Mohammed Khaku
As Christmas approaches, I must ask, why is Jesus Christ’s birth celebrated around the world, particularly in America, and yet his message of peace, love and joy is ignored? And will racism, oppression, and injustice carry us into another year? I hope not, as it says in John (3:16-17), and Luke (2:7 & 6:36) In recent years the American political landscape is becoming increasingly polarized. America is divided and at a crossroad after Jan 6th committee which has referred the past president Donald Trump for criminal indictment to the Justice department. America today seems to be polarized into two groups, the extreme right or left or donkeys and elephants. No monkeys yet. This polarization has divided our families, our communities, and our democracy. Media, Christen Nationalism, and fake news are the root cause of this polarization. The polarization between the Democrats and Republicans has gone so extreme that it has become a sectarian conflict. One can see with the violent Jan 6th insurrection and the attack on Paul Pelosi. Christian Nationalism: Americans shouldn’t criticize the Taliban for its fierce opposition to pluralism when the violent Christian nationalist movement that inspired the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and church, temple and mosques killings. We don’t have to talk about slavery or the Holocaust. We can look at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., to see what Christian nationalism does. If you were to look at Dylan Roof’s manifesto, it was filled with Christian nationalism. We saw how divisive the Republican candidates were preaching Christian Nationalism during last election cycle like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly calling upon her Republican colleagues and voters to embrace Christian nationalism as their core value. It is a massive betrayal of the teaching of Jesus. Thank God we did not see any Christian Nationalist Tsunami at the last elections despite media predictions. The violence and the rise of hate Christian nationalism must be laid at the feet of those evangelical leaders and false Prophets who have denied Biden’s victory and backed Trump. The Christian nationalists and MAGA politicians have hijacked Christianity for political power and when will the churches and the leaders condemn Christian nationalism. Christian nationalists are spreading hate and fear – but not the teachings of Jesus. I remember after 9/11 the church leaders, politicians and Zionist media were asking Muslim leaders to condemn 9/11. Muslims did it categorically. Christian leaders and Churches in America owe it to the American public to unequivocally condemn this Christian Nationalism. One could trace the ideological roots of Christian nationalism to ministers like the Virginian Presbyterian Robert Lewis Dabney in the 1800s where he justified slavery as “righteousness” and called for anti-slavery movement. Christian nationalists are adamant on re-making America into a Christian theocracy and we complain about Iran’s theocracy where over 95% are Muslims. Christian nationalism is heresy and has always been used as a sword. When has it not been used as a sword? It began with the genocide of native Indians and continued with slavery. The threat of Christian nationalism is real and the solution is greater public courage by speaking up, silent no more. Christian nationalism has betrayed the religion of Jesus beyond redemption.” How did we get here? The polarization has now become a personal vendetta and eroded all the trust between the Republican and Democrats that they don’t even send Christmas greetings to each other. The sectarian conflict has become so divisive that both the Republican and Democrats balk at marrying a supporter of a different political party. Six years ago, most Americans did not care whether their children married someone from a different political party. This polarization is because of gerrymandering by both parties who want to hold on power which has led to violence like Jan 6th and could lead to civil war if Trump is found guilty. Christian nationalists are mobilizing their congregation and brainwashing their Sunday school like Taliban in order to colonize political power, I hope we Americans do not get engrossed into civil war like 1861. We urgently need visionary leaders and institutional reforms. America was polarized fifty years ago by race and religion. Protestant against Catholics, Christians against Jews and of course , White against Black people. Christian nationalism is pulling Jewish, Muslims and Christians apart, we are in desperate need of a unifying force. That force could be the message of love, peace and forgiveness taught by Prophet Moses(Musa), Prophet Jesus (Issa) and Prophet Muhamad. As we celebrate the birth anniversary of Jesus (PBUH) a Christian quote: ”Jesus, Son of Mary, said: ‘The World is a bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it. He, who hopes for a day, may hope for eternity: but the World endures but an hour. Spend it in prayers, for the rest is unseen.’ ” This Persian calligraphy is arched and encrypted at the entrance of the greatest piece of Muslim architecture, the mosque built by Emperor Akbar, at Fatehpur Sikri, a few miles to the west of Agra, in northern India. Why is this Christian quotation given a center stage in a Muslim monument, and why would a Muslim emperor want to place such a phrase over the entrance to the main Mosques in his capital city? This saying was circulated around the Muslim world, from Spain to China. The Quran calls Christians and Jewish the ”nearest in Love” and instructs Muslims to ”dispute not with the people of the book that is, the Jews and Christians.” The relationships between Islam, Christianity and Judaism are complex and intricately woven. There were never any conversions by swords, a myth much propagated in anti-Islamic literature. The American Muslim community stands ready to honor the legacy of building bridges of interfaith understanding and challenging those who would divide our nation along religious or ethnic lines. The best gift you could give on Christmas is you: Your heart, your love, for your family and your community. Thank you for reading my blog, and may Allah bless you with the light of understanding, as I greet you in peace: As-Salaam Alaikum. Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah.
