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jn_en_2010_09_08

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Migration 3 - Faith Issues ...

Wednesday, September 8, 2010. What is the role of faith in migration issues today? Is there a problem? Or perhaps no problem at all?

Faith plays a role in the discussion of migration. The driving force here is that migrants often have a different faith than the majority of people in a country. Or one has to say that migrants have a different culture which has developed in strong interaction with some faith.

Faith as a threat?

Is faith a threat? Often, it is received or perceived as a threat. The threat is not the faith itself, but particular customs or actions which are linked to faith. People in several European countries feel some kind of threat when migrants who belive in Islam build their churches in the middle of western communities. It is possible to build these churches, Islam can be practiced rather freely in western society since we believe in the right of every human to follow his or her beliefs (as long as this does not strongly limit the rights of others). It is even a right to invite to faith - whatever faith this may be, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist etc etc.

On the other side, in Muslim societies Christian churches and Christian faith are perceived as a clear threat. Most mission in Muslim countries is forbidden. Not seldom, people who invite to Christian faith must fear for their life. Even existing churches are closed or education for priests is destroyed. So the reaction to Muslim faith in Christian countries reflects this state. Islam is feared as a set of believes with a suppressive and violent face.

It is very difficult to make a distinction between the actions of the so-called “Christian” societies when they shape world politics and the faith of Jesus, the Christ. Western influence is perceived as “Christian”, even if it is not Christian at all. This might also be true for Islam, there might be a calm side of it, though not every state is following it. Remember that “Christian” states started wars in the past, Jesus did not tell them to do so!

Faith as an Invitation

Faith is an invitation to the migrant. Faith was the invitation to Abraham, when he moved from Iraq to Palestine thousands of years ago. When you move, you leave all securities behind. You start something new. You go into a new environment. When you go into the unknown, God offers you faith as a better security.

We want to invite all migrants to faith, as God has done this in the past. For so many people in the past their journey into a new country was a challenge and test for their faith - and it was the invitation to fully dedicate themselves to the living God. The “promised land” has even become the key picture for the kingdom of heaven. Going into a new land is what we all will do, when we go to God finally.

Migration is a wonderful chance to come to the living God. So our invitation today will pick up the old invitation of the New Testament: come to faith in Jesus! Look at him, he shows more than a human can be, you will discover the face and voice of God. Open yourself, your ears and your eyes to the presence of the most high. Faith is an invitation to the migrant! ... more texts

jn_en_2010_09_08.txt · Last modified: 2017/06/18 16:48 by 127.0.0.1