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Pig Races in Fuzzyland
By Pastor John Carroll | February 10, 2007
The national media has been giving attention to the Baker Road pig races held on Friday evenings in the property adjacent to the site of the planned Katy Islamic Association. This is an obvious effort on the part of the locals to disgust the Muslim neighbors in the hopes they will sell out and move elsewhere.
While we stand for religious liberty it is time for some clear minded thinking about the subject. Dr. Randy White has written a bold and well-articulated letter to the editor of the Katy Times this week. You can read it at this link.
http://www.katytimes.com/articles/2007/02/08/opinion/01oped.txt
Pastor Greco often reminds us that “nobody grows in fuzzyland”.Let us beware of encouraging heresy for the sake of protecting freedom of religion. As RC Sproul says, “You are allowed to be wrong but it’s not OK to be wrong.” Too many professing Christians have no clear idea of what the Bible teaches or what the gospel really is. The gospel proclaims that Jesus is Lord; that in Him alone is there salvation from the just wrath of God toward all sinners. There is no cross in Islam; no atonement; only hard work and personal effort to keep the law. The religious rat race of trying to earn salvation is even more foolish than the pig races.
Flee fuzzyland now.
Topics: Cultural Interaction, Evangelism, Islam |
June 13th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I am confused by your entry regarding the pig races. It seems as if you disagree with the idea of trying to humilate Muslim people with the races, but then you also support the efforts of Dr. White whose words, while understandable, are quite combative against a peaceful relationship with our Muslim neighbors and coworkers. I have heard quite a bit about these pig races, but did not know that the Christian community of Katy was getting involved. I personally believe wholeheartedly that the message of Christ was one of love and acceptance; however, I feel so often that the church focuses on all the things that Christianity does not accept or condone instead upon opening its arms of love to all people. I guess my question for you is, “Why are we talking about the deeper spiritual differences between Christianity and Islam when we should be encouraging each other to behave with love and kindness towards all people?”
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Candace, thanks for writing. I can understand how this appears contradictory and confusing. It is commonly held today that all religions are equally valid even if their teachings are mutually exclusive. The problem I have with some church leaders and with the pig race organizers is that the former confuse showing love with approving teaching which contradicts what Jesus Christ taught while the latter use unkind means to offend and intimidate those they wish to drive away. I wish these folks could disagree without being disagreeable. Nevertheless, while under our constitution we have the legal right to believe as we choose, the God of the Bible does not extend us that right. If the Bible is true then Islam is in error on many serious points. It is interesting that Islam does not hold that both its beliefs and those of the Christian gospel are equally true and valid. The church leaders who extended a welcome to the Islamic Association seemed to hold that Islam is just as true as Christianity. Here is where Dr. White and I disagree with them. Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV). The Apostle Paul wrote: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” II Timothy 2:24-26 (ESV). There really is no place for either pig races or theological compromise in these passages. The believer should speak the truth in love. I hope this helps clarify the earlier post.