jesus. When I was growing up, an oft sung song in our church was "To Be Like Jesus." The question of conversion aside, I am only a true Christian if I follow the words and example of Jesus, Christianity's Founder. May I be a follower like the Founder.