Can't We All Just Get Along?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Should Christians 'Respect' Other Religions?

One of the most popular and politically correct ideologies around today is that of religious or philosophical tolerance and respect. Somehow, someway, disagreements over doctrine and taking stands for truth over the last several years, has led to the branding of biblical views as "hate speech", and to new and revised definitions of words like tolerance and respect. Whatever happened to the marketplace of ideas anyway?

In the aftermath of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Jordan, where he spoke of his "respect" for Islam (coming on the heels of the Pope's notorious 2006 speech about Islam in Germany), columnist Albert Mohler posed the provocative question, "Should Christians respect other religions?" Now before you answer his question for yourself, let's remember that words mean things, and we may want to actually know what the word means before we throw it out for public consumption. According to most dictionaries, tolerance simply refers to, "a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own." Similarly, respect carries an interesting two-fold definition as having, "esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, and "deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges."

The point of this definition is that we should not be moved to silence by hyper-tolernant friends and foes when disucssing religion and world-views. As per the real meaning of these words, we can appreciate an individual and even defend his or her right to be WRONG (this is called respect) about God and salvation and we can even politely listen to their opinons, but still should lovingly confront their error. What kind of eror do we mean? Speaking of the Pope and his new-found reverence for Islam, the Roman Catholic Church officially teaches that Muslims are "included in the plan of salvation" by virtue of their claim to "hold the faith of Abraham." Should that idea be refuted? Can it be done so respectfully and with tolerance? Obviously.

As Mohler implies, what are we to do we do with major documents such as Vatican II which state, "But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. " That same language is basic to the current official catechism (indoctrinated teaching)of the church as well and trust me will be judged. While the Roman Catholic Church teaches that Islam is both erroneous and incomplete, it also holds that sincere Muslims can be included in Christ's salvation through their faithfulness to monotheism and Islam. That's just wrong- its NOT true. Truth dear ones is divisive and exclusive by definition and we cannot remain silent when witnessing and sharing with others when souls and eternity are on the line.

Mohler right conlcudes, "Evangelical Christians may respect the sincerity with which Muslims hold their beliefs, but we cannot respect the beliefs themselves. We can respect Muslim people for their contributions to human welfare, scholarship, and culture. We can respect the brilliance of Muslim scholarship in the medieval era and the wonders of Islamic art and architecture. But we cannot respect a belief system that denies the truth of the gospel, insists that Jesus was not God's Son, and takes millions of souls captive. This does not make for good diplomacy, but we are called to witness, not public relations." Now that's respectful truth and comes as a result of good doctrine, which comes from the scripture, as we'll discuss in greater depth this Sunday (Why the Bible?) .