Over the course of this summer, there has been numerous amounts of news reports of terror throughout the world, the most recent one being the murder of French Catholic priest, Jacques Hamel, while celebrating mass in his Normandy church, St Étienne-du-Rouvray, the morning of July 26. In addition, there are numerous reports of targeted Christians in middle-eastern and African countries, such as the Christian priests who were attacked with knives after an argument aroused between children or the Easter Sunday bombing in Pakistan.
As ISIS becomes stronger and more known, they have made it clear that Christians will be in danger until they learn to welcome and follow Islamic culture; however, this has not prevented Christians throughout the world from embracing their faith even more, in an effort to prove that they will not be controlled by the Islamic State. This is just one of the many reasons why, in the world we live in today, I am proud to call myself a Christian.
Worldly Inclusiveness of the Church
I'm proud to be a part of a Church that recognizes other religions and encourages its followers to learn about unfamiliar religions, such as Buddhism and Islam. I'm proud to be part of a church that is quick and unhesitant to welcome new Christians into the faith, as seen in the story of Kamal Saleem. Saleem was an Islamic terrorist, but when he was involved in a very serious car wreck, he found himself being taken care of by Christians and Jews. After he was healed from the accident, Saleem heard the voice of God speak to him, and he now lives his life trying to show others the light of Christ. The acceptance of Saleem by the Christians who cared for him make me proud to be a part of a group of people who can overlook minor details of others and help those in need.
Representing Jesus Christ
I’m proud to be a servant to the Lord and represent Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for us. I’m proud to follow the Bible, where the concepts of service, love, grace, faith, and truthfulness are prevalent, and I'm proud to follow the Ten Commandments, laws which acted as a basis for the development of the United States.
"The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:31
Service to Others
One of the biggest aspects to Christianity, besides faith and love, is service. We place emphasis on helping those who do not have the same privileges we do, such as the poor, the handicapped, and the sick. Whether we're donating money, helping prepare food, or even just visiting, serving and helping others is a huge part of Christianity.
Dedication
I'm finishing this article the same way I started it: discussing the dedication that Christians have towards their faith. I'm proud to be a part of a group of people who do not compromise their beliefs for anything, no matter the consequences.
