My active participation in various church ministries, I now realize, has been a subconscious search for allies in the struggle with Islam. But all I've found is a reflection of society as a whole: indifference and preoccupation with trivialities. Raising money for the building fund is not something I can be passionate about in light of the ultimate stakes we face. This endless flurry of pancake breakfasts, fish fries, and bingo nights would all be washed away if nuclear devices (hidden in poured concrete two years ago) were to detonate in five cities simultaneously -- or if the jihadists pulled off some other awful scenario. So I'm going to let most of this non-essential stuff go.
Our pastor is a child of the '60s who is locked into this peace and love thing, reaching out to the Islamics with understanding. I will be muttering "told you so" at viewing his snuff video. He'd rather hold a candle light vigil for the slain millions than support a preemptive strike that would save lives.
So I've concluded that after home and family and earning a living, the struggle with Islam is what matters to me most. Nothing else is as important. I am impatient with these groups who concentrate on feeding the Third World and ignore the struggle with Islam. After Katrina, overseas giving decreased 90% in this country, as everything was diverted to New Orleans.
If the Islamics successfully hit half a dozen cities, America's economic disarray and the resulting cost of recovery would leave millions to starve in the Third World as a consequence. But no one thinks of that.