Things We Can Learn From Terrorists

There are some things that we can earn from terrorists! Like how to organise into small, multiplying cells (there have been a few papers on this since 9/11 including some work by Alan Hirsch). How to operate under the radar of giants like the US military. The importance of training. Small is beautiful. How to funnel anger into a cause. etc.

But there apprears to me to me a bigger one for Christians to observe and reflect on for ourselves. The shadow side of the glory that these people are striving for. These guys who have been caught this week in Australia were allegedly half way towards blowing up something important- maybe we wil never know what. But they got so wrapped up in their mission and their obscure and dangerous understanding of Islam that some interesting things stayed in their lifestyles.

I don't know if you noticed it but those young men who attacked the camerman were wearing Nike and Addidas clothes with their logos clearly on display as a fashion statement! So here we have angry young men who 'hate' the West but adore its' high priests! They probably ate at McDonalds for breakfast! And their leader was welfare dependant! That's right the guy who is allegedly leading these people into a right against the West is being funded by John Howard's Centrelink... I guess even a suicide bomber has to eat!

So we should reflect as Christians about the things that get in the way as we conduct our lives, that seem hypocritical to our message. There are plenty of examples... The current image in the world that Jesus is best represented by Republican voting morals crusaders. Our own over-concern with image (the external, rather than the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us - the internal). Anyone who preaches a message that Christianity can make your life easy and that there will be no more problems - 'Jesus will fix it'. People who get so wrapped up in the mission of their church that they forget about the mission of God (thinking that both missions are necesarily the same thing). etc.

There are plenty! Let's learn something from these dangerous fanatics!