Not all Deaths are Equal

Washington Post Columnist Jamal Khashoggi's death was tragic, as was the death of 26-year-old John Chau. Mainstream Media (MSM) and the progressive left spent countless days, weeks and continues to this day reporting, speculating and theorizing on Khashoggi’s death. Chau, an American Missionary was martyred by tribesman on India’s remote North Sentinel Island for his Christian faith yet was ignored by DC’s, Beltway apparatus of government, MSM and surprisingly Mainline Protestantism Denominations. Why? One can only suppose the lack of press has something to do with the Left’s liberal ideology and political agenda. Has not the left’s ideology embraced secularism and all the ills that come with it? Pollicization of the columnist’s demise and events surrounding it is another strategy the left hopes to use in driving a wedge between President Trump and the American people. Point: Other than both men being slain there was different circumstances and personal motivations involved.

Khashoggi’s death, IAW, American media outlet bobbleheads, allege that extensive evidence points to the Saudi Crown Prince as being complicit in the death of the journalist. Although, the incident could potentially fuel a political crisis between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, it is right that we not lose sight of the human aspect of what happened. Khashoggi was an asset to the Washington Post, gutsy for calling out the Saudi’s for what he found to be disconcerting events happening within the Saudi monarchy’s sphere of influence. One might rightfully conclude that naivete on Khashoggi’s part led to his ill-timed death. Certainly, he knew that returning to the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, regardless of his professional status was unwise if not foolhardy. For this he paid the ultimate price. 

Until recently, few in the US had heard of India’s North Sentinel Island, where young American John Chau was martyred by members of an isolated tribal group. Little was known of Chau until recently. Mainstream media hardly took note of the death. But as the story spread; first the tale of a 26-year-old world traveler who sought adventure, then of a Christian missionary willing to risk his life. From what I was able gather via research, people responded with swift and occasionally derisive responses. Many considered Chau a fool, or worse, criticizing him for breaking Indian law and endangering the island’s isolated indigenous people, due to disease immunity issues. I see Chau an inspiration, even a martyr. MSM and much of our Government representatives scarcely took notice. They appear to prefer a non-American Muslim’s death to an American Missionary’s martyrdom. One man sought a marriage license, the other sought to reach a people for Christ. Though many are fascinated by the idea of a stone age tribe, Chau’s goal was not tribal tourism. He wanted to live with the Sentinelese, share the story of Jesus, and translate the Bible into their language, as his journal entries and statements from Chau’s sending mission organization, Make clear. 

Unlike the recent response to Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, the media’s response as scant as it was, and the public reaction was polarized. Some saw the young man as a martyr, dying for the cause of Christ and the salvation of lost tribe. Others saw him as a dullard, who deserved whatever he got after intruding where it was clearly expressed, he was persona non grata. Following the death of Chau, many have called missionary work a fool’s errand at best, and, at worst, a violent attempt to impose Christian beliefs on other cultures. The Great Commission means that most Christians will have to agree to disagree with those who see sharing the story of Jesus as inherently negative.