Day 2 -- almost ...

A long-time friend of mine from high school sent me a reply to my request for prayer.

She expressed her support, but wanted to suggest that in addition to prayer, that we all try to educate ourselves about the Muslim culture and get to know Muslims in our own communities. I do think that is a truly wonderful idea. Here is my reply to her letter:


Dear xxxxxxxx,

I agree about trying to educate ourselves about different cultures. I commend you for doing that by reading and getting to personally know Muslims in your community. I think that is just wonderful. The only problem is that educating ourselves ALONE won't change the bottom line: a fundamental difference in the way we, as Christians and Westerners, approach religion and value human life.

I agree that most of the Muslims, and people of Islamic faith, that we will meet in the United States, and other Western countries, probably will not have the views and beliefs that I cited in this website, day 1. Many of those people are now in the West because they do not believe the beliefs that are in the mainstream of Islam in their former homelands. Further, the Muslims living in the West are, for the most part, not the ones who are being recruited into jihad by extremist factions, and they are not the ones who truly believe that they are doing God's will by cursing the infidels (all those living in Western, modern, capitalist driven countries) and supporting efforts to kill and harm the latter.

Our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan may serve to show another, better and more truthful, side of the West -- a side that helps to protect the innocent, a side that helps to establish basic human needs ( i.e., electricity, sewage systems, and running clean water) --to Muslims in countries formerly run by murdering dictators and religious extremists. Hopefully our presence in these countries will aid in educating Muslims and people of Islamic faith about our beliefs. But change will not be drastic, nor will it come quickly -- as we have seen during our last 2+ years in Iraq -- because we are dealing with a thousand ++ years of established beliefs and the Islamic extremists know this.

In light of the above, I feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to do more. And this Prayer Campaign has been hard for me to do, because I am usually one who likes to fly below the radar and work behind the scenes. When I see a need, however, the Holy Spirit just won't let me let it be. I have this 6th sense of empathy, and I truly feel the pain of all involved (ie., the innocent children and civilians that are killed by bombs on the streets of Iraq almost daily, our fellow countrymen who were needlessly and most cruelly murdered on 9/11, journalist and civilian contractors who are captured, tortured, and often killed by extremist factions in the Middle East). And I would like to see our U.S. military men and women come home! I think that we are at a point now, where real change in our relations with those of Islamic faith needs to aided by a higher power: God.

The Lord knows that none of us are perfect! That's why we are here on this Earth. We are all given a chance to do God's work -- spread His message of Hope and Salvation -- and maybe just get "IT" a little bit right. Sure, we are bound to mess up from time to time, but the God I know is a loving God, slow to anger, quick to give mercy and forgiveness to those in need. So if even if you have never prayed before, or don't think you know how, or wonder about the effectiveness of prayer in general: here's your chance to get in there and do something that really matters! To have a true impact on the world around you, and to see firsthand the power of prayer, and of the God who made us one and all. We are all children of God, regardless of our individual religious beliefs and affiliations, or lack therof.

I feel as if we are at an impasse, and it is time that we let God aid us all in a path to peace and understanding. I truly believe that this prayer campaign may help us to that end.

We aren't going to get up in anyones face, or condemn anyone for their beliefs. We are simply going to pray and leave the rest up to God.

If you have some words for prayer that you think that others might be able to use to help them in their efforts to support this prayer campaign please leave a comment or send and email to:
peaceifwepray@gmail.com .


God Bless Us One and All!
xxxxxxxxx

P.S. Please excuse any typos! It is late and I am tired 11:29 p.m. Maybe I will sleep tonight ...