The Outspoken TULIP has a mission, in part, to prepare women for persecution. Primarily, that preparation comes through Biblical doctrine, which leads to discernment. Without question, emphasizing the teachings and practical applications of Scripture takes precedence over political commentary, especially since I don’t consider myself very astute at understood politics. When our political leaders make decisions that will potentially increase the persecution of Christians, I have to decide whether or not to push through my ineptitude in order to alert readers to new threats.

During this last two weeks, I’ve felt a bit guilty for writing about other matters, as if I didn’t care about the withdrawal. I told myself other bloggers weren’t addressing the situation either, so I didn’t have to.

In reality, I simply didn’t want to address it.

I still don’t. But I believe I must. My thoughts may be scattered, and definitely lacking in any sort of depth. However, perhaps the Holy Spirit will use something I say here to encourage you to pray for the Afghan Christians and to prepare for the persecution that most assuredly is coming to America.

So, twenty years after going to Afghanistan with the goal of defeating the Taliban, the United States of America handed the country to that same enemy with absolutely no conditions. We left them all of our weapons, and failed to airlift Afghan citizens who served our troops and diplomats as interpreters. We have had peacekeeping troops in Japan and Germany for 70 years, but not one American soldier remains in a land that caused three attacks on American soil in 2001.

Yeah, I’m angry. The war should have ended once we killed Bin Ladin, probably, but removing all of our military presence was simply insane! President Biden said he hadn’t expected the Afghan army to collapse so quickly — which sounds to me as if American intelligence certainly knew the Afghan army would indeed collapse at some point. Hence the need for peacekeeping troops. Or am I being silly?

I have heard reports that Christians in Afghanistan are undergoing increased persecution now that the Taliban has control of Kabul. See here and here for documentation that Taliban views conversion from Islam to Christianity as a crime punishable by death.

Remember, sisters, that the Taliban is an extreme sect of Islam. They are committed to spreading Islam throughout the world, using force as their primary tool of generating conversion. Regardless of the assurances they made to the Biden administration, they fully intend to enforce Sharia Law in Afghanistan. As a result, Christians will indeed suffer more persecution than ever now that American troops aren’t there to mitigate the violence. Leaving Afghanistan to the Taliban pretty much ensures the deaths of our Christian brothers and sisters in that country.

You may feel sympathy, even while thinking that American Christians are safe from such barbarism. Sure, we’re losing some freedoms, you’ll concede, but no Christian has been beheaded on American soil.

Might we be forgetting September 11, 2002?

Most Muslims equate Western civilization with Christianity. In their minds, flying those airplanes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and attempting to fly one into the White House actually was killing Christians. Whatever criticism we may have regarding our 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, I don’t think you can deny that it kept Islamic terrorists from making further attacks on our country. And you should consider the all too likely possibility that attacks will resume now that Taliban can use Afghanistan to train Jihadists.

Also consider the possibility that socialism will weaken our country to the point that people world welcome the Taliban as a stabilizing force. Such a scenario would take time. But these last 20 years have proven that the Taliban has enormous patience. They are perfectly capable of waiting for us to implode socially and economically. This week, President Biden has given the Taliban every reason to anticipate their eventual takeover of our country. And that takeover will definitely mean that they will persecute Christians.

Next time, I plan to show you some passages from 1 Peter, a letter written specifically to persecuted Christians. It will help explain how obedience to sound doctrine carries Christians through persecution. Rather than write articles bemoaning the debacle in Kabul, I believe we’d do better by gaining discernment through doctrine so that we are prepared when severe persecution comes. Meanwhile, lest you think that I’m completely ignoring the Lord in this article, let me leave you with this timely essay by Elizabeth Prata.

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