Though every nation got involved in war against terrorism, the Christian world and Christians of the world have not come out of the dilemma of fear and terror. The so-called Christian America and other Christian states have spent billions of dollars to ensure safety, yet some where in the world an act of terror does take place. In Pakistan we have to worship under strict safety measures. It is very strange that the so-called Christian world is ruling the world, both economically and militarily. Yet it has not come out of fear. Rich, powerful yet almost powerless against its enemies. There has to be a reason. There is always a reason behind any thing that happens in the world and the reason for fearful Christianity is that we the Christians have drifted away from God. We have stopped caring for the "Word of God" and we are getting more and more involved in worldly matters. We are more involved in "human rights", "women rights", "the rights of homosexuals" and "interfaith peace and harmony" (I must say that there is no room for interfaith peace and harmony. The negligent Christian leadership may compromise on their faith, yet no other faith with compromise their faith for any kind of "peace or harmony). We are not bothered to preach the "Word of God", the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, we are trying to side line our basic true fundamental faith and with that our Lord Jesus Christ. In year December 2001, we fasted with Muslims as a sign of solidarity with Islam and early year 2002 we invited people of other faiths to pray to "their gods" in God's house at Assisi. We forgot the "Prince of Peace" and we are trying to create peace in absence of Lord Jesus Christ and worst of all to "gods" who are not God. The American slogan "In God We Trust" has faded away in the mist of apostasy. Today we find our churches in America pleasing "gods" of other nations. European identity of a Christian continent has long been lost. The Word of God and Lord Jesus Christ has been side lined. Pagan practices have been adopted in the name of "peaceful coexistence". Churches are being used to "create better understanding" between militant religions and Christianity. With due respect and apology to my Muslim friends, may I ask why Christians in Muslim countries are deprived of all those facilities that are extended to Muslim community in America and Europe? This is a hard fact. Today i.e. 30th January our national press issued the statistics of Muslims in the United States. According to Urdu Daily "The Jang". There are 8 Million Muslims national in United States, 3,000 Islamic Centers, 1,209 Mosques; this number has increased by 25 % in last two decades. After 11th September 2001, 34,000 individuals have been converted to Islam. Muslims have 400 schools, 3 colleges, 400 various religious institutions. Out of 8 Million Muslims, there are 6,000 mosque (one for every 6,617 Muslims) and 20 Madrissas. In 90% mosques teach strict Islamic values. 70 mosques provide "help to needy Muslims". Muslims make 2.95 percent of total American population of 27,03,11,758 (Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Three Hundred Eleven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Eight). Birth rate is 6%. Men 58.1%, women 41.9%. 24% Africans, 26% Arabs, 25% Asians and 25% from other parts of the world. 20 Percentage of Muslims of the age of 18 to 40 years is 67%. Income over $ 50,000, 66%, registered voters 62.4%, in American army, 9,000 Percentage of Muslims holding graduate degree or above is 77.9%. All of them are American citizens. (Here, I must say to my Muslim friends that to give you this status and prosperity, one Christian America had to become a secular America). On contrary, there is no Church or Christian institution in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and other Gulf States (with some exceptions). Most of Muslim states do not give nationality to Christians at all. In many Muslim countries Bible and Christian worship is banned. We in Pakistan are far better than most of Islamic world, but unseen restriction are there. In Pakistan's 55 years history, only once, the Christians were invited to a mosque by Dr. Tahir-Ul-Qadri and in return he won a seat in the National Assembly through Christian votes. Though there are around 5 million Christians in Pakistan, our official strength is 1.58% that is around 2.5 Million. I fully understand that United States is a "free" country and in American society, race, religion or creed has no importance. An American is an American no matter what is his faith because faith is a personal matter and state does not interfere. In 1966 when I first went to the United States, there were hardly any Muslims and people of other faiths. Church bells used to ring. America was "more Christian". Today it is not. Nor is Europe. The result, 9/11, fear, war, fear and more war and more fear. In this scenario unfortunately, the church is becoming more and more ignorant. All mainline churches (as they call themselves and I disagree) are spending their time, energy and resources in debates over the issues that have been resolved by the Holy Bible, centuries ago. There is hardly any preaching in theses mainline churches. They have become more or less "Social Organization" than church. Today we see "sin" being ignored or tolerated in the church. UN-repented sinner getting more importance, church is afraid of telling or calling them to repentance. The church condones the sin for which God destroyed "Sodom and Ghamora". Homosexuals are getting special status in the church. (I don't preach hate for the sinners because we are all sinners, yet at the same time we must not show extra love for the sin as it is being done in the church today). Christianity as I said earlier has drifted away from Christ. Unless we come back to Christ, we shall live in fear. If the world and especially the Christian world want to come out of fear, it must come back to Christ and obey the Holy Bible.

Bishop Timotheus Nasir