| In this writing we will continue with the subject | | | | mathematics of addition and multiplication, but the |
| matter discussed in the last article regarding Muslim | | | | enemy deals with division and subtraction. The black |
| Christian unity. I raised the question: Can Muslims and | | | | community is filled with Mosques, Churches and other |
| Christians unite? We saw in the previous article that | | | | places of worship, yet we still find all of the ills and |
| on the basis principles the oneness of God and the | | | | divisions mentioned earlier. We have taken God's love |
| oneness of the prophetic community that such a | | | | and mercy out of the picture only to replace it with |
| unity can be achieved. | | | | our egotistical opinion of what is right or wrong. |
| With the question answered with regards to unity, | | | | There is a story mentioned in chapter 9:38-40 in the |
| we will now discuss should the Muslim believers and | | | | gospel of Mark where Jesus taught his disciples, and |
| the Christian believers work towards such a unity in | | | | through them all of us, a lesson in tolerance. One day |
| modern times for the benefit of our families, | | | | the disciples came to Jesus upset and mentioned the |
| community and nation. | | | | following, "Teacher, we saw someone who doesn't |
| As I mentioned in the last article, our unity does not | | | | follow us casting out demons in your name; and we |
| mean agreement on every issue, theological position, | | | | forbade him, because he doesn't follow us." What |
| belief or ideology. | | | | was Jesus response to his short sighted disciples? Did |
| Operational unity | | | | he agree or disagree with their action? He said |
| A lot of time has been wasted in the black | | | | according to the gospel of Mark, "Don't forbid him, |
| community pointing out where we disagree with each | | | | for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my |
| other's position, belief, religion, program, platform or | | | | name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For |
| organization. We have witnessed the debates and fall | | | | whoever is not against us is on our side." |
| out between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. | | | | Unfortunately many in the community have taken |
| Dubois, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, Louis | | | | the attitude of the disciples regarding their brothers |
| Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson, the civil right | | | | and sisters ready to condemn them to hell if they do |
| movement and the black power movement. If we | | | | not follow their interpretation of the Gospel. |
| add up the time of debates and arguments of all the | | | | This attitude is also displayed by some Christians |
| aforementioned men and organizations we will see | | | | against their Muslim brothers and sisters. Jesus |
| 100 years of stunted progress. | | | | reminded his disciples that he has other sheep that |
| What is needed since we are not all going to agree | | | | are not of this fold. The black Muslims have a 79 |
| no time soon? | | | | year track record of reforming our people, taking the |
| I want to bring up the concept of operational unity | | | | worse of the worse and making them dignified. The |
| as a principle for the progress of our community | | | | Muslims have shown an ability to go into the worse |
| among the varied brothers and sisters. Operational | | | | prisons and turn the most hardened criminal into a |
| unity takes into consideration all of our differences, | | | | law abiding citizen. We have gone into crime and gang |
| but recognizes that the problem or situation at hand | | | | ridden areas and in a matter of months turned them |
| is more important than where we differ. We have | | | | into an oasis of peace. We are doing the work of |
| tried everything under the sun to achieve our goals | | | | Jesus, casting out demons, in your midst, yet there |
| as a people, yet their is recognition we have a way | | | | are some who would forbid us from this work or |
| to go before the whole of us will experience | | | | seek to have nothing to do with the Muslims. Where |
| freedom, justice and equality. | | | | do we get the power to transform human life and |
| Looking back into time to the horrible events that | | | | communities? From the same God and word that our |
| transpired on September 11th 2001, we saw an | | | | Christian brothers and sisters believe in. In the |
| example of operational unity among Republicans and | | | | Christians seeking to unite with the Muslims in |
| Democrats. In the aftermath of the strikes both | | | | operational unity we can share our tactics. The black |
| parties realized an attack was made on the country | | | | preacher and black church has been the rock of our |
| and they set aside their differences for the good of | | | | communities from slavery time to the present, so |
| their nation. Everyday in our community we face a | | | | they have a lot to share with their Muslim brother |
| number of problems including aids-hiv, black on black | | | | and sisters, who are eager to receive. |
| crime, male-female relationship problems, police | | | | With this type of operational unity between the |
| misconduct and many others. The problems of our | | | | believers in God, can you imagine the type of |
| communities dictates the need for operational unity | | | | progress we would achieve in casting out the |
| for the sake it's survival and upfiftment. This brings | | | | demons of aids, crime, drugs, hunger, homelessness, |
| us back to the question posed by this article: Should | | | | police misconduct, unemployment, addictions, |
| Muslims and Christians unite? | | | | domestic violence that may exist in a neighborhood |
| "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" | | | | near you. |
| The above biblical quote from 1 Corinthians 14:33 | | | | Can Muslims and Christians unite? Yes! Should Muslims |
| reminds us that God's way is of peace and order. I | | | | and Christians unite? Yes! |
| once heard someone say that God deals with the | | | | |