FOLLOWING the harrowing incident last March in Washington, D.C., in which 134 hostages were held at gun point for thirty-nine hours, E. E. Cleve land issued a timely statement that we believe should be emphasized through out the world field. He cautioned church spokesmen to avoid the use of the words Mohammed, Moslem, Mohammedan ism, Islam, or any other references to this Eastern religion in a negative sense. Because of extreme sensitivities, it may be best in many instances for these terms to "be left off our lips." Concerning his own practice, he says, "In certain neighborhoods, when preaching the seven trumpets and dis cussing the shooting star and the smoke from the bottomless pit, I simply refer to it as an 'Eastern religious influence,' and pass on."
Cleveland appropriately suggests that "the time has come for us to exercise tactfulness in all of our presentations as it concerns references to other religious faiths." He says, "In my public presentation of the Word, I have come to the place where I mention other religious faiths only in a complimentary sense; and I have thus been able to retain their adherents as listeners for a much longer span of time than before."
We must all agree that there is no place for slanted political sermons that encourage racial intolerance or that are in any way provocative in speech and manner. Nevertheless, Cleveland is also right when he admonishes that this "should in no wise be interpreted as inhibiting the forceful, plain, pointed preaching of the everlasting gospel. It is intended to suggest tact, wisdom, love, and kindness in all of our public expressions and manner."
A word should be said also about the way we refer to members of the Jewish faith. Recent events, such as the Sixth Annual Meeting of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee and the third National Workshop on Christian-Jewish Relations point out the changing climate. The former meeting was highlighted by the issuance of a Catholic statement rejecting "in a clear way every form of proselytism" of the Jews by Catholics.
The fact that Easter and Passover fell on the same day this year also gave occasion for statements evoking better understanding. President Jimmy Carter's call for the protection of human rights around the world has also had its influence in this area. In referring to these two events, Dr. David Hyatt, president of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, declared, "I urge all people worldwide to join in a common fight against religious bigotry and hatred." He went on to emphasize that "it is absolutely imperative that people of different countries, and indeed of the same country, begin to respect the rights and dignities of others and truly form a world of peaceful coexistence."
Seventh-day Adventists, with a mes sage for all people, should be most respectful and considerate of the feelings and sensitivities of others. We cannot abandon the gospel with its centrality in the cross, nor fail to lift up Christ; but we need not speak of the Jewish leaders involved in His death in such a way as to cast contempt upon an entire people.
Recently an evangelistic campaign scheduled to begin on a Saturday night in a public high school auditorium had to be canceled the day before it opened after fifty thousand handbills had gone out in the mail. In the handbill the question was raised as to why God commissioned Israel to exterminate the inhabitants of Palestine. It then referred to the excavations of Ras Shamra as giving us "a clue in our puzzle to find a reason for the mass genocide." Taking offense, the Jewish community forced a close-down of the meetings. The account of the episode appeared on the front page of the local Jewish newspaper, together with a picture of the Seventh-day Adventist church and some very uncomplimentary remarks.
So we see how extremely careful we must be. We must guard against saying anything that might be interpreted as casting contempt on, or discriminating against, others' culture, worship, or past and present history. Most of us have too limited a knowledge of Jewish history and seem particularly unaware of the shameful way Jews have been dealt with in so-called Christian lands. Acts against them have included the polemics of church fathers, forced baptisms (especially for children), church edicts encouraging raids on Jewish synagogues, and expulsions, all of which help us understand why so many Jews today look upon those of their number converting to Christianity as "joining the enemy."
Our chief concern should be that our words spring from hearts that are sincerely interested in the welfare of our fellow beings and that we appreciate the worth of each person as an individual.
