Islam vs. Democracy; Why are they so opposed?
Part 3
The issue of saving "Face" cannot be overemphasized in regards to the
worldview of Islam or the Orient in general. Several glaring examples
of "face-saving" follow:
The infamous Hari-kiri or Sepuku which the Japanese regarded as a way
of atoning for loss of face. Disemboweling oneself with a short sword
was deemed preferable to living with the shame of losing face. During
the reign of Mao Tse Tung wildly inflated reports of crop harvests
were routinely made with the result that famine engulfed the country.
As one co-op farm tried to outdo another to avoid shame, this practice
of overreporting crop yields reached insane levels.
During the 6-day war in the Middle East during which Israel
annihilated the massive armies arrayed against her, there was a
frantic phone call made to an Arab airbase which was to launch a
decisive air attack against Israel. The call came from the leader of
the Arab tank and ground forces which were being blown to dust by
Israeli warplanes. The Arab General had been assured of air cover and
was calling to check on the status of the airfleet which was to
support him. He was assured by the wing commander that the planes
were on the way, when in reality the wing commander could clearly see
them, smoking ruins littering the runway from which none had taken off
and upon which all had been destroyed by the Israeli Air Force shortly
before he received the frantic call. Yet he lied to save face.
When I lived in Pakistan and dealt with local business people, they
routinely told me things that were later proved to be patently false,
in order to save face. I had a similar experience in Japan while on
tour. I asked someone to get me something that was extremely
difficult to obtain, yet he assured me he could do it, time and again
confirming it would be done until the tour ended and I was sitting on
an airplane leaving the country and realized the man had simply
obfuscated to save face.
There is a tremendous scene in the Neville Shute book and film, "A
Town Like Alice" where an Australian soldier is sentenced to death for
stealing a chicken from the Prison Camp Commandant during World War
II. The camp is deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Before he is
executed, he is crucified on a shed door and beaten severely. Then as
a gesture of "mercy" and to show "Bushido", the warrior code of ethics
prized greatly by the Japanese, the Commandant asks the Aussie if he
has one final request. He lifts his weary head and mutters, "Too
right, I'll have one of your chickens and a cold beer." Unable to
grant his wish for the cold beer the Japanese Commandant cannot show
Bushido and allows the man to live or else the Commandant would lose
face. For once a happy ending to saving face.
God hates lies. He hates those that make lies. Satan is called the
father of lies. Jesus is the Truth. He is the only truth in this
universe. Knowledge changes daily, science changes daily, weather,
people, schedules, styles, they all change. It is wonderful to know
Jesus and know that He will never change, that His word will never
change, that we can depend on Him to remain the same now and for all
of eternity.
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