GlocalNet

“The essence of religion is mercy.”  According to Ali Fayyad, newly elected to the Lebanese Parliment and a member of Hezbolah.  “I’ve been thinking a lot about this and debating it with my friends the past few days - what do you think Bob?” 

“In Islam, it’s the idea that ‘my mercy expands, extends to everything.’”  Either a man lives by mercy, or he lives by fear.  There are 5 ideas taken from the 5 pillars of Islam and how we organize knowledge, God, humanity, philosophy, the unforseen, and life.  Mercy is key to all this working.”

“Something else I think - religion must serve people, and not people serve religion or it gets very dangerous.  Think about it, God doesn’t need someone to serve him he is so rich in everything.  God created the people to see who are the best and who is real.”

I think Ali touched on some core things, and as we talked, I told him in all of this religion is not the issue - God is.  If religion exists, it does so because of what we have built around who God is.  The focus must not the religion, but the one we worship and that is the organizing principle of all.  (Sounds a little reformed I know.) 

I was in Gaza for 3 days - I’ll write more about that later - but have been in Istanbul the past 3 days and it has been incredible.  It’s a UN group I meet with of world leaders.  There are everything to President’s, various party leaders, different religions, diplomats, NGO’s, and even a couple of pastors.  Ali is someone I’ve been talking to a lot lately in our meetings.  I have an incredible interview with him, once I get home, maybe I can play it. 

He became an Islamist (his definition a Muslim political activist) in ‘79 after the Iranian revolution.  He told me he’s never been a soldier but an intellecutal.  He was in charge of the student movemnets, then the media and PR relations - all of it for Hezbollah, then head of their think tank on strategy and communication.  He’s a diplomat par excellance - a master at not answering questions direct - on record!  He’s one of the top leaders. 

I asked him if I could bring a group of pastors to meet him in Beirut and him help us understand them, Islam, and the history - he said he would love to have us. 

My heart is heavy - the world is ripe and ready - sadly we are not as the church in the West.  It’s time to get on our face before God in prayer, then get up and read like crazy, then engage like wild, and ask instead of tell - and listen instead of speak and do it all for the love of Jesus.  I was thinking how do I get Western pastors ready to engage the world in ways never before done - I wish we got a tenth of what the church in the East gets - we’d be ready.  I hope we don’t have to sit this one out - the greatest time since the birth of Jesus is upon us - only those who’s hearts are right and soft, who’s minds are open and clear, and who’s hands are strong and quick will get to engage this world of ours. 

I’ve had some really good meetings, but at the end of the day - the question isn’t who did I meet, but where are we going . . . .