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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, with daily contributions from CNN's worldwide newsgathering team and frequent posts from religion scholar and author Stephen Prothero.

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My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose On campaign trail, Romney ratchets ups God rhetoric Pope Benedict begins trip to Lebanon amid Mideast protests, violence September 15th, 2012 10:00 PM ET Share Comments ( 1,968 comments) Permalink

My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose

Editor's Note: Brian D. McLarenis author of "Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? Christian Identity in a Multi-

My Take: Americas attention deficit after Hurricane Isaac Controversy over anti-Islamic film shines light on Coptic Christianity Belief Blog's Morning Speed Read for Friday, September 14 Jewish groups mad about initial reports on anti-Islam film Coptic Church condemns anti-Islam film

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Faith World" (Jericho Books/Hachette BookGroup).

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By Brian McLaren, Special to CNN

New details emerge of anti-Islam film's mystery producer My Take: A deadly link between Islamic and anti-Islamic extremists

I was raised as an evangelical Christian in America, and any discussion of Christian-Jewish-Muslim relations around the world must include the phenomenon of American Islamophobia, for which large sectors of evangelical Christianity in America serve as a greenhouse.

At a time when U.S. embassies are being attacked and when people are getting killed over an offensive, adolescent and puerile film targeting Islam - beyond pathetic in its tawdriness we must begin to own up to the reality of evangelical Islamaphobia.

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hjoseph7 on My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose philliyboy on My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose DC1973 on My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose Rick Laviolette on My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose Chuck Wagon on My Take: Its time for Islamophobic evangelicals to choose

Many of my own relatives receive and forward pious-sounding and alarm-bell-ringing e-mails that trumpet (IN LOTS OF CAPITAL LETTERS WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS!) the evils of Islam, that call their fellow evangelicals and charismatics to prayer and spiritual warfareagainst those alleged evils, and that often - truth be told - contain lots of downright lies.

For example, one recent e-mail claimed Egyptian Christians in Grave Danger as Muslim Brotherhood Crucifies Opponents."Ofcourse,thatclaimhasbeen thoroughly debunked, but the senders website still (as of Friday) claims that the Muslim Brotherhood has crucified those opposing" Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy "naked on trees in front of the presidential palace while abusing others.

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Many sincere and good-hearted evangelicals have never yet had a real Muslim friend, and now they probably never will because their minds have been so prejudiced by Islamophobic broadcasts on so-called Christian television and radio.

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Janet Parshall, for example, a popular talk show host on the Moody Radio Network, frequently hosts Walid Shoebat, a Muslim-evangelical convert whose anti-Muslim

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claims,alongwithclaimsabouthisownbiography,arefrequentlyquestioned.John Hagee, a popular televangelist, also hosts Shoebat as an expert on Islam, as does the 700 Club.

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Many Christian bookstores that (used to) sell my books, still sell books such as Paul Sperrys "Infiltration: How Muslim Spies and Subversives Have Penetrated Washington" (Thomas Nelson, 2008). In so doing, they fuel conspiracy theories such as the ones U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota, promoted earlier this year.

In recent days, weve seen how irresponsible Muslim media outlets used the tawdry 13-minute video created by a tiny handful of fringe Christian extremists to create a disgusting caricature of all Christians - and all Americans - in Muslim minds. But too few Americans realize how frequently American Christian media personalities in the U.S. similarly prejudice their hearersminds with mirror-image stereotypes of Muslims.

Ambassador's killing shines light on Muslim sensitivities around Prophet Mohammed

Meanwhile, many who are pastors and leaders in evangelicalism hide their heads in the current issue of Christianity Today or World Magazine, acting as if the kinds of people who host Islamophobic sentiments swim in a tiny sidestream, not in the mainstream, of our common heritage. I wish that were true.

The events of this past week, if we let them, could mark a turning point - a hitting bottom, if you will - in the complicity of evangelicalism in Islamophobia. If enough evangelicals watch or try to watch the film trailer that has sparked such outrage in the Middle East, they may move beyond the tipping point.

I tried to watch it, but I couldnt make it halfway to the 13-minute mark. Everything about it was tawdry, pathetic, even pornographic. All but the most fundamentalist believers from my evangelical Christian tribe who watch that video will be appalled and ashamed to be associated with it.

It is hate speech. It is no different from the anti-Semitic garbage that has been all too common in Western Christian history. It is sub-Christian - beneath the dignity of anyone with a functioning moral compass.

Islamophobic evangelical Christians - and the neo-conservative Catholics and even some Jewish folks who are their unlikely political bedfellows of late - must choose.

Will they press on in their current path, letting Islamophobia spread even further amongst them? Or will they stop, rethink and seek to a more charitable approach to our Muslim neighbors? Will they realize that evangelical religious identity is under assault, not by Shariah law, not by the liberal media, not by secular humanism from the outside, but by forces within the evangelical community that infect that religious identity with hostility?

If I could get one message through to my evangelical friends, it would be this: The greatest threat to evangelicalism is evangelicals who tolerate hate and who promote hate camouflaged as piety.

No one can serve two masters. You cant serve God and greed, nor can you serve God and fear, nor God and hate.

The broad highway of us-them thinking and the offense-outrage-revenge reaction cycle leads to self-destruction. There is a better way, the way of Christ who, when reviled, did not revile in return, who when insulted, did not insult in return, and who taught his followers to love even those who define themselves as enemies.

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Yes, they the tiny minority of Muslims who turn piety into violence have big problems of their own. But the way of Christ requires all who claim to be Christians to examine our own eyes for planks before trying to perform first aid on the eyes of others. We must admit that we have our own tiny minority whose message and methods we have not firmly, unitedly and publicly repudiated and rejected.

To choose the way of Christ is not appeasement. It is not being a sympathizer.

The way of Christ is a gentle strength that transcends the vicious cycles of offenseoutrage-revenge.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Brian D. McLaren.

The Editors - CNN Belief Blog Filed under: ChristianityIslamMy TakeOpinion

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lbpaulina

(1,968 Responses)

I agree 100% with the author, but I would add a couple of considerations. Both fundamentalists and evangelical Christians do not make the slightest effort to be loved and understood. Overall they bothered all of us and I agree with Maya, although understanding it is not a very civilized behavior, but it is what we feel for both the currents. Stop with your arrogant superficial belief of being the best human beings, because you are not. You are actually a shameful embarrassment for all of us. September 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm | | Reply

Monica
Personally, I could not care less about evangelicals or their views on Islam. All I care about is the fact that you fringe extremists and religious fanatics, are screwing rational normal people over. I don't care if you all collectively decide that only YOUR imaginary man in the sky is the REAL truth. I don't care because I think you're ALL freakin' bat poop crazy! This article is incredibly self-important... I guess if you've all convinced yourselves on the imaginary man business- its makes tons of sense to assume that your views are pondered globally by anyone besides YOU. We'd be a lot better off if you'd keep your gods in your hearts and in your individual choices where he/she/it belongs- rather that obnoxiously flaunting your faith and cheapening it by screaming it from the rooftops and trying to inject it everywhere that it doesn't belong- politics and global affairs being at the top of the list. September 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm | | Reply

Blaise
"phobia" typically connotes and irrational fear. Distrust of the islamic religion and its practioners is a lesson that has been taught to us repeatedly, in many different countries including our own, and is perfectly rational. So stop feeding us liberal pabulum and let's face facts. September 16, 2012 at 11:58 am | | Reply

Allknowing
I like how all of the liberal ID iots on here think they are really making a point by saying we're supporting extremism in Christianity by supporting wars etc and that religious extremists kill abortion drs etc. Like they are just so pious when THEY themselves, the ones who believe they are so much better because THEY don't believe in ANY religion, believe in ABORTION.. Yep, you're all just so much better than Christians alright. September 16, 2012 at 11:58 am | | Reply

Matt
China has more Muslims than Syria. Germany has more Muslims than Lebanon. And Russia has more Muslims than Jordan and Libya put together. So... Who are we bombing next? Believe it or not, bombs are not the answer. September 16, 2012 at 11:58 am | | Reply

philliyboy
well thought out, examples of countries with 100 times the general population, you're really smart September 16, 2012 at 12:01 pm | |

muslim2012

September 16, 2012 at 11:57 am | | Reply

pepsee
The fundamental difference between islam and rest of the world religions lie at the origin. In all other monotheistic religion the main messenger (e.g. Jesus, Buddha) left personal life and desire behind to spread their message and never used violence to accomplish it. We all know mohamed used severe bloody violence to spread his message and exercised his carnal desire. Generally that's exactly what we see among the followers of these respective religions in today's world. September 16, 2012 at 11:57 am | | Reply

1492 refugee
Xenophobic hateful people who promote and profit from violence, especially when the attempt is to have "good people" to become "mindless killing machines" give glory to: for those who "claim" they are Muslim - Osma Bin Laden for those who "claim" they are Christian - CHARLES MANSON September 16, 2012 at 11:57 am | | Reply

us_1776
Religion:: is the worst thing to ever happen to the human race. . September 16, 2012 at 11:57 am | | Reply

jeffcoe
The issue once again is that so many Christians are being mislead by Christian broadcasters, publishing houses, media and are honestly blind to it for they believe that it is all the truth. The church needs to wake up and not just take things blindly but look at them and investigate to see if what is actually being reported is the truth.Yes there are zealots and radicals that want death to America and Israel but how many of them compared to the billions of other Muslims who live besides other people of faith. I bet that most people watching what is going on do not know how the current protest got started and who most of the protesters are. Muslims like Christians have various believes and sometimes they do clash. And Kimo what you said is so typical of a person who has been lead by conspiracy theories and it sounds like you actually want to go to war with others. And that is so biblical, right! September 16, 2012 at 11:56 am | | Reply

Mike O
Islamaphobia is what concerns you?? It ain't Christians rioting and killing people of a YouTube video! Most people suffer from insanephobia and deathaphobia; dealt with it. September 16, 2012 at 11:56 am | | Reply

muslim2012

September 16, 2012 at 11:56 am | | Reply

Naseer
Vast majority of Muslims do not have any problem with Christians, Jews, Hindus or people of any belief. It is a very tiny minority who want to spread hate. Writer rightfully pointed out that even in Christians you find people who spread hate. In every religion, race and people, you will find some who are extremists. Their objective is to convince the common man that they are right. If someone starts believing that hate will solve the problem, the extremist wins. Unfortunately they find a lot of recruits in illiterate minds and unfortunately literacy rate among Muslims is the lowest. Hence, they are easy targets for this extremist ideology. Question is, "Do we want the extremists and terrorists to win". I am sure all sane minds will say "No". Solution in my opinion is what the writer is attempting. Spread a message of love and peace in line with the teachings of Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, Krishna, Gotum Budh and Mohammed. One more important thing is to spread knowledge and literacy. That is how we can fight ignorance and extremism. September 16, 2012 at 11:55 am | | Reply

jeffcoe
Nasser will agree and funny how people respond to posts. And PeterH so tell me with your understanding of culture, religion and the world how should the president be handling the current situation? September 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm | |

SBG
Any religion that justifies killing anyone who may disagree with you is not a religion. Muslims are several thousand years behind the times. September 16, 2012 at 11:54 am | | Reply

sybaris
Religion, any religion and the worship of god(s) is a filthy perverted disease of the mind September 16, 2012 at 11:54 am | | Reply

Margaret
Enough spining, Brian. Tell us why people of other faiths face persecution in ALL Muslim countries. September 16, 2012 at 11:53 am | | Reply

sybaris
Apparently Margaret you missed out on the Sikhs murdered, mosque burned down, protests against muslims and this little gem

September 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm | |

NotaPhobia
"Phobia:a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational." Can we really say that the rejection of Islam is irrational or disproportionate to the actual danger? I don't think so September 16, 2012 at 11:53 am | | Reply

Bob
I generally agree with the author , with some exceptions. I"ve always been apalled at the few christian tv ministers,that hava a broad audience and preach a christianity that is afar from the bible. Health, richness, and of course making any claim about anything muslem persicution or any subject that is based on emotional tyrants rather than truth. But, the author says."the tiny minority of Muslims who turn piety into violence" . Tiny? really, I hope so. I know there are moderate muslems, but I think its a reach with all we've seen this week to assume that the extremeist are "tiny". You call hundreds to thousands protesting and burning flags in many countries tiny? And think of those who support them who stayed home. I agree that some Christians mix hate in their retoric. But I believe its a "tiny" amount compared to those who dont. And I have to agree there seems to be allot of apologizing going on. That video that started this is crap and most people know it. But this is called "freedome of Speech". Something the muslem world will never embrace under their laws. So why are we pouring millions into there goveremnts? Lets get out. September 16, 2012 at 11:52 am | | Reply

katu
Jesus would not be a "Christian" September 16, 2012 at 11:51 am | | Reply

Bob
Thats just stupid. Wheter you hate religion or whatever, he started christianity. And he did exist. He was either insane or the son God, he can't be both. September 16, 2012 at 11:53 am | |

DC1973
Jesus never was a Christian, and he didn't start it, either. He was a Jew, and St. Paul founded Christianity. September 16, 2012 at 11:57 am | |

PeteH
The definition of a phobia is "an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something." I don't think an aversion to the people who are committing the terrorist acts as of late are extreme or irrational. What's extreme is the nature of the terrorist acts in proportion to ridiculous film the Muslims blame them on. What's irrational is the way the Obama administration is handling the situation. September 16, 2012 at 11:51 am | | Reply

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