Extremism

Isaiah 42:3 (NASB)

A bent reed He will not break off, and a dimly burning wick He will not snuff out.

Christianity is the opposite of extremism. We live in an age that is going through violent swings in public opinion. Historically, liberalism and fascism have traded places quite frequently. When a madman like Nero was throwing Christians to the lions for sport, no one in Rome asked if that was even humane treatment. When Christ was so brutally crucified on the cross by religious fanatics, no one even bothered to question the legality or morality of His conviction. Extreme liberalism, where anything goes, as in Sodom and Gomorrah, eventually leads to a fanatical society where nothing goes. How do Christians respond to all of this? We must remember that this world and its affairs are controlled by the devil. Extreme hatred for one sect leads to counter-hatred for another. As much as liberalism and the attendant perversion are sin, extreme fanaticism and the denial of due process and fundamental rights are just as sinful. Christians should not be alarmed by these events, nor should they partake in such events. As aliens and strangers in this world, we should abstain from belonging to any entity that espouses these extremes, no matter how spiritual they may sound. We have to be like our Lord, who never hurt the hurting, committed violence, or espoused radical views but fought gently for justice for all human beings.