Noel wrote: While your parallels are interesting, any comparison needs to include the dimension of the grace of God who calls and equips us as his ambassadors.

Nathan responded:

I quite agree. But many moderate Moslems might want to argue the same in response to the one written about them. My point was that we ought not too easily accept such a stereotyping of Isalm when it is just as easy to make an extreme portrayal of Christianity.

Noel:

In spite of the faults of free-enterprise democracy, it protects us from the intolerance of religious totalitarianism which cannot conceive of distinctions between whatever tribute God and Caesar may claim from us. We are free to criticise it, but especially on the eve of an election, let’s be thankful for it, and that we can retain or reject our government by the power of a ballot instead of a bullet.

Nathan:

Again, I agree. My purpose was not to denounce our political system, which for all its faults is preferable to most of the alternatives being modeled around the world, but to demonstrate how unfair the original piece on Islam and citizenship may have been. Both Islam and Christianity call their adherants to a loyalty to God that takes precedence over any other loyalty, and so both create potential clashes with the demands of citizenship on occasions. Patriotic nationalism, regardless of the prevaling political system, is one of the most prevalent forms of idolatry in many parts of the world, and I would read the original piece’s implied suggestion that Christianity is compatible with it as an expression of that idolatry.

Peace and hope,

Nathan

_____________________________________ Nathan Nettleton Pastor, South Yarra Community Baptist Church Melbourne, Australia