You make several important points above, including “God is above our petty squabbles” and “God has no favorites” and “Otherwise the vicious cycle just keeps going and going”. I hope we call all figure out how to end the vicious UBF/ex-UBF cycle, ending the pattern of long time leaders leaving and being pushed out of the ministry.

I am especially intrigued by your comment above: “Abraham was wrong many times and others had to suffer because of his mistakes.” This deserves some serious thought. I have never, ever heard such a thing. But it is true. I always was taught that Abraham was perfect, and the holy father of faith could not be criticized. However, after reading Tass Saada’s book, I realized how selfish and cruel Abraham could be.

So I think Christians have two difficult mandates from God: be willing to give up Isaac and show love to Ishmael. I believe Christianity was supposed to be the realization of the hope of reconciliation that Abraham and all the prophets looked forward to.

It’s interesting how Jews and Arabs had been living together peacefully for years, until politics got mixed into it. It’s also interesting how obvious it is that no man-made plan for peace will solve the animosity of the Middle East, yet we continue trying to solve it through political means. But only Jesus can break the barrier between the Jew and Arab. Like you said the bone of contention is rejection, not land. The feud runs deeper than land and border lines. Thus the solution is not going to be as simple as a couple thousand square miles of land.

What I love about God is that he has no favorites. Ishmael and Isaac were brothers from the same father. And God did not simply let Ishmael and Hagar die. God is above our petty squabbles. Abraham was wrong many times and others had to suffer because of his mistakes. No one is perfect but God pays the price of our sins. God has to clean up after Abraham’s compromise. Abraham and Sarah wanted to simply get rid of Hagar and Ishmael, but God wouldn’t allow it. God doesn’t take sides. We have to do our best to be on his side.

I am very interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Both sides have suffered immensely and some are still suffering now, imprisoned in their own country. Neither side is faultless. But whatever cruelty happened in the past no matter how cruel, it can never justify a person to continue to act cruelly to others. Otherwise the vicious cycle just keeps going and going…

So, some may do to me what they may have done to you: use the “argumentum ad hominem” approach and caricature me as unthankful, ungrateful, immature, childish, disrespectful, unsupportive, divisive, “breaking spiritual order,” etc.

My focus has been in understanding and communicating the gospel of Jesus. So I don’t advise people to leave UBF (but this is getting more and more difficult to do…) Nor do I advise them to stay in UBF.

I seek to open taboo dialogues and help people think for themselves and make their own decisions. And specifically if someone has decided to leave UBF, I will help them keep that decision because it has been such a traumatic decision for many thousands for the past 50 years.

I think Tass’ point 2 and 4 are most relevant to me and this conflict. I think UBF needs to understand that the “bone of contention” is not about Korean culture or about obedience or spiritual discipline, but about authoritarianism and elitism. And I think ex-UBF needs to understand that the pain goes both ways. I need to remember that my words have caused pain and need to avoid being self-righteous.

Reconciliation always involves incarnation (Jn 1:14), which involves truly being with those on the “other side.”

Personally, I want to be with those who left UBF, for they ARE my brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom I will spend eternity with.

I also want to be with those who are in UBF for the exact same reasons.

We should not pit “us” (UBF) versus “them” (ex-UBF). This never worked and never will. Why? It is unbiblical. We are all sinners with blind spots, biases and prejudices. We are all blind and hungry beggars on a journey looking for a piece of bread (Jn 6:35).

Jesus’ example is best (Jn 1:14; Phil 2:5-8).

Paul’s example is 2nd best (1 Cor 9:19-23, 27).

To promote reconciliation, Jesus had to die. To promote reconciliation, Paul had to “beat his body and make it his slave” (1 Cor 9:27). If we don’t “beat our own body” we will inevitably “beat others up,” either physically, verbally, in cyberspace, or by our body language.