Changing churches into mosques

Aha! You thought I was about to write a diatribe against the takeover by victorious Islam of historic Christian churches, like Aghia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul), but no, I'm not. Although I wish that Aghia Sophia were still a Christian Orthodox house of worship as it was built, for me the following of Christ is not an adventure in real estate management. The loss of a church building is a financial and maybe an historic loss, but this whole world will someday be lost—
"the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men," and "the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (2 Peter 3:7, 10).

What should be our response to the loss of property, whether real or intellectual?

The holy apostle both asks and answers this question.
"Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him" (2 Peter 3:11-14).

Everything that can happen to us, both good and bad, has been tenderly intimated and revealed in scripture, and we have no excuse if we, as Christians, follow our own ideas instead of obeying the Word of God and following Him in everything.

This morning I read a news story about something called Pulpit Freedom Sunday, which I gather is an organized effort by "Christian pastors" to publicly criticise from the pulpit those persons and policies in the government of the Republic that do not meet with their approval. After they make these speeches to their congregations, they will package up recordings or transcripts of their sermons and send them to the IRS, with a dare to the government agency to come after them for their comments.

Why are they provoking the very government which has guaranteed their freedom of conscience, practice of their religion, and even their right to propagate their teachings?

What can be the meaning of this kind of challenge?

The only challenge I know of to any earthly authority, indeed to society itself, is the faithful testimony of the witnesses of Christ to His Resurrection and His Kingdom.

If that challenge isn't being made, then why trifle over the symptoms of this sinful generation?

Place this provocation by "Christian pastors" next to what the holy apostle teaches.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

1 Peter 2:11-17 NIV

Someone will ask, "But what if the government is so evil, we cannot put up with it anymore?"

Yes, there are times when we can't help it, and find ourselves opposing the earthly authorities, just as we daily counter the malice of the dominant cultures among which we live. This is where the Holy Spirit, where Wisdom, provides us with the proper response, making use of Holy Scripture and Tradition and God-given Reason. But if the holy apostle can speak this way of the government that judged, condemned and crucified the Lord, persecuted His followers, and even put all the apostles save one to death, what are we to make of this provocation today by "Christian pastors"?

Put their intentions and their actions side by side with what we see going on in Islam. We are all familiar with the use of the Friday pulpit as a soapbox for political propaganda and incitement to rebellion and violence. Maybe these "Christian pastors" are not inciting to rebellion and violence, but what is it they are trying to incite? And is this what the pulpit in a Christian church is for?

Or are we changing churches into mosques?

Here is a follow-up online article about this issue.