Serving the King -

Save Veronica! is a Blessing to Many Children -

2012-01-26T07:32:00.007-06:00

Praise God for all that has been happening over the last month. While we grieve for 2-yr-old Veronica who was taken three weeks ago from the only home she has ever known, she has been blessed with national attention - unlike many other children whom this has happened to. This has brought the issue of ICWA to the forefront.

For those who are concerned about this being a case involving a birth father – let us clarify;

The adoption wasn't finalized because the tribe had intervened, but M&M were 'parenting' Veronica from the moment she was born. They were at the birth. The bio-dad was not. Matt cut the umbilical cord - the bio-dad did not. Melanie stayed in a room at the hospital where she could parent/mother Veronica right away. The bio-dad did not. The bio-dad made no effort during the pregnancy or after birth to contact or support the mother, and made no real effort or request to see the little girl at any point in her life. She had never met him up until the evening she was handed over to him in the attorney’s office. The judge had allowed only ½ hour for Veronica to meet this man before he was free to take her. But it took two hours for the transfer to complete because she kept crying for M&M every time they tried to leave the room.

Matt and Melanie are the only parents she has ever known.

Had South Carolina law been applied to this case, the bio-dad would not have had any standing. By state law, he has essentially abandoned her and would not have had any parental rights. This is a law meant to protect adoptive parents and children from being bounced around like ping pong balls. He had also signed a paper sometime after her birth giving up any claim to her. But after Veronica had been with M&M for four months, he changed his mind and because he has a small percentage of Cherokee heritage, he was able to get the tribal attorney involved.

Matt & Melanie are emotionally devastated.

We are praying for Veronica. The State Supreme Court has accepted their appeal. It might take months though for them to hear the case. Knowing how hard it will be for a 2-yr-old to #1) remain away from the only parents she has ever known for months – and #2) how difficult it will be for her to make the transition back if she has been gone for months and then they win the case – we are praying for God’s mercy on Veronica and her parents. As crazy as this sounds, I am praying for a miracle – that Veronica be allowed to go home today, if not tomorrow.

Lord, in the name of Jesus, please return this baby girl to Melanie’s arms.

- We also have a family going to court this Friday, January 27th, who really needs prayer for their little boy.

Please pray for both these families.

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Luke 18:16

Save Veronica Rose!

2012-01-13T03:24:00.003-06:00

(Psychologist who witnessed Veronica's transfer comments on the detrimental effects - Click Baby Veronica to hear the audio of the interview.)

We are writing to make you aware of an injustice that has occurred to a two-year-old South Carolina child named Veronica Rose and her adoptive parents. Two years ago Veronica’s Latina birth mother chose Matt and Melanie to love, nurture and raise her child. To this day, Veronica’s birth mother remains committed to her decision and Veronica has been a thriving, happy child residing in a stable, nurturing environment. On or around Jan. 4, 2010, the birth father signed papers agreeing to give up his daughter.

However, because Veronica has some Cherokee heritage from her birth father’s side of the family, the Cherokee Nation intervened in the adoption proceedings and argued that this happy, healthy two-year-old be transferred to her birth father. Because of a federal law known as the Indian Child Welfare Act, a family court judge ruled that she be immediately transferred to her biological father.

The ruling placed the rights of the birth father and tribe above the best interests of this small child. Child-bonding experts agree that removing her from her home and family would be devastating and have long-lasting consequences. Numerous child psychologists stated this would be detrimental to any child. Yet on Dec. 31, Veronica was handed over to her biological father as if a possession without rights.

We believe that children need protection and should not be removed from loving, nurturing environments. We understand the premise of this law is to protect children; however, in Veronica’s case it has been used inappropriately.

Former U.S. senator Jim Abourezk (SD) authored ICWA. According to the Charleston Post and Courier, after reviewing Veronica's story, Abourezk called the interpretation in this case "something totally different than what we intended at the time."

"That's a tragedy," he said. "They obviously were attached to the child and, I would assume, the child was attached to them."

According to the 2000 census, approximately 75% of people claiming to have American Indian or Alaska Native ancestry live outside the reservation. Further, interracial marriages are a fact of life. It is must be recognized that most children of heritage live off the reservation and have extended family that are non-tribal. Though supporters of the Indian Child Welfare Act say it has safeguards to prevent misuse, Veronica and numerous other multi-racial children across the U.S have been hurt by it. Children who have never been near a reservation nor involved in tribal customs are affected. The Cherokee Nation alone is currently tied up in about 1,100 active Indian Child Welfare cases involving some 1,500 children.

Tragically, under the Indian Child Welfare Act:

1) Some children have been removed from safe, loving homes and placed in danger
2) Equal opportunities for adoption, safety and stability are not always available to children of all heritages
3) The Constitutional right of parents to make life choices for their children, for children of Indian heritage to associate freely, and for children of Indian heritage to enjoy Equal Protection has in some cases been infringed upon.

We want more than anything for Veronica to be allowed to come home. As our elected representatives, we urge you to protect Veronica’s rights in all possible ways as well as make legislative changes that will prevent this from happening to any other child again. While we understand you are unable to interfere in court proceedings, we ask you to speak out on this issue and let your constituents know clearly where you stand. We also ask you to sponsor legislation and encourage fellow Congressmen to support the amending of the Indian Child Welfare Act to:

1. Guarantee protection for children of Native American heritage equal to that of any other child in the United States.
2. Guarantee that fit parents, no matter their heritage, have the right to choose healthy guardians or adoptive parents for their children without concern for heritage.
3. Recognize the "Existing Indian Family Doctrine” as a viable analysis for consideration and application in child custody proceedings. (See In re Santos Y, In Bridget R., and In re Alexandria Y.)
4. Guarantee that United States citizens, no matter their heritage, have a right to fair trials.
• When summoned to a tribal court, parents and legal guardians will be informed of their legal rights, including USC 25 Chapter 21 1911 (b)“…In any State court proceeding for the foster care placement of, or termination of parental rights to, an Indian child not domiciled or residing within the reservation of the Indian child's tribe, the court, in the absence of good cause to the contrary, shall transfer such proceeding to the jurisdiction of the tribe, absent objection by either parent…”
• Under the principles of comity: All Tribes and States shall accord full faith and credit to a child custody order issued by the Tribe or State of initial jurisdiction consistent within the UCCJA – which enforces a child custody determination by a court of another State – unless the order has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court having jurisdiction to do so under Article 2 of the UCCJA.

5. Include well defined protections for Adoptive Parents.
6. Mandate that a "Qualified expert witness" be someone who has professional knowledge of the child and family and is able to advocate for the well being of the child, first and foremost.
7. Mandate that only parents and/or legal custodians have the right to enroll a child into an Indian Tribe. Because it is claimed that tribal membership is a political rather than racial designation, we are asking that parents, as U.S. citizens, be given the sole, constitutional right to choose political affiliation for their families and not have it forced upon them.
• Remove the words “or are eligible for membership in” 1901 (3)
• Remove the words "eligible for membership in" from 1903 (4) (b), the definition of an ‘Indian child’ and replace with the words "an enrolled member of”

Save Veronica Supporters Worldwide
www.saveveronica.org
www.facebook.com/saveveronicarose
www.twitter.com/save_veronica

The Birth of Jesus - Luke 2:1-20 (NIV)

2011-12-24T14:37:00.003-06:00

The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2: 1-20 (NIV)

Protect families of tribal heritage - Our Brothers and Sisters in our Republic - Sign Petition

2011-11-08T13:26:00.000-06:00

Friends!

Children are being exploited - used for additional power and money, many times against the wishes of parents who are helpless under U.S. law to prevent it.

Christian birth parents, foster parents, and adoptive parents are all affected by this law. Christian parents, who have wanted to give their children up for adoption rather than abort them, have been told they can not choose Christian homes for their children.

We have 30 days to get 25,000 signatures in order for our petition to be reviewed by the White House.

November is National Adoption Month - Let's do this Petition as our part in helping children this month. We need 6250 signatures a week to meet that goal. Let's pray for God's help and get started.

On Nov 19, Nat'l Adoption Day, families, adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and volunteers will come together and celebrate adoption in communities across the nation. We are setting a goal of 10,000 signatures by that date.

Please Sign the Petition and Use every method you have to share this link - http://wh.gov/bvZ - If everyone could get just 10 people to sign the petition and share it with at least 3 of their friends, we'll have it made!

Thank you friends!

TEXT OF PETITION:

We petition the Obama Administration to:

Ensure that Children of tribal heritage are guaranteed protection equal to that of any other child in the United States

Across America, children who had never been near a reservation nor involved in tribal customs have been taken from homes they know and love and placed with strangers chosen by tribal social services. This includes MULTI-racial children with minimal heritage.

Because of poorly thought out law called the 'Indian Child Welfare Act';

1) Kids have been removed from safe, loving homes and placed in dangerous ones.
2) Some families, Indian and non-Indian, have felt threatened by tribal gov't and have had no money to get legal help.
3) Equal opportunities for adoption, safety and stability are not always allowed to children of all heritages.
4) Constitutional right of parents to make choices for their families is being interfered with. Some tribal families don't want to be on the reservation.

SIGN AT http://wh.gov/bvZ

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2011-08-26T01:15:00.001-05:00

It took a week 2 figure out how 2 do it, but Sermons from Camp r finally posted on website! Yay! http://ping.fm/brUSf

Christian Org Teaching How ICWA is Hurting Families

2011-08-26T01:04:00.010-05:00

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for Children and families hurt by the Indian Child Welfare Act!!

The Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW) received confirmation from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs: The ICWA "Teach-in" will be FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 9am to 1pm in the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs hearing room in Washington DC.

Dr. William B. Allen will be the main speaker and we expect the information and material offered to be exceptional. Dr. Allen is a Professor in Political Science from Michigan University and a strong opponent of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)

Remember – the Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare is the ONLY national organization advocating for families who have lost or are at risk of losing children due to application of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and has been advocating for families since 2004.

Feb 26, 2011— “We need help! This child will be dead in this woman's hands. We feel the good fight to do what's right but fear this child will be severely marred.”

April 7, 2011— “I have no were else to turn. My girls and i are in desperate need of help. If there is anyway you can help us please contact me as soon possible day or night…”

May 18, 2011—”our kids were taken yesterday. The pain is difficult to bear. We love these kids so much. This will be there third family placement since coming into foster care almost 2 years ago.”

ALL are welcome to come join and support them there. Come on Wednesday prior and spend a couple days visiting with the offices of your Senators and Representatives - and invite their staff to come attend the Teach-in!

Please share this post with friends and relatives who might be interested!

Also - CAICW has SAMARITAN Discount cards available for sale to help with expenses ;)

Contact Lisa if you would like one or would like a few to share some with friends!

Lisa- writeus@caicw.org

Website http://caicw.org

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CAICW ( @CAICW )

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fbCAICW.org

DONATIONS NEEDED for Teach-in expenses! Thanks!!! :) - Click this Link for direct donations to CAICW, a 501c3 non-profit

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2011-08-03T19:32:00.001-05:00

@randyalcorn RT @desiringgod Nancy Guthrie's story of losing two children in infancy and God's comfort through his Word. http://t.co/JyGtIcD

2011-08-03T12:37:00.001-05:00

RT @AWTozer_ We must meet the uncertainties of this world with the certainty of the world to come - A. W. Tozer

2011-08-03T12:36:00.001-05:00

RT @JohnPiper If you don't own J. C. Ryle's Holiness, I recommend getting it in the volume with Packer's appreciation. http://dsr.gd/pG7kQV

The Beginning of Life

2011-05-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

by Darrel Smith, Publisher, ChristsInternet.com
http://christsinternet.com/Blog/2011/05/the-beginning-of-life/

Many people seem to be confused about when life begins. Some maintain that life begins at birth, others believe that life begins when the unborn baby is capable of living independent of its mother, others argue that it begins when the baby can be felt moving inside its mother, and still others at the moment of conception or at some other time.

These arguments miss some very simple scientific facts. No one has ever observed the beginning of life because life began many thousands of years ago. Since that beginning, life is always transferred, and it is always transferred in kind. Eagles always transfer life to baby eagles, horses transfer life to baby horses and humans transfer life to baby humans. In humans, life is transferred through a living contribution from a mother and a father.

Conception is the beginning of a genetically unique new human life that was formed from this union of the mother and father’s living contributions. From the moment of conception, all this new human life needs to fully develop are the same things a two-year-old child or you or I need - nutrition and protection.

In our society, the Supreme Court has ruled that unborn humans don’t have the protection provided to “persons” in the Constitution. This legal argument has been used twice before in modern western history. In the early history of this country black slaves suffered from this same legal classification. Later in Germany, the courts classified Jews as non-persons. The supporters of this classification for unborn human beings are following a truly shameful and dangerous history.

What choice will you make? Will you protect human life?

Check out these sites for ways to become involved:

Personhood USA

National Right to Life

Prolife.com

The Mount Vernon Statement

SIGN the Manhattan Declaration

National Pro-life Religious Council

Prolife Across America

Pastor David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011)

2011-04-30T13:28:00.005-05:00

Pastor David Wilkerson died Wednesday, April 27, 2011 in a tragic car crash, according to a CBN report.

"It is with deepest of sadness that we have to inform you of the sudden passing of Reverend David Wilkerson, our founding pastor," Times Square Church Senior Pastor Carter Conlon said in a statement on the church website.

Pastor David Wilkerson was first called to New York City to minister to gang members and drug addicts in February, 1958. Prior to that, he had been serving as pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. It was there that he saw a photo in Life Magazine of seven New York City teenagers charged with murder. Feeling moved with compassion, he went to New York and began a street ministry.

He began by taking runaway children into his apartment to sleep on his couch and floor. One night, his was room filled with more kids than he could handle. Feeling overwhelmed, thinking there was no way he could accept another child, there was a knock at the door. He opened the door to find two forlorn children, who quietly asked if they could stay there as well. He told them he was sorry, but no. His apartment was full. Looking devastated, the children turned and left. Pastor David felt terrible. He never forgot the look of despair in their eyes, and he determined that he would never turn a child away again.

Later that year, Pastor David Wilkerson founded 'Teen Challenge,' an evangelical Christian recovery program that has since grown into a network of Christian centers in several countries. In 1967, Wilkerson began Youth Crusades, a ministry for middle-class teenagers who were restless and bored - whom he called "goodniks" - with the hope of preventing them from getting into drug abuse, alcoholism and violence. Through this ministry, the CURE Corps (Collegiate Urban Renewal Effort) was founded with a goal of being a Christian version of the Peace Corps and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA).

David Wilkerson is the best-selling author of "The Cross and the Switchblade" and "The Vision." Co-authored with John and Elizabeth Sherrill, "The Cross and the Switchblade," published in 1963, is considered one of the most influential and evangelical books in history. It tells the story of gang member Nicky Cruz's conversion and sold over 50 million copies in over thirty languages. A 1970 movie based on the book, starring Pat Boone as Wilkerson and Erik Estrada as Cruz, was included on Christianity Today's "Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals."

In 1971, Wilkerson moved his ministry headquarters to Lindale, Texas, and founded World Challenge, an organization with the mission of spreading the Gospel throughout the world.

Fifteen years later, walking down 42nd Street at midnight in 1986, he was passing by live peep shows and X-rated movie houses when his heart broke over the prostitutes, pimps, drug addicts, runaways and hustlers crowding Times Square. Again overwhelmed, he cried out for God to do something to help all the spiritually dead and dying people.

Pastor David later said the Holy Spirit called him to return to New York City and to raise up a ministry in Times Square.

“I saw 9, 10 and 11-year-old kids bombed on crack cocaine. I walked down 42nd Street and they were selling crack. Len Bias, the famous basketball player, had just died of a crack overdose, and the pusher was yelling, ‘Hey, I’ve got the stuff that killed Len.’ I wept and prayed, ‘God, you’ve got to raise up a testimony in this hellish place…The answer was not what I wanted to hear: ‘Well, you know the city. You’ve been here. You do it.’”

He obeyed and in October of 1987, at the “crossroads of the world,” he opened the Times Square Church in rented auditoriums in Times Square (Town Hall and the Nederlander Theater). Later, in 1989, the ministry purchased the historic Mark Hellinger Theater, where the church then moved.

Since that time, he has faithfully led the congregation, delivering powerful biblical messages that encourage righteous living and complete reliance on God. Wilkerson's sermons, such as "A Call to Anguish," are direct and frank, emphasizing Jesus Christ, God's holiness and righteousness, and God's love for people.

He has also had a strong burden for pastors all over the globe. In the 1990's, Wilkerson focused his efforts to encourage pastors and their families to "renew their passion for Christ" and since 1999, has traveled around the world holding conferences to strengthen and encourage Christian ministers.

In his own words:

"I've been an evangelist for 50 years, but I didn't want to preach to pastors until I had gray hair, until I'd pastored. Now after 15 years of pastoring, sharing the hurts, pains, and difficulties of the ministry as a pastor, I felt the Lord finally release me, that I might have something to say."

In 2006 Wilkerson and his wife Gwen began splitting their time between New York and Texas. They have four children and eleven grandchildren. His son Gary Wilkerson is also a Christian minister and evangelist.

According to Texas state troopers called on the scene, Wilkerson was hit head-on by a tractor trailer that moved into his lane. Although the truck driver saw the car and attempted to avoid the collision, Wilkerson crashed and was pronounced dead on the scene. Gwen Wilkerson is in critical condition.

Memorial services for Pastor David Wilkerson have been set for May 14, 2 p.m. ET at Times Square Church.

David Wilkerson was 79 years old.
______________________

PROPHESIES

In April 1973, Pastor David Wilkerson had a vision regarding the U.S., which he then gave a sermon and wrote a book concerning. (called 'The Vision.' )

Some of the details:

1. "Worldwide recession caused by economic confusion"
* "At most a few more fat flourishing years, and then an economic recession that's going to affect the life style of every wage-earner in the world. The world economists are going to be at loss to explain what's happening. It's going to start in Europe, spread to Japan and finally to the United States."
* There will be a move toward a worldwide, unified monetary system. The US dollar will be hit bad and it will take years for it to recover.
* The only real security will be in real estate (until a somewhat later stage, at which point this security will also disappear).

2. "Nature having labor pains"
* Environmentalists will come under heavy criticism.
* There will be major earthquakes.
* There will be a major famine.
* Floods, hurricanes and tornadoes will increase in frequency.
* "A new kind of cosmic storm appearing as a raging fire in the sky leaving a kind of vapor trail."[4]

3. "A flood of filth and a baptism of dirt in America"
* Topless women will appear on television, followed by full nudity.
* Adult, X rated movies will be shown on cable television. Young people will gather at homes to watch this kind of material in groups.
* Sex and the occult will be mixed.
* There will be an acceptance of homosexuality, and the church will even say that it is a God-given gift.

4. "Rebellion in the home"
* "I see the new number one youth problem in America and the world as hatred towards parents."

5. "A persecution madness against truly Spirit filled Christians who love Jesus Christ"
* There will arise a world church consisting of a union between liberal ecumenical Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church, using Christ in name only.
* There will be a hate Christ movement.
* There will be a spiritual awakening behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains.

6. Others
* There will be another wave of riots.
* There will be a fall in moral conduct.
* There will be a new drug that will be popular with teenagers that will break down resistance and will encourage sexual activity.
* Homosexual and lesbian ministers will be ordained and this will be heralded as a new breed of pioneer.
* There will be nude dancing in church, but this will never be widespread.
* There will be occult practices in churches.

http://www.tscnyc.org/history.php

http://www.worldchallenge.org/about_david_wilkerson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wilkerson

Fox affiliate and Dearborn Imam try to trash Florida Pastor Terry Jones

2011-04-25T13:00:00.004-05:00

(Video midpage)

It made me so, so angry to hear this Imam try to tell us who Jesus was and what Jesus stood for. He said that Jesus was a 'great messenger' who only spoke of peace and love - and even told Pastor Jones that burning the Koran was an insult to Jesus! This Imam doesn't have a clue! He doesn't acknowledge that Jesus is both Messiah and God - so how is it he thinks he can define Jesus to a Christian pastor?

He asks Jones if he ever read the Koran. Has the Imam ever read the Bible?

And then this other so-called pastor - Rev. Rowe - claims that the Bible is all about peace and doesn't have anything in it supports the burning of the Koran. He said the "Bible" - (not "New Testament") - doesn't attack other religions. But of COURSE IT DOES! As Pastor Jones points out, the Bible has many, many instances of God - (Yahweh, Jehovah...also referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) destroying the icons, books and artifacts of the false religions. Even destroying towns and killing citizens who worshiped false Gods. (I am not saying lets go do that - just saying what the Bible recorded of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)

(Why does the Bible refer to God as being the God of these three? It points out that while Ishmael started life worshiping the God of his father, Abraham, he and his descendents strayed and went a different direction)

The New Testament - as Jones points out - reports the Jesus overturned the money changing tables in the synagogue, as well as called disingenuous spiritual leaders 'vipers' and 'dogs.' Were these examples of peace?

So to try to say that the Bible doesn't come strongly against other, false religions is a lie. And then this wolf in sheep's clothing - Rev. Rowe, claims there is a "Christian Taliban." How can he even compare the two? He says he doesn't defend violence anywhere, but by claiming conservative Christians are akin to the "Taliban" is very much a defense of the violent, cruel, cold, murdering Taliban.

Rev. Rowe, read the Book of James. It is very clear that we LOVE others by telling the truth - and saving others from the real death - the permanent death and separation from the one true God, Jehovah.

Jones made a very good point that all he did was burn a book - and 7000 miles away, people killed each other over it. He is correct that the responsibility for those deaths is with the rioters and their government.

I was actually very impressed that Pastor Jones was able to stand up against this "panel" of people on this interview, a panel clearly stacked against him, and be able to calmly refute their lies. Personally, I would have blown a gasket. He did quite well in bringing the discussion back to the point every time they attempted to blow it up in a different direction. He didn't bother to get into angrily confronting their lies - which I would have been led to do. Awesome. I applaud him.

Controversial Florida Pastor Terry Jones Goes Face-to-Face with Dearborn Imam: MyFoxDETROIT.com

One person commented about the video and implied that Christians don't love their Holy Book and that is why they don't get upset by the burning of it as Muslims do. Excuse me? This is another complete misunderstanding of God and his divinity! We don't worship paper or books. We worship Jehovah - Yahweh - the God of Israel - and His Word and Truth will live on no matter what anyone does to the Bible.

The rocks cry out God's Truth, even if people don't listen. You can't destroy it. So do whatever you want to the Bible - it makes no difference.

See - what must be recognized is that Jesus spoke more than just 'wise words!" He spoke God's Truth - in fact, Jesus WAS the Word...

- John 1 " 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

And you couldn't destroy Jesus - no matter what was tried. He lives today. You can not destroy the Word! So go ahead - do whatever to the Bible. It makes no difference. Our God is greater than a book.

Another person commented that because Jones leads an independent church, it isn't a "real" church, like a main stream church. How foolish!

The True Christian Church is not a building or any specific congregation. The True Christian Church is the People who truly Believe, Honor, Worship, Respect, Love, Trust and Obey the Lord God Jehovah, in the person of the Trinity; Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Ghost.

Those people can be found in many different church buildings and denominations, including independent Christian churches. Most churches are a mixture of true believers and non-believers - the non-believers being there for reasons other than sincere faith (which can be one or more of many varied reasons). Some churches have no real believers. Others have only a few. Some churches are Blessed with many true Believers. It is a wonderful, wonderful experience when one can attend such a church. This can happen in an independent church just as well as a mainline churches. But unfortunately, not all mainline churches are Blessed with a majority of True Believers.

Not all True Believers have the exact same understanding of every point in the Bible. They might differ slightly on doctrinal issues. However, what they share is a True Love for the Lord, and they are open to correction and continuous learning as the strive to grow more and more in the Lord.

Then to have this so-called Rev. Rowe say that he doesn't believe in the same God as Pastor Jones - that is probably very true...

Only God can judge a heart, but personally, I do believe Terry Jones might be a True Believer. His quest for truth has a sincerity to it. Further, he didn't respond in anger to the clear attack by this "panel."

However, I question the heart of the other pastor, who said that no where in the Bible does God come against other religions. That is simply not true. God came against other religions very strongly.

The other pastor surprised me by saying that his God is not the same as Jones' God. Wow. We are to be discerning and watch the fruit of our leaders to tell if they are wolves or not. But if we are questioning a brother's motives, especially one in leadership, Matthew 18:15-17 and James 5:19 are clear as to how proceed wit Love. Is this Rowe truly concerned with Love and Peace between brothers, or only between Christianity and Islam?

I would have hoped Rev. Rowe would see Pastor Jones as a Brother in the Lord, and if Pastor Jones is missing some Truth, I would have hoped he would have been led by love - and an understanding of the full family of God - to help Jones and give right teaching with respect.

But that didn't appear to be the stand he was taking. That leads me to mistrust and question his sincerity in Jesus Christ.

Video from FoxDetroit.com -
Updated: Friday, 22 Apr 2011, 6:17 AM EDT Published : Thursday, 21 Apr 2011, 10:06 PM EDT

Hijacked and Murdered Sailor was on Christian Mission

2011-02-22T11:49:00.004-06:00

Four Americans on Yacht Murdered by Pirates -

Friend: Hijacked California Sailor Sought to Mix Faith, Adventure

Published February 21, 2011 Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- A friend and former professor of a California man whose yacht was hijacked by Somali pirates said Sunday that Scott Adam wanted to combine his love of adventure with his faith by spreading bibles around the world.

Professor Robert K. Johnston of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena told The Associated Press that Adam -- who last year earned a master of theology degree from the school -- had sent friends emails detailing his international sailing trip. But Adam went silent Feb. 12 to avoid revealing the location of his yacht, the Quest, to pirates.

"He was sailing around the world and serving God, two of his passions," Johnston
said.

Organizers of the Blue Water Rally yacht race said passengers of the sailboat owned by Adam and his wife, Jean, carried them and two other Americans, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, both of Seattle. It was hijacked Friday off the coast of Oman. It is now in the waters between Yemen and northern Somalia, two pirates and a Somali government official told The Associated Press.

Johnston said that despite an adventurous spirit, the Adams were meticulous planners who knew the dangers they faced. The couple had sailed with a large flotilla to stay safe from pirates near Thailand earlier in the trip.

"They knew and we knew they still had to go by the Somalia coast," he said.
"We're asking people to pray for them."

Adam, now in his mid-60s, had been an associate producer in Hollywood when he turned in a spiritual direction and enrolled in the seminary a decade ago, Johnston said.

"He decided he could take his pension, and he wanted to serve God and
humankind," he said.

Johnston and Adam worked together to start a film and theology institute. Adam also taught a class on church and media at the school.

Since 2004, the Adams lived on their yacht in Marina Del Rey for about half the year and the rest of the year they sailed around the world, often distributing Bibles in remote parts of the Fiji Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central America and French Polynesia, Johnston said.

University Policy Defines Religious Discrimination as Oppression by Christians

2011-02-16T18:44:00.000-06:00

University to Change Policy Defining Religious Discrimination as Oppression by Christians
By Todd Starnes

Published February 16, 2011
| FoxNews.com

The University of California at Davis has backed away from a policy that defined religious discrimination as Christians oppressing non-Christians after more than two dozen Christian students filed a formal complaint.

The definition was listed in a document called, “The Principles of Community.” It defined “Religious/Spiritual Discrimination” as “The loss of power and privilege to those who do not practice the dominant culture’s religion. In the United States, this is institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian.”

“This is radical political correctness run amok,” said David French, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund.

The conservative advocacy group wrote a letter on behalf of more than 25 students who objected to the policy and wanted it revised.

He said it’s absurd to single out Christians as oppressors and non-Christians as the only oppressed people on campus.

Raheem Reed, an associate executive vice chancellor at UC-Davis, said he received the letter and removed the definition Wednesday afternoon.

“I certainly can see how a Christian student reading that definition might feel and that’s why it was immediately disabled and taken down,” Reed told Fox News Radio. “This is not how we define religious discrimination.”

However, one student said they complained to administrators last November about the policy and nothing was done. “Christians deserve the same protections against religious discrimination as any other students on a public university campus,” French told Fox News Radio. “The idea that a university would discriminate against Christians is a very old story, unfortunately, and one that we see played out every day.”

One student, who asked not to be identified, said university officials asked her to reaffirm “The Principles of Community” last semester. She refused to do so when she realized that Christians were not protected under the policy.

“To have a non-discrimination policy that excludes the Christian faith is a cause for action,” she said. “In higher academia, one would hope that a diversity of ideas and beliefs would be appreciated. But my experience has been that this has not always been the case. There is a real fear of academic bias against the Christian faith.”

Reed said he regrets that Christian students might feel intimidated. “We want everyone to feel safe, welcomed and supportive,” he said.

“Not only are we taking it down, but now we’re going to look at what kind of affirmative steps we can take to reassure those members of our campus community who may have felt somewhat threatened or intimidated by it.”

French said all of the students who complained are fearful of backlash if their identities became known. “This was amazing to actually enshrine in your non-discrimination statement – discrimination against Christians,” he said.

“This is a symbol of the seeming impunity in which universities violate the law to establish a radical, secular-left agenda.” Alan Brownstein, a law professor at UC-Davis, said the campus has a generally open and tolerant view of religion.

“It’s a university campus,” he said. “There is robust debate and people will disagree on just about everything.” Brownstein, who is a nationally known constitutional scholar, said any legal challenges to the policy would depend on whether or not it’s a binding document.

“Clearly, if you had an enforceable regulatory policy that said, ‘we will discipline Christians who oppress non-Christians, but we will not impose the same kind of disciplinary sanctions on non-Christians who engage in the same kind of harassing behavior against Christians,’ that would be unacceptable and subject to legal challenge.”

Reed said “The Principles of Community” is not a policy. “They are, in fact, aspirational principles we have – to try to make sure we are promoting diversity and trying to build a more inclusive campus community,” he said.

Regardless, Brownstein said it might have been more appropriate to use less-specific language in the policy. “It’s always preferable to be as general as you can when you describe these kinds of unacceptable behaviors,” he said.

9-Year-old Christina Taylor Green; 9/11 Hope, Victim in Tucson

2011-01-10T10:31:00.000-06:00

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IN all the rhetoric about who is to blame for the shooting, there has been little talk about 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green.

Her Grandfather, Dallas Green, who managed the Phillies to the World Series in 1980 and one of the few men to manage both the Yankees and the Mets, was confused when his wife, Syliva, came into the living room after talking to their son on the phone Saturday. She was in shock and tears, barely able to get out the words, "They shot our beautiful Christina."

Christina was killed in the shooting spree at U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' meet-and-greet in Tucson, AZ, Saturday. One of the bullets had been fired directly into Christina's heart.

"I can't believe our princess is gone," Green said to a friend. He then told the Daily News, "I've had a lot of tough things happen to me in my life but this is one I'm never going to get over. We're all hurting pretty bad. My son is devastated."

Christina, who was the daughter of his son, John, a Dodger scout, had gone with neighbors to meet Rep. Giffords so she could see how government works.

Her mother Roxanna, told Fox News that Christina was "very interested in government ...how she could help her community."

The Arizona Republic, interviewing her uncle, Greg Segalinia, outside her house, reported that a neighbor had invited Christina along because she thought she would enjoy it. “The next thing you know this happened," Segalini said. "How do you prepare for something like this. My little niece got killed-took one on the chest and she is dead.”

Segalinia told the Republic that his niece was involved several extracurricular activities ranging from ballet to baseball, the sport of her father and grandfather.

According to TV station KVOA, she was a passionate dancer who loved ballet, hip-hop, jazz and gymnastics. KVOA also noted that Christina was the only girl on her Canyon del Oro Little League baseball team, "The Pirates," and played second base. She also loved horseback riding, swimming, and animals. Family members described Christina as vibrant and excited about life.

Her parents called her "the best daughter in the world."

The 9-year old had just been elected to her student council at the Mesa Verde Elementary School. "She was a good speaker," John Green told the Arizona Star. "I could easily have seen her as a politician."

John Green later reflected on his daughter being born on September 11, 2001, and now dying in this massacre. Born - and died - on two very emotional, senseless and tragic days for America; yet, said Green, the nine years in between were magical for his little girl as well as for them.

Christina was one of the babies featured in a book called Faces of Hope, Babies Born on 9/11, by Christine Pisera Naman. When she was old enough, her parents had told her about the day she was born. Misunderstanding, Christina then told a few people that she was born on a "holiday."

Big Journalism.com had an additional, sad perspective on this national tragedy; "Christina’s birth brought hope to America, taught us that in the face of tragedy life goes on. Her death was used by the media to destroy hope and generate political divisiveness, a sad tribute to this young girl’s life."

It was tragic that "CBS found the time to exploit the shooting for it’s own progressive slant, but didn’t have the time to show this picture, or to tell Christina’s story in their report."

As for the personal, family perspective, Dallas Green said, "I can't believe this could happen to any 9-year old child, much less our own," and that it's "The worst thing to ever happen to us."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/01/09/2011-01-09_christina_taylor_greens_grandfather_exmets__yankees_manager_dallas_green_devasta.html#ixzz1AayHExLI

Is God in Control?

2011-01-09T00:33:00.001-06:00

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On facebook, a friend wrote:

"fear believes the worst is going to happen... faith believes the best is already on its way"

Someone responded:

When your perspective is telling you it's the worst, that's when you need your faith to rise. Faith is always needed if we're going to achieve what we're called to. Faith allows us to do good despite our less than ideal circumstances because we see what is available to us through Christ.

I still don't believe that God is in control. I'll believe otherwise if you can show me in scripture that he is. In the mean time I choose whether or not I get out of bed in the morning. I choose whether to use my words to encourage others or tear them down. I'm pretty sure God has given me a great deal of control over what happens in and around me.

If he were in control there would be no point in us doing anything because God would be taking care of it, there would be no point in relationship with God because we wouldn't be expected to do anything (there's the issue: saying God is in control releases us from any responsibility to bring his kingdom to earth).

If God were in control, would there be all the problems there are in the world? Saying God is in control is saying he is not good and that is a fallacy.

Yes, God is all powerful and could take control, but if he did then what would be the point in existing? You have a greater purpose. Start walking in it!

FYI: I can't take credit for a lot of this. Much of it is just reiterating what Bill Johnson says in Face to Face with God

Then there was this response:

----------------------------------

Very good points - but here's a question. If God ISN'T in control, then does that mean His plan might fail - and what is fore-told in Revelations might not happen? Aren't we assured that in the end, God will defeat the enemy?

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose."
Other ways that is read include, "that all things work together for good to those who love God, who;" or
"that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who."

Note: this assurance is predicated to those that Love God, and this last version of the verse makes it clearer that we are working with Him to bring about good. Our relationship with Him comes with the expectation of participating in His work. (and striving to not hurt others)

God, as you said, is capable of controlling everything, but allows man free will. Maybe this is all about the big picture - not the small,( re: daily free will choices - getting up from bed, or deciding to commit a crime, etc.) The big picture is our unbreakable relationship and life with God - if we choose it.

If Hell is separation from God - we are assured we will never be separated, and He is working with us through all things for good in that direction. Rom 8:39 "neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Some of "those that Love Him" and have purposed to work for Him abbreviate that thought - rightly I think - into our assurance that "God is in control."

And you are right - Faith is needed if we're going to achieve what we are called to.

_______________________________________________________________

I need to address the thought that if God is in Control, there is no point for relationship -

Relationship with God, as pointed out in Romans 8:28, involves Him working with us, through us, etc. - to bring about His will and good -
that's what the Holy Spirit is all about.

We choose relationship with Jesus Christ. There is our free will. But God IS the Master when we do that - he is our LORD - and we are His servants. Therefore, He IS in control.

There is No relationship without accepting His Lordship!

Further, we can NOT do good on our own - we need the Holy Spirit. According to Romans 6, we die - our flesh dies with Jesus Christ - and then we are raised up again new with Jesus Christ - (just as He was raised up again) - to live a New Life, with Him.

Rom 6:22 "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."

This is the Relationship: we can do nothing without Christ (God/Holy Spirit) in Us:
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. [For when we abide in Him -- and He in us -- He shows us His will and that's all we long for!]
"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love." John 15:3-10

Abiding in Him, and He in us - involves letting go of ourselves, and allowing Him - in control - to work through us.

So I think Mr. Johnson, in his book 'Face to Face with God," was very wrong about there being no point to relationship if God is in Control. It's reversed - there would be no point to relationship if he WASN'T in control -

THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY ~

2010-12-20T09:36:00.000-06:00

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If it had happened today, how would social media, the web and mobile have told the story of the Nativity?
"Times change. The miracle remains the same."

One man commented - "Pity the shepherds couldn't get Wi-fi in that field though - I would have liked to see their tweets and story as well! :o"

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ~ ~ ENJOY! ~ ~

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Dominion Theology: Strengths and Weaknesses of the Movement

2010-11-28T00:05:00.001-06:00

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Part III on Dominion Theology

Continued from Part II: Theological Distinctives of the Movement

Strengths of Dominion Theology:

In many ways, the Christian Reconstructionist movement is similar to most conservative evangelical churches. The understanding of the unalterableness of God, for example, is essential, foundational awareness. The theology of regeneration is also standard, well grounded theology and critical to man's relationship with God.

Theonomy, while not a standard doctrine, has comforted many Christians who are troubled by the state of our fallen society, giving them a promise of a calmer, saner world under Biblical standards. Chilton also explains Postmillennialism this way;

"before the Second Coming of Christ, the world will be successfully evangelized and discipled to Christianity…our view of the future is inescapably bound up with our view of Jesus Christ. The fact that Jesus is now King of kings and Lord of lords means that His Gospel must be victorious: The Holy Spirit will bring the water of life to the ends of the earth. The Christian message is one of Hope: Pentecost was just the beginning."

Although the Assemblies of God denounced postmillennialism as heresy in response to Dominion Theology in 1988, many Christians from various corners still debate premillennialism, amillennialism, and postmillennialism and will probably continue to do so until Christ comes again. Postmillennialism is simply an area in which Christians must agree to disagree.

Weakness of Dominion Theology:

The normal translation of "πληρόω" is "fulfill" not "confirm," and Scripture that teaches that Christians are no longer under the Law include Romans 6:14; 7:6; 8:2-4; and Galatians 3:24,25; 5:18. Also, while most Christian theologians see the purpose of regeneration to be for the Glorification of God, Theonomists believe it to be for the work of God's dominion over all the earth.

Theonomists also don't stick as close to literal translations as other Christian groups do. They see a system of patterns and associations within symbolic Biblical terms and state that the Bible is to be read "visually," meaning to take a term used in the Bible and see it for not only what it is, but also what associations are made with it. When it comes to numbers, Theonomists are more likely to see them symbolically then literally as well. The numbers 40 and 1000, in particular, can simply mean periods of time rather than actual time.

However, in the matter of Biblical, Mosaic Law, Theonomists take Scripture quite literally.

Concerning the division of Mosaic Law into three parts: John Calvin was the first to divide Old Testament law this way. But he believed that the judicial law, which provided for fairness in the civil government of Israel, was for Israel alone. To Calvin, only the moral law was eternally applicable, but even so, its application might vary in case law from culture to culture. However, Scripture does not seem to break the law into three sections. Whenever the Law is mentioned, it seems to be in reference to the whole Law.
Some would say that either the believer has been released from the whole law (Rom. 7:4, 6) or none of it.

Most importantly, Reconstructionists confuse Mosaic Law with eternal law. It is not outward signs or ceremonial purity that insures our place with God; it is the inward circumcision of the heart. No one can uphold the law perfectly, but that doesn't matter to God because He looks at the heart. Paul, a man fully regenerated and filled with the Holy Spirit, remarked in Acts 15:10 that the law had been too difficult for anyone to bear. If man was unable to keep the law during Old Testament times, how will man do it now?

Paul also says that the law was a learning tool to lead us to Christ, while the book of Acts indicates that Mosaic Law was not binding on Gentiles. The Apostles only required that Gentiles obey the instructions given by God to Noah (Acts 15:20). Would a theocracy then have two different sets of laws; one set for believers and another set, more relaxed, for non-believers?

Peter and Paul also very clearly considered the non-Christian Roman government as God's instrument on earth. This was believed even during persecution. If the New Testament teaches that a non-Christian government can be part of God's rule on the earth, then establishing a Christian Theocracy is not mandated in Scripture. Whether the State submits to God or not, God still rules.

Finally, history is filled with failed theocracies. Rome, London, Geneva, and Saxony, confused secular power with divine mandate. Because of the experience of history and the pain such governments had caused, our Forefathers wrote wording within the Constitution specifically meant to prevent state religion. While Reconstructionists advocate decentralization consisting of family, church, schools, and local government as a way to prevent the totalitarianism of previous governments, what could develop is a system of checkerboard law with punishments varying from community to community with the potential for dictatorship and unaccountable cruelty in any one community. If apostasy and idolatry are determined to be capitol crimes, as both Rushdoony and Bahnsen have said they would be, how would it be established which interpretation of Scripture determines apostasy? It was not outcasts who persecuted Polycarp, Hus or Wycliffe and crucified
Jesus, but religious leaders who claimed to be serving God.

A last thought concerns the State of Israel. While Reconstructionists do believe that individual Jews will be converted to Christ in the future, few of them believe that national Israel has a future. This theology has been termed by some as "replacement theology;" replacing Israel completely with the modern church. This is an area of divided thought among Christians. Some outside of the Christian church see it as anti-Semitism.

Conclusion

Does Dominion Theology offer a dangerous shift from "Gospel and the Kingdom of God" to "law and the kingdom of man?"

Dominion Theology is not a cult. It is a part of the conservative, evangelical movement occurring throughout society. However, while focusing on legalism, they are ignoring the sanctifying purpose and loving gift of the life and death of Jesus Christ. Jesus has already done the work. All that is left to do is to abide in Him and listen to the Holy Spirit's guiding direction. He will do the rest through us. There is nothing more than that.

Therefore, it is the opinion of this writer that Dominion Theology, in its focus toward man and law, does pose a dangerous shift of attention away from the Gospel of grace and the circumcision of the heart. There is also concern that large numbers of well-respected people have been seduced by faulty exegesis.

Bibliography

Smith, David L. A Handbook of Contemporary Theology: Tracing trends & Discerning
Directions in Today's Theological Landscape. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992.

Economics America, Inc. The Right Guide. 4th ed. Ed. Derk Arend Wilcox. Ann Arbor:
Economics America, Inc. 2000.

Biblical Discernment Ministries. Dominion Theology/Kingdom Now/Reconstructionism
Blessing or Curse? Valparaiso, Indiana. 1997. Online. 12 April, 2005.
http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/cor/dominion.htm

Peterson, Jefferis Kent. Reconstructionist Theology - A Flaw in the Foundation of Dominion
Theology. 2004. Online. 12 April, 2005. .

David Chilton. Paradise Restored; a Biblical Theology of Dominion. ICE free Books, 1996.
Online. 13 April, 2005. .

Dominion Theology: Theological Distinctives of the Movement

2010-11-21T03:23:00.000-06:00

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Part II on Dominion Theology

Continued from Part I: Introduction to Dominion Theology

Three basic concepts held by Dominionists are:
1. the unalterableness of God,
2. God's Character as perfectly reflected in His law, and
3. because of the first two concepts, God's laws are eternal and are binding on all peoples of all times.

Along with these three concepts are three foundational doctrines within Dominion Theology:
1. Personal Regeneration,
2. the application of Biblical law to all areas of life (theonomy), and
3. The advance of the already present kingdom of God in history (postmillennialism).

Dominionism and Theonomy

Christian Reconstructionists believe all the basic doctrinal truths of the Christian faith, including inerrancy of the Bible, personal regeneration, and the truth of heaven and hell and that Old Testament Israel, according to Paul in the book of Romans, has been replaced with the modern Church of Jesus Christ. Thus, the Church has taken over the covenant promises God made to Israel.

But Theonomists also see the New Testament clearly showing that the Word of God, "all Scripture," should be legally applied to all areas of life and God intended for government is to be a theocracy. By theocracy, it is meant that God would govern the nation through the moral and legal code already revealed in the laws of the Bible. The legal code referred to by Apostle Paul in the New Testament was the Old Testament, Mosaic Law alone because the New Testament hadn't yet been complied, but does not include the Mosaic ceremonial law.

The Mosaic Law has been divided into three parts: moral, ceremonial and judicial. The ceremonial law foreshadowed Christ and was fulfilled by Christ's death and resurrection while both the moral and civil parts of the law as still relevant. Therefore, Reconstructionists believe that Christians are obligated to keep Old Testament law, with the exception of that which the New Testament clearly cancels, such as with the sacrificial system.

It is also believed that civil servants are required to be God's ministers just as much as priests and pastors. This concept is based on an understanding of Romans 13:1-4. Matthew 5:17-19, concerning Christ's intention for the law, is also a foundational scripture. Bahnsen believed that the word "πληρόω" in Matt. 5:17-19 is best translated "confirm" rather than fulfill, and thus Jesus' statement really means that he is here to restore the Mosaic Law. Bahnsen uses the word "theonomy" and defines it as the responsibility of the Christian to "keep the whole law of God as a pattern for sanctification, and that this law is to be enforced by the civil magistrate where and how the stipulations of God so designate."

Rushdoony agrees, stating that apart from Biblical law no standard of law exists. Fallen creation is incapable of forming a moral code to govern the nations. Supporting Scripture includes Gen. 1:28, where God commands Adam to subdue the earth. However, because Adam lost his ability to do so as a result of sin, Theonomists believe the church needs to now reclaim from Satan what Adam had lost.

Finally, because the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) commands the followers of Christ to disciple all the nations, Theonomists believe that along with personal salvation and sanctification, the legal and political reformation of society is necessary. Their goal, therefore, is to establish a theocracy by a democratic action in the United States and all nations. Government would be decentralized and would not administer business, education, or social welfare any longer. Society would also be patriarchal with strong property rights. To aid the poor, voluntary slavery would be allowed along with gleaning on private farms after harvest. According to Rushdoony, crimes such as robbery, embezzlement and vandalism would require restitution and indentured servitude. Crimes such as homosexuality, abortion, heresy, blasphemy and adultery would receive the death penalty. Christian Reconstructionists expect that with faithful application of the law, God will bless the nation.

Postmillennialism and Regeneration

Just as many other conservative Christians, Dominionists know the Kingdom of God is already here, growing, and on course to fulfillment. But the Kingdom won't be complete until every nation is under God's law and can only be entered in to through individual regeneration. Christians are now living in the Kingdom of God as Sons and Daughters of the Lord, while non-Christians are living in it as rebels. With Romans 8:3-4 in mind, Theonomists know that society can not be transformed until individuals within it are transformed. In order for people to have the will to change, evangelism is necessary. Regeneration is a process of God's work in us and can not be completed through politics or war. Thus, regeneration of the individual is very important. Just as mainline Christians, Theonomists believe that regeneration, or being "born again," restores a person to his original purpose in God and works toward the reestablishment of His dominion over all the earth. This was the reason for God creating man in His image. According to Rushdoony, "the key to remedying the situation is not revolution…the key is regeneration, propagation of the Gospel, and the conversion of men and nations to God's law-word." When this happens, Christ will return.

Dominionists, therefore, are also postmillennial, believing we are already experiencing the Millennium. The Millennium began when Christ entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Matt. 21:5). Christ was enthroned in heaven at his Ascension (Acts 2:30-36). During this time of utopia before Christ's Second Coming, believers are to reclaim nations for Christ, beginning with the United States.

Part III - Strengths and Weaknesses of the Movement

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All Children Deserve to Feel Safe -

2010-11-20T02:46:00.002-06:00

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"Suffer the Children to Come unto Me"

Please help CAICW Advocate, Educate, Assist, and Defend

http://www.firstgiving.com/caicw/Event/AdoptionRetainerFund

Deborah Maddox, acting Director of the BIA Office of Tribal Services in 1993, once said Congress intended the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)

“to protect Indian children from removal from their tribes and to assure that
tribes are given the opportunity to raise Indian children in a manner which
reflects the unique values of Indian culture."

Advocates of ICWA point to the devastation suffered by children of tribal heritage when, years ago, they were forcefully removed from homes they loved and forced to stay at boarding schools. The trauma those children and families experienced was, indeed, devastating.

However, in the implementation of the ICWA, the exact same thing has been happening to children in reverse. What has to be acknowledged is that we live in a migratory, multi-cultural society. This means that many children who fall under the jurisdiction of the Indian Child Welfare Act have more than one heritage, and many times are predominantly of another heritage, and/or have family who not only haven’t any connection to the Indian Reservation, but have specifically chosen not to participate in the reservation system.

Though some argue that ICWA has safeguards to prevent misuse, scores of multi-racial children have been negatively affected by its application. Letters from birth parents, grandparents, foster families, and pre-adoptive families concerning their children hurt by misapplication of ICWA can be read at ~ http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html

There is no inborn difference between persons of tribal heritage and other persons. Any emotionally healthy child, no matter their heritage, will be devastated when they are taken from their familiar homes and forced to live with strangers.

Even children of 100% tribal heritage can be devastated if taken from the only home they know and love, no matter the heritage, and placed into a home they know nothing about.

In the words of Dr. William Allen, former Chair, US Comm. On Civil Rights (1989) and Emeritus Professor, Political Science MSU;

“... We are talking about our brothers and our sisters. We’re talking about what happens to people who share with us an extremely important identity. And that identity is the identity of free citizens in a Republic…" (Re: The Indian Child Welfare Act, September 20, 2008, Wahkon, MN)

Consequent to this Congressional error in understanding the practical aspects of the ICWA, dozens of adoptions are held up every year. Some of these adoptive homes have had the children since infancy and are the only homes the children know. However, even simple adoptions can be expensive and many families aren’t prepared for this additional impediment. Time and again families have contacted the Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW) to ask for help because they don’t have the funds needed to hire attorney’s to defend their children. Some families, after mortgaging their homes and having nothing else to use, have been forced to give up the fight for their children.

- Children have been removed from safe, loving homes and been placed into dangerous situations by Social Services.
- Some Indian and non-Indian families have felt threatened by tribal government.
- Some have had to take out additional mortgage on their homes and endure lengthy legal processes in attempt to protect their children.
- Equal opportunities for adoption, safety and stability are not available to children of all heritages.
- The Constitutional right of parents to make life choices for their children, for children of Indian heritage to associate freely, and for children of Indian heritage to enjoy Equal Protection has in many cases been denied.

Saturday, November 20, 2010 is National Adoption Day. Support Families nationally in defending their children from unreasonable impediment to their adoptions by helping raise $50,000 for ten $5000 Attorney retainer fees for ten Adoptive Families. These would be families that are in the midst of adopting children they have had physical custody of over a long term or from infancy, or stable ‘relative families’ attempting to retain or regain custody within the extended family – whether or not said family is enrollable with a tribe.

The “Fund Attorney Retainers for 10 Families” Drive begins on National Adoption Day, November 20, 2010 and ends on December 31, 2010. The Fund website can be found through FirstGiving.com at http://www.firstgiving.com/caicw/Event/AdoptionRetainerFund

The Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW) has been advocating for families affected by the Indian Child Welfare Act since 2004 and is the only National org advocating for these families. Our advocacy is both Judicial and Legislative, as well as a prayer resource and shoulder to cry on.

Funds raised from this event will be used to assist up to 10 families in obtaining the legal assistance they need in order to complete their adoptions.

Additional informational links:

Legal and Constitutional concerns re: ICWA http://www.caicw.org/icw.html

Letters from Affected Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html

ICWA Case Law: http://www.caicw.org/caselaw.html

#links

Introduction to Dominion Theology

2010-10-20T22:13:00.002-05:00

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Introduction

Does Dominion Theology, which has been called both a rescue for our deteriorating society and a false system of prophecy, offer a valid perspective on eschatology, or does it offer a dangerous shift from "Gospel and the Kingdom of God" to "Law and the kingdom of man?"

Dominion Theology embraces many of the same teachings of most conservative evangelical groups that hold the Bible to be inerrant. However, it also holds to some unique teachings. For example, it promotes an approach concerning God's law that is radically different from that of the majority of conservative Christians.

Dominion Theology separates itself by calling for all civil laws to be based upon Biblical Principles. According to author David Smith, "Increasing numbers, however, are entering the movement, seeing it as a means of reestablishing the greatness and former glory of the Christian Faith, and even ushering in the kingdom of God in the here and now."

HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT

Dominion Theology, also called "the Christian Reconstructionist Movement" and "Kingdom Now Theology," began to take root in the 1960's. Promoting a doctrine called "Theonomy," the growth of Dominion theology was aided by the ever apparent deterioration of American society. The movement promises that by returning to Mosaic Law, society will return to Christian morality, decency and security. By 1973, dominion theory was gaining ground among intellectuals. It was at this time that the late Rousas John Rushdoony, known as the "father of Christian Reconstructionism, published his book, "The Institutes on Biblical Law,"

LEADING FIGURES IN THE MOVEMENT

R.J. Rushdoony, born in New York in 1916 to Armenian immigrants, stated that he came from an unbroken line of pastors all the way back to the 4th century. Well educated, he worked as a missionary before pastoring a series of Presbyterian churches. He then founded the Chalcedon Foundation in 1965 to promote a new "Christian Reconstructionism." Later referred to as a "think tank of the extreme religious right," the institute was named after the Council of Chalcedon of 451 AD, where Jesus Christ was affirmed "Lord over all" and it was taught that "all earthly power must conform to the Word of God."

Rushdoony believed that the authority of human institutions was thus limited. Founding documents of his organization include the statement,

"All laws should be based on Biblical law and that Christ will not return until 'the Holy Spirit has empowered the church to advance Christ's Kingdom in time and history.'"

In 1973, after having written about 30 other books on Theology, Rushdoony wrote "The Institutes on Biblical Law." Contained within two volumes and 900 pages was the first book related to Dominion Theology, or "Theonomy" (God-law).

Rushdoony and Chalcedon have been very influential within certain circles. Rushdoony influenced former presidential candidate Howard Phillips of the Conservative Caucus and US Taxpayers Party to convert from Judaism. He has also worked with the Council for National Policy and the Conservative Caucus, (which is also chaired by Howard Phillips.)

Greg Bahnsen, another famous Theonomist, began reading Rushdoony's books when he was young. He earned his Masters of Divinity and Theology and later, in 1977, published a book called "Theonomy in Christian Ethics." In it he taught that Mosaic Law should be applied to all of life. The book was so controversial that it caused him to lose his position at the Reformed Seminary in which he was teaching.

Gary North, Rushdoony's son-in-law, assisted Rushdoony with editing the "Journal of Christian Reconstruction" from 1974 until the two had an argument in 1981. He then moved to Tyler, Texas, and founded the "Institute for Christian Economics (ICE)." Formed for the purpose of "Publishing Christian, free-market economics, educational materials, newsletters and books," ICE believes that

"decentralized free-market economics are Biblically ordained" and that "Christianity is innately decentralist," stating, "From the beginning orthodox Christians have denied the divinity of the state…they denied the operating presupposition of the ancient world, namely, the legitimacy of a divine rule or divine State."

North has written quite a few publications through the years concerning Dominion Theology.

Other influential figures include David Chilton, Gary DeMar, Joseph Kickasola and Ray Sutton. David Chilton advanced the Dominion theory of Biblical Prophecy through his books, "Paradise Restored" in 1985 and "Days of Vengeance" in 1987. Gary DeMar was a student of Bahnsen's at the Reformed Seminary. He was later the director of the Institute of Christian Government in Atlanta, Georgia. He has authored several books and led seminars on God and Government. Joseph Kickasola was a professor of international studies and Hebrew at Regent University. Ray Sutton was an Episcopal priest. His book, "That You May Prosper," is considered a classical Dominion view on Biblical covenants.

Part II - Theological Distinctives of the Movement

Liberal 'Christians' attacking Tea Party Christians?

2010-09-26T00:56:00.001-05:00

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I have heard that the Obama Administration has recently back-tracked on the plan to label Conservative Christians as "non" Christians....but that doesn't make what's already been said go away. Misconceptions and, well, slander should still be addressed.

So...in the statements below, Mr. Jim Wallis appears to be judgemental, angry, intolerant, and impatient with fellow Christians ...and doesn't appear to even like Americans of light skin tone. But this is who our President asks to speak into the Spiritual lives of Americans... so he must have a warm heart and ability to love his brothers and sisters in the Lord, even if they disagree with him.

As Christians, would Jim Wallis and David Gushee be willing to sit down and just listen to a few of their conservative Brothers & Sisters in Christ - just sit down, with love, patience, respect and tolerance, and listen, with a heart open to understanding and without trying to correct or instruct? Just as they would with Wallis' friend, the Imam in charge of the planned Mosque near Ground Zero?

World News Daily: 'Christians' set to attack tea partiers
Author warns of next assault after failed attempt to define group as racist

"With recent attempts to portray tea-party members as racist backfiring, a renewed attack is being launched, warns the author of "The Tea Party Manifesto," and this one is from progressive Christians who claim the movement lacks Christlike charity.

"Just as the racism accusation from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People proved groundless before it deteriorated into an embarrassing public-relations disaster that encompassed the White House, says Joseph Farah, author of the "Manifesto," no one should accept the latest salvo as gospel either. Federal welfare programs are "coercively taking money from people and redistributing to other people, which, at the end of the day, is legalized stealing," Religion News Service recently quoted Farah as saying. "And the Bible is pretty firm on stealing. … When Jesus talks about clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, he's talking to us as individuals. [The Bible doesn't] suggest that government is the institution that he designed to help the poor."

Progressive Christians with ties to the Obama administration – whose policies of government expansion over private-sector industries gave rise, in part, to the tea-party groups – characterized the movement as unbiblical.

"I think that the general ideology of the tea party is not a Christian one," said David Gushee, co-founder of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good. "This kind of small-government libertarianism, small-taxes, leave-me-alone-to-live-my-life ideology has more in common with Ayn Rand than it does with the Bible."

In one of his regular columns on the Huffington Post, Gushee wrote,

"I believe that extending health-care access to every American was always the right goal and reflects the moral commitments of the Christian faith."

Gushee's biography boasts of being "contacted by candidate Barack Obama and remain(ing) in conversation with the religious-affairs office of the Obama administration."

The Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of the Washington-based social-justice group Sojourners and a key member of Obama's faith council, is "even blunter in his assessment of the tea party's approach to giving," reports Religion News Service.

"The libertarian enshrinement of individual choice is not the pre-eminent Christian virtue," he wrote on his blog, God's Politics. "Emphasizing individual rights at the expense of others violates the common good, a central Christian teaching and tradition."

How "Christian virtue" and "the common good" jibe with Wallis' own documented radical associations and stances, including support of violent extremists, oppressive regimes and anti-American sentiment, warrants examination, critics say.

While the Associated Press described him as a "politically progressive evangelical," Wallis reportedly served as Michigan leader of the Students for a Democratic Society – out of which Bill Ayers' domestic-terrorist group the Weather Underground sprouted.

Wallis' magazine Sojourners, reports WND, "actively lobbied for communist regimes that seized power in Latin America in the late 1970s." His 1976 book "Agenda of Biblical People" called America "the great power, the great seducer, the great captor and destroyer of human life, the great master of humanity and history in its totalitarian claims and designs."

Wallis got involved early in the racism offensive against the tea party.

"There is something wrong with a political movement like the Tea Party which is almost all white," he blogged May 27. "Does that mean every member of the tea party is racist? Likely not. But is an undercurrent of white resentment part of the tea party ethos, and would there even be a tea party if the president of the United States weren't the first black man to occupy that office?"

Farah, who wrote a book as far back as 2003 predicting the circumstances that would foster the tea-party movement, advises resisting attempts to narrow its scope to tax reform and fiscal issues. Subtitled "A Vision for an American Rebirth," Farah's "The Tea Party Manifesto" argues for following the Framers' example in defining the movement’s spiritual core.

With "phase two in the coordinate strike against the tea-party movement attempting to co-opt the language of faith," Farah warns, "realizing its spiritual moorings is essential not only to the success, but the actual survival, of the movement – and the future of America's liberty."

A reflection on Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America” - Main Tenets of Islamic Belief

2010-09-10T04:59:00.004-05:00

In November of 2002, a letter purported to have been written by Osama bin Laden, famous leader of the Islamic terrorist group Al Qaeda, was posted in the UK's Observer. The letter first appeared on the internet in Arabic on websites that support Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network and then was translated and circulated by Islamists in Britain.

The purpose of this letter, according to the author, was to respond “as an explanation and warning” to a question many in the west have been asking for over a year: that being, “On what basis are we fighting?”

Part 1 of this Series covered the Geographical and Historical Development of Islam.

Part II: The Main tenets of belief -

The author of the letter described Islam:

“The religion of the Unification of God; of freedom from associating partners with Him, and rejection of this; of complete love of Him, the Exalted; of complete submission to His Laws; and of the discarding of all the opinions, orders, theories and religions which contradict with the religion He sent down to His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Islam is the religion of all the prophets, and makes no distinction between them - peace be upon them all.

“It is to this religion that we call you; the seal of all the previous religions. It is the religion of Unification of God, sincerity, the best of manners, righteousness, mercy, honor, purity, and piety. It is the religion of showing kindness to others, establishing justice between them, granting them their rights, and defending the oppressed and the persecuted. It is the religion of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil with the hand, tongue and heart. It is the religion of Jihad in the way of Allah so that Allah's Word and religion reign Supreme. And it is the religion of unity and agreement on the obedience to Allah, and total equality between all people, without regarding their color, sex, or language.

“It is the religion whose book - the Quran - will remained preserved and unchanged, after the other Divine books and messages have been changed. The Quran is the miracle until the Day of Judgment. Allah has challenged anyone to bring a book like the Quran or even ten verses like it.”

Islamic tradition says that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, wanted to insure that her own son, Isaac, be Abraham’s sole heir and that Abraham’s son, Ishmael, by the slave, Hagar, be sent away. Hagar and her son wandered off to the area near the Red Sea and Hagar sat on a rock and wept, afraid that she and her son would die of thirst in the desert. As she wept, her son kicked the sand in anger. At the spot where he kicked, a spring of fresh water erupted.

When Abraham heard of this miracle, he came and built a temple near the spring and called it Ka’bah. He set in the east corner a black cornerstone that he had inherited from his forefathers, which tradition says Adam brought from the Garden of Eden. Near the temple, close to the Spring of Ishmael (Zemzem), Ishmael grew up, and eventually his children and grandchildren surrounded the temple with a new city called Mecca.

Another tradition says that the Ka’bah was built in heaven and when Adam was driven out of Eden, he built a Ka’bah just like it as a memorial. It was not far from Adam’s Ka’bah that Ishmael kicked the sand and caused the Zemzem, the Sacred Well, to open up. The children of Ishmael multiplied, and the Sacred City of Mecca then grew there. Ishmael’s children eventually grew into a race called “Arabs” and spread out east north and south. The children of Israel, son of Isaac, multiplied into a race called “Jews”.

Islam can be divided into “iman” (beliefs) and “deen” (obligations).

THE MAJOR BELIEFS INCLUDE:

1. God – monotheism is the central doctrine of Islam. To associate a partner with him is commit the unforgivable sin of ishrak (shirk). Islam incorporates all the monotheists and sees itself as the fulfillment of all religions.

2. Angels – Gabriel is the highest, followed by the other angels. Each person has an angel assigned to him to record his good deeds and another to record the bad. At the bottom are jinn, who, created from fire, are usually evil and can possess people.

3. The Prophets of God – God has sent 124,000 prophets to every nation on earth to preach monotheism. This includes Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, and Jesus. Muhammad is considered the “seal” of the prophets, and is the prophet for all time.

4. The Holy Books – Four high ranking prophets were given books with divine revelation. Moses was given the Torah (Tawrat), David the Psalms (Zabur), Jesus the Gospel (Injil), and Mohammad the Qur’an. Muslims believe that only the Qur’an as been kept from corruption. This book, containing 114 surahs, or chapters, is to be read only in Arabic. It is believed that if translated, it is no longer the Qur’an, as any translations have the potential of being corrupted. Devout Muslims, therefore, must learn Arabic. An Islamic doctrine called “tahrif” teaches that the Jews and the Christians corrupted the early texts of the Bible. Example verses from the Qur’an include:

“A party of them heard the Word of Allah, and perverted it knowingly after they understood it.”(Surah 2:75, ‘Ali)

“And there are among them (the Jews) illiterates, who know not the Book but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: “This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for a miserable price! (Surah 2:78-79, ‘Ali).

While these passages speak of misinterpreting the Scripture and passing writing off as Scripture when they are not, it doesn’t speak of altering the actual manuscripts.

5. The Day of Judgment – Only God knows whether one’s good deeds will outweigh one’s bad deeds, so a Muslim has no real assurance he will go to heaven.

THE MAJOR OBLIGATIONS INCLUDE:

1. To Recite the Shahadah –Shahadah means, “To bear witness”. The Shahadah statement is, “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Mohammad is His messenger.” Making this statement with sincerity is all it takes to be a Muslim.

2. To Pray (Salat) – seventeen cycles (rak’a) a day, split into five time periods: Dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, dusk, and two hours after sunset. The call to prayer is a summons to the whole life. The call is an invitation to participate in community, offering nourishment for the soul. Devotees must wash themselves (ablution, “wudu”) in a certain way prior to prayer, and then face toward Mecca. In order to face toward Mecca during prayer, a directional niche (mihrab) marks the Mosque. The only time they are required to pray as a group is during the Friday noon prayer.

3. To Fast (Sawm) – Ramadhan, a commemoration of Muhammad’s receiving the Qur’an, is the ninth lunar month. Muslims can not eat, drink, smoke, or have sex from sunrise to sunset.

4. To Give Alms (Zakat) – one fortieth of one’s income, 2.5%, goes to the poor and needy.

5. To Make a Pilgrimage (Hajj) – Every Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, unless prevented by health or finances. They must wear white garments called ihram in order to eliminate class distinctions. The process of visiting the holy sites: worshipping at Kaaba, kissing the black stone from Adam, and drinking the holy water at the Sacred Well of Ishmael, can take a week. Once finished, the devotee can be called a “Hajj”.

6. Jihad. The author of the letter stated, “It is commanded by our religion and intellect that the oppressed have a right to return the aggression. Do not await anything from us but Jihad, resistance and revenge. Is it in any way rational to expect that after America has attacked us for more than half a century, that we will then leave her to live in security and peace?!!”

The Jihad, or “Holy War”, is sometimes known as the “sixth” pillar of Islam. Jihad is can be described as a fighting against unbelievers, but can also be thought of more gently as a “struggle for the faith”. The last declared Jihad was in 1914, when Sheik-ul-Islam of Turkey, ordered by the Sultan, called upon Muslims everywhere to fight against the enemies of Turkey. However, because the orders originated with Germany, the order fell primarily on deaf ears. The basic requisites for Jihad outlined in the Surah II are:

“On behalf of God fight whoever fights you, but do not be the aggressor: indeed, God does not like aggressors. Kill them when they advance on you and force them out of the places from which they force you…fight them until there is no persecution and religion belongs to God, and if they abandon their ways, there is to be no hostility – except against evildoers.”

However, “Elsewhere two kinds of people are cited as being particular objects of such activity – those who do not believe in God at all and pay no regard to what He has prohibited (IX:29) and Christians, who ascribe partners to God.”

OTHER POINTS:

1. Muslim’s believe that man is good by nature, and that sin is a rejection of good guidance. Repentance will bring forgiveness and no atonement is necessary, but salvation is based on whether good deeds outweigh the bad.

2. Muslim’s recognize the virgin birth and miracles of Jesus, but saying Jesus is God would be blasphemy. Also, according to Islamic tradition, Jesus did not die on the cross. He ascended to heaven and Judas died on the cross in his place. Muslims believe that God would never allow a great prophet like Jesus to die on the cross. They believe the Bible is corrupted, and therefore can not be held in authority.

3. The world is divided into two spheres: Dar es Islam (House of Peace) and Dar al Harb (House of War and chaos). Islam believes that history is moving in the direction of the entire world becoming Islam. Dar es Islam is the more peaceable, daily living Islam that occurs once a country has settled into being an Islamic Nation. Dar al Harb, on the other hand, is a war machine, set to fight any nation until it becomes Islam. Islam has a missionary arm, just as Christianity does; they just go about their evangelism a little differently. Islam’s missionary arm is called “Dar al Harb.”

According to a former missionary to Ramallah, Israel; “because it is a fundamental concept in Islam, the average Muslim understands and agrees with the concept of Dar al Harb.” He further explained that certain Islamic governments, although they are currying favor with the US and claim there is nothing in Islam that desires war, are denying the truth. These leaders, when denying Dar al Harb, are not favored by their own people. It’s a good thing those governments are totalitarian, because true democracy would vote the weak leaders out and put orthodox people in.

The Nov. 2002 ‘Letter to America’seems to confirm this, stating,

“These governments prevent our people from establishing the Islamic Shariah, using violence and lies to do so…These governments give us a taste of humiliation, and places us in a large prison of fear and subdual…These governments steal our Ummah's wealth and sell them to you at a paltry price…These governments have surrendered to the Jews, and handed them most of Palestine, acknowledging the existence of their state over the dismembered limbs of their own people…The removal of these governments is an obligation upon us, and a necessary step to free the Ummah, to make the Shariah the supreme law and to regain Palestine. And our fight against these governments is not separate from our fight against you.”

"Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers. Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of believing people. And remove the anger of their (believers') hearts. Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [Quran 9:13-1]

"Permission to fight (against disbelievers) is given to those (believers) who are fought against, because they have been wronged and surely, Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory" [Quran 22:39]

"So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be* superior ( in victory )if you are indeed (true) believers" [Quran 3:139]

"Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (anything worshipped other than Allah e.g. Satan). So fight you against the friends of Satan; ever feeble is indeed the plot of Satan."[Quran 4:76]

"It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it victorious over all other religions even though the Polytheists hate it." [Quran 61:9]

CORRUPTION OF THE JEWISH TORAH AND CHRISTIAN BIBLE:

Several Islamic verses claim the Judeo-Christian Scriptures are corrupt.

“A party of them heard the Word of Allah, and perverted it knowingly after they understood it.”(Surah 2:75, ‘Ali)

“And there are among them (the Jews) illiterates, who know not the Book but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: “This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for a miserable price! (Surah 2:78-79, ‘Ali).

While these passages speak of misinterpreting the Scripture and passing writing off as Scripture when they are not, it doesn’t speak of altering the actual manuscripts. In addition, the Qur’an has conflicting verses related to the purity of Bible Scripture and states that God is powerful enough to protect His Word.
Surah 2:136; 4:163 states that the previous revelations in “the Book” are authentic, and Surah 5:68 encourages Jews and Christians to “stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord”.

It also uses the Torah and the Gospel to authenticate Muhammad as the prophet and encourages those who doubt Muhammad’s teachings to “ask those who have been reading the “Book” from before thee” (Surah 10:94), and tells people to believe in the previous scriptures. (Surah 4:136). It also states, “none can change His Word” (Surah 6:115, 6:34, and 10:64).

It is contradictory for the Qur’an to claim that the Torah and Gospel are corrupted on one hand, but authentic and authoritative on the other.

In addition, to accomplish the deed (altering and corrupting both the Old and New Testament of the Bible), the worldwide Jewish and Christian communities would have had to agree together to the textual changes.

If a corruption of the text did happen, the consistency of ancient unearthed Biblical documents is truly miraculous. The Dead Sea Scrolls, c. 100B.C, are amazing parallel to the Masoretic manuscripts, c. 900 A.D., meaning the Old Testament manuscripts that were copied well after the birth of Islam are identical to the ones produced well before.

In addition, Bible scholars have found 3157 Greek documents dating from the 2nd century that contain either portions of or all of the New Testament. Of the textual differences, 95% have to do with trivialities such as a dropped letter during transcribing. There is no Christian doctrine affected by a debatable text.

Next: Historical interaction with the non-believers
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A reflection on Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America”

2010-09-09T04:28:00.002-05:00

OSAMA BIN LADEN AND ISLAM
Part I - Geographical and historical development of Islam:

In November of 2002, a letter purported to have been written by Osama bin Laden, famous leader of the Islamic terrorist group Al Qaeda, was posted in the UK's Observer. The letter first appeared on the internet in Arabic on websites that support Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network and then was translated and circulated by Islamists in Britain.

The purpose of this letter, according to the author, was to respond “as an explanation and warning” to a question many in the west have been asking for over a year: that being, “On what basis are we fighting?”

Beginning the letter with a benediction to Allah, “the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”, the author clarifies,

”While seeking Allah's help we form our reply based on two questions directed at the Americans, “Why are we fighting and opposing you?” (and) “What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?”

To the first question, the author explains,

“The answer is very simple: First, because you attacked us and continue to attack us… You attacked us in Palestine, …You attacked us in Somalia; you supported the Russian atrocities against us in Chechnya, the Indian oppression against us in Kashmir, and the Jewish aggression against us in Lebanon.” Second, “Under your supervision, consent and orders, the governments of our countries which act as your agents, attack us on a daily basis.”

In answer to the second question, he states:

“The first thing that we are calling you to is Islam.” “The second thing we call you to, is to stop your oppression, lies, immorality and debauchery that has spread among you.” Third, “take an honest stance with yourselves … to discover that you are a nation without principles or manners, and that the values and principles to you are something which you merely demand from others, not that which you yourself must adhere to. We also advise you to stop supporting Israel, and to end your support of the Indians in Kashmir, the Russians against the Chechens and to also cease supporting the Manila Government against the Muslims in Southern Philippines. We also advise you to pack your luggage and get out of our lands. We desire for your goodness, guidance, and righteousness, so do not force us to send you back as cargo in coffins. Sixthly, we call upon you to end your support of the corrupt leaders in our countries. Do not interfere in our politics and method of education. Leave us alone, or else expect us in New York and Washington. We also call you to deal with us and interact with us on the basis of mutual interests and benefits, rather than the policies of sub dual, theft and occupation, and not to continue your policy of supporting the Jews because this will result in more disasters for you.”
This is our message to the Americans, as an answer to theirs. Do they now know why we fight them and over which form of ignorance, by the permission of Allah, we shall be victorious?”

He ends the letter with the statement, “we wanted to outline the truth - - hoping for Allah's reward, seeking success and support from Him.”

In order to understand this mandate, it’s important we explore the history and beliefs of the Muslim world.

Geographical and historical development of this religion:

The ancient Patriarch, Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. The “sons” of Shem are called “Semites” and are thought to include the Elamites, Assyrians, Lydians of Asia Minor, the Armaeans, the Chaldeans (the ruling caste in Babylon), and the children of Eber. The children of Eber are said to be the tribes of Arabia and the children of Abraham (Israelites, Ishmaelites, Midianites, and Edomites). The original home of these people was Arabia.

Semitic society was originally nomadic. Arabia retains that trait even to the present day. The Arabian people were divided into small tribes and lived a very simple life. Due to their long history of activity in a wide but monotonous and secluded peninsula, they have been described as eager and impulsive, but with a narrow focus. Men were good or bad, Blessed or cursed.

Religious, enduring and brave: they existed in tribalism with the clan as the main social unit. There were as many gods as there were clans, and a man’s allegiance was sworn to that god just as it was sworn to his clan. The god took his name from human relationships - “master, lord and king” - and held this relationship to no other people but his own. The gods were territorial, and if one clan conquered another, the god of the winning clan became the god of the conquered. In this way, some territories accumulated more than one god.

All religious acts were clan acts, and a god was worshipped in the area in which he was thought to have manifested power. People would walk long distances to visit a newly discovered spot where they have heard a new sacred act had occurred. A marker was made of the event, frequently a stone, and blood was brought to it in order to renew the blood bond between the god and his people. Religion was very simple and happy. There was no idea of sin. The afterlife wasn’t an issue. Joy came in having many children with which to continue the existence of the clan.

The word Islam is based on the three letter Arabic root “s-l-m,” the fundamental meaning of which is “safe, sound, unimpaired, intact.” Islam also means, “blameless, faultless, established, proven, and it takes on a number of other more subtle meanings as well. The three letter root is also seen in the word, “salaam ‘aleik” (peace be with you), a phrase tied linguistically to the Hebrew word “shalom”. When all these meanings interact, we derive the term meaning of “a surrender to the will of God by which personal well-being is achieved” or more simply, “Submission” (to the will of God).

Islam began in Saudi Arabia in the early 7th century. Its founder, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, was born into the powerful Quraysh (Koraish) tribe in about 570 A.D. His father, Abd-Allah died before he was born. As a very young child he had been sent to a Bedouin woman in the desert to be nursed. This was not an uncommon practice, as the city his family lived in, Mecca, a prosperous trading hub, was not one which children thrived in. But his mother died soon after he was returned to her, and he was sent to live first with his grandfather, then with his uncle Abu Talit (Talib). By the age of six, he was an orphan. His mother’s death had a profound affect on him; throughout the rest of his life he encouraged the giving of alms to widows and orphan’s. As he matured, he was likely involved in shepherding his uncle’s sheep and may have also joined trading caravans as a camel-driver and saw a little of the country. It’s also likely that he never learned to read.

When he was twenty-five, a wealthy widow relative took an interest in him and asked him to transport some goods for her to trade. He did this, and she was so impressed that, although her family was opposed, she offered him her hand in marriage. He accepted, and he and Khadijah, a woman fifteen years his senior, were married. Although raised poor, he was now wealthy and had a life of leisure. Together they had two sons and four daughters, the best known being Fatima.

It is unknown whether he had come into contact with Christianity or Judaism, but it is likely Jewish refugees had run to Arabia following the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Romans, and Christian missionaries had by this time made visits o the area. Furthermore, Mecca was active with traders and travelers from near and far. One story says that a cousin of Khadijah was Jewish and read the Hebrew Bible to him.

The Quraysh were an influential tribe that controlled Mecca. Not only was Mecca an economically important city, but it was also religiously important due to the Ka’bah (Kaaba), a cubical structure containing all 360 Arabian tribal deities, located there. Each tribe chose its deity, placed it in the Ka’bah, and then traveled to Mecca each year to honor it. These yearly pilgrimages also benefited Mecca economically. At one point, the merchants of Mecca decided to combine economics with religion and claimed the well as their own, then began to sell the water to the visiting worshippers. However, this had a dampening effect on the devotees, who lost faith in the idols of Mecca and turned to fortune telling and gambling.

Once a year, devotees with spiritual yearnings also retreated to a place of solitude. Muhammad did this for several years, spending a lot of time meditating in a cave in Mount Hira. In the year 610, Muhammad is said to have received his first visitation from the angel Gabriel. This, along with several later revelations, has been compiled into a book known as the Qur’an or “Koran”, meaning “recitations”.

Muhammad’s ideas weren’t totally new though. Pilgrimages to Mecca, prayer, and fasting were already basic practices in Arabia. The god “Allah” had a prominent past in the pre-existing polytheistic religions of Arabia. There were many deities, but Allah Taala was the most prominent. Muhammad clarified the concept of Allah and rid God of “partners”.

Tradition says that Muhammad initially doubted these revelations were from God. He thought that perhaps they were from a jinn, or demons. But his wife, Khadijah, encouraged him that the visions were divine, and that he should teach their message of monotheism to others.

Muhammad began to preach strict monotheism. Initially, his tribe tried to stop him; his message threatened polytheism and therefore their economic livelihood, which depended on the pilgrimages. However, it wasn’t long before he had a following of believers.

As he continued to preach against polytheism, his devotees, now known as “Muslims” (True Believers), began to experience persecution. Some had garbage dumped on their front steps. Others lost business. Eventually, one hundred families were forced to flee Mecca. Shortly after, in the year 622 A.D., after his uncle, his protector, died, Muhammad learned of a plot on his life and he too was forced to flee. He and his followers settled in a city that had opened their arms to him, Yathrib. So welcoming were the people of Yathrib, that they renamed their city Medina al Nabi, meaning, “City of the Prophet”). Their flight is known to Muslims today as the Hijrah (Higira) or “a series of migrations”, and is the first year on their calendar.

In Medina, he and his followers grew in strength. Muhammad was no longer known as just the Prophet and founder of Islam, but as the people’s ruler and judge. Taking control and beginning the task of converting the city to Islam, Muhammad expelled the Jewish citizens. Another group, whom he referred to as “The Hypocrites” (Medinese who resented his influence in the city), was “silenced.”

Next, rituals developed. Initially, he attempted to win the Jewish community over by adopting certain Hebrew practices, such as Saturday worship and facing Jerusalem for prayers. However, the Jewish community wasn’t about to convert, so he dropped the Hebrew practices, turned prayer toward Mecca, and instituted Friday as the Holy Day (Mecca’s market day).

Needing to financially support his supporters and fund their mission of conversion and control of the neighboring areas, he organized an army and they began plundering the passing caravan’s, in particular those from Mecca. In 624, The Islamic army had a minor battle with Mecca traders, and although they were outnumbered three to one, they were victorious. Had they lost this battle, Islam might have died out at the time. But in their victory, more tribesmen rallied to their cause. After several skirmishes, they made a treaty with the Quraysh tribe and in the year 630, he and his army took control of the city. Upon entering, Muhammad personally destroyed to Ka’bah idols.

This was the first time the Muslims converted an area by force, and the expansionist pattern would continue as a part of their mandate. Within a year, Muhammad brought all the tribes in Saudi Arabia under the religion of Islam. To those who were ready to accept Islam peacefully, he sent blessings. To those who wouldn’t, he said, “I, last of the prophets, am sent with a sword! The sword is the key to heaven or hell; all who draw it in the name of the Faith will be rewarded!” He died one year later, on June 8, 632, without having appointed a successor.

After his death, Muhammad’s followers divided over whom would be his successor (caliph). It was at this time that two major sects developed. The Sunni Muslims believed the successor should be elected. The Shi’ite (or Shia’h) Muslims believed the caliph should come from Muhammad’s bloodline. Had this been done, Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and husband of Fatima, would have succeeded him. However, the Sunni’s won the disagreement and Muhammad’s assistant, Abu-Bakr, took control.

The Sufi’s are a third Muslim Sect of good size. Islam has given birth to several other minor sects, including the Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia, the Druze in Lebanon, Syria, and Northern Israel, the Alawites in Syria, and the Ahmadiyas in Pakistan, and contributed to two other religions: Sikhism and Baha’i.

Islam grew and spread through the use of force. Loosely organized tribes were brought together and driven by the desire to do battle with Allah’s enemies. This had strong appeal in the Arabian world. A man became a soldier for Islam and was supported by both tributes (dhimmi) from the conquered people and the plunder received. The dhimmi was a type of “tax price” for not being slaughtered. Women were also imported from conquered countries to serve as slaves and concubines. Arabia became a training ground for army that went out to conquer the world. Conquered countries were felled by the sword, but were peaceful afterward.

Nations were forced to convert, but individuals themselves didn’t always have to. However, the sexual freedom under Islam was a strong inducement for nominal Christian men to convert. Many times if a person wanted to continue practicing Christianity or Judaism, he was allowed to as long as he paid dhimmi, although he might still suffer persecution from those living around him.

The first real defeat for the Muslims was at The Battle of Tours in 732 A.D. Had they not been turned back by King Charles that day, Europe might very well become Islamic.

The Turks made Asia Minor completely Muslim and then turned toward East, capturing one area after another until 1453, when Constantinople fell and the Turkish Eastern Empire came to an end.

The Islamic advance, led by others, then continued through the late 17th century when they were temporarily turned back at Vienna. It began again with the final end of the Muslim advance coming early in the 19th century. The advances had made it all the way into Africa, where the Sahara fell rapidly to Islam, and to the east into the plains of India, and down into central Asia.

Next: The Main Tenets of Muslim Belief

Osama bin Laden's "Letter to America"

2010-09-09T03:45:00.004-05:00

The following is the full text of Osama bin Laden's 'letter to America,' published on November 24, 2002 in the London Observer. It had first appeared in Arabic on various Muslim Jihad sites that were supportive of bin Laden, and was translated and circulated by British Islamists.
Highlights have been added by me -

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

"Permission to fight (against disbelievers) is given to those (believers) who are fought against, because they have been wronged and surely, Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory" [Quran 22:39]

"Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (anything worshipped other than Allah e.g. Satan). So fight you against the friends of Satan; ever feeble is indeed the plot of Satan."[Quran 4:76]

Some American writers have published articles under the title 'On what basis are we fighting?' These articles have generated a number of responses, some of which adhered to the truth and were based on Islamic Law, and others which have not. Here we wanted to outline the truth - as an explanation and warning - hoping for Allah's reward, seeking success and support from Him.

While seeking Allah's help, we form our reply based on two questions directed at the Americans:

(Q1) Why are we fighting and opposing you?
(Q2)What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?

As for the first question: Why are we fighting and opposing you? The answer is very simple:

(1) Because you attacked us and continue to attack us.

a) You attacked us in Palestine:

(i) Palestine, which has sunk under military occupation for more than 80 years. The British handed over Palestine, with your help and your support, to the Jews, who have occupied it for more than 50 years; years overflowing with oppression, tyranny, crimes, killing, expulsion, destruction and devastation. The creation and continuation of Israel is one of the greatest crimes, and you are the leaders of its criminals. And of course there is no need to explain and prove the degree of American support for Israel. The creation of Israel is a crime which must be erased. Each and every person whose hands have become polluted in the contribution towards this crime must pay its*price, and pay for it heavily.

        (ii) It brings us both laughter and tears to see that you have not yet tired of repeating your fabricated lies that the Jews have a historical right to Palestine, as it was promised to them in the Torah. Anyone who disputes with them on this alleged fact is accused of anti-semitism. This is one of the most fallacious, widely-circulated fabrications in history. The people of Palestine are pure Arabs and original Semites. It is the Muslims who are the inheritors of Moses (peace be upon him) and the inheritors of the real Torah that has not been changed. Muslims believe in all of the Prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all. If the followers of Moses have been promised a right to Palestine in the Torah, then the Muslims are the most worthy nation of this.

When the Muslims conquered Palestine and drove out the Romans, Palestine and Jerusalem returned to Islaam, the religion of all the Prophets peace be upon them. Therefore, the call to a historical right to Palestine cannot be raised against the Islamic Ummah that believes in all the Prophets of Allah (peace and blessings be upon them) - and we make no distinction between them.

        (iii) The blood pouring out of Palestine must be equally revenged. You must know that the Palestinians do not cry alone; their women are not widowed alone; their sons are not orphaned alone.

   (b) You attacked us in Somalia; you supported the Russian atrocities against us in Chechnya, the Indian oppression against us in Kashmir, and the Jewish aggression against us in Lebanon.

   (c) Under your supervision, consent and orders, the governments of our countries which act as your agents, attack us on a daily basis;

        (i) These governments prevent our people from establishing the Islamic Shariah, using violence and lies to do so.

        (ii) These governments give us a taste of humiliation, and places us in a large prison of fear and subdual.

        (iii) These governments steal our Ummah's wealth and sell them to you at a paltry price.

        (iv) These governments have surrendered to the Jews, and handed them most of Palestine, acknowledging the existence of their state over the dismembered limbs of their own people.

        (v) The removal of these governments is an obligation upon us, and a necessary step to free the Ummah, to make the Shariah the supreme law and to regain Palestine. And our fight against these governments is not separate from out fight against you.

   (d) You steal our wealth and oil at paltry prices because of you international influence and military threats. This theft is indeed the biggest theft ever witnessed by mankind in the history of the world.

   (e) Your forces occupy our countries; you spread your military bases throughout them; you corrupt our lands, and you besiege our sanctities, to protect the security of the Jews and to ensure the continuity of your pillage of our treasures.

   (f) You have starved the Muslims of Iraq, where children die every day. It is a wonder that more than 1.5 million Iraqi children have died as a result of your sanctions, and you did not show concern. Yet when 3000 of your people died, the entire world rises and has not yet sat down.

   (g) You have supported the Jews in their idea that Jerusalem is their eternal capital, and agreed to move your embassy there. With your help and under your protection, the Israelis are planning to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque. Under the protection of your weapons, Sharon entered the Al-Aqsa mosque, to pollute it as a preparation to capture and destroy it.

(2) These tragedies and calamities are only a few examples of your oppression and aggression against us. It is commanded by our religion and intellect that the oppressed have a right to return the aggression. Do not await anything from us but Jihad, resistance and revenge. Is it in any way rational to expect that after America has attacked us for more than half a century, that we will then leave her to live in security and peace?!!

(3) You may then dispute that all the above does not justify aggression against civilians, for crimes they did not commit and offenses in which they did not partake:

   (a) This argument contradicts your continuous repetition that America is the land of freedom, and its leaders in this world. Therefore, the American people are the ones who choose their government by way of their own free will; a choice which stems from their agreement to its policies. Thus the American people have chosen, consented to, and affirmed their support for the Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, the occupation and usurpation of their land, and its continuous killing, torture, punishment and expulsion of the Palestinians. The American people have the ability and choice to refuse the policies of their Government and even to change it if they want.

   (b) The American people are the ones who pay the taxes which fund the planes that bomb us in Afghanistan, the tanks that strike and destroy our homes in Palestine, the armies which occupy our lands in the Arabian Gulf, and the fleets which ensure the blockade of Iraq. These tax dollars are given to Israel for it to continue to attack us and penetrate our lands. So the American people are the ones who fund the attacks against us, and they are the ones who oversee the expenditure of these monies in the way they wish, through their elected candidates.

   (c) Also the American army is part of the American people. It is this very same people who are shamelessly helping the Jews fight against us.

   (d) The American people are the ones who employ both their men and their women in the American Forces which attack us.

   (e) This is why the American people cannot be not innocent of all the crimes committed by the Americans and Jews against us.

   (f) Allah, the Almighty, legislated the permission and the option to take revenge. Thus, if we are attacked, then we have the right to attack back. Whoever has destroyed our villages and towns, then we have the right to destroy their villages and towns. Whoever has stolen our wealth, then we have the right to destroy their economy. And whoever has killed our civilians, then we have the right to kill theirs.

The American Government and press still refuses to answer the question: Why did they attack us in New York and Washington?

If Sharon is a man of peace in the eyes of Bush, then we are also men of peace!!! America does not understand the language of manners and principles, so we are addressing it using the language it understands.

(Q2) As for the second question that we want to answer: What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?

(1) The first thing that we are calling you to is Islam.

   (a) The religion of the Unification of God; of freedom from associating partners with Him, and rejection of this; of complete love of Him, the Exalted; of complete submission to His Laws; and of the discarding of all the opinions, orders, theories and religions which contradict with the religion He sent down to His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Islam is the religion of all the prophets, and makes no distinction between them - peace be upon them all.

It is to this religion that we call you; the seal of all the previous religions. It is the religion of Unification of God, sincerity, the best of manners, righteousness, mercy, honour, purity, and piety. It is the religion of showing kindness to others, establishing justice between them, granting them their rights, and defending the oppressed and the persecuted. It is the religion of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil with the hand, tongue and heart. It is the religion of Jihad in the way of Allah so that Allah's Word and religion reign Supreme. And it is the religion of unity and agreement on the obedience to Allah, and total equality between all people, without regarding their colour, sex, or language.

   (b) It is the religion whose book - the Quran - will remained preserved and unchanged, after the other Divine books and messages have been changed. The Quran is the miracle until the Day of Judgment. Allah has challenged anyone to bring a book like the Quran or even ten verses like it.

(2) The second thing we call you to, is to stop your oppression, lies, immorality and debauchery that has spread among you.

   (a) We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honour, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling's, and trading with interest.

We call you to all of this that you may be freed from that which you have become caught up in; that you may be freed from the deceptive lies that you are a great nation, that your leaders spread amongst you to conceal from you the despicable state to which you have reached.

   (b) It is saddening to tell you that you are the worst civilization witnessed by the history of mankind:

        (i) You are the nation who, rather than ruling by the Shariah of Allah in its Constitution and Laws, choose to invent your own laws as you will and desire. You separate religion from your policies, contradicting the pure nature which affirms Absolute Authority to the Lord and your Creator. You flee from the embarrassing question posed to you: How is it possible for Allah the Almighty to create His creation, grant them power over all the creatures and land, grant them all the amenities of life, and then deny them that which they are most in need of: knowledge of the laws which govern their lives?

        (ii) You are the nation that permits Usury, which has been forbidden by all the religions. Yet you build your economy and investments on Usury. As a result of this, in all its different forms and guises, the Jews have taken control of your economy, through which they have then taken control of your media, and now control all aspects of your life making you their servants and achieving their aims at your expense; precisely what Benjamin Franklin warned you against.

        (iii) You are a nation that permits the production, trading and usage of intoxicants. You also permit drugs, and only forbid the trade of them, even though your nation is the largest consumer of them.

        (iv) You are a nation that permits acts of immorality, and you consider them to be pillars of personal freedom. You have continued to sink down this abyss from level to level until incest has spread amongst you, in the face of which neither your sense of honour nor your laws object.

Who can forget your President Clinton's immoral acts committed in the official Oval office? After that you did not even bring him to account, other than that he 'made a mistake', after which everything passed with no punishment. Is there a worse kind of event for which your name will go down in history and remembered by nations?

        (v) You are a nation that permits gambling in its all forms. The companies practice this as well, resulting in the investments becoming active and the criminals becoming rich.

        (vi) You are a nation that exploits women like consumer products or advertising tools calling upon customers to purchase them. You use women to serve passengers, visitors, and strangers to increase your profit margins. You then rant that you support the liberation of women.

        (vii) You are a nation that practices the trade of sex in all its forms, directly and indirectly. Giant corporations and establishments are established on this, under the name of art, entertainment, tourism and freedom, and other deceptive names you attribute to it.

        (viii) And because of all this, you have been described in history as a nation that spreads diseases that were unknown to man in the past. Go ahead and boast to the nations of man, that you brought them AIDS as a Satanic American Invention.

        (xi) You have destroyed nature with your industrial waste and gases more than any other nation in history. Despite this, you refuse to sign the Kyoto agreement so that you can secure the profit of your greedy companies and*industries.

        (x) Your law is the law of the rich and wealthy people, who hold sway in their political parties, and fund their election campaigns with their gifts. Behind them stand the Jews, who control your policies, media and economy.

        (xi) That which you are singled out for in the history of mankind, is that you have used your force to destroy mankind more than any other nation in history; not to defend principles and values, but to hasten to secure your interests and profits. You who dropped a nuclear bomb on Japan, even though Japan was ready to negotiate an end to the war. How many acts of oppression, tyranny and injustice have you carried out, O callers to freedom?

        (xii) Let us not forget one of your major characteristics: your duality in both manners and values; your hypocrisy in manners and principles. All*manners, principles and values have two scales: one for you and one for the others.

   (a)The freedom and democracy that you call to is for yourselves and for white race only; as for the rest of the world, you impose upon them your monstrous, destructive policies and Governments, which you call the 'American friends'. Yet you prevent them from establishing democracies. When the Islamic party in Algeria wanted to practice democracy and they won the election, you unleashed your agents in the Algerian army onto them, and to attack them with tanks and guns, to imprison them and torture them - a new lesson from the 'American book of democracy'!!!

   (b)Your policy on prohibiting and forcibly removing weapons of mass destruction to ensure world peace: it only applies to those countries which you do not permit to possess such weapons. As for the countries you consent to, such as Israel, then they are allowed to keep and use such weapons to defend their security. Anyone else who you suspect might be manufacturing or keeping these kinds of weapons, you call them criminals and you take military action against them.

   (c)You are the last ones to respect the resolutions and policies of International Law, yet you claim to want to selectively punish anyone else who does the same. Israel has for more than 50 years been pushing UN resolutions and rules against the wall with the full support of America.

   (d) As for the war criminals which you censure and form criminal courts for - you shamelessly ask that your own are granted immunity!! However, history will not forget the war crimes that you committed against the Muslims and the rest of the world; those you have killed in Japan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Lebanon and Iraq will remain a shame that you will never be able to escape. It will suffice to remind you of your latest war crimes in Afghanistan, in which densely populated innocent civilian villages were destroyed, bombs were dropped on mosques causing the roof of the mosque to come crashing down on the heads of the Muslims praying inside. You are the ones who broke the agreement with the Mujahideen when they left Qunduz, bombing them in Jangi fort, and killing more than 1,000 of your prisoners through suffocation and thirst. Allah alone knows how many people have died by torture at the hands of you and your agents. Your planes remain in the Afghan skies, looking for anyone remotely suspicious.

   (e)You have claimed to be the vanguards of Human Rights, and your Ministry of Foreign affairs issues annual reports containing statistics of those countries that violate any Human Rights. However, all these things vanished when the Mujahideen hit you, and you then implemented the methods of the same documented governments that you used to curse. In America, you captured thousands the Muslims and Arabs, took them into custody with neither reason, court trial, nor even disclosing their names. You issued newer, harsher laws.

What happens in Guatanamo is a historical embarrassment to America and its values, and it screams into your faces - you hypocrites, "What is the value of your signature on any agreement or treaty?"

(3) What we call you to thirdly is to take an honest stance with yourselves - and I doubt you will do so - to discover that you are a nation without principles or manners, and that the values and principles to you are something which you merely demand from others, not that which you yourself must adhere to.

(4) We also advise you to stop supporting Israel, and to end your support of the Indians in Kashmir, the Russians against the Chechens and to also cease supporting the Manila Government against the Muslims in Southern Philippines.

(5) We also advise you to pack your luggage and get out of our lands. We desire for your goodness, guidance, and righteousness, so do not force us to send you back as cargo in coffins.

(6) Sixthly, we call upon you to end your support of the corrupt leaders in our countries. Do not interfere in our politics and method of education. Leave us alone, or else expect us in New York and Washington.

(7) We also call you to deal with us and interact with us on the basis of mutual interests and benefits, rather than the policies of sub dual, theft and occupation, and not to continue your policy of supporting the Jews because this will result in more disasters for you.

If you fail to respond to all these conditions, then prepare for fight with the Islamic Nation. The Nation of Monotheism, that puts complete trust on Allah and fears none other than Him. The Nation which is addressed by its Quran with the words:

"Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers. Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of believing people. And remove the anger of their (believers') hearts. Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [Quran9:13-1]

The Nation of honour and respect:

"But honour, power and glory belong to Allah, and to His Messenger (Muhammad- peace be upon him) and to the believers." [Quran 63:8]

"So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be*superior ( in victory )if you are indeed (true) believers" [Quran 3:139]

The Nation of Martyrdom; the Nation that desires death more than you desire life:

"Think not of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive with their Lord, and they are being provided for. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them from His bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers." [Quran 3:169-171]

The Nation of victory and success that Allah has promised:

"It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it victorious over all other religions even though the Polytheists hate it." [Quran 61:9]

"Allah has decreed that 'Verily it is I and My Messengers who shall be victorious.' Verily Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty." [Quran 58:21]

The Islamic Nation that was able to dismiss and destroy the previous evil Empires like yourself; the Nation that rejects your attacks, wishes to remove your evils, and is prepared to fight you. You are well aware that the Islamic Nation, from the very core of its soul, despises your haughtiness and arrogance.

If the Americans refuse to listen to our advice and the goodness, guidance and righteousness that we call them to, then be aware that you will lose this Crusade Bush began, just like the other previous Crusades in which you were humiliated by the hands of the Mujahideen, fleeing to your home in great silence and disgrace. If the Americans do not respond, then their fate will be that of the Soviets who fled from Afghanistan to deal with their military defeat, political breakup, ideological downfall, and economic bankruptcy.

This is our message to the Americans, as an answer to theirs. Do they now know why we fight them and over which form of ignorance, by the permission of Allah, we shall be victorious?

Next: A reflection on Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America”

Early Geographical and historical development of Islam
Main tenets of belief
Historical interaction with the non-believers
Whose land is it?
Impact on the world today