The Offense of the Cross in Western Education

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Christianity is under attack from the leftist secularists together with the radical Muslims–the far right of the Islamic faith, and much of this is in realms of academia. The American Public Education has bent over backwards to accommodate minority groups under the banner of equal rights, but it seems that more and more groups are finding areas of offense, proclaiming they are being discriminated against. There are all kinds of “phobia,” that many groups are seeking to be classified under, so as to seek some kind of special accommodation, pointing to a supposed injustice they are suffering in academia.

Paul Bremmer, WND, December 13, 2015, observed that: “Only a day after two ISIS-inspired Muslims slaughtered fourteen people at a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California, Attorney General Loretta Lynch went before a Muslim advocacy group and urged Muslim parents to contact the Justice Department and the Department of Education if their children are bullied at school…Not only did Lynch urge Muslim parents to report bullying, but in her Dec. 3 remarks before the group Muslim Advocates,  she promised to ‘take action’ against those who engage in anti-Muslim speech that edges toward violence.”

What a ticket for the opening of violence-inspiring in academia!  If a person just mentioned the terrorism that is exploding over the world calling it radical Islam, a Muslim could we offended by such, and the message is the government is on the Islamic side.  Notice she said nothing about Muslims offending Christians!

Islamophobia is a term suggested for prejudice against, hatred towards, or fear of the religion of Islam or Muslims. The term entered into common English usage in 1997 with the publication of a report by the Runnymede Trust condemning negative emotions such as fear, hatred, and dread directed at Islam or Muslims.  But it is wrong to see what is happen and not connect it to Islam?

Of special interest at this present time is the accusation that Islamophobia is an evil that must be eradicated in Western thought.  Many Muslims are offended that Christianity might be painted as being more positive in the teaching of history or in contemporary events or might have more rights as basic faith in our society.  However, we are observing a deflating of the Christian influence in our public schools, and a inflating of Islam. Without question we are observing the rejection of the Western or Judeo-Christian values that were once basic to education in our land. Christianity has Judaism as a basic root, for there is a harmony between the two ideologies, where the Islamic runs counter to both in many areas.

If Christianity is just one religion with its values in contrast to many others, as the secularist wishes to project, the moral values proposed by it are no more valid that any of the others, so if the secularists are able to lump Christianity and Islam in the bag they can ultimately show the fallibility of both.

The Bible often speaks of the offense of the cross. The Muslims reject the message of the cross, although they accept Jesus as the greatest of the prophets, but not as the Christ. Notice that no nation predominately or even greatly Muslim has a democratic form of government. Freedom is not part of the Islamic world-view, but rather it is power to the religious powers that be. “Islam” means submission, and thus there is an offense between the cross of Christ that proclaims liberty and that of Islam that proclaims submission.

I Corinthians 1:18 says:  “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  1:23, 24 says: “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block (offense), and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”  Galatians 5:11 says, “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased.”  The Bible continually speaks of the offense of the cross at such other places as  Acts 2:38 & 22:16; Rom. 6:1–6; I Corinthians 2:13, Galatians 3:26–27; Colossians 2:11–12; I Peter 3:21).  The message of the cross is rejected by the Jews, but for the Muslims it is totally offensive.   But for the Christian it is a plus sign, even a plus sign to learning—”To study to show thyself approved unto God.”

The cross of Christ destroys all human merit, while the five basic pillars of Islam which are five basic acts in Islam are considered mandatory to the believers and are the foundation of Muslim life, of which are all are human actions committed to placate their acceptance from God.  Thus, salvation by grace through God’s mercy in Christ would be totally rejected by the Islamic faith!  It would be a total offense!

The politically elite in the American educational and politic domains refuse to use the words, Radical Muslims, but Nelson Hultberg in an article, “Muslim Immigration: Boon or Bane?,” Nelson Hultberg in an article, “Muslim Immigration: Boon or Bane?” wrote:

 ”There is Political Correct Monster rules modern Americans much like Hitler swayed German youth. It is the socio-cultural regimentation arm of the State. Aldous Huxley warned decades ago, schoolteachers under a totalitarian state become instruments to teach the young to love their servitude. Liberalism’s latest ideological ploy is multiculturalism, which teaches that countries who do not maintain extensive cultural diversity are morally wrong and must be corrected – by persuasion if possible, but by massive government coercion if necessary. A just nation must incorporate all cultures, languages, mores, and values, all levels of life. High class, educated immigrants are not to be favored. We must open our borders to all of humanity even though such laxity will permit terrorists, drug lords, primitives, Jihadists, fascists, zealots, budding tyrants, and germ infested lowlifes to find their way into our society to spread their venom.

There are millions of immigrants clamoring to get into America. Are we to bow to liberalism’s demands and obliviously admit them all, thus opening up our heartland towns and neighborhoods to the destruction that comes from people who cannot appreciate the requisites of freedom because the most powerful motive in their lives, their religion, preaches theocracy and political totalitarianism? In other words, are we to remain oblivious to the Islamist extremism that is a major sector of Islam?

Our authorities insist that Islam should not be condemned for it is, like all religions, possessed of moderates and radicals many of whom take things to the extreme and preach violence. Not so. The radicals of Christianity who preach violence comprise less than ½% of the religion because Jesus preached peace to all men. Islam’s violent radicals (the Islamists) comprise 10% of their religion because Muhammad preached violence toward the West.”  (Americans for a Free Republic, December 5, 3-2015)

We can observe the offense of the cross when coaches are dismissed for silently praying to God through Christ after football games, while Muslims are being allowed special prayer rooms in their schools as one of the required prayer times of the Islamic religion is during the school day.

The political elite has launched an attack on using the words, “Merry Christmas” for the word “Christ” in any sense as it might be offense to others.  They are in a quest to remove anything symbolic of Christianity from public display. They attack Christian chaplains praying in the name of Christ or seeking to convert soldiers to Christianity—and this can well apply to chaplains at universities.  The political elite’s stand is that those who are atheists or agnostics might be offended by Judeo-Christian ethical or moral directives, such as the rejection of homosexual behavior or saying the use of marijuana as being harmful to one’s health and society in general. Yes, the cross is an offense, even an increasing offense in world of academia in America!

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by Joe Renfro, Ed.D., Educational Columnist, Radio Evangelist, Retired Teacher and Pastor, 5931 West Avenue, Lavonia, Georgia 30553,  706-356-4173, joerenfro@windstream.net

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