Relational Terrorism

Getting Closer to Jesus: These days, 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 citizens. And now, regular debate in our political discourse focuses on what terrorism is (I’ve even heard some say dismissively, “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 (perhaps our Western values and lifestyles are 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 turn absurd on both ends of the discourse: “Let’s nuke them back into the stone age,” or “let’s be nice to them and maybe they will leave us alone.”

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. (John 16:2-3, The Message)

Thomas Carlyle said, “One of its worst kinds of waste … is that of irritating and exasperating men against each other, by violence done, which is always sure to be injustice done; for 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)

Jesus spoke of the threat of religious violence to give his disciples a heads-up that this kind of religious zeal that embraced terrorism was certainly coming. And his forewarning was to serve the purpose of settling them in their faith when that awful reality was finally upon them. We, too, would do well to simply acknowledge the reality that religious terrorism will increase as the final 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 unproductive debates about 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 relational 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 out 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 relational terrorism, that in itself is evidence that we do not know Jesus like we think we do!

Take the Next Step : 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!