Dear friends:

A common characteristic of Muslims seems to be rage.

They always seem to be outraged and raging.  You see their photos all the time -- raging.  Angry faces.  Angry crowds.  Hateful expressions.  Mouths wide open, revealing their tonsils and missing teeth.  Fists in the air.  Fire around them, as flags are burned and stomped.

They must get up in the morning raging, and go to bed at night raging, while raging all day.  No wonder they are so poor.  They are always looking for the least excuse to rage, especially in front of Western TV cameras.

They even rage at each other, such as between Hamas and Fatah, Shiites and Sunni, etc.  They not only hate non-Muslims, they hate one another.  Whereas Christianity is a theology of love and peace (by those who truly practice its tenets), Islam is a theology of hate and violence (by those who truly practice its tenets).  These attributes reveal the nature of the God (or god) they serve.

I am often reminded of Psalm 2:

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?   The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion" (vs. 1-6).

As we observe this rage, let us remember that God actually laughs at them!  He will have them in derision.  God will have the last word.

I am also reminded of Psalm 37:

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.  Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart" (vs. 1-4).

Jim