Salaam

Evangelical Response to Tragedy

A few articles are circulating around looking at evangelical Christians' response to the tsunami tragedy. They vary from the Washington Post's article about WorldHelp's attempt to adopt out some of the orphans to the Denver Post's article featuring relief packaged with a little James Dobson. What should the "Christian" response to tragedy be? For me the Golden Rule is as applicable here as anywhere. How would I want to be treated if the circumstances were reversed? I am not opposed to person of faith performing acts of kindness and generosity out of their faith whether it is Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, or any other. I'm not opposed to them indicating to me that their motivation for their actions is their faith. I think there is a distinction, however, between acting in kindness due to a faith and performing a kindness in order to get a chance to convert me to that faith.

I hope I'm able to communicate the distinction here. You see me hungry and offer me food. I ask you why you would leave the comfort of your home and come here to do this. You say that your faith in God and the transformation he has caused in your life has led you to this point. I have inquired- you have responded. The point of the effort, though, was to feed me in my time of need.

Another person sees me hungry and things, "He's hungry. This makes him vulnerable. He'll be open to my message whereas normally his ability to think clearly would interfere with accepting my message. I'll feed him and obligate him to listen to me." The point of feeding me is to have an opportunity to tell me about your faith. My hunger is a means to which you can achieve your end.

What kind of a God needs to be slipped in when a person is vulnerable in order to be seen as desirable?

At the same time I would say that Christian people and others of faith SHOULD be involved in the relief and development efforts in this disaster. Keep in mind that response to the poor and oppressed is linked to salvation many more times in the bible than being "born again". The rub is to avoid sinning in the response. Don't let compassion turn to manipulation. Christ's one recorded act of violence was running the money changers out of the temple due to their manipulation of and profiting from those without power in the religious system of the day.

If you are a person of genuine faith, then you honestly believe that you have good news for other people. Find ways to share it with them constructively and respectfully in times of normalcy, not when they are at their most vulnerable. A true faith will have to be liberating in all circumstances, not just when we are stressed.
Salaam

posted by Abdul-Salaam @ 8:00 PM