Church in the News: CAN orders Christians to defend selves in Borno
What say ye? Good decision? Or its against the "turn the other cheek principle'? Actually, what is the right way to deal with persecution?
CAN orders Christians to defend selves in Borno
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State Chapter has called on Christians in the state to do everything possible to defend themselves against any aggression and attack by any group or individuals as Christians should no longer fold their arms and watch churches being destroyed and their members killed.
Addresing newsmen at the CAN secretariat in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Tuesday, the CAN Chairman, Reverend Yuguda Midurvwa, said the atrocities perpetrated by some group of “unidentified persons” who had taken it upon themselves to annihilate Christians in the state can no longer be condoned saying “enough is enough.”
He said while they had visited mayhem on Christians in Borno State, destroying churches and killing Christians without any provocation whatsoever, the Christians though peaceful people who, believe in living peacefully with their neigbours as taught by the Holy Bible, failed to understand the failure of the security agencies in protecting life and property. He said Christians were no more prepared to look on while church members are being silently killed and churches destroyed.
“We call on all members to go back to God in prayer and fasting, we will resist any attack on our people as killings and destruction of our members and churches are still going on without any checks on these criminals,” he explained.
Reverend Yuguda further said the decision of CAN Borno State to opt on self defence was informed by attacks on over 12 churches by some Muslim groups and the continuos silent killing of Christians in the state.
Source
The right way to deal with persecution is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" - Romans 8:12. There are different types of persecution but time will not permit me to explain them here. If believers are persecuted by the State, they can run away or call upon God to intervene. If believers are persecuted against the law of the land, they have the right to defend themselves. How they go about self defense, however, must be within the law. That's where Holy Spirit's leading is necessary. The Scripture says in Proverbs 26:4 "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him." but in verse 5, it says the following: "Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." The teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5 about turning the other cheek refers to our disposition in the world and in our dealings with neighbors. It does not apply to a large scale persecution being witnessed in the Northern part of Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very well thought out answer. Thanks for the contribution!!
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