Christians must comfort not convert
I applaud the Rev. Will Stoll’s invitation to help Syrian refugees, (op-ed Dec. 11) and I accept it, but I want to offer a qualifying caveat. It’s difficult to tell Syrian people in the appalling conditions of the Lebanese refugee camp Rev. Stoll describes about the good news of God’s love in Christ with any integrity when:
▪ your country is also bombing theirs daily with “collateral damage,” i.e. innocent victims killed and maimed with munitions paid for by your taxes
▪ your country has killed hundreds of thousands and destabilized a whole region of the world
▪ some are already Christians with a heritage so ancient that it includes speaking Aramaic, the language of Jesus
▪ Arab-speaking Christians also call God “Allah,” which simply means God
▪ You consider Muslims (and Jews?), also people of an Abrahamic faith, fair targets for proselytizing, which only perpetuates the notion that our motives include a “Christian” as well as a military and commercial empire?
Why can’t all Christians (as some already do) simply give comfort, food, clothing, safety, respecting others’ dignity and faith without any strings attached, but explaining their motive if asked, and work to see that our government’s failed policies do no more harm?
Kim Leslie, Clovis
This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 7:23 AM with the headline "Christians must comfort not convert."