Time to Condemn Murder

True followers of Christ must unite to condemn murder. While the Church has sometimes divided over what constitutes “just war,” acceptable “collateral damage” and defensive measures, there is no room for argument or controversy when it comes to condemnation of murder, the intentional killing of those who are innocent.

In the past week, as I’ve followed the news of the fighting in Jos, I’ve been feeling almost ashamed of being known as “a Christian” in Nigeria. Not that I am ashamed of Jesus Christ, or of being his follower. I am not ashamed of my true Christian brothers and sisters who also love and follow Christ—indeed I am proud of the way they have stood firm in their faith while enduring violent persecution, in many cases to the point of death. Nor am I ashamed because some of my fellow Christians have forcefully defended their homes and their families. Although there are voices arguing for radical pacifism, I don’t think that way myself or expect the Church in Nigeria to be pacifists.

No, what appalls me is the image of murder and atrocities by some who call themselves Christians. What appalls me is stories of women and children being hacked and burned, people dragged out of cars and beaten to death. Any given story may be true or only a rumor, but having gone through similar riots in 2001 and 2008, I know beyond doubt that such systematic violence and murder does occur.

As in 2001 and 2008, the rioting last week began in Jos. The origins were disputed. As the conflict spread from Jos to outlying rural areas, horrifying reports. Not just stories of “gangs of youths” fighting each other, but people slaughtering whole groups of innocents. A missionary reported youths setting fire to huts and “cutting down” the residents. Another person in a nearby area, concerned about the workers on her farm, wrote

According to reports, all of the Muslim houses in Kuru were burnt, and most of the Muslims were killed. Only a few are still alive. … At Kuru, there was not a fight between groups, as had been the case in Jos. Muslim inhabitants were rounded up and shot or burnt in their houses. As I said, I have yet to see for myself, but I received the same report from both Muslim and Christian staff and have no reason to doubt its veracity. Only that I am not sure of the details of the exact number killed. (emphasis added)

Eyewitnesses in the report published by Human Rights Watch describe the murder of women and children—burned in mosques and homes, shot, cut in pieces by machetes. A Christian pastor who tried to intervene was beaten.

Are these stories true? It is possible that the specific stories are biased or untrue. It is almost certain that various groups manipulate the news to their own advantage. However, specific incidents and numbers of people killed are beside the point. The murder of even a single child is reprehensible and must be condemned.

It would be extremely simplistic to say that these atrocities were caused by religious differences. It is more accurate to say that political, tribal, and religious fault lines in Nigeria often intersect in a sort of “perfect storm.” In Kuru, it was outsiders who allegedly invaded and destroyed the Muslim community, not local Christians, who reportedly had met with their Muslim neighbors and agreed to avoid violence.

True followers of Christ must unite to condemn murder. While the Church has sometimes divided over what constitutes “just war,” acceptable “collateral damage” and defensive measures, there is no room for argument or controversy when it comes to condemnation of murder, the intentional killing of those who are innocent.

We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by side issues such as who started the violence, what the issues were, or what aggravations caused people to hate. Nor can we afford to excuse or overlook murder because of the heat of battle. If such killings had been carried out by soldiers in warfare, the soldiers would have been guilty of war crimes. How, then, can anyone say that the complexities and passions of conflict reduce the seriousness of these atrocities?

Condemning “violence” or “retribution” or “hatred” might be controversial. Judging specific actions of violence might be complex. Condemning murder, however, should not be difficult. It’s what Americans would call a “no-brainer,” something that is clear, simple, and uncontroversial. We would all say, “oh, the people who do such things are not real Christians, they are just using religion for their own ends.” Fine, let us make that pronouncement clearly and unambiguously.

It is true that the violence is two-sided. Christians have been the victims of similar atrocities and slaughter. I deplore the violence against Christians and I believe that the international media have often ignored it. We need to work harder to protect and support our Christian brothers and sisters who are persecuted. That, however, is a separate issue with no bearing on whether we stand up to condemn murder.

In discussing these ideas, a common reaction is “yes, but….” Yes, but this is a conflict going back centuries. Yes, but the conflict will not be solved until the underlying causes are dealt with. Yes, but we have not finished investigating the facts. Yes, but the Muslims started it, and did worse things to us. Yes, but Christians were only retaliating. Yes, but feelings are still too raw for us to take a public stand.

All these comments are valid, but they demonstrate why we need to focus on a simple statement: killing the innocent is always wrong. Yes, that still leaves the boundary of innocence to be defined, but certain classes such as small children must always be included. "Murder of innocents is always wrong and we condemn it" is not a statement that needs any deep debate nor does it need conditions attached. How about simply asking all churches to affirm "You shall not murder?" Yes there will always be hard cases—e.g., is it right or wrong to kill a fleeing attacker?—but getting into all that should not obscure the urgency of a clear statement.

I also want to make clear that I am not in any way accusing Christians or churches of condoning, much less encouraging, these crimes. As far as I know, no church leaders have approved of such violence. The archbishop of the Anglican Church in Jos said, “it is not in accordance with the gospel to use violence to settle issues.” In any case, I have not the slightest right to judge.

I am simply appealing to all Christians, particularly in Nigeria, to declare loudly and clearly that murder is sin, and that those who commit or advocate it are placing themselves outside the community of Christ:

“Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” (1 John 3:15)[1]

“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)

Read More

Massacre at Kuru Jenta/Kuru Karama by Carmen McCain. See especially the update at the end of the article.

Nigeria: Protect Survivors, Fully Investigate Massacre Reports Human Rights Watch

Nigeria: Religious Hate Explodes, Shaming Both Christians and Muslims

Statement by Anglican Archbishop

Tragic News from Norma

Human Rights Watch report

“KAIROS” NIGERIA: A Prayerful Call to Nigerian Christian Leaders

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[1] The main point of this verse is about hating brothers, i.e. fellow Christians. However, the strength of the appeal against hatred is in the fact, taken to be self-evident, that “you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.”