We Forgot 9/11: Then We Swore a Mayor In on the Qur’an – Part Two

If you have not read Part One, I encourage you to begin there. I explained the important distinctions between Muslims, Islamists, and jihadists, while warning that America has increasingly accommodated Islamic practices and ideologies without seriously examining the doctrines behind them.

We must not forget what radical Islamic terrorism has already done.

On Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists murdered 2,977 innocent people in America. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, killed approximately 1,200 people, and abducted 251 hostages.

Christians must respond to such evil without hatred, fear, passivity, or willful blindness. Our response must combine truth with love, courage with wisdom, and compassion with discernment.

Scripture gives us three clear principles.

1. Understand Jesus’ Teaching on Loving and Praying for Our Enemies  

Jesus commands, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44, ESV). That includes the Muslim family next door.

We should invite them into our churches, pray for them, the gospel with them, and explain why Jesus is more than a prophet — He is the crucified and risen Son of God, the only Savior of the world.

Christianity’s central symbol is not a sword, but a cross. Christ conquered not by killing His enemies, but by dying for sinners — including lost Muslims. We advance the gospel not through force or political power, but through faith in the message of the cross.

Christians should seek the salvation of Muslims, not their destruction. Yet loving our enemies does not require silence, willful blindness, or refusing to defend the innocent. We must act courageously according to God’s will and God’s ways.

2. Vote for Governing Officials Who Protect the Innocent and Punish Evildoers

Faithfulness as a believer also requires responsible citizenship. Christians should examine candidates carefully and vote according to biblical principles.

We should defend the freedoms protected by the First and Second Amendments, insist on secure borders and competent national security, and support officials who protect innocent people from violence.

Romans 13:1–4 teaches that God has entrusted civil government — not private vigilantes — with the authority to restrain evil and punish those who do wrong. Likewise, 1 Peter 2:14 describes governing officials as those sent “to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.”

Christians should support leaders who understand that protecting the innocent, maintaining public order, and holding evildoers accountable are fundamental responsibilities of government. It is time for American Christians to wake up, show up, and not merely voice their values, but vote them.

3. Practice Self-Defense

I believe aggressive attacks by Islamists and jihadists against America and Israel will intensify. Nations where Judaism or Christianity remain central to their identity will continue to be targets of terrorism.

This raises an urgent question: Does the Bible permit Christians to defend themselves and others against those who seek to harm them?

The answer is yes.

In Luke 22:36, Jesus tells His disciples, “Let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.” When they respond, “Look, Lord, here are two swords,” Jesus answers, “It is enough” (Luke 22:36, 38, ESV).

Jesus was not organizing an armed revolt against Rome. Rather, the swords could provide reasonable protection against robbers and other attackers. A modern application would be the lawful ownership of a firearm for self-defense.

Weapons must never become instruments of vengeance, intimidation, or wrongful rebellion. Scripture teaches that vengeance belongs to the Lord and that governing authorities are responsible for punishing wrongdoing (Romans 12:19; 13:1–4).

Nevertheless, Christians may take reasonable and lawful measures to protect themselves and others from those who intend to harm them. We should also defend the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms.

My purpose is not to encourage Christians to form militias to hunt down Muslims. It is to awaken us to genuine threats and call us to respond faithfully and lawfully.

We must not sacrifice wisdom in the name of multiculturalism or confuse compassion with complacency. Instead, we must live by conviction, remembering Jesus’ words: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). We must love as Jesus loved, vote and voice our values, and defend our faith, family, and freedom! 

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