I can’t imagine how difficult it must be today for our military leaders. The not-so-friendly-fire from the media must be devastating. They’re ripped apart, left and right. Now that one of their own, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, has massacred over a dozen of our heroes, military leaders once again are being blamed.
While the media is trying to decide whether Hasan’s killings were an act of terror, some of our finest leaders are wondering if they’ll need a legal team to defend themselves.
News reports indicate our leaders felt the need to protect Hasan’s freedom of speech. Apparently they knew what he believed based on what he had said, but they weren’t sure how far he’d go. “Maybe he’s serious… maybe he’s not. Maybe he’ll do something, maybe he won’t….”
Clarity
“Clarity” is defined by Dictionary.com as “clearness or lucidity as to perception or understanding; freedom from indistinctness or ambiguity.”
I think we all need to get some clarity — especially our political leaders, military commanders, and the media — about appropriate language and freedom of speech. If you need help gaining perspective, try this: board a commercial airplane and then loudly joke about bombing it. You’ll be amazed at how fast you land in jail. (And that’s for joking about it… not being serious about it.)
It’s really pretty simple. There are times we take speech very seriously. In fact, we take it so seriously, most of us don’t even question the fact that our “freedom of speech” is regulated — even eliminated — and that we’d better be careful about what we say.
It’s time to be just as clear about our war against militants who are so determined to kill us that they will gladly give up their lives to do it.
Courage
Here’s the Wikipedia definition: “Physical courage” is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, or threat of death, while “moral courage” is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.
There are millions of examples of “physical courage.” George Washington is one of my favorites. According to author William Federer, George Washington was out in front, leading his troops and risking his life, while he “rode back and forth across the battle … every other officer on horseback, except Washington, was shot down, until even General Braddock was killed, at which point the troops fled in confusion.”
Washington was a powerful example of physical courage. Afterward, he wrote in a letter to his brother, “But by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!”
There are also many examples of “moral courage” throughout history. John the Baptist is a good one. His hard work and ministry was eclipsed by his cousin, Jesus; he was thrown in jail; and he eventually lost his head for speaking out against the immoral relationship between the king and the wife of the king’s brother. And over the past 2,000 years, the number of Christian martyrs has grown beyond belief.
Everyday both physical and moral courage are demonstrated around the world by Christians. Sadly, the media ignores it. Take a look at a few of the recent headlines from the Compass Direct news service:
Bangladesh
[Muslim] Police Torture Pastor, Two Others
Muslim Villagers Beat Evangelists in Southeast
Muslim Pilgrims Beat Bible Student
Pastor’s Wife Gang Raped, Home Robbed [by Muslims]
China
[Government] Office Becomes New Force for Religious Repression
Authorities Refuse to Renew Licenses for Human Rights Lawyers
[Christian] Bookstore Owner Sentenced to Three Years in Prison
Religious Rights Abuses Cited
Detained Uyghur Christian Taken to Hospital
Action Urged for Missing [Christian] Rights Activist
Tortured Christian Lawyer Arrested, Officials Deny Abuses
Officials Grapple With Spread of Christianity
House Church Raids, Arrests Continue
Egypt
Two Copts [Christians] Imprisoned After Reporting Attack [by Muslims]
Violence Again Erupts Over Quest for [Christian] Worship Site
Police Collusion Suspected in Attack on Church
Two Clashes Shake Coptic [Christian] Community
Village Christians in Hiding After Clash
Rescue of Coptic [Christian] Girl Prompts Muslim Attack
Court Denies Right to Convert to Second Christian
Policemen Sentenced to Only Five years for Killing [a Christian]
Stabbing, Bombing Attacks Strike Near Two Churches
Convert Arrested for Marrying Christian
Islamic Lawyers Urge Death Sentence for [Christian] Convert
Christians Sent to Prison After Brutal Police Raid
And those are just some of the reports. There are dozens of additional stories, both reported and unreported, of Christian persecution and harassment in Burma, Columbia, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda and Vietnam.
The most obvious source of this hatred and terrible persecution comes from two sources: religious (Muslim and Buddhism) extremists and Communism.
Leadership
Which brings me to the third point, “leadership.” Obviously, we need it now more than ever. Men and women with the clarity and courage to say and do what’s needed. I’m not suggesting a holy war against all Muslims or declaring war on all Communists. But I am suggesting that we maintain a proper perspective regarding anyone who wants to take away our freedom and kill us: we should be at war with them. And we should be courageous enough to say so.
When leaders in academia, government, the media and the military unite against this hatred, it may reunite our country so we can win the war. I hope and pray it doesn’t take another 9/11 to find the clarity of purpose that will inspire us and give us the courage to lead our nation to victory.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
