Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,”(Matthew 5:9).
Jesus taught His followers to strive for peace always. Being the Prince of Peace, Jesus abhorred violence.
Albert Einstein said, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
- Attacking people rather emphasizes people’s perception that you are not a peacemaker.
- People will see you as evil and your cause as inimical when you attack and kill their loved ones. They will hate you.
- The Charlie Hebdo attack
On the morning of 7 January 2015, Islamist terrorists armed with assault rifles and other weapons forced their way into the offices of the French weekly, Charlie Hebdo, in Paris. They fired up to 50 shots, initially killing 11 people and injuring 11 others, shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they shot and killed.
Though the satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, was wrong in provoking Muslims, the Islamist terrorists, too, were wrong by attacking and killing.
The attack on Charlie Hebdo rather made the paper sell millions
Before then the paper had never sold in enormous quantities. The paper had even closed down and reopened. The response by the Muslims won sympathies around the world for Charlie Hebdo; although Charlie Hebdo was wrong in caricaturing other people’s faith. The attack failed to stop the Atheist weekly from mocking religions.
Across the world (particularly in Europe and Africa) Muslims reacted violently to express their anger. In Niger, Muslims burned churches that had no relation with Charlie Hebdo, simply because they are Christian churches.
The BBC carried the reported attack on its website.
Why did Muslims attack the Christian churches when an atheist newspaper mocked them?The Atheist Charlie Hebdo had caricatured Christians, Jews, and other religions; they too are victims just as the Muslims.
In France, people not related to Charlie Hebdo were taken hostage. Some people even died in rescue attempts.
Muslims tell us that Islam is a religion of peace and that there is no compulsion in religion. Yet Islamist militants continue to attack and kill in the name of a peace-loving God. They slit the throats of people they have captured while reading the Qur’an and shouting praises to Allah.
Religion should be used to promote peace and love
We ought to portray the peaceful attributes of our religions. We should make people see our prophet or mission as good and not evil. The attack on Charlie Hebdo, the killing of innocent people and the destruction of churches rather painted a negative picture of the religion the militants promote.
Jesus told His disciples not to compel people (Luke 10:5-12)
- When a deity directs innocent people to be massacred…
- When a deity instructs that children be abducted…
- When a deity instructs that women be kidnapped and forced to marry others…
That cannot be the way of Peace
- The Islamist militants, Boko Haram, continue to devastate communities in Nigeria in God’s name…
- In Pakistan, militants attack schools and kill innocent people in God’s name…
- In Iraq, people are killed by suicide bombers, etc., in God’s name…
These mass killings are done by people who claim they promote a God of peace…
No religion or ideology can wipe out all other religions
- The Islamic Jihad (or Holy War), which started in the 7th century, could not wipe out Christianity and the other religions.
- The Crusades, coming 400 years later to stop Islam being forced on Christians, could also not wipe out Islam.
- Hitler tried to exterminate the Jews from the face of the world… and he failed.
Only the Almighty God has the power to wipe out all things that He does not want to exist.
Jesus, the Prince of Peace said,
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” (Matthew 5:9).