Tim Furnish never ceases to provoke serious (re)appraisal of the threat of Islam, here reworking a classic text by Martin Luther.
Luther Writes Once Again on the War Against Islam
By Timothy Furnish, The Stream, June 18, 2019
Adapted freely from Martin Luther’s “On War against the Turk,” (1528).
Mr. President, My Gracious Lord:
Certain persons have been wondering for years what I might say about conflict with Islam in the modern world. Especially since there are some stupid twenty-first century clergy who are making the people believe we ought not, and must not, oppose Islam at all. Some are even so crazy as to say it is not proper for Christians to be rulers. Especially if they are “Islamophobic,” as they accuse you. Your accusers know better, but they pretend not to. Thus, it is necessary to write of these things for the sake of America and Christendom.
From here, then, I commend Your Grace to our merciful God’s guidance and favor, and may He strengthen Your Grace for a blessed administration — or two.
The Church Cannot Lead the War
When I was alive the papacy condemned me for many things. One of them was for saying that fighting against the invading Ottoman Turks was the same thing as resisting God, who visits our sins upon us with this rod. (Just as He sent the Assyrians and Babylonians against the Israelites in the Old Testament.) In this I was said to be arguing that Christians cannot bear the sword.
But I was doing no such thing. My point was that the leadership of the Church ought not strive or fight with the sword. In fact, it still holds that if I were a soldier and saw in the field a banner of the cross, even though it were a crucifix, I should run as though the devil were chasing me. However, if the banner of the Emperor (President, or Republic, in your day) is in the field, then let everyone run boldly and gladly to it. Keep in mind: your struggle against Islam should not be a “Crusade.” But it should be fought, and on two fronts.
The West Needs Prayer Warriors
On one, all Christians should pray for your secular leaders. But here you may ask “who are these Christians, and where does one find them?” Answers: they are all who hold to the Gospel, that Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected to pay for our sins; and they are everywhere, in red and blue states (although perhaps spread thin in certain denominations). Every pastor and priest ought to exhort his people most diligently to repentance and prayer for leadership and for their nation. I know that for the media and many so-called scholars, this advice of mine will be laughable. They will hold it for a simple and common thing which they have long since got beyond. Nevertheless, I commend it to your countrymen.