Faith, fear, truth and loving our neighbors in a fractured world

In a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation, Lana Silk joined Tina Griffin from The Counter Cultural Mom Show to discuss what it means to follow Jesus amid rising religious tension, political violence, and fear, both abroad and at home.

Their exchange did not avoid hard realities. It named the brutality of the Iranian regime, the theological incompatibility between Islam and Christianity, and the very real fear many people feel. But it also returned, again and again, to a single question: What has Christ actually asked His followers to do?

Iran After the War: A Government Turning on Its Own People

Talking of the current landscape for Iranians, Lana described the worsening situation inside Iran, following the recent 12-day war with Israel.

“What happened was a government that was already determined to export Shia Islam was publicly humiliated, and the result was a brutality that turned inward on its own people.”

In the aftermath, the Iranian government intensified its crackdown. Thousands were arrested. Hundreds were executed. Surveillance drastically increased. Dissent of any kind became dangerous.

Christians are especially vulnerable. Under Iranian law, leaving Islam is punishable by death. As a result, believers are actively hunted, imprisoned, and silenced.

Christians are grouped together with Jews as Zionists and are seen as a threat to national security.

Islam and Christianity: A Hard Truth

Lana was careful to clarify: “I don’t believe our enemy is Islam. Our enemy is the devil.”

At the same time, she did not soften her theological assessment.

“Islam itself is not a peaceful religion. If you follow its teachings accurately, there is no true coexistence.”

She explained that Islamic doctrine requires dominance over “infidels” and that jihad is not a distortion but a feature of the faith when followed fully. In that sense, Islam and Christianity are fundamentally incompatible.

However, she immediately drew a crucial distinction:

Muslim people are not all fully aware of this, nor do they all follow it.

Many Muslims sincerely believe they are trying to please God. They obey, fast, pray, and strive – often without peace or assurance.

The danger, Lana emphasized, is confusing people with an ideology.

Our Temptation to Simplify, and Why It Fails

One of the most important insights in the conversation came when Lana addressed how Christians often respond in fear.

“We want to simplify things so we feel like we understand them, feel like we have control, but the situation is much more complex than that.”

Simplification can feel safe. It creates clear enemies and clean categories. But it also leads to fear, prejudice, and self-righteousness.

If we were to decide that Muslims are the enemy, then the question becomes: are we doing what Jesus told us to do for them? Are we loving them? Are we praying for them?

Lana pointed out that much of the rhetoric Christians use online lacks the vocabulary of love, and therefore does not reflect Christ.

What Jesus Actually Asked Us to Do

Scripture leaves little room for ambiguity. Fear has no place in Christian witness. Perfect love casts it out.

Our responsibility is to follow Christ, to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

Harsh rhetoric, panic, and hostility do not advance the Gospel. Love does. (And making room for God to draw people to Himself, which He is doing every day in Iran.)

“The only Spirit that leads people to repentance and salvation is the Spirit of God.”

Ramadan: A Window Into Spiritual Hunger

The Islamic month of Ramadan is a key opportunity for Christians to reach out to their Muslim neighbors, to connect with them on a personal level through authentic conversation and even in practical ways.

“Ramadan is a season when Muslims are genuinely seeking and trying to please God.”

During Ramadan, many Muslims fast, pray, and seek spiritual clarity. It is often a time of heightened spiritual awareness and questioning: Does God hear me? Am I doing enough?

Christians can start a conversation about faith by asking about their fast, how they relate to God in prayer, and share their own personal experiences of prayer and encounters with God.

Compare notes. Be a friend.

It’s also important to consider that many Muslims, especially refugees, are facing real hardship, and are not just contemplating spiritual questions. This presents another opportunity to show Christ’s love in practical ways.

Read more about Ramadan

Our Neighbors Are Closer Than We Think

With an spotlight on the recent growth of immigrants and refugee communities in Western nations, the conversation encouraged a perspective of Biblical opportunity:

We don’t even have to go to Iran anymore. They’re right on our streets, in our neighborhoods.

Many refugees and immigrants carry trauma, extreme loss, and dislocation. They are navigating new cultures, financial pressure, and deep uncertainty.

Tina challenged listeners to stop reacting online and start engaging locally.

“If we’re just freaking out on social media, we’re never going to win them to Christ.”

The Witness of the Persecuted Church

Perhaps the most convicting element of the conversation was how Iranian Christians respond to suffering.

They do not answer hatred with hatred. They pray. They forgive. They endure, at great cost.

Their example reminds us that faith and love, rather than fear, is the way of Christ.

Read about Iran’s persecuted church, the fastest-growing in the world

A Call to Faithful Response

As tensions rise, the call is not to retreat or react, but to keep our eyes on Jesus and our call to remain faithful.

Pray:

• For Muslims seeking truth and to be closer to God, which is especially key during Ramadan
• For refugees facing hardship and isolation
• For persecuted Christians in Iran and around the world

Engage:

• With humility and authenticity, not fear
• With truth, spoken in love
• With Christlike presence in everyday life

Following Jesus in divided times can be costly, but it is also powerful. And it is still the way God transforms hearts.

Originally published on: The Counter Cultural Mom Show