Cabarrus Cheap Seats

Before people get all bent out of shape: I support our troops in Iraq and I supported and will probably continue to support Robin Hayes. That being said, Congressman Hayes didn’t do himself or anyone else any favors by a comment reported in the past two weeks’ Concord Standard & Times while he was visiting the Concord Rotary meeting. Here’s an excerpt from this week’s Concord Standard & Times that explains the source of the whole kerfuffle.

But what seems to have caused a stir was his statement that stability in Iraq ultimately depends on “spreading the message of Jesus Christ, the message of peace on earth, good will towards men. “Everything depends on everyone learning about the birth of the savior,” he said.

When I was interviewing Hayes after the meeting, he clarified that, saying his comments were made in “the context of spreading Christian principles rather than Christianity.”

The people who got most upset about this and wrote about it were people who would have never voted for Robin Hayes anyway. His comment fueled their anger which culminates in political analysis along the order of “Robin Hayes Hates Puppies”. And, no, I didn’t make that up - they really believe that Robin Hayes has it in for the puppies of America [click here to read the nonsense]

Christianity vs. Christian Principles

That being said, the fact a comment like that is making it out of a Rotary Club meeting does no good; because most people outside of a community like Concord don’t see the distinction between Christian principles and Christianity. Most of us know that merely following Christian principles doesn’t make one a Christian. It’s the acceptance of Jesus Christ - I could go further; but the Nicene Creed does a better job. Keeping our involvement in Iraq as far away from the memory of the Crusades and the perception that “Christian nations” want to subjugate Muslims is necessary for achieving stability in the Middle East. If Liberal Christians can’t make the distinction between Christianity and Christian Principles - you better believe that Muslims won’t either.

Modern Day Martyrs

A comment like that can hurt Iraqi Christians. For centuries, a sizable group of Christians have survived in what is modern-day Iraq. They have been able to exist and, during some times of history, thrive in an overwhelmingly Muslim world. Now they are targets. They are targeted because they are considered “purveyors of Western vice” as this MSNBC.com article from 2004 reports. The article details, at length, the struggle of those now fleeing persecution after being part of Iraq as far back as when it was called Babylonia. More recently, NPR’s All Things Considered covered a movement among the remnant of those who stay (most are leaving) to form a separate, small province in Iraq. The situation we created there could wind up being like the Balkans; but with the kind of murderous hatred that comes from millenia of practice in the area of the Tigris and Euphrates.

Expect More From Those In Charge

We’ve involved ourselves in the toughest neighborhood on Earth and we are just now getting an idea of what we’re in the middle of. Following an invasion 15 years ago, years of sanctions and military involvement, another invasion, and a protracted battle with an insurgency - two Republicans on the Intelligence Committee, a Democrat on the Armed Services Committee (soon to become the Chair), and several counter terrorism officials at the FBI failed to make the distinction between Sunni and Shi’a [by the way, follow that link and you will get a concise, yet informative explanation of the difference between the two major groups in Islam]. We expect our leaders to wrap their minds around the nuances; and they can’t manage to appreciate the basics. Robin Hayes’ comment about wanting to “spread the message of Jesus Christ” via our involvement in Iraq only confirms that problem.

With the recent changes in Congress, the escalating violence in Iraq, and the recent Iraq Study Group report - we owe it to ourselves to gain a greater understanding of the world we’re involved in now. A good starting point for Christians might be to understand the plight of Iraqi Christians and Christians in Sudan. For me, understanding how people follow Christ in areas where there isn’t a church on every corner has deepened my faith to the point that I don’t consider it a “hassle” to get up early on Sundays. We all need to read more, know more, and understand more. We also need to expect more from our elected officials. Our long-term success in the Middle East is wholly dependent on our elected officials making the best use of political, military, diplomatic, and economic resources, and that can only happen if they understand the culture. Any official should not be able to make it out of a primary without having a working knowledge of Middle Eastern history and culture - including the basics of the major religious movements. That can only happen if the voters demand it.

A Final Note

For what it’s worth, I’d like to commend Dale Cline and the staff at the Concord Standard and Times. Last year, someone threw a Concord Standard and Times on my lawn. When I opened up the paper to the Commentary section I saw the picture of the guy driving the car with the title of “Editor and Publisher”. It’s not every day you see the Editor-In-Chief of a newspaper delivering it. Obviously, that’s someone who believes in their product. The Concord Standard and Times is independent and not syndicated. The attention from the National Left Wing network of blogs and on-line media was something that Dale Cline could leveraged for his advantage; but Thursdays commentary on the story was humble, straight-forward, and balanced. The Standard and Times doesn’t spend much time on my yard each week. When it doesn’t make it - I’ve been known to drive across town to buy it from the one vending location I know of.

The circulation of the Standard and Times is growing, because of hard work and professionalism of the Editor and his staff. Our community is better for having the Standard and Times.