I followed a story in the paper all last week about a massacre that happened on Sunday the 6th in Jos, Nigeria, a city in the central of the country. Jos is situated perfectly for this type of violence, because it is between the mostly Muslim north and mostly Christian south. Here are some reference maps:
Here's the latest article from the New York Times: Nigerians Recount Night; and for another perspective/part of the story: Nigerian Women Carry Bibles Protest Massacre.
The numbers are still up in the air, but at least 109 Hausa Christians were killed by Fulani Muslims. They came in the middle of the night with machetes, guns, and other weapons and killed anyone- women, children, babies, men. The violence on Sunday is only the latest in a long saga of violence between Christians and Muslims in this West African nation. And it's not only one sided. Why did the Fulani attack the Hausa? Because their relatives had been victims of a battle between Christians and Muslims in January.
The situation is really sad and sticky. I mean, in their purest forms, Islam and Christianity are opposed on this issue. Islam says war is good- to make war on those who don't believe is the highest calling. Although most Muslims do not follow this and live very peaceful lives, their prophet Muhammed tells them to go to war.
Christianity has very nonviolent teachings. Jesus was all about turning upside down ideas like hating your enemies and getting your just deserts now. This upheaval is epitomized in Luke 6:
27"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil."(ESV)
Here's the latest article from the New York Times: Nigerians Recount Night; and for another perspective/part of the story: Nigerian Women Carry Bibles Protest Massacre.
The numbers are still up in the air, but at least 109 Hausa Christians were killed by Fulani Muslims. They came in the middle of the night with machetes, guns, and other weapons and killed anyone- women, children, babies, men. The violence on Sunday is only the latest in a long saga of violence between Christians and Muslims in this West African nation. And it's not only one sided. Why did the Fulani attack the Hausa? Because their relatives had been victims of a battle between Christians and Muslims in January.
The situation is really sad and sticky. I mean, in their purest forms, Islam and Christianity are opposed on this issue. Islam says war is good- to make war on those who don't believe is the highest calling. Although most Muslims do not follow this and live very peaceful lives, their prophet Muhammed tells them to go to war.
Christianity has very nonviolent teachings. Jesus was all about turning upside down ideas like hating your enemies and getting your just deserts now. This upheaval is epitomized in Luke 6:
27"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil."(ESV)
So what does this mean for Nigeria? What should Nigerian Christians do? It is so saddening that so many were killed in the name of Allah and land- and in the name of the Christian God and land. I wish that the army could just protect them(and the Muslims and anyone else), but it doesn't seem like it's working so far. But Jesus calls us to nonviolence and loving our enemies. What have some of the Christians called for? I read somewhere that they called for revenge. I hope that is not true. I hope that they can let the government take care of it- and not try to take their own revenge, as they've done in the past. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be allowed to protect themselves, but at the same time, we are called to do better than go after revenge ourselves- but seek it through means other than personal vendettas, if at all. "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord."
The arrests in the first article put a light to this situation- I hope that if these men, who have confessed very freely, are punished, then maybe it will actually do something to stop this cycle of violence. I also hope that the Christians will be mature enough to forgive and love those who've even killed their relatives. It's not like I'm in their situation- I'm sure it's so hard for them. But this makes Jesus' statement really real. They had to make a real decision. I pray that God will lead the people in those villages to forgiveness and I'll be following this as time goes by.
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