Christians Are Not The American Taliban
Abortion rights took a step back in Texas last week, and modern-day feminists and Leftists are losing their minds over it. In the least surprising twist in history, I must admit that I am a staunch pro-lifer, and I find the anger over babies not being murdered off-putting. However, I see the outrage even more unsettling given the events in Afghanistan over the last few weeks. Our President deserted women in Afghanistan, turning them over to Taliban rule, and we can hear a pin drop among the feminists in this country. Christians and the conservative Right have generally responded strongly against this military decision and/or how it was executed. Meanwhile, the feminists of our day largely ignored the plight of Afghan women choosing to focus on the U.S. and call Christians the American Taliban instead…
Disclaimer
Before I get into it, I want to acknowledge that I am fully aware that the situation in Afghanistan is complicated and affects more people than women. My focus today, though, is on this one particular issue. I am not discrediting or devaluing other aspects of the conflict in this region.
Afghanistan: What Happened?
Depending on who you ask, President Biden’s evacuation from Afghanistan was an overwhelming success or a complete and utter disaster of gargantuan proportions. I lean toward the latter.
The President promised to get all Americans, green card holders, and allies out before the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Then, he said all Americans. Eventually, his promise dwindled to all American who “want to leave.” He didn’t even make that happen. Although, he has blamed the abandoned Americans for being abandoned. So, there’s that…
As I write this, there is an undetermined number of Americans, green card holders, and allies praying for rescue. This brings us to the heart of the matter in Afghanistan. Why do they need to be rescued anyway?
Women Under Taliban Rule
We don’t know what it will look like for women under Taliban rule this time around. On the other hand, we absolutely know what it was like when the United States entered Afghanistan twenty years ago. Will it definitely be a repeat this time around? No one knows for sure, but there have been some clues that it is very possible. So what? Was it so bad? Let’s take a few moments to learn a little about what it was like before America stepped in.
Sharia Law
Everyone has heard of Sharia Law, but I am not convinced that we actually know much about it. As for me, until my mid-thirties, my only understanding of it came from the cartoon film, Aladdin. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best source for a realistic understanding.
What Is Sharia Law?
Sharia is the Islamic legal system or Islamic law. Unlike in America where we separate religion and government, Sharia is meant for every aspect of a person’s life. For example, it guides the reaction to crime as well as how to live regarding worship, charity, and ethical conduct.
Unlike how Sharia is often portrayed, it is not so straight-forward to interpret. There are five schools of Islamic law: Hanbal, Malik, Shafi’i, Hanafi, and Jaafari. Each will differ in interpretation, and that has a lot to do with how literally Sharia is viewed. Most Islamic communities focus on prayer, fasting, and other religious observances rather than the crime aspect.
It’s important to note that Sharia changes over time based on societal changes and the communities in which it is practiced. Allegedly, any interpretation of Sharia Law is “valid so long as it protects and advocates for life, property, family, faith, and intellect.” Again, we must ask ourselves, what is the big deal with the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan and leaving women under their rule? Sharia Law sounds OK, right? Sure, maybe, depending on the interpretation.
The Taliban And Sharia Law
It is internationally known that the Taliban takes the harshest interpretation of Sharia. When they were in control a couple of decades ago, they exerted complete control over women. Here are some examples.
1. Women could not leave their home without a male chaperone.
2. Women were essentially under house arrest. They didn’t go visit friends or out for a stroll. Their chaperones took them where they needed to, and otherwise, they stayed in their homes.
3. Women were not allowed to have interactions with any males over twelve years of age unless the male was a relative.
4. Women could not wear makeup.
5. Women were not allowed to work. In the beginning of the Taliban rule women were told they could work, but they were eventually replaced by male relatives and made to stay homebound.
6. Women had to wear burqas (a head to toe covering that also covers the face).
7. Women were not allowed to attend school.
The Taliban And Sharia Punishment
The Punishment doled out to women under Sharia Law must fit the crime, of course. What exactly are suitable punishments for crimes committed by females?
Left the house without a guardian/chaperone? She can be beaten. Pursuing education? She can be stoned, whipped, or even executed. Other criminal punishments women endured include flogging, caning, and public humiliation.
Sharia Law denotes two kinds of crimes: Hadd offenses (serious) and tazir offenses. The punishment is left up to the discernment of the judge with tazir cases. As far as deciding whether or not someone is guilty of an accused crime, Sharia has a high burden of proof. In reality, however, little to no proof was necessary among the Taliban. This only made the terror under which women lived more severe and omnipresent.
That was then, but this is now. We don’t know what the future holds. Or do we?
The Taliban Today
Is the Taliban living up to its reputation of being a despicable, lying, murderous, terrorist group? Yes. Yes, it is.
The group is presenting itself as moderate, but then acts like a murderous terrorist group. The suicide bombers that attacked Kabul airport and killed thirteen U.S. service members on August 26, 2021 were ISIS-K members who were welcomed into Kabul by…wait for it…the Taliban. They have also allowed Al-Qaeda to come back, and I assume, to drum up some business of its own.
In addition to assisting in suicide bombings and not allowing U.S. citizens to leave Afghanistan, the Taliban is also moving toward removing all women’s rights again. They promised to stand for women’s rights under Sharia Law. Not much of a promise given their history, eh? Here’s what we’re seeing.
To start, they began erasing women from view. Literally. They painted over images of women on advertisements because, as they see it, women’s faces in public view need to be removed.
Next, women have been instructed to stay home because “Taliban fighters haven’t been trained to respect them.” They have been told they will be paid for their jobs while they remain in their homes. The Taliban did this in the past, and the women were simply never allowed to reclaim their freedoms again until the United States pushed the Taliban out.
Other more frightening stories are coming out of Afghanistan. One such story is that a woman was set on fire because the Taliban fighters did not like the food that they forced her to cook for them. Some are claiming that they are being forced to marry off their young daughters to Taliban fighters.
And most disturbing is the report that young women are being shipped in coffins into sex slavery.
The American Taliban
This brings us to today. I recently wrote about how modern-day feminism and Christianity are incompatible. Ultimately, though, I insisted that Christianity is true feminism. Then, after Texas made its bold move against abortion, Leftists had something to say. Mind you, as all the atrocities of Afghanistan unfolded, they were silent on the very literal attacks on women. Joy Reid, MSNBC host of The ReidOut, summed it up well in the following tweet.
“What we keep learning, forgetting and relearning, whether in Afghanistan or here in the U.S., is that religious extremism, backed by a willingness to use violence to impose a particular sectarian belief system as governing law, is incredibly dangerous — anywhere in the world.” (1:59 PM Aug 15, 2021)
Do you see what she did there? She equated the Taliban, terrorist group, to conservative Christians. If you listen to her rhetoric, it isn’t a leap to draw the conclusion that U.S. “religious extremism” is just Christianity. So, take note, ladies. Christians are the American Taliban. I’m not sure if this is a step up or down from our previous label of Nazi, but I take offense to the idea either way.
Reid, and many other Leftists, don’t understand the Christian faith. They see us as people who hate women and want to rob them of their freedoms. Meanwhile, we’re over here telling people the truth that will set them free (John 8:32) and standing up for the rights of the unborn and Afghani women. What are American “feminists” doing? They are ignoring the plight of women in Afghanistan and fervently fighting for the ability to murder unborn babies. And they are the feminists?
Why Christians Are Not The American Taliban
I can’t believe I even have to write this, but let’s do this thing. We’ve taken a long look at the Taliban, so this part is easy.
Who Is The Taliban?
1. The Taliban is a terrorist organization.
They take power from others, use fear to overcome them, utilize violence to achieve their goals, and do not operate under any acceptable moral code in their dealings with others. That’s simplistic, but you get what I’m saying.
2. The Taliban forces others to worship their god.
In fact, this is so true that Christian lives are in danger when the Taliban controls the region. For many in this circumstance, denying Allah can mean death.
3. The Taliban is known for treating women like they are property or less than human.
We can see this on display with the violence, sex trafficking, head-to-toe covering, and the prohibition of education and employment. And that’s just for starters.
Who Are Christians?
1. Christians are not a terrorist organization.
A Christian holding particular beliefs is not, despite what Joy Reid may tell you, an act of terrorism. American Christians are not trying to take power away from others by force. Do they vote, propose legislation, and otherwise participate in our government? Yes. That’s not a terrorist act, though.
And for anyone wanting to throw the January 6th riot at me as evidence, you can read my thoughts on that HERE. If you don’t want to read it, I’ll summarize. Any Christian relationship to that event was rolled up in Christian nationalism. It isn’t biblical, thus, it isn’t Christian. Most Christians get that.
2. Christians believe their God is the one true God, but they won’t force Him on you.
We take Jesus at His word when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Because we believe that every person who dies without the salvation that can only be received through Jesus will go to Hell, we evangelize. That is, we share the gospel and encourage people to accept the Lord as their Savior.
We do not force people to believe in Jesus. Truly, that’s not salvation, anyway. That’s coercion. We respect people’s right to believe what they believe. We can’t make anyone become a Christian; therefore, we share the gospel and then we love people through prayer and, assuming they aren’t just a stranger we will never see again, through acts of service and kindness. We don’t, you know, murder people for having their own minds and choosing not to believe in Jesus.
3. Christians view men and women as equals.
We believe God has offered us all the gift of salvation no matter our sex. Men and women, alike, are able to be reconciled with God through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross because it was for the whole world (John 3:16). All believers are equal in Christ (Galatians 3:28).
The Scriptures also instruct men to care for their wives in several verses (Ephesians 5:23-25; 1 Peter 3:7; Colossians 3:19). Caring for one’s wife is not a misogynistic and sexist act. Rather, it is a display of love, kindness, and respect that you will not see from a Taliban fighter. Male and female Christians are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). We share in the glory of Christ together. Both are valuable and created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).
Final Thought
Christians are not perfect, and some people commit terrible acts while invoking Christ’s name. Even with all that in mind, Christians are not reminiscent of the Taliban in any way. Anyone who suggests that Christians are the American Taliban is being intellectually dishonest. People who claim to care about women but ignore the terror of the Taliban regime for women are hypocrites and are showing their hand. It isn’t about women or human rights for them. They have an agenda and have used “feminism” to push it.
Christian, don’t be disheartened and don’t internalize the vitriol that people spew at us. Lean on Him and keep up Kingdom work. Share the gospel, love others, pray for everyone (even your enemies), and remember the brave Christians around the world who continue to share Christ among true terrorist regimes.
Let me leave you with this.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
Isaiah 5:20-21
Let me know what you think about the latest accusations against Christians. Tell me how you are praying about it!
2 Comments
pkadams
Liberals tried to say The Handmaids Tale was about conservative Christians. More like radical Islam!
Julie
Absolutely! I can’t even tell anymore if they are that confused or just outright accepting terrorist groups!