WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS

The 15 March shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, which resulted in the murders of some fifty Muslims, is a horrifying tragedy wrought by extraordinary hate.  Compounding the tragedy is how some are leveraging it to strengthen their social and political agendas.

U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said that the attack would not force Muslims to “live in fear.” She then added “love trumps hate.” This is a positive message insofar as it goes, but one is inclined to doubt the Congresswoman’s sincerity. Omar is an unapologetic bigot. What Omar, and others like her, will not highlight is the fact that Christians, not Muslims, are the most persecuted people in the world and they are dying chiefly at the hands of Muslims.


In February and March alone, Nigeria suffered the equivalent of five Christchurch mosque shootings, but the victims were Christians and their murderers were Muslim militants of the Boko Haram and the Fulani Herdsmen. I will guess that very few of you on this mailing list knew anything about these massacres. They happen on a regular basis in Nigeria. I’ve been there. If you doubt the veracity of these things, look at the photos I have included. Forgive me, but you must see them. You must know what is happening to innocent people. These photos were sent to me yesterday by the Nigerian Anglican Bishop, Jwan Zhumbes, who has asked me to bring attention to these things.

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But why should I have to do that?

Love does indeed trump hate—when that love reflects the heart of the Lord, not Allah, and certainly not man.

The answer is simple: they go largely unreported. There are a variety of reasons for this: it happens in the Third World, the victims are not white, and the Left does not champion the cause of Christians. So great is the silence on this issue that one almost feels that the truth is actively suppressed.

Lest I be misunderstood—and many are ready to very intentionally twist my meaning—my point isn’t that you should be unsympathetic with the victims, survivors, and loved ones of the Christchurch massacre because a disproportionate number of adherents of Islam commit acts of violence and terrorism. Pray for them. If you are in a position to do so, dear readers in New Zealand, love them with the love of Jesus Christ. The point is, hate, in all of its manifestations against our fellow men, must be condemned. Omar is an unabashed anti-Semite. And I cannot help but notice that Muslim leaders are almost universally unwilling to condemn Muslim terrorism while capitalizing on events like this awful tragedy.

Love does indeed trump hate—when that love reflects the heart of the Lord, not Allah, and certainly not man.

Larry Alex Taunton is an author, cultural commentator, and freelance columnist contributing to USA TODAYFox NewsFirst ThingsThe AtlanticCNN, and The American Spectator.  In addition to being a frequent radio and television guest, he is also the author of The Grace Effect and The Gospel Coalition Arts and Culture Book of the Year, The Faith of Christopher Hitchens. You can subscribe to his blog at refined-badger-e0ceb8.instawp.xyz.