My first thought was for the victims of this barbarity, and the horrendous pain an shock their loved ones must have felt.Then, I felt overwhelmed by fear for my Muslim neighbours living in the West. Not fear of them; fear for them. They already face bullying, verbal and physical aggression solely because they're Muslims, even though the vast majority of them do not condone terrorism in any way. I fear for their safety and well-being as my human brothers and sisters. And if they meet hostility, hatred and abuse everywhere, how can they live peacefully among us? In fact, this seems to be precisely what ISIS is hoping to achieve.
"The Paris attacks could spark new waves of Islamophobia in France and beyond — and with it fear of the refugees pouring into Europe from Syria and other countries. This is exactly what ISIS wants; the group has vowed to make it impossible for Muslims to exist peacefully in the West." ISIS wants to force Muslims in the West to choose a camp in the new worldwide war they are hoping to trigger. ISIS wants Muslims to feel alienated and harrassed so they will only have one side to turn to: radicalism.
I am also scared that Western governments will respond with more military strikes. Yet, what good has military involvement done in the past? After 9/11, the US military invaded Afghanistan and Irak. More than 10 years have passed and the Middle East has not been made more stable and safer. It's more volatile than ever. Moreover, the Paris attackers made it clear that they wanted to punish France for its strikes on Syria. Of course, I do not condone terrorism as a response to military attacks - but equally, I do not condone military attacks as a response to terrorism. Violence only breeds violence. Any person who is killed in a military strike is someone's son, someone's brother, someone's father - and if his loved ones cannot forgive, revenge is the way they will seek. So what should we do?
I don't know. I really don't. I feel at loss, and I wish I had an easy answer.
As a Christian, I turn to Jesus in such times of grief and chaos.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9
"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
[...] Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-31, 35-36.
That's a tall order. Yet I cannot help but think it's the best way to combat violence. I feel that as Christians especially, we have a responsibility to be welcoming and loving to our Muslims neighbour. When so many already blame the Muslim community as a whole and shower them with hostility, if we, followers of Jesus, do not show the way of love, pleace and forgiveness, who will?
However, I am keenly aware that it's very easy for me to preach peace and forgiveness. I have lost no one. How would I feel if my mother, my brother, my friend and/or my significant other had been killed or grieviously wounded? Would I be able to forgive and to avoid revenge, or would I want "all Muslims dead"? It's easy to be "kind" and "loving" when I was not directly affected. I can only hope and pray I would have that much grace in my heart.
Yet, choosing the way of violent retaliation and fear will only play into the terrorists' hand. If we don't want them to win, walking unafraid and in love is the best way to counter them.
So this is what I will strive to do: walk in love in the midst of chaos, unafraid - and trusting that my God, on the cross, has already played his hand. His move of sacrificial love is what will ultimately defeat evil, violence, and death.
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