The furor over comments made by U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin in speeches he made in churches regarding Islam shows just how ignorant many of our government officials are regarding religion. Boykin said things in the speeches to the effect that Muslims worship an idol and not a real God.
Of course, the PC crowd is all upset about this because the usual line that someone will be offended. Even Republican Senator John Warner is suggesting that Boykin be reassigned from his intelligence post. Surely a man in such a position shouldn’t be making inflammatory remarks, should he? This could cause hate or even violence toward Muslims, couldn’t it?
I suggest that Sen. Warner and his PC crowd take a survey of historic Christian doctrine. Even better, pick up the Bible. Take Isaiah 45:21, for example, “Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.”
One might say that Christians and Muslims serve the same god in different ways, but if pressed a serious Muslim and a serious Christian could not agree on this point. The clincher is that Christians believe that Jesus Christ and the God the Father are one. A Muslim would never agree to this—Muslims I’ve talked to about this get nervous even discussing it—it is blasphemous to them.
All this to say that Christians do not believe that Muslims worship an accurate God, and Muslims do not believe that Christians worship a real God. The big shocker in all of this is that this is not a big shocker at all. Christians and Muslims have had opposing beliefs since the inception of Islam in the seventh century. To pretend that this is not so is just that—pretending!
I may have some differences with some of Boykin’s claims—I don’t think, for example that America is quite the Christian nation that he said it is in his speeches. I think the current firestorm he’s under quickly dispels that notion. I do believe, however, that he has the right to assert Christian beliefs even as an intelligence officer—especially in a church with like-minded believers.