At Wheaton College dancing angels the problem

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, Senior Pastor at The Moody Church, Chicago, sure knows how to hurl back handed compliments to his fellow man who happens to follow Islam. Lutzer wrote an op-ed 'In defense of Wheaton College', justifying their suspension and likely firing of tenured poly sci prof Larycia Hawkins for violating the 'one true God' loyalty oath she signed to get her job teaching truth in the pursuit of knowledge.

While Muslims around America are being subjected to hostility, threats, burned Mosques, and physical violence stemming from systematic Islamophobia emanating even from presidential candidates, Wheaton College and its enablers like Lutzer, are not helping.

At issue is Hawkins imminent exit for wearing Muslim head gear to express solidarity with her Muslim brothers and sisters being subjected to unprecedented domestic hostility. That act was the trigger for her suspension after three other imagined heresies to the oath involving the racial divide and human sexuality, matters also critically affecting our ability to live in harmony with the universe.

But Lutzer, ignoring the fantasy that makes up every religion's story, charges the Muslim god is fake while the Christian god is real. The Christian god is a 'redeemer'; not so the Muslim god. Lutzer is aghast that Muslims aren't simply saved like evangelicals, but "are always unsure how to keep score" that their good deeds outweigh their bad sufficiently to reach Heaven. Lutzer is apparently unaware that in most sports today, high speed computers do the scoring. He's adamant Islam's imagined one god simply can't compete with the Christian real version which is a 'threefer' combing a father, his son and a holy ghost.

Theology aside, it's Lutzer's secular treatment of Muslims that truly offends. He starts off by essentially saying all Muslims aren't terrorists. In fact Christians don't view every Muslim they encounter with suspicion. Isn't that special? Lutzer even posits Christians can befriend Muslims so that "in god's good timing" they can share with them that their Muhammad is a fake prophet while the Christian Jesus is the real deal.

Wheaton College and their spiritual advisor Dr. Irwin W. Lutzer, may not be Islamophobes, but they sure aren't helping interfaith and human understanding critically needed today. They may as well stick to debating how may angels can dance on the head of a pin.