2 of 3

How should local Christians and missionaries respond to these historically negative associations with the Crusades in the minds of Muslims?

I think an apology is in order. But having said that, I think we have to hold Muslims accountable, too. They might forget or not be aware that, starting in 1915, Turks killed more than a million and a half Armenian Christians. There have been unsuccessful encounters between Muslims and Christians for nearly the last 1,500 years, but [this history is] not all the fault of the West and Christians. Muslims have also done wrong.

Wouldn't you say that Christians have apologized because they recognized that they did not live up to the ideals of their faith, such as turning the other cheek? A lot of Muslims might think, however, that the Islamic doctrine of jihad justifies certain violent actions. Thus, they may not be so willing to apologize.

That's true. Islam doesn't teach you to forgive your enemies. But, for the sake of truth, we need to confront them. We can do it lovingly, but we need to do it.

When you forgive Muslims, they recognize the difference. They say, "We don't forgive anybody, but now we see that you're different." On November 20, 1979, when the holy Kaaba in Mecca was taken over by unnamed insurgents, we were living in Dera Ghazi Khan. The rumor went out, thanks to Ayatollah Khomeini, that it was the work of Americans and Jews. When the false rumor reached our city, a mob formed and attacked us at our house and burned our jeeps, burned our literature, smashed furniture, and could have killed us, but for the grace of God.

During this time, the American embassy was burned to the ground in Islamabad. A few days later, the news came out that [the perpetrators at the Kaaba were] not Americans and Jews, but Saudis. The police and the military in our city rescued us and grabbed a few of the rioters and put them in prison.

We went to them and said, "We forgive you. We're not going to lodge a case against you." Then, neighbors, some of the people who knew me well, embraced me.

They said, "Mr. Larson, we now know the difference between you and us. We do not forgive our enemies. When there's trouble between us, Sunnis and Shiites, we fight and burn one another's shops. But you have forgiven us."

That was a great help, because it furthered our cause.

I said, "We're just doing what Jesus taught us to do."

Do you see that as a model for future interactions?

I sure do. I think it's very much waging peace on Islam rather than taking a militant stance as Christians. It's a kind of spirit. It's doing mission in the light of the Cross, or in the shadow of the Cross. It's a spirit of reconciliation, and it certainly does help. And Muslims respond. They do.

Seeing Christ on the Cross forgive his enemies in The Passion of the Christ was really quite powerful for Muslims. They may have gone to see the movie with wrong motives, but the fact that he forgave his enemies from the Cross seemed to touch them. Many, many Muslims went to see this movie. It was very powerful.

Do you expect Kingdom of Heaven to have an effect on Christian-Muslim relations?

I don't know. I hope it doesn't hinder them, because there's enough already out there to worsen conditions.

next page... |  2 of 3

share this page

June 2005, Vol. 49, No. 6