Juris Naturalist

Which is why I’m posting it on a public website…

Today (The fact that this came in on the day before the 4th seems very strategic, especially considering the appeals to nationalism within.) I got a letter from Advancing Native Missions.

They say, amongst other things:

Please forgive the urgent, confidential nature of this letter.  But I do not want it to fall into the hands of Islamic extremists.

This statement grieves me.  First, it is setting the reader up emotionally to fear and dislike Muslims.  It also introduces a political theme which runs through the course of the letter, the gist of which is that if American Christians don’t send ANM money Muslims will invade America and make their daughters wear burkahs while instituting Sharia law.  (It is so hard to avoid hyperbole here.  I am actually angry, and working hard to channel this anger into grief. )  Finally, it invites the reader into an act of political espionage, betraying their confidence in God’s sovereignty, favoring the US government over others, and whetting their souls unto encouraging violence against Muslim nations.

ANM supports native missionaries reaching out to their own communities, which can often be dangerous, and thus requires outside support.  I am cool with all of that.  I would gladly send money to people spreading the peculiar truth of the gospel.  I won’t send money to politically charged organizations.

Here’s more from the letter:

It is imperative I hear back from you this week.  That’s why I’ve enclosed a confidential survey… (it) will let me know you agree with me on the severity of the consequences of what I’m about to tell you.. if we as a Christian people do nothing.

I guess I’m blowing their cover here.  I’m curious about the “we” implied here, and who will face what consequences.  My guess is he means comfortable American Christian conservatives.

You see, I’m convinced we in the United States of America may be in a deep sleep.  We are following the same path of least resistance which is proving the downfall of many European nations.

Notice the nationalism.  Notice the rhetoric prompting fear in the reader.

I’m referring to a radical Islamic agenda gaining ground that few have seen coming.  Western European nations are rapidly losing their cultures to the Muslim enclaves which are growing larger and more powerful every year.

Ah.  The Muslims.  Europeans are losing their culture.  It could happen to us, too!  What culture, exactly is being lost?  Is it the socialism of France?  The fascism of Italy and Germany?  The imperialism of Great Britain?  Somehow I don’t think they meant the neutrality of Switzerland.

What culture should we be afraid of losing?  Americans are forfeiting individual liberty on every side.  Conservatives are renouncing civil liberties in favor of martial security.  Liberals are forfeiting fiscal liberties in favor of egalitarian socialism.  There are evangelicals on both sides.

The strength of America has been its lack of national culture.  Liberty has invited anyone who is willing to pay their own way to come and live as they want to live, so long as they don’t encroach on others.  Adoption of security and egalitarianism threaten the foundation of liberty.

Later in the letter:

As Muslims immigrate… they do not assimilate…  Rather, they… in many cases succeed in implementing Islamic Sharia law!

Recently, a nurse from… West Virginia (said) Muslims are coming from abroad just to give birth which automatically makes their newborns American citizens…

Yes, the doors are wide open here in America to immigration from radical Islamic nations!  Sharia law encompassing the entire globe is the goal of Islam — and they are working diligently to see that the US is no exception!

Okay, this is where I started to get angry.  I am an advocate for open immigration.  Immigration quotas are the number one reason oppressive regimes can behave so awfully.  If their people could easily immigrate to America they would be sweating bullets, afraid to lose their slaves to a land of freedom where they could work to put an end to the oppressor’s regime.

The overt anti-foreigner bias here is hate, pure hate.  I can’t imagine how words like these shape our attitudes towards Muslims currently living and working peacefully among us.  How does the reader of this letter see the woman in the burkah, or head scarf?  Can he have compassion for her when he fears her?

The letter goes on and on in this strain.  Then it asks us to support their missionary efforts within Muslim nations.

A Muslim will listen to a former Muslim.  An Arab will listen to an Arab.

Lord knows, after reading this letter I won’t want to talk to them!  Let them talk to their own!  God forbid they should come here!

As a student on a very diverse campus I meet a great many Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, among others.  I have never felt threatened in these situations, and I have always been met with an openness to listen to my own perspective.  People will listen to people.  Slapping labels on things is divisive.

He goes on to list the ways Muslims are open to the gospel in a way unlike ever before, when shared by a native missionary.  Like I said before, I think this is great, but I’m worried the gospel they are receiving is tainted with Scofieldian Zionism.  They may be switching sides just to be on the winning one.  More espionage.

He calls this

perhaps the greatest battle against evil that has ever been waged!

and proclaims that

Together we can stand up to those who would destroy our nation and subject the entire world to radical Islam.

Again, the militaristic language tied in with nationalism.

It is often a good rhetorical move to exaggerate your opponent’s strength in order to recruit greater resources to one’s cause.  Bureaucratic agencies have been using this tool to justify increased budgets for centuries.  The CIA warned of the Soviet economic strength for the same reason.  The truth was that the Soviet economy was crumbling from within, just as Mises and Hayek said it would.

I don’t see what in the letter was so top-secret.  Again, that admonition was merely an invitation to enter into the power-over mechanisms of espionage.

I looked at their survey.  It includes the questions:

Do you consider radical Islam’s goal of world domination to be an imminent threat to the future of the American republic?

I like the use of the word republic there.  That’s a key term to signal solidarity among conservatives.  No.  I’m not worried about Islamic global domination, just as I was not worried about Soviet domination, just as I would not have fallen prey to propaganda during WWII claiming imminent global domination by the Nazis.  I’m not chicken-$#!*.  I believe in God’s sovereignty.

 Is the U.S. government doing enough to stop Islam’s goal of Sharia law being implemented in America, particularly since radical Islam is basing their methodology on the successful model they’ve used in Europe as described in the enclosed letter?

Wow.  Loaded question.  The government should not be concerned about such things.  The European nations were offering welfare programs which incentivized immigration.  They also employ political systems which award incredible privileges to those who control the law.  No wonder Muslims are competing with other special interest groups for the power to wield the billy-club.  Eliminate the privileges.  Restrict the law to protecting rights and enforcing contracts.  End all wealth transfers.  These are the real threats to liberty.

What further concerns me are the various accountability organizations which have endorsed ANM.  It makes me skeptical of other charities they endorse.

Please don’t send these people money.  If you know of people serving as missionaries under their umbrella, and doing good work, then work to free them from association with this group.