Modern know-it-alls fear conservative Christians

The dictionary defines terrorism as, “the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.” Often we see the use of terrorism or terroristic threats used against a group of people by other groups of people. We have become familiar with wars taking place around the world where people are persecuted and brutalized. We know of forced famines, where people are starved to death because they are of a different culture, race, or ethnic group. The headlines have told of the plots of organizations like, al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Taliban, drug cartels and organized criminal elements. We know of gang warfare, and the news is filled with the rampage of the mobs in England. We tremble to think what the world would be like with no rule of law or defense allowed against terrorism as it is permitted to unleash an attack upon innocent people. We mourn with those who are victims of domestic violence. We have laws to protect the innocent and those who are unable to take care of themselves. We have law enforcement agencies to assist when homes are invaded or assaults are carried out against people or property. As we move closer to the tenth anniversary of the heinous attack upon our nation when the planes flew into the twin towers of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001, many are calling to memory where they were on that early fall morning. We recoil to think what it must be like to be kept in a cage and forced into sexual servitude at the hands of a sex trafficker. We see the ways people have devised to take advantage of the poor and the acts of injustice that are carried out against the poor and disadvantaged in our nation and throughout the world. We know stories of people who have been forced into drug addiction to be used as property rather than being recognized with dignity as a fellow human being. We try to fathom the mindset that seeks to harm others just for ones personal perverted pleasure. We see the innocent faces of children who have been killed by their parents. We read stories of family members who turn with uncontrolled violence upon other family members. In all of the unthinkable acts of rage and violence that are replayed in the media, we can’t help but wonder if we have become hardened to the reality of what it is like to be terrorized by someone or something else. Have we become such a calloused culture that we no longer are disturbed by the injustice and violence that interrupts our lives? Someone has suggested that we have developed a culture of raunchiness where we are no longer shocked by whatever might cross our path.

With the raucous lifestyles of some groups and the lack of concern for each other in our culture, it is easy to turn upon those who seek to stand upon principle. The elite-academic-class yuk it up when they hear someone stand upon principle for freedom, family, and faith values. The high minded group of editorial writers in the liberal media enjoys tagging groups of people who stand upon conservative values and principles of life. There was a time when the word “cancer” was a feared and hated word. In today’s calloused world, “conservative” and “Christian” are the two words that invoke the most negative response from people who believe they have advanced beyond those two outdated concepts. The New York Times immediately jumped to label the mass murderer in Norway as a “Christian Extremist,” when there is not one shred of evidence to link him to any church or group that could be labeled Christian.

These modern know-it-alls have developed a calloused attitude against any person or group who expresses different values than those on the left. It has become an easy thing for the liberal left to hurl charges of terrorist against even the gentlest patriots among us. Many have spoken as if they are horrified that a person who is serving in elective office would ever admit to praying to God for guidance and wisdom while making decisions. From where I stand to imply with a condescending attitude that because someone speaks up for freedom, faith, and family that they are a terrorist or worse that they might be a conservative Christian is an affront to all the patriots who have died to make this country free.

Ray Newman