What Does God Think About Terrorism?

Being With Jesus:
John 16:2-3 (NLT)

Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

Not only the threat, but the daily reality of terrorism has occupied the twenty-four hour news cycle, dominated water-cooler conversations at work and planted fear in the hearts of ordinary Americans since the turn of the millennium. And now, daily debate in our political discourse focuses on what terrorism is (I’ve heard some even dismissively say, “Hey one country’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter”), what to call or not call it (so as not to inflame the terrorists), why terrorism is on the rise (are our Western values and lifestyles really to blame for the rise of terrorism around the world?), and how to combat it (do we send in the special forces to wipe them off the face of the earth or send the terrorists to the corner for a time out?).

Often, the what, why and how in our conversations about terrorism turns absurd on both ends of the discourse.

But what is not debatable or absurd is what God says about terrorism—as well as those who carry it out and those who perpetuate it through educational, philosophical, financial and spiritual support: Anyone who diminishes, hurts or kills another in the name of their god does not know the one true God or his Son, Jesus Christ, whom he sent.

“There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father.” (The Message)

Thomas Carlyle said, “Violence does even justice unjustly.” Make no mistake, violence of any kind done in the name of faith—in the home, at the church, in the community, between political belief systems and countries—is terroristic, morally bankrupt and evidence in and of itself that those who inflict it (or stand by in tacit approval of it) are as far from God as can be. And God will judge it! Jesus said, “those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) Death will come—spiritually, relationally, perhaps even physically—likely in this life from the irreversible law of sowing and reaping, or in the next life as people, people groups, nations and world systems stand before the Great White Throne judgment of Almighty God. (Revelation 20:11-15)

Now Jesus spoke of the threat of religious violence to gives his disciples a heads-up that it was coming. And his forewarning was to serve the purpose of settling them in their faith when that awful reality was upon them. We, too, would do well to simply acknowledge the reality that religious terrorism will increase as the finals days of Planet Earth draw to a close. Jesus still doesn’t want his followers to be unsettled in their faith—either to begin doubting God or getting carried away in unproductively debating terrorism—by the rise of evil and violence done in the name of religion. Mark it down and get prepared.

Yet I can’t help but think there is a more practical application we should latch onto from Jesus’ insights into religious violence. In a sense, is spiritual terrorism occurring in our homes when violence or the threat of violence or some other form of intimidation is used to control others—and justified by the Bible? Do we commit spiritual terrorism when we can fling incendiary, hateful and hurtful words via social media—all justified by our spiritual point of view, of course—in ways for which we are not held to account? When we speak critical and judgmental words anonymously, isn’t that akin to throwing an emotional grenade into someone’s life without having to stick around to view the damage that it does—that we have done?

I have a feeling that violence—not just physically, but more likely, through emotional attacks, financial coercion and spiritual abuse—justified Biblically, happens more often, is inflicted more subtly and is carried our more creatively than we are either conscious of or care to admit. But from here on out, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the Chief Conviction Officer in our lives, let’s soberly remember that if we resort to spiritual terrorism, that in itself is evidence that we do not know Jesus like we think we do!

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” (Isaac Asimov)

Getting To Know Jesus: Ask God to reveal to you where you might be inflicting pain on another in ways that you have justified by your faith. You might want to ask those close to you as well. And where there is evidence that you are guilty, repent of it, repudiate it and change!