About the Words We Speak




K. Borror


Radical Love Campaign: Be accurate when we speak about Muslims and their faith. Overstatement, exaggeration and words taken out of context should not be found among followers of Jesus, for he calls us to be careful about the words we speak (Matt 12:36). God commands us not to bear false witness against our neighbor (Ex 20:16) and to do unto others as we would have them do unto us (Matt 7:12). Thus we endeavor to speak truthfully about Muslims, and we seek to be clear and positive in our communication of the gospel to Muslims.
As much as it depends on us, we seek to live at peace with all people, while acknowledging that speaking the truth, even graciously, will offend some. We acknowledge that respectful and gracious witness does not imply naiveté or silence about troublesome issues. We are called to speak the truth in love. At the same time we refuse to project onto all Muslims a violent agenda espoused by only a minority. We choose to relate to Muslims as unique individuals rather than assuming they fit our stereotype of a “Muslim.” Moreover, we refuse to prioritize concerns of political power and self-protection above the commands of Scripture, such as love for neighbor (Matt 22:39). We affirm that proclaiming the Good News of Christ's love is a higher priority than defending our culture.