strolling through

So I went strolling around WordPress today, and stumbled across 4 blogs that were being run by Muslims. The picture on this page is one from their blogs. All four of these blogs are what I would characterize as extremist.

But there was something about what I read that I found compelling. I read about some of the men who had been mistreated in prisons; and a life I thought I had left behind many years ago came rushing back to my mind:

In a whole different existence, I was once a Muslim myself. I remember wearing my khufi right after I came home from Afghanistan where I’d been serving in the Army. I was on my way to the local masjid for prayer; outside there were five police cars. Understand that this was early in 2002, so the wounds on the American conscience from 9/11 were still wide open. At first I thought that the cars were there to protect the masjid from reprisals for 9/11.

Then I realized that the police officers in side were taking down the license plate numbers from all of the cars in the parking lot. I realized that despite the fact that I had taken shrapnel in my back in Afghanistan, despite the fact that I had fought the very enemies that would fly planes into skyscrapers, despite seeing my friends spill their blood in the mud of a hostile country, that my government thought I was a threat just because of where I chose to worship.

And I was so angry I could barely see straight.

Tonight I’ve got 4 blog authors to pray for. May they come to know the love of God, who loved them, and gave Himself for them…