Thoughts and reasoning about christian faith today.
Date: 2010_09_08.
C-Text - Christian Blog: Migration 3 - Faith Issues ...
Wednesday, September 8, 2010. What is the role of faith in migration issues
today? Is there a problem? Or perhaps no problem at all?
Faith plays a role in the discussion of migration. The driving force here
is that migrants often have a different faith than the majority of people
in a country. Or one has to say that migrants have a different culture
which has developed in strong interaction with some faith.
Faith as a threat?
Is faith a threat? Often, it is received or perceived as a threat. The
threat is not the faith itself, but particular customs or actions which
are linked to faith. People in several European countries feel some
kind of threat when migrants who belive in Islam build their churches
in the middle of western communities. It is possible to build these
churches, Islam can be practiced rather freely in western society since we believe
in the right of every human to follow his or her beliefs (as long as
this does not strongly limit the rights of others). It is even a right
to invite to faith - whatever faith this may be, Jewish, Muslim, Christian,
Hindu, Buddhist etc etc.
On the other side, in Muslim societies Christian churches and Christian
faith are perceived as a clear threat. Most mission in Muslim
countries is forbidden. Not seldom, people who invite to Christian faith must
fear for their life. Even existing churches are closed or education for
priests is destroyed. So the reaction to Muslim faith in Christian
countries reflects this state. Islam is feared as a set of believes with
a suppressive and violent face.
It is very difficult to make a distinction between the actions of
the so-called "Christian" societies when they shape world politics and
the faith of Jesus, the Christ. Western influence is perceived as "Christian",
even if it is not Christian at all. This might also be true for Islam,
there might be a calm side of it, though not every state is following
it. Remember that "Christian" states started wars in the past, Jesus did not
tell them to do so!
Faith as an Invitation
Faith is an invitation to the migrant. Faith was the invitation to Abraham,
when he moved from Iraq to Palestine thousands of years ago. When you move,
you leave all securities behind. You start something new. You go into a new
environment. When you go into the unknown, God offers you faith as a better
security.
We want to invite all migrants to faith, as God has done this in the past.
For so many people in the past their journey into a new country was a challenge
and test for their faith - and it was the invitation to fully dedicate
themselves to the living God. The "promised land" has even become the key
picture for the kingdom of heaven. Going into a new land is what we all
will do, when we go to God finally.
Migration is a wonderful chance to come to the living God. So our invitation
today will pick up the old invitation of the New Testament: come to faith
in Jesus! Look at him, he shows more than a human can be, you will discover
the face and voice of God. Open yourself, your ears and your eyes to the
presence of the most high. Faith is an invitation to the migrant!
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