From Nigeria to New York

Troubling Events Across the Globe
Amid the continual barrage of news headlines and current events popping up in my social media feeds, two specific events caught my attention these last couple of weeks that caused me to pause and reflect on the significance of what occurred.

The Crisis Facing Christians in Nigeria
The first was the largely underreported if not unreported news in the mainstream media about the horrific slaughtering of Christians in the country of Nigeria. The second event was the result of the mayoral election in New York City where Democratic Socialist and Muslim adherent, Zohran Mamdani, succeeded in his campaign to become the next leader of one of America’s largest cities, often viewed as the shining beacon of capitalism.

While these two circumstances might seemingly appear unrelated, there exists one prominent point of connection that is shared by both – Islam. The driving force behind the ongoing massacre occurring in Nigeria consists of extremist Muslim groups, Boko Haram and Fulani Muslims, whose ambition is to advance the cause of Islam in the nation by converting the country’s population to the Islamic religion through indoctrination. For those unwilling to embrace this ideology by their own volition which, in the majority of cases includes followers of Jesus, they are frequently met with hostility and persecution even to the point of extermination. They are faced with the perilous choice to forcibly convert or die. Since 2009, over 19,000 churches have been destroyed in Nigeria and over 52,000 Christians have been murdered.

A Political Shift in New York City
With regards to the recent election in New York City, beginning on January 1st, the city that many people consider to be the epicenter of capitalism will now be led by a man who not only embraces a socialist ideology starkly opposed to that of America’s long and prosperous heritage rooted in a free market economy, but also a man who uncompromisingly touts his Muslim identity. In a recent speech, Zohran Mamdani defended his Muslim faith, asserting, “I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own. But there is one thing that I will change. I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.” Additionally, when speaking in a recent interview, Mamdani assured viewers that as Mayor of New York, were Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu ever to visit the city, Mamdani would have him arrested even though the United States is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Worldviews and Their Cultural Influence
In comparing these two events, the former demonstrates what can transpire when following a religious ideology according to strict fundamentalist interpretations to their uttermost ends; the latter represents the encroachment of the very same spiritual doctrine through a man who will be responsible for leading, governing, and setting policy for one of America’s most prominent cities, impacting millions of citizens. To be clear, I am not suggesting that Zohran Mamdani intends to use his new position as Mayor to evangelize the citizens of New York towards the cause of Islam, nor am I insinuating that he would permit the same sort of extremist persecution seen in Nigeria to occur on American soil. What I am implying is that as a proud and faithful Muslim, the decisions Mamdani will make and the guidance he will offer during his tenure as mayor will be informed by his Islamic worldview which inevitably will conflict at times with traditional Judeo-Christian principles and values which have long served as a foundation for and helped foster the growth of New York City.

Worldviews matter, and the conspicuous implications of Mamdani’s worldview which places a higher allegiance to “international law” that is increasingly hostile towards Israel, as opposed to a patriotic commitment to American policy are already seen in his remarks about his willingness to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu. Rather than aligning with the supportive position of the United States towards the nation of Israel held by our current governing administration, Mamdani has vocalized his alignment with international interests that are increasingly informed by Islamic influence through countries that are adversarial towards the Jewish State.

It's possible that some who are reading this article may dismiss my remarks above as “Islamophobic,” “anti-Muslim,” or opposed to “diversity.” To those detractors, I offer my reassurance that this is not the case at all; rather, my comments are meant to be a wake-up call and warning to what may very well be a harbinger of what could be on the horizon for America should the same political trends seen in New York continue to spread throughout the rest of our nation. As the influence of Muslim ideology creeps in, change quickly follows. For those who remain skeptical of this cautionary admonition, I would urge them to look no further than the cities of London, Dearborn, Michigan, and Minneapolis, Minnesota as examples of how transformational Islamic influence can be upon a metropolitan population.

In my own backyard, the city of Minneapolis became the first major American city to permit the Muslim call to prayer, known as the “azan,” to be broadcast from Islamic mosques before dawn and after sunset. This didn’t happen by chance; it was approved by the Minneapolis City Council’s amendment of the city’s noise ordinance, supportive of the increasingly Islamic demographic, and contrary to objections from non-Muslim residents living in the area. Looking eastward to Dearborn, Michigan, one will find America’s first Arab-majority city where over half the population embraces Islam and represents the largest Arab community in the US. In addition to being the home of the largest mosque on American soil, Dearborn is also the residence of the Islamic Center of America, the American Moslem Society, and the Islamic House of Wisdom. It should be no surprise then that many of its inhabitants are outspokenly supportive of the terrorist group Hamas and the antisemitic “Free Palestine” movement. Across the Atlantic, the city of London has seen the rise of over 1,800 mosques since 2001, many of which consist of formerly Christian church buildings that have been renovated into Islamic houses of worship. London has also seen an increase in Sharia Courts, also known as “councils,” which act as Islamic advisory bodies that offer guidance on legal matters, though lacking any binding authority according to British law.

Again, my intention in highlighting these examples is not to demean or disparage any adherents of the Muslim faith, but to simply call attention to the impact and implications that alignment with a particular worldview can have, especially when taken to the extreme. To be fair, any unbiblical ideology or philosophy when taken to their uttermost ends can be dangerous and detrimental to a society. One simply needs to look no further than the doctrines and dogmas that comprise atheism, humanism, Marxism, Socialism, Communism, or Nazism, to observe the ramifications of belief systems devoid of Divine inspiration and truth. Just as it is true with Islam, it is equally true with any worldview that when proponents of those belief systems assimilate into and grow to a majority within a society, transformation is inevitable. Communities are largely a reflection of their citizenry, and it’s the citizenry that shapes the culture of their community through their values and beliefs. A city founded upon a Biblical worldview will reflect those same values and principles through its culture and institutions. Those that are founded on alternative worldviews will likewise reflect customs and ideologies deviating from those found in God’s Word.

A Call for Christians to Respond with Truth and the Gospel
It's with this in mind that as Christians, we must remember that the need to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ is greater than ever, and every single follower of Jesus has a God-given duty to share the Good News with those in their sphere of influence. Followers of Jesus are commissioned to make disciples of all the nations, and as they do, the transformative power of God through His Holy Spirit not only effects change in the lives of individual believers but also has the power to positively impact entire communities, populations, and countries (Mt. 28:19). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is unlike every other religion whose promises are dependent upon one’s own efforts to elevate one’s status. The Good News found in Jesus uniquely offers a message of restoration, renewal, and resurrection because of His finished work on the cross accomplished on our behalf, not because of our own merits.

Knowing this, it’s important for believers in Christ to remember that Muslims nor followers of any other belief system are not our enemies. The Bible is clear that the real enemy is the spiritual kingdom of darkness led by Satan who leads this world astray through his sinful schemes (Ep. 2:1-2, 6:11-12). Included among such schemes is the proliferation of demonic doctrines and false gospels, some of which were supposedly begun through receiving an angelic revelation, as is the case with Islam. Scripture is clear that any other “gospel,” that is, any ideology, philosophy, or belief system promising a solution to sin or means of salvation outside of God’s grace extended through faith in Jesus, is to be explicitly rejected, even if it was reportedly given by an angelic being (Ga. 1:8-9). The end result for every alternative religion to Biblical Christianity is the same. False doctrine, disparate theology, and unorthodox persuasions of faith keep people from knowing the way, truth, and life found in Jesus, resulting in their eternal separation from God (Jn. 14:6).

The atrocities caused by Islamic extremism in Nigeria and the expanding influence of the Muslim population in America demonstrate one thing – the message of hope found in Gospel of Jesus Christ remains urgently needed in our world today, especially among those who remain deceived by the doctrines of Islam. The only real solution to the encroachment of Muslim ideology in our American culture is for followers of Jesus to intentionally look for opportunities to share their faith with friends, family, and neighbors, particularly among those who are Muslim. Christians who make up the Church in America need to speak Biblical Truth with boldness, clarity, and conviction to expose the fallacies of false religions. Moreover, Christian parents need to be diligent to teach and disciple their children in the truth of God’s Word to not only ensure that they have a solid Biblical foundation to stand on when they are older, but also to prepare the next generation of believers in America who will be responsible for advancing the Gospel in the years to come. Lastly, prayer for the preservation of our nation and countries around the world should never be neglected knowing that God’s divine power, purposes, and provision are indispensable for those following in the footsteps of Jesus’ disciples, who aspire to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Ac. 1:8).

As you reflect on the events above, I challenge you to think about how the Lord may use you to further the cause of Christ here in America or elsewhere. What steps is He urging you to take? How can you help advance His Kingdom? What might be holding you back from sharing your faith? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone? Christian friends, I urge you to remember that Jesus chose twelve ordinary men, people like you and me, to spread the Good News throughout the world. If they could live for Jesus, so can you and I. So, what are you waiting for? As Peter wrote to the believers of his day, I urge you to “…proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pe. 2:9b).”