Facing Hatred and Prejudice
Today’s guest blogger, Dan Johnson, writes about being drawn into acting against hate and prejudice in his town. Dan is a pastor in Gainesville, Florida, and writer of the meditation published in The Upper Room magazine for January 23, 2012.
Facing Hatred and Prejudice
Deep in my core I'm a "find a win-win," "get-to-yes," "seek-common-ground" kind of guy. Being the fourth born among six children, the proverbial middle child, no doubt contributed to that. So, when you read my devotional today (Jan. 23) it may be of interest to you to know that the prophetic role is not one I'm very comfortable with. And my style as a preacher is far more that of a pastor than of a fiery prophet. That's just the way I'm wired.
Which makes what happened just over two years ago quite out of the ordinary. Just around the corner from Trinity United Methodist Church where I am pastor, our neighbor, the now infamous Terry Jones, had been putting up awful signs about Islam, sending his kids to school with shirts saying, “Islam is of the Devil," and threatening to publicly burn copies of the Quran. As a follower of Jesus, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone and speak out against this religious persecution, which I did. In addition, our church joined with persons of other faiths to create the Gainesville Interfaith Forum (GIF).
As you may recall, the world seemed to focus on our university town and Reverend Jones, but reporters from 60-plus news outlets also came to our church and heard a far different message - one of mutual respect and sacrificial love. On the night before the proposed Quran burning, our church partnered with the GIF to offer an alternative to hateful burning; we offered a "Gathering for Peace, Understanding and Love." In fact, you can go to this link http://vimeo.com/14968853 to see a video of the beautiful thing that happened that night.
Since these events and because of them, I have become dear friends with persons of different faiths - of Islam, Hinduism and others. And while my Christian view is obviously very different from theirs, we are able to respect our differences and live in friendship, which is what Jesus calls us to do. This past December, my friend who is Hindu and also chair of the Department of Religion at the University of Florida invited me to lecture in her world religions class on the Jesus story! Sometimes mutual respect leads much farther than the alternatives.
For a skinny kid growing up on a farm in rural Ohio, following Jesus has led me on a most interesting journey! Where is he taking you?
-- Dan Johnson
You can visit the web site for Trinty UMC at www.trinityGNV.org.
10 Comments
Thank you for the moving message and the call for accountability! I enjoyed the video as well.
Yours is a wonderful story. Thanks. I will have to look at the video later.
Thanks for the devotional, the blog, the video, and most of all the work you do.
Pastor Dan, I applaud you for your stand against hate and prejudism. Thank you also for your message about mutual respect and sacrificial love. Sadly, intolerance, indifference, and/or hate continue to exist in today's society even amongst Christians. People's lack of understanding of other cultures, history, and beliefs cause us to behave badly, forgetting Jesus' teaching to love each other and to live in harmony. Fortunately, when we acknowledge our sin and repent, God forgives out of His love for us. God bless your ministry in Gainesville. I will have to view the GIF vimeo. Thanks again!
Thank you Pastor Dan for sharing. The video was so uplifting & I hope that the word gets out that there was a positive Christian response to Jones' hatred. He needs our prayers that his eyes will be opened to the love that God has for everyone.
Thank you Pastor Dan for sharing. The video was so uplifting & I hope that the word gets out that there was a positive Christian response to Jones' hatred. He needs our prayers that his eyes will be opened to the love that God has for everyone.
Dan, can you recommend any studies that compare religions? My friend emailed me yesterday that her Sunday School Class was looking for one so this blog was timely.
Dear Pastor Dan... not that i am doubting that you are a true Minister of GOD and CHRIST JESUS and of the CHRISTianity Faith.... i do not think you do not full comprehend the Islamic Faith.. and not that i am supporting Pastor Terry Jones' burning of the Qurans... but this group of religious believers do not believe that JESUS truly is the SON of GOD and that HE is the RESURRECTED SAVIOUR.. i tried to be friends with people from this group of Islamic Faith but all they did was blame GOD and CHRIST JESUS for everything... they do not believe in JESUS nor do they fully comprehends who HE really was and what HE came to this lost world to accomplish!! you should hear the things that they says about JESUS not being GOD's SON... but yet you supposely being a man of the CHRISTian JESUS says.. You are a strong "supporter" of their group of believers... this sounds like a self-denial of JESUS being GOD's Son as well.. but oops.. i could be wrong.. after all you a "Minister" of Our JESUS... so denying HIS deity... wowwww....CB
sorry peeps but that is not a website!! hahahahaha i just emphasize on the wow with my initials CB.... oops.. my bad.. peeps...
(As a follower of Jesus, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone and speak out against this religious persecution, which I did....as quoted by you Pastor Dan!!!) but what kind of "religious persecutions" these Islamic Faith believers have put the CHRISTian through in other countries that you failed to "note" on your blog here!!!?? I guess you failed to see the mistreatments the injustice the rapes the burnings.. the beheadings etv etc.. that these Islamic believers has done to fellow CHRISTians in other countries... CHRISTian believers from other countries have shown these hideous crimes done unto fellow CHRISTians caught on tapes!!! these videos are sooooo very real indeed!! and lets just say when you see some of these tapes.. you might not want to eat anything after you sees them and if you have eaten then you might just wants to wait for your food to digest fully before you watch these hideous crimes violence caught on tape done by the believers of the Islamic Faith!!!!! I do not support the burning of the Qurans or the Tshirts.... but you supposely to be a Man of GOD and a Minister should discern all this... but GOD's Holy Word the Holy King James Bible did say.... "Beware of False Prophets (Ministers too) preaching in my (Holy) Nmae (CHRIST JESUS said).....because they do not preach nor teach the doctrines of GOD My FATHER nor MINE (CHRIST JESUS said)