What Would Jesus Do?

Why would anyone with their heads on straight think for even a moment that holding a pig's head and telling people that they would burn in Hell might possibly encourage those folks to convert to Christianity? Yet a group called Bible Believers apparently believe exactly that. They made their case, such as it is, at the opening of yesterday's annual Arab American festival in Dearborn, Michigan.

It is nothing less than amazing that such 'missionaries' cannot see that they are exactly who they are presuming to protest against: ignorant and reactionary. To be sure, any seriously religious person would want others to come along with them. Anyone who really believes they have found the path to righteousness should want to share that with all others. But they surely also must realize that they will reap few followers with hatred. Will they ever question what their venom might say about them?

These people are not conservative, though they will be painted as such by many others, others who belong in the same ignorant army as the Bible Believers. They are in fact reactionaries, lashing out at any and all who they have deemed evil; it is worth note that Catholics as well as Muslims are under their savage glare. Basically, whoever is not goose-stepping alongside them is evil.

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and you never teach love with hate. We are not saying that you must respect those in the wrong, those who act in honest error, but it is here where the word tolerance may actually have a decent meaning. You tolerate what they do in their everyday lives, in your own day in and day out interactions with them, pleasantly and with good cheer, showing them your way of life and your beliefs in a manner befitting your way of life and beliefs. It is then, if they are willing and able to convert, that they will.

But if you taunt them with a pig's head, they will at best only wonder what is the condition of your own sty.