This blog is maintained on behalf of the Amy Foundation for the purpose of tracking the best Christian journalism we find on the Web. Our posts regularly identify those news articles or opinions in the mainstream media that represent good faith-based writing and example them for other Christian journalists.

Friday, March 31, 2006

Good Commentary! (but no scripture)

Jeff Mullin writes commentaries for the Enid News & Eagle in Enid, Oklahoma (population 47,045). In reviewing online commentaries about the case of Afghani Christian, Abdul Rahman, Mullin did a good job addressing the issue of religious martyrdom and gets at why Rahman's faith is so threatening to Islam.

On March 26, 1996, Mullin writes:

The concept of Christian martyrdom seems an ancient one.

All Christians know the stories of Stephen, James, Philip, Matthew, James the Lesser, Andrew, Peter and Paul.

All died because of their faith.

But that was thousands of years ago.

The idea of putting someone to death simply because they worship in a certain way seems anachronistic, at best, in the opening decade of the 21st Century.

That, however, is precisely the situation facing 41-year-old Abdul Rahman, a native of Afghanistan who converted from being a Muslim, to Christianity, some 16 years ago. ...

Read more of Mullin's commentary at: http://www.enidnews.com/opinion/local_story_085002947.html?keyword=secondarystory

Unfortunately, this opinion would not qualify for the Amy Writing Awards because it didn't include an identifiable scripture passage. There are plenty of passages that would fit nicely. The one I am thinking of comes from Galatians 5:1:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Good job, Jeff. Keep up the good work! We look forward to reading one of your columns as a 2006 Amy Writing Award entry later this year.

Submitted by
Bruce Umpstead