I Don't Care!

I really must break from the 1Kings promise for a moment... I'm such a big fan of email forwards as you may have guessed by now... forwarding things without thinking, and unverified, is always good practice.  I especially like the ones that bash Muslims, the Qur'an, and Mohammad... they're so productive and encouraging.  It seems Evangelicals are especially fond of emails such as these.  They often come to me routed through people I know have vibrant faith.  Though receiving such wonderful uplifting notes such as these is ineluctable, they provide good fodder for the Outer Court Blog.  Forgive me for stooping to satire, but it's called for in this instance.

This one's been around for awhile (at least since 2003 from what I can tell), though I have not been able to verify the internal claim that it originated as a letter to the editor in Canada.  It is posted in numerous forums and blogs... affirming the sentiment... you guessed it, with no source.  As for the Outer Court blog, I'm following suit, because I can't find a source!  This my be the only place on the internet where this sentiment is challenged. 

Believers are forwarding emails like this without contemplating the repercussions.  This is a great example of Patriotism run-a-muck, and unbalanced by a supra-cultural biblical world view.  I have relatives in the military, thankfully all of whom have returned from war in the Middle East unscathed, I feel the pain of 9/11, I knew people in New York that day.  However, I will not neglect the Sovereignty of God, nor my heavenly citizenship and be swept up, unthinking in the emotion of belonging to a political or cultural group.  My true home is above, my true cultural identity is with the body of Christ, and my true patriotism is for the kingdom of God.  Yes, hate the sin, love the sinner should be in play... but that is not at all what comes through here.  I've inserted some comments in bold to highlight a few zingers.

From an email forwarded to me 7/25/2009 claiming to be from some letter to the editor, of a Canadian publication:

"Finally someone who took the words right out of my mouth!! This was written by a Canadian woman, but oh how it also applies to the U.S. , U.K. and Australia

THIS ONE PACKS A FIRM PUNCH (who exactly needs a firm 'punch'?)

Here is a woman who should run for Prime Minister! Written by a housewife in New Brunswick , to her local newspaper. This is one ticked off lady.

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since? (this'war' has been going on since the beginning of time, Christians have been guilty of hijacking religion for their aims as well... have we forgotten the Crusades where Christians in the name of Jesus tortured inocents and burned Jerusalem?, or when the West took over the Middle East after WWI to exploit oil and cheap labor...?) 

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from the nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ? (Yes, and in Jordan a whole Muslim wedding party was killed by a woman suicide bomber, and nearly 100,000 mostly Muslim innocents have died in Iraq because of the their Islamic 'brothers' attacks, and civilian casualities http://www.iraqbodycount.org/)

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting against in a brutal insurgency.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan. (Ahem, pardon me but Muslims believe in the Torah, Psalms and the Gospels just like we do... they just think we don't live it out... go figure. There is no law I've learned of against 'believing' in the Bible, something the Qur'an speaks directly about)

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Afghanistan come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.  (I agree on this point, it is cowardly, and disrespectful to 99% of Muslims)

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs. I'll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that their freedom of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when something happens.  (Nirvana is what Buddhists are after through meditation... Muslims hope to get to heaven... just like Christians and Jews.)

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:

I don't care.  (I see, so the ends justify the means?, and if our enemy hits us on our left cheek, we're to knock him silly?)

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:

I don't care. (you don't care about the souls of fellow human beings, created in God's image, going to hell unless they hear good news?)

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat,and 'fed special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts:

I don't care. (those who passed on this email obviously care enough to spend the energy to pass on the email to their friends, enough to last from 2003 until now! )

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it,

I don't care!! (Maybe the fact that you don't care to learn about any other culture or language is evidence you might be part of the problem)

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! (Retoric certainly makes people feel better, but wow, to think that this kind of rage is going to change peoples minds is a bit strange)

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. (thank you for your permission) Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add: 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world.. But, the Soldiers don't have that problem.' I have another quote that I would like to add, AND......I hope you forward all this.

One last thought for the day:

Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The Canadian Soldier.

3. The British Soldier.

4. The US Soldier, and

5. The Australian Soldier  (I may be mistaken, but didn't 17 countries form the ISAF (International Security Assistance force)  respond to 9/11 including other assistance from Arab countries of Jordan, Kuwait and Egypt, the Turks, Pakistanis, and Northern Alliance Afghans.. not mention many others that didn't commit troops but intelligence and other resources? Are the US, Britain and Canada the center of the world?)   

One died for your soul, the other 4 for your freedom. YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET ALL OF THEM."

End quote.