A GUIDE TO MISSIONARY TACTICS..

aenemy7

A Q&A taken from; [url]http://www.islamonline.net/askaboutislam/display.asp?hquestionID=8771[/url]


Name: Amy- United States
Topic: Faith & Practice  
Title: We Have Our Pope… Who Do Muslims Have?  
Question;

Thank you very much for providing this website. I have found it very helpful.

My question concerns leadership and rules in Islam. In the Catholic church, we have a pope who has the final word on all official church doctrine. Now I understand that he does not make these decisions on a whim, the bishops all come together to discuss the matter, and we believe the pope is divinely guided by God when he proclaims an official truth of the Church.

Of course, the pope does not control every aspect of the church, simply the big issues and official doctrines. In Islam, there is no such office. As far as I understand, it is simply scholars coming together to reach an agreement. My question is, how are the faithful to know what to do if the scholars disagree? Obviously, in the Catholic Church, bishops or priests in good faith may disagree, but if it is an important matter of faith we can look to the pope for guidance. But in Islam, how do you know? For example, some scholars say that even the face covering is necessary for hijab, others interpret it as simply dressing modestly in terms of the country you live in. Scholars have different opinions on growing beards, dancing, music, and so on. How does a good Muslim know who to follow?  
Date  2004/12/20   

Name of Consultant: Amani Aboul Fadl Farag  



As-salamu `alaykum Amy.

Thank you so much for your question.

You touched on two different aspects of the situation in Islam. One is that of the absence of leadership, the other is that of the multiplicity of references or authorities who make judgments and decide on rulings.

Regarding the first aspect, the theory of leadership in Islam is not that of secularism which separates state from faith but the leader in Islam is the one capable of handling both sides efficiently with the help of a strong council or ruling body.

Since the emergence of this faith “Islam”, both state affairs and religious authority were in the hands of the first leader; Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),which was a great breach from the established norm spreading in the land of the Roman Empire surrounding the nascent Muslim state at that time. According to the Catholic Roman Empire, the rule was ‘let what is for Caesar for Caesar and let what is for God for God’. This secular principle has always created a dual authority; one for worldly affairs in the palace headed by kings and emperors and the other in the church headed by popes. This dual system bothered the believers a lot, as in many cases the two authorities contradicted each other and sometimes dramatically clashed.

Islam, from its first day, affirmed that the leader must be one and should be strong enough to handle both affairs with the help of a mutual consultation council. This system is what the Muslims call “Caliphate” and the leader is called “caliph”. In this way the caliphs went on ruling continuously over one third of the world since the Prophet (peace be upon him) till 80 years ago when this system of the caliphate collapsed in 1924 under the heavy blow of Imperial conspiracy, and this is why you can’t see this leadership now thinking that Muslims have never had a unified religious reference! Such a reference was present for 1340 years but has been absent for only 80 years. Being absent doesn’t mean that it has entirely vanished for no return like the Roman, Persian, or Chinese Empires, which had survived for thousands of years before they fell.

In the case of those Empires, it was the will of their peoples to give up the idea of restoring their Empires as being of no meaning in post modernistic age, but as for the Muslim people, they are striving day and night to bring their Caliphate back—despite the hard pressures they have upon them nowadays. It is a holy obligation for all Muslims to live under one central government that unite them all. This may justify to you, and to all who watch on TV, the daily restlessness that overwhelm the Muslim world for years which the West calls "terrorism", and the revolutions against their rulers who stand—with the support of anti Islamic powers—on the way of achieving their ultimate goal of restoring their occupied land and restoring their leadership.

As for your second complaint, that Islam has different opinions on each ruling in contrast to Catholicism, I can tell you that there is no contradiction between having one supreme religious leadership and a multiplicity of scholars to make judgments.

In Islam both facts and rulings are of two types; the first type are major ones that are revealed directly from God or directed from His Messenger, no scholar is allowed to change them. Major things are like the matters of faith, for example, the divine book, the nature of God and His attributes, who the Prophet is, and what his history is, destiny, the Day of Judgment, and the Hereafter. Major things can also be matters of rituals like praying, fasting, pilgrimage, and almsgiving. Again they can be serious decrees like marriage, divorce, what is legal and what is not.

Belief in such facts and the application of such rulings are the same all over the Muslim world in a strict manner. All Muslims in Africa, America, Europe, Asia read the same book “The Qur’an” with no single difference in its content, (not even a change of one letter has occurred since its Revelation). No Muslim in Australia fasts in the month of Ramadan while another Muslim in South Africa fasts in a different month. You will never see a Muslim in America praying five times a day while another in Egypt is praying four! No Muslim scholar, even those who live in the West, dares to say that alcohol or fornication is legal in Islam –even when some Muslims occasionally fall into such sins they know they do it against Islam and out of weakness and not because one scholar says so. No mosque wherever it is agrees on a homosexual marriage celebration to be held in it while the other denies, and so on. The scholars cannot have different opinions about these major things.

In Christianity, the believers still disagree on major things that are the cornerstone of the religion. Christians still have four bibles! In addition to more than one image of Jesus, is he one or three united entities? Or even three separate entities? They still quarrel about the meaning of the Trinity. Some churches agree on abortion and homosexuality while others do not, and many other things of such magnitude.

Still there are things that Islam considers as minor rulings because they were not decreed directly from God, but God, in His wisdom, intended to leave them open for the scholars to have their own personal opinions about them, which definitely won’t be exactly the same, in order to take people’s changing conditions into consideration. The example you mentioned about hijab and this is an interesting point. The principle that every Muslim woman reaching puberty should cover her body in clothes that are not tight, transparent, or exaggeratingly embroidered is a major ruling which is decreed in Qur’an. No scholar can disagree about it, yet the features of hijab and whether or not it should cover the face, or what color it should be or what design, were left to the scholars to decide according to the changes in circumstances from one place to another, from one time to another, or even from one taste or cultural or psychological background to another. In this case forcing everybody to follow a certain minor ruling said by one scholar will make people run away from the religion and prefer a secular style of life. Islam does not look at the differences among scholars about minor issues with sensibility or discomfort, but on the contrary, it encourages such differences to accommodate various circumstances.

The differences may not only occur amongst two or more scholars but it may occur by the same scholar when circumstances change, Shafi`i—one of the most distinguished scholars in Islam—wrote a book about his legal opinions and personal interpretation of Islamic law when he was in Iraq, but once he moved to live in Egypt, he had to change it all—except for the major issues—knowing that the people of Egypt are culturally different from those in Iraq, consequently, the old book would not suit their lifestyle.

One thing still remains for you to know is that when a scholar makes a personal opinion in the slightest matter; it is not a haphazard process. Deducing personal opinions is a huge science with rules and conditions for the person who handles it. Moreover, if this minor issue is of notable importance to the Muslim community, individual opinions are not to be considered. The scholars must come together and discuss it till they reach a group consensus and this process is termed ijma` (consensus/agreement).

Thank you again for your participation and we are looking forward to hearing from you.



Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall...

aenemy7

http://www.islamtomorrow.com/Yusuf_story.htm

THE QUESTIONS NOBODY WANTS TO ANSWER
(Taken from "Bible A Closer Look!")

-What about the Bible? Who actually wrote it?
-What was the original language of the Bible? (Hebrew? Aramaic? Koine Greek?)
NOTE: - The Bible was never in English during the time of any prophet (not even Muhammad) - because English did not exist until after 1066 AD!
-Does the Bible exist in the original form anywhere on earth? (No)
-Why does the Catholic Bible has seven (7) more books than the Protestant Bible?
-Why do these two Bibles have different versions of the same books?
-Why are there so many mistakes and errors are from the very first verse right up to the very last verse?
-Why do 'Born Again Christians' teach concepts that are not from the Bible?
-There is no word "Trinity" in the Bible in any version of any language
-The oldest forms of Christianity do not support the 'born again' beliefs
-Jesus of the English Bible complains about the 'crucifixion'
("Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani? - My God! My God! Why have You forsaken me?") [Mk 15:34]
-How can Jesus be the "Only Begotten Son" of John 3:16? When in Psalms 2:7 David is God's "Begotten Son?"
-Would a 'Just' God, a 'Fair' God, a 'Loving' God -- punish Jesus for the sins of the people that he called to follow him?
-What happens to people who died before Jesus came?
-What happens to those who never hear this message?
-What about innocent children who die although their parents are not Christian?
-Didn't God create Adam from dirt? -- So, why does he need Mary to make Jesus? And what about God?
-How can God create Himself?
-How can God be a man?
-How can a man be a God?
-How can God have a son?
-The Bible says "Seth (is) the son of Adam" and that"Adam is the son of God." [Lk 3:36]
-Can't God just forgive us and not have to kill Jesus?
And what about Jesus?
-Jesus did not even carry the cross --  Simon Cyre'ne, a passerby did! [Mk 15:21]
-Jesus of the Bible was NOT on the cross for longer than six (6) hours -- NOT three days -- (from the 3rd to the 9th hour) [Mk 15:25 & 15:33]  
-Jesus of the Bible did not spend three days and nights in the tomb -- Friday night - until Sunday before dawn -- is not 3 days and nights!
-Jesus DID NOT claim to be God - or even equal to God!


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall....

snipersnake

answer that.

snipersnake

Deuteronomy 18:18

18'I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and  will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.


notice the word 'prophet' there??


ermm...this is when Allah talked to musa a.s

aenemy7

Beware of the freemasonic disguise as a christian preacher out there....
They will always say Zionist action was right to invade Israel and bla-bla-bla....go to Yahoo chat under Judaism chat,observed their style and u will understand!!!!


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall....

aenemy7

This is an article taken from Indonesian website regarding the missionaries activities in Indonesia, the article was written in bahasa indonesia/melayu....

http://swaramuslim.net/ISLAMKRISTEN/more.php?id=977_0_7_0_M


Genderang Perang Salib Siluman
Oleh : Fakta 23 Dec, 04 - 3:45 am

Dalam sebuah University dinegara bagian Selatan, para Missionary Kristen sedang dilatih untuk menjadi agen & mata mata umat Islam diseluruh dunia guna memurtadkan umat Islam. Tujuan mereka JELAS. Untuk menghapus Islam !!! (By Barry Yeoman)

Laporan majalah Mother Jones menyebutkan banyak muslim yang menjadi korban misionaris. Mereka menyebutnya Stealth Crussade (Perang Salib Siluman)

“Berkedok sebagai guru bahasa Inggris, Rick Love salah seorang misionaris kawakan melakukan aksinya di wilayah Bandung, Jawa Barat. Targetnya orang-orang dari suku Sunda. Tak peduli tinggal di desa atau pun kota.” Demikian laporan majalah Mother Jones, edisi Juni 2002.

Mojo (begitu majalah ini biasa disebut-Red), memberitakan bahwa Rick Love kini juga memberikan pengajaran mengenai cara-cara pemurtadan dengan jalan menyamar menjadi berbagai profesi. Rick bahkan mendapat kelas khusus di Columbia International University, Carolina Selatan Amerika Serikat.

Selain mengajar bagi para calon misionaris, Rick Love juga tercatat menjadi pemimpin organisasi Kristen terbesar di dunia, Frontiers. Lembaga yang dikelola Rick ini mengkhususkan diri dalam kegiatan pemurtadan umat Muslim di seluruh dunia.

Disebut-sebut, Lembaga Frontiers saat ini sudah menyebarkan 800 misionaris ke-50 negara Muslim. Wilayah garapannya membentang mulai dari Asia Pasifik hingga Afrika Selatan. Mereka menyusup dan menyamar dengan berprofesi sebagai guru, konsultan, akuntan, wartawan, aktivis LSM, juru rawat, pengusaha, designer. Pokoknya, mereka tak pernah kehabisan topeng.

Mata kuliah yang diberikan Rick Love, hanya mengajarkan bagaimana cara menyamar untuk kemudian menyebarkan ajaran Kristen, sehingga bisa menggoyahkan keyakinan kaum Muslim. Hingga akhirnya kaum Muslimin murtad atas kemauannya sendiri. Referensi Rick Love tak lain dari hasil pengalaman lapangannya. Rick Love menjadikan sekolah sebagai basis utama, dengan memilih profesi sebagai guru bahasa inggris. Dijelaskan juga, dengan cara itu Rick Love memiliki alasan kuat untuk menetap di Indonesia.

Sementara itu kristolog Abu Deedat Shihab yang juga ketua tim anti pemurtadan Fakta, menyatakan bahwa pemurtadan di Jawa Barat memang semakin mengkhawatirkan. Ia membenarkan apa yang disampaikan oleh majalah itu, saat ini memang sudah sangat banyak misionaris yang masuk ke dalam wilayah-wilayah di Jawa Barat. “Kedoknya berupa konsultan pertanian, lingkungan hidup, kehutanan, konsultan pendidikan dan pemberdayaan masyarakat.”

Baik Abu Deedat ataupun majalah tersebut, menyatakan yang sedang digalakkan Rick Love bersama kawan-kawan misionarisnya, merupakan bagian dari apa yang pernah diberitakan majalah Times edisi 30 Juni 2003. Times menulis kristenisasi global yang gencar di jalankan di seluruh negara-negara Muslim.

Pemurtadan di bumi Pasundan bukan berjalan tanpa perencanaan matang. Usaha mereka diback up lembaga yang lebih dulu meniliti tentang pola hidup dan budaya suku Sunda. “Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengembangan Budaya Sunda (LPPBS), adalah bagian dari kegiatan formal yang mendukung kegiatan pemurtadan itu,” papar Abu Deedat.

Mother Jones menjelaskan langkah-langkah seorang misionaris dalam melakukan aksi pemurtadannya. Di situ Rick Love menjabarkan, pertama-tama lakukan pendekatan dengan masyarakat atau tokoh lokal. Saat kepercayaan mulai terbangun rapih dan baik, maka itulah saatnya menawarkan keyakinan kristiani dan mendorong seorang Muslim untuk meninggalkan agamanya. “Jangan kerjakan hal tersebut dengan terburu-buru”, jelas Rick Love.

Abu Deedat mengungkapkan, kasus terbesar saat ini yang terjadi di wilayah Jawa Barat ada di daerah Tasikmalaya. Program global mereka bernama Sumbangan Nuansa Tasikmalaya, dan barnaung di bawah Yayasan Perisai Biru yang berlokasi di Bandung. Salah satu tokohnya adalah, Deni Er Kusoi. Sementara misionaris asingnya berasal dari Amerika, Inggris dan Selandia Baru. “Pendanaan kegiatan itu, datang dari lembaga Millenium Relief,” ungkap Abu Deedat.

Mother Jones menyebutkan, kegiatan misionaris-misionaris dalam rangka memurtadkan umat Muslim kembali gencar dijalankan sejak awal tahun 1990. Sampai hari ini sudah mencapai 30 ribu misionaris. Kebanyakan mereka dikirim oleh lembaga Southern Baptist Conventon. Jaringan kerjasama antar lembaga seperti Christar dengan beberapa organisasi Arab.

Meski Para misionaris menyadari, apa yang mereka kerjakan sangat berbahaya, namun itu semua mereka lakukan demi melanjutkan perjalanan sejarah perang salib. Mereka bertekad misi utamanya harus tetap dicapai. Mereka sangat menginginkan merusak umat Islam di mana pun berada. “Saya yakin bahwa Islam bukan agama yang tepat, untuk itu saya sangat ingin melihat agama tersebut hilang,” ujar Kim McHugh (36), salah seorang siswa kelas khusus Rick Love yang dikutip Mother Jones. (Sabili)

Fadli Rahman


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall....

snipersnake

nauzubillah.


nont worry aenemy7..i will always read the infos here..thanks man!!

aenemy7

This is also from indonesian web,it's about the missionaries tactic....it's a translated version from Dr.David Frawley book "The Ethics of Religious Conversions".....

http://swaramuslim.net/ISLAMKRISTEN/more.php?id=139_0_7_0_M

Misionaris=usaha konversi yg terorganisasi.Oleh : rifky 05 Jan, 05 - 2:50 pm

Misionaris tidaklah datang dengan sebuah pikiran terbuka untuk suatu diskusi yang tulus dan dialog yang memberi dan menerima, tetapi pikirannya telah berkesimpulan terlebih dahulu dan mencari jalan untuk memperdaya yang lain dengan pandangannya, sering bahkan sebelum ia sendiri tahu apa sebenarnya yang diyakini dan dilakukannya.

Sulit membayangkan agama Kristen terpisah dari kegiatan misionaris. Kegiatan yang telah menjadi tulang punggung dari keyakinannya sepanjang sebagian besar sejarahnya. Kristen telah terutama menjadi sebuah agama yang berpandangan keluar mencoba mengkonversi dunia.

Dalam proses ini ia jarang terbuka terhadap dialog yang nyata dengan agama-agama lainnya. Ia jarang menguji alasan-alasannya sendiri atau kerusakan disebabkan oleh kegiatan misionaris seperti itu, meskipun bahkan sejarah dari aktifitas misionarisnya telah dinodai dengan tidak adanya toleransi, pembantaian etnis dan penghancuran bukan saja pribadi-pribadi tapi juga seluruh kebudayaan.

konversi atau perubahan keyakinan- keyakinan yang terjadi dalam suatu pertukaran kemanusiaan dalam suatu diskusi yang bebas dan terbuka sama sekali berbeda dan bertolak belakang dengan mengorganisasikan usaha-usaha pengkonversian yang menggunakan keuangan, media atau bahkan tekanan bersenjata.

Usaha-usaha konversi yang terorganisasi adalah sama sekali hal yang berbeda dari pada dialog umum dan pertukaran antara para anggota dari komunitas- komunitas keagamaan yang berbeda dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, atau bahkan dari pada diskusi-diskusi yang terorganisasi dalam forum-forum atau lingkungan-lingkungan akademis.

Semestinya ada diskusi dan debat yang terbuka dan bersahabat tentang agama seperti halnya dengan ilmu pengetahuan. Namun ketika satu agama menciptakan suatu program pengkonversian dan memobilisasi sumber- sumber daya besar untuk tujuan itu, dengan sasaran kelompok-kelompok tanpa prasangka, miskin atau tidak terorganisasi, itu bukan lagi sebuah diskusi yang bebas. Itu adalah penyerangan ideologi. Itu adalah sebuah bentuk dari kekerasan agama dan tiadanya toleransi.

Aktifitas konversi yang terorganisasi adalah seperti tentara terlatih menyerbu suatu negara dari luar. Tentara misionaris ini kerap kali masuk kedalam kelompok-kelompok di mana ada sedikit penolakan terorganisasi terhadapnya, atau bahkan mungkin tidak sadar akan kekuatan atau tujuan-tujuannya. Ia bahkan akan mengambil keuntungan dari komunitas-komunitas yang toleran dan memiliki pemikiran terbuka tentang agama dan menggunakannya untuk mempromosikan program misionaris yang menghancurkan toleransi ini.

Usaha-usaha konversi terorganisasi seperti itu, orang-orang Kristen Protestan menyebut gerakan mereka dengan nama gerakan evangelis. Tujuan Evangelis adalah untuk mengkonversi (mengubah) seluruh dunia ke dalam keyakinan Kristen, yang mana secara alamiah mengandung arti penolakan terhadap agama-agama lainnya.

Gerakan evangelis itu memiliki strategi-strategi konversi dunia dan program-program untuk membidik sasarannya, wilayah demi wilayah, suku demi suku, bahkan desa demi desa. Mereka melacak dan menyimpan angka-angka mereka yang telah terkonversi dan menandai mereka pada kolom kemenangan sebagai keuntungan untuk Kristus.

Konversi terorganisasi (evangelis) ini tidak tertarik pada dialog atau mengambil pelajaran dari kelompok-kelompok agama lain. Organisasi- organisasi seperti itu telah membuat kesimpulan dalam pikirannya bahwa milik mereka adalah keyakinan yang merupakan kebenaran dan mereka tidak iklas untuk mengijinkan persamaan terhadap keyakinan lain manapun.

Jika misionaris-misionaris memulai dialog itu adalah untuk mempromosikan konversi atau untuk melindungi yang telah mereka ubah keyakinannya. Misionaris tidaklah akan mengubah pikirannya, percaya bahwa ia mungkin salah tentang sesuatu hal atau menerima sudut pandang lain apapun yang mungkin mengkompromikan agenda konversinya.

Para misionaris biasanya menyasar yang tidak berpendidikan dan bekerja dibelakang layar. Mereka tidak mencoba untuk menciptakan pertukaran pandangan- pandangan bahkan debat secara adil. Mereka takut terekspose. Pada kenyataannya sebuah debat tentang masalah-masalah keagamaan adalah penting untuk menghadapi masalah-masalah diakibatkan oleh kegiatan misionaris. Misionaris-misionaris biasanya menghindar untuk menghadapi debat yang fair tentang agama dan menyasar mereka yang tidak terlalu terampil pada keyakinan-keyakinannya sendiri.

Sesungguhnya, kegiatan misionaris menyerupai perang ideologi. Begitu sistematis, termotivasi, dan terarah, bahkan menyamai sebuah peperangan penaklukan dunia dengan secara masif menggunakan media, uang, orang-orang dan pertunjukan-pertunjukan umum untuk memberi daya tarik kepada masa dengan cara yang mempengaruhi perasaan. Aktifitas misionaris mempunyai acara-acara yang terencana dan sistematis.

Bisnis misionaris merupakan yang terbesar didunia dan memiliki pendanaan yang luar biasa besar pada banyak tingkatan. Bagaikan perusahaan-perusahaan besar multinational dengan kelompok-kelompok berbeda,Katolik, Protestan dan Evangelis. Ada karyawan-karyawan kerja penuh dan organisasi-organisasi mengalokasikan uang, membuat histeria media, membuat konspirasi strategi-strategi dan mencoba menemukan cara baru untuk mempromosikan konversi. Kira- kira sama seperti halnya penjual makanan lokal alami jika McDonald's bergerak masuk kedalam lingkungannya dengan kampanye iklan yang hebat dan dana yang cukup menyasar pelanggannya.

Misionaris adalah seperti pedagang menyasar orang-orang dalam rumah-rumah mereka atau seperti penyerbu mencari kemenangan. Kegiatan mengganggu seperti itu bukanlah hal yang benar dan itu tidak dapat mempromosikan harmoni sosial. Pada kenyataannya, orang-orang mestinya memiliki hak untuk tidak diganggu oleh misionaris kecuali mereka sendiri mencarinya.

Sekali melewati pintu, sulit untuk membuat mereka keluar. Kebebasan beragama semestinya bukan menjadi ijin untuk suatu negara atau suatu komunitas untuk melancarkan perang agama terhadap yang lain. Bahkan jika perang konversi ini diperlunak dengan sumbangan-sumbangan kedermawanan adalah tetap bermusuhan dalam tujuannya dan menghancurkan dalam tindakannya.

aenemy7

Misionaris yang merupakan upaya konversi terorganisasi dalam skala massal, hampir tidak ada dimanapun di dunia sebelum kedatangan Kristen sekitar dua ribu tahun yang lalu. Kemudian menjadi kuat setelah Kerajaan Roma menjadi Kristen pada abad keempat. Ini menghasilkan Gereja Roma atau Gereja Kerajaan yang menggunakan sumber daya kerajaan, termasuk tentara, untuk mempromosikan agama, yang adalah institusi negara. Gereja dan negara menjadi terikat erat dan salah satu digunakan untuk menjaga yang lain. Aliansi Gereja dan negara ini tampil baik hingga Jaman Pertengahan dan hingga abad kesembilanbelas kepelosok sebagian besar Eropah.

Pada jaman kolonial, aktifitas misionaris-misionaris Kristen menyebar keseluruh dunia dan membawa bersamanya kekerasan yang luas dan merupakan bagian dari kolonialisme. Upaya-upaya misionaris dijaman penjajahan, menyumbang terhadap aksi pembasmian penduduk asli secara besar-besaran, tidak hanya di Amerika tapi juga di Afrika dan Asia. Tempat-tempat suci mereka dihancurkan atau diambil alih oleh orang-orang Kristen. Pada masa abad keenambelas, nasib orang-orang Spanyol di Mexico dan Peru, setara dengan Nazi di abad ini, jika tidak lebih buruk, menghancurkan dan merampas sebuah benua atas nama dan atas restu gereja.

Proses penjajahan misionaris ini mencapai puncaknya pada abad sembilan belas, yang mana penduduk asli Afrika adalah kelompok utama sasaran pembantaian etnis, dan hanya saat ini secara perlahan berkurang.

Meskipun demikian, kelompok-kelompok misionaris telah sedikit melakukan permintaan maaf dengan sedikit melakukan perbaikan akibat kekerasan dan kebencian dihasilkan oleh lima ratus tahun penjajahan misionaris.

Meskipun kegiatan misionaris menjadi kurang terbuka setelah berakhirnya era penjajahan, ia tetap berlangsung dengan agresif. Kenyataannya penjajahan belum benar-benar berahir, Agama yang dibawa oleh para misionaris itu tetap mengambil peran agresif. Pada masa kini, misionaris lebih mengambil bentuk ekonomi dibandingkan militer, berbarengan dengan Westernisasi bersama jalur ekonomi. Karena Kristen adalah agama Barat yang dominan, ia terus menggunakan ekspansi ekonomi dari budaya Barat saat ini untuk mempromosikan agenda-agenda konversinya. Sumber daya finansial yang lebih besar serta dominannya media Barat memberikan Kristen keunggulan yang besar dalam pertemuan dengan agama dan budaya lain diseluruh dunia. Bahkan jika itu adalah pertanyaan untuk sebuah Kristen minoritas di sebuah wilayah didominasi oleh agama bukan Kristen, orang-orang bukan Kristen sering tidak memiliki keunggulan dalam hal uang dan media melalui dukungan Barat dimiliki oleh Komunitas Kristen, terutama yang berhubungan dengan kegiatan-kegiatan konversinya itu.

Mereka menggunakan keunggulan finansial dan media, termasuk pemasaran masal, untuk mempromosikan agenda konversi mereka. Dan kita tidak dapat melupakan sejarah berdarah dari kegiatan misionaris atau potensinya terhadap kekacauan, kekerasan dan penghancuran jika keadaan kembali muncul.

Alasan utama atas adanya sekularisme dan kebebasan keagamaan di Barat sebagai hasil dari tradisi sekular Yunani-Romawi yang lebih tua yang pagan pada sifatnya dan berupaya untuk menegaskan kembali posisinya terhadap Kristen setelah Renaissance. Negara-negara barat jauh kurang membedakan Kristen untuk ekspor dan agresi misionarisnya daripada kegiatan-kegiatan mereka di Barat. Sementara Kristen umumnya teredam di Barat, dimana hanya sedikit orang yang tekun beriman atau mengambil agama secara serius. Agresi lama abad pertengahan dengan mudah muncul dalam lingkaran misionaris yang bergerak diluar negeri mereka di Barat.

Ironisnya adalah bahwa hukum sekuler memberikan kemerdekaan agama yang membiarkan aktifitas konversi terus berlangsung. Misionaris yang suatu saat menggunakan tentara penjajah untuk mempromosikan agenda-agenda konversi mereka, sekarang ini setelah jaman penjajahan mereka menyamarkan agenda konversi mereka dengan penyamaran kemerdekaan agama.

Kelompok yang menghindari atau membatasi kebebasan agama ketika ia berkuasa pada jaman penjajahan, sekarang ini menggunakan kebebasan agama untuk mempertahankan misionaris-misionaris berlangsung !, Ini ironis sekali !.

Banyak misionaris-misionaris mengklaim bahwa mereka tidak membuat orang-orang terkonversi, tapi semata-mata melakukan kedermawanan, mencoba untuk menolong yang tersungkur dalam hidup. Mengingat mentalitas dibalik upaya-upaya konversi dan sejarahnya, seseorang hanya dapat menyambut pernyataan itu dengan skeptis. Misionaris-misionaris yang hingga baru-baru ini menggunakan pemerintahan-pemerintahan penjajah dan tentara-tentara untuk keunggulan mereka tidak dapat dianggap sebagai secara mendadak tanpa motivasi-motivasi konversi terang- terangan.

Jika misionaris-misionaris hanya ingin membawa peningkatan sosial, lalu mengapa mereka tidak membuka saja sebuah rumah sakit atau sekolah dengan melepaskan seluruh perangkap-perangkap keagamaan terhadapnya. Selama ornamen-ornamen keagamaan masih ada dalam institusi-institusi kedermawanan ini, maka mereka masih membuat konversi. Kedermawanan atau kerja sosial untuk sebuah penyamaran konversi keagamaan, maka motivasi konversi pasti ada dan ketidakharmonisan kemungkinan akan berkembang oleh usaha konversi berkedok kedermawanan ini. Bukan kedermawanan keagamaan yang mengangkat negara-negara ini secara ekonomis. Filipina, negara Kristen utama dan paling tua di Asia, adalah salah satu dari negara-negara paling miskin di wilayah itu. Konversi ke Kristen tidak mengangkat negara itu secara ekonomis. Amerika Tengah dan Selatan, yang mana jauh lebih loyal terhadap Katolik dan religius dari pada Amerika Utara, juga jauh lebih miskin dan memiliki tingkat pendidikan yang lebih rendah. Sejarah kegiatan misionaris dengan hanya episode-episode yang jarang dari kasih sayang dan kedermawanan, ini muncul terutama ketika misionaris-misionaris datang kedalam kebudayaan primitive atau suku.

Karenanya mari kita tidak berpura-pura bahwa Barat telah tercerahkan atau lebih toleran tentang agama. Sekularisasi hukum di Barat tetap menyembunyikan banyak prasangka keagamaan. Kita juga mencatat bahwa Barat secara politis akan melindungi kepentingan-kepentingan Kristen di luar negeri dan mengkritik yang dituduh diskriminasi terhadap orang-orang Kristen. Namun demikian, ia akan mengabaikan diskriminasi terhadap yang bukan-Kristen terutama jika dilakukan oleh orang-orang Kristen.

Karenanya mari kita tidak lugu tentang konversi. Ia bukan soal kebebasan agama atau tentang mengangkatan sosial. Aktifitas-aktifitas konversi utama di dunia adalah bagian dari strategi-strategi yang diorganisasikan dan dibiayai dengan baik untuk memenangkan dunia untuk sebuah keyakinan tunggal agama Kristen.

Dalam situasi ini adalah mudah untuk mengidentifikasi pemangsa dan korban. Kemungkinanya menjadi yang manakah anda ?. Dan dimanakah posisi anda ?.

Sumber :
The Ethics of Religious Conversions
Dr. David Frawley



Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall.....

aenemy7

Here's some examples of the missionaries antique way of preaching......

A Christian Missionary's "Thinking Questions"
Article based on Gary Miller's Speech on Islam and Christianity


Missionary:     Does the Koran say that Jesus was sinless?
Muslim:          Yes. Jesus was perfect man. Never sinned.
Missionary:     Does the Koran tell Mohammad to repent?
Muslim:          Yes. Quran tells Mohammad to repent.
  
That's all. The missionary doesn't say anything else. He hopes now that the Muslim would start thinking: "Now, wait a minute, Jesus never sinned, but Mohammad was supposed to repent. Maybe Jesus is better!"

Missionary wants the Muslim to start thinking that a sinless man is better than a "repentant sinner".   Missionary is hoping, but he dare not say it. Because if the Missionary says that, he goes exactly against the teachings of Jesus.

If the Missionary is foolish enough to say that a sinless man is better than a repentant sinner, he's going against the teachings of Jesus.

The reason why the Missionary is going against the teachings of Jesus is this: Story of a lost sheep.  Mathew Chapter 18, verse 12: Jesus said, "If a man has a 100 sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the 99 on the hills, and go on the search of the one that went astray. And if he finds it,  truely I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that never went astray."

Jesus was trying to hammer that point home to his disciples: Don't you dare say, for example, because you've been a faithful follower for many years  that you're better than this one who just became a believer just yesterday.  The perfect man has no precedence over the repentant sinner.
  
  

Moments later....

Missionary:    Was Jesus the Messiah ?
Muslim:         Yes.

Missionary:    Was Mohammad the Messiah?
Muslim:         No

Now, the Missionary stops there, and hopes that the Muslim would start thinking, "Now, wait a minute, Jesus is the Messiah, and Mohammad is not the Messiah. Maybe Jesus is better!"

What the Muslim should ask the Missionary is about this word Messiah: Jesus was the Messiah, but were there any other Messiahs besides Jesus?

Now you find out how well he knows his Bible.  Because there were many Messiahs:  David, Solomon, and even Cyrus, the Persian were called Messiahs in the Bible. It's hard to find  it in the Bible because the translators cover it over. Messiah  means  "annointed".

A Messiah is someone who has been picked to do a job. Every king of ancient Israel was called Messiah. Now the word doesn't sound so special anymore. It is a title, but it doesn't particularly elevate one to divine status.
  

Moments later....

Missionary:    Where's the body of Jesus ?
Muslim:         God took it.

Missionary:     Where's the body of Mohammad?
Muslim:         Its in Medina.  It's burried in the ground.

Now the Missionary hopes that the Muslim would go away thinking, "Now that's interesting! The body of Jesus is gone; Mohammad is in the grave. Maybe Jesus is the true Messenger, Mohammad is false!"

The Missionary is hoping the thought would cross the Muslim's mind, but he dare not say it.

What the Muslim should ask the Missionary is this: "Do you mean that a dead and buried Prophet is a false prophet? Is that what you mean?"

If that is so, what does Missionary say about Abraham, for example?

Abraham is buried.  Jews and Muslims to this day, still go to the place where Abraham is buried, to visit his grave.

Is Abraham a false prophet because he's dead and buried in the ground? The Bible also states body of Moses was taken up by God. God sent an angel to take the body away. Does this mean Jesus and Moses are equal in their "divine status"? What has the Missionary's question proven?


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall....

aenemy7

This is a question posted from a christian in indonesian websites ( http://swaramuslim.net/ISLAMKRISTEN/more.php?id=2444_0_7_40_M)

Check it out...

FAQ : Dari Seorang Nasrani : Mengapa Umat Islam Mengangap Injil Dipalsukan ?
Oleh : Fakta 24 Oct, 04 - 6:26 am

Pertanyaan
Salam hormat, Bapak Ustad yang terhormat, saya sangat tidak setuju kalau bapak mengatakan bahwa injil telah diubah oleh orang Kristen, mengapa?.

1). Injil itu juga Firman Allah, sedangkan kita mengakui bahwa firman Allah itu adalah kekal, bagaimanakah sesuatu yang kekal dapat dirubah, apalagi yang merubahnya adalah hanya sekelompok manusia biasa yang besarnya hanya 'setitik debu' dihadapan Allah. dengan mengatakan bahwa Injil telah dirubah, sama saja anda telah menghina dan merendahkan Allah yang juga telah menurunkan Quran setelah Injil (menurut ajaran agama anda). Karena kalau Allah dapat menjaga Planet dan seluruh tata surya yang sedemikian kompleks itu dari tabarakan dan selalu harmonis, tak sanggupkah Ia menjaga Firmannya sendiri dari tangan manusia yang 'tak seberapa nilainya'.

2). Anda berani mengatakan sesuatu itu palsu tentu anda pernah melihat yang asli. Kalau begitu tolong anda tunjukkan Injil yang asli beserta bukti-buktinya. Sanggupkah anda mempertanggung jawabkan kelak kepada Allah perkataan anda yang menyatakan bahwa Injil itu palsu.l Bagaimana kalau ternyata kalau benar , berati anda telah menyesatkan banyak orang. Jadi menurut saya sebelum, anda bicara kebih baik bertanya kangsung dan berdoa kepada Allah siapakah dia sebenarnya!, daripada capek belajar agama dari sumber yang bekum tentu juga benar. Bukankah lebih baik bertanya langsung kepada sumber Firman itu sendiri yaitu Allah. Bukankah Allah sendiri berjanji akan ,menjawab bila manusia memohon dan berdoa kepadanya, tak perduli agama apapun dia sebab tidak ada manusia ciptaan setan, semuanya adalah ciptaan Allah. Karena Allah sendiri yang mengatakan bahwa Ia Maha Tahu, Maha Mendengar dan Maha Baik, masakan Allah yang baik tidak menjawab doa ciptaanNya. Terimakasih dan harap dijawab.

Oalan
Jln. Pegangsaan Timur, Jakarta


Jawaban:

Assalamu `alaa man ittaba`al huda
Alhamdulillah, Washshalatu wassalamu `ala Rasulillah, wa ba’d.
Salam sejahtera bagi orang-orang yang mengikuti petunjuk …

1. Tidak Ada Komitmen Untuk Menjaga Keaslian Kitab Suci Masa Lalu

Kehendak Allah SWT adalah bahwa tidak ada satu pun kitab suci yang dijamin akan terus terjaga keabadian dan kesuciannya sepanjang zaman. Tidak ada jaminan bahwa kitab suci itu akan terus ada sepanjang zaman. Dan tidak ada nabi pun yang hidup terus menerus di tengah umatnya sepanjang zaman. Nabi dan kitab suci itu datang silih berganti, sesuai dengan masa hidup umat terkait. Kalau Allah SWT mau, tentu bisa saja. Masalahnya, Allah SWT tidak mau melakukannya, jadi kita tidak bisa paksa tuhan untuk melakukannya. Dan itulah kenyataannya selama ini.

Setiap kali suatu umat sudah menyimpang dari ajaran agama yang asli, maka Allah SWT akan mengirim lagi nabi baru dan kitab suci baru kepada mereka. Dan begitulah berlangsung sejak Adam hingga masa sebelum Muhammad SAW.

Namun di bagian akhir dari periode sejarah manusia, Allah SWT berkehendak untuk menghentikan pengiriman nabi dan kitab suci kepada manusia. Untuk itu, Allah SWT menurunkan sebuah kitab suci terakhir yang sifat utamanya adalah terjamin tidak hilang dari muka bumi dan tidak bisa dipalsukan. Dan kitab suci itu mudah dihafal dan memang kenyataannya memang dihafal oleh jutaan manusia sepanjang 15 abad sejak diturunkannya oleh beragam ras manusia. Rasanya, belum pernah ada satu kitab suci pun yang bisa dihafal luar kepala oleh jutaan manusia dalam kurun waktu yang lama.

Al-Quran itu dijamin keasliannya sepanjang zaman. Dan jaminan itu secara eksplisit disebutkan dengan tegas di dalam ayat-ayatnya serta disepakati oleh seluruh umat Islam sedunia. Adakah satu ayat saja di dalam injil yang menjamin hal itu ?

Di negeri Islam, anak usia 10 tahun bisa menghafal luar kepada 6.600-an ayat itu secara terbolak balik. Cukup dibacakan ujung ayatnya, dia dengan lancar bisa meneruskannya dan tidak berhenti kecualidiminta berhenti.

Pernahkan para uskup bahkan paus sekalipun menghafal injil dalam bahasa aslinya luar kepala ? Bahkan separuhnya saja ? Atau 1/3-nya ?

2. Membuktikan Kepalsuan Injil

Mudah saja untuk membuktikan kepalsuan Injil yang di tangan manusia saat ini.

1) Ada ribuan versi injil sepanjang 20 abad ini dan satu sama lain bukan sekedar berbeda, tetapi bertentangan secara ekstrim. Dengan logika sederhana, tentu injil-injil yang ribuan itu palsu semua kecuali satu saja yang asli. Sebab ketika menurunkan Injil 20 abad yang lalu, Allah tentu tidak menurunkannya dengan ribuan versi, bukan ?

2) Al-Quran telah menegaskan bahwa para rahib dan pendeta nasrani telah melakukan pemutar-balikan kitab suci injil oleh tangan yang tidak bertanggung-jawab. Sehingga kepalsuan injil itu bagian dari aqidah dalam Islam.

3) Silahkan rujuk sejarah penulisan injil dengan hati nurani, bukan sekedar semangat membela diri. Fakta sejarah telah menjelaskan bagaimana injil itu ditulis ulang beberapa abad setelah hilangnya generasi yang pernah hidup bersama nabi Isa. Bandingkan dengan sejarah otentik penulisan Al-Quran yang bahkan ditulis langsung di depan Muhammad SAW.

Sangat sulit diterima sikap bersikeras bahwa tidak ada pemalsuan dalam proses penulisan injil yang sudah jauh terlewat dari masa diturunkannya.

Hadaanallahu Wa Iyyakum Ajma`in, Wallahu A`lam Bish-shawab


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall...

snipersnake

THE QUESTIONS NOBODY WANTS TO ANSWER
(Taken from "Bible A Closer Look!")

-What about the Bible? Who actually wrote it?
-What was the original language of the Bible? (Hebrew? Aramaic? Koine Greek?)
NOTE: - The Bible was never in English during the time of any prophet (not even Muhammad) - because English did not exist until after 1066 AD!
-Does the Bible exist in the original form anywhere on earth? (No)
-Why does the Catholic Bible has seven (7) more books than the Protestant Bible?
-Why do these two Bibles have different versions of the same books?
-Why are there so many mistakes and errors are from the very first verse right up to the very last verse?
-Why do 'Born Again Christians' teach concepts that are not from the Bible?
-There is no word "Trinity" in the Bible in any version of any language
-The oldest forms of Christianity do not support the 'born again' beliefs
-Jesus of the English Bible complains about the 'crucifixion'
("Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani? - My God! My God! Why have You forsaken me?") [Mk 15:34]
-How can Jesus be the "Only Begotten Son" of John 3:16? When in Psalms 2:7 David is God's "Begotten Son?"
-Would a 'Just' God, a 'Fair' God, a 'Loving' God -- punish Jesus for the sins of the people that he called to follow him?
-What happens to people who died before Jesus came?
-What happens to those who never hear this message?
-What about innocent children who die although their parents are not Christian?
-Didn't God create Adam from dirt? -- So, why does he need Mary to make Jesus? And what about God?
-How can God create Himself?
-How can God be a man?
-How can a man be a God?
-How can God have a son?
-The Bible says "Seth (is) the son of Adam" and that"Adam is the son of God." [Lk 3:36]
-Can't God just forgive us and not have to kill Jesus?
And what about Jesus?
-Jesus did not even carry the cross --  Simon Cyre'ne, a passerby did! [Mk 15:21]
-Jesus of the Bible was NOT on the cross for longer than six (6) hours -- NOT three days -- (from the 3rd to the 9th hour) [Mk 15:25 & 15:33]  
-Jesus of the Bible did not spend three days and nights in the tomb -- Friday night - until Sunday before dawn -- is not 3 days and nights!
-Jesus DID NOT claim to be God - or even equal to God!


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall....

aenemy7

Check this out;a Former Minister of Christian church converts after watching debate between Ahmad Deedat and Reverend Jimmy Swaggart on "Is the Bible God's Word?". It was Kenneth L.Jenkins,Former Minister and Elder of Church, Indiana USA...he also include his ID card as priest picture which can be viewed at ;

( http://www.themodernreligion.com/convert/convert_KLJ.htm )


Kenneth L. Jenkins
Former Minister and Elder of Church, Indiana USA

As a former minister and elder ofthe Christian church, it has become incumbent upon me to enlighten those that continue to walk in darkness. After embracing Islam I felt a dire need to help those who have not yet been blessed to experience the light of Islam.
I thank Almighty God, Allah, for having mercy upon me, causing me to come to know the beauty of Islam as taught by Prophet Muhammad and his rightly guided followers. It is only by the mercy of Allah that we receive true guidance and the ability to follow the straight path, which leads to success in this life and the Hereafter.

Praise be to Allah for the kindness shown to me by Shaykh 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baz upon my embracing Islam. I cherish and will pass on the knowledge gained from each meeting with him. There are many others who have helped me by means of encouragement and knowledge, but for fear of missing anyone, I will refrain from attempting to list them. Sufficient it is to say that I thank Almighty God, Allah, for each and every brother and sister that He has allowed to play a role in my growth and development as a Muslim.

I pray that this short work will be of benefit to all. I hope that Christians will find that there is yet i hope for the wayward conditions that prevail over the bulk of Christendom. The answers to Christian problems are not to be found with the Christians themselves, for they are, in most instances, the root of their own problems. Rather, Islam is the solution to the problems plaguing the world of Christianity,as well as the problems facing the so-called worldof religion as a whole. May Allah guide us all and reward us according to the very best of our deeds and intentions.

Abdullah Muhammad al-Faruque at-Ta'if, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Beginings
As a young boy I was raised with a deep fear of God. Having been partially raised by a grandmother who was a Pentecostal fundamentalist, the church became an integral part of my life at a very early age. By the time I had reached the age of six, I knew all too well the benefits awaiting me in Heaven for being a good little boy and the punishment awaiting in Hell for little boys who are naughty. I was taught by my grandmother that all liars were doomed to go to the Hellfire, where they would burn forever and ever.

My mother worked two full-time jobs and continued to remind me of the teachings given to me by her mother. My younger brother and older sister did not seem to take our grandmother's warnings of the Hereafter as seriously as I did. I recall seeing the full moon when it would take on a deep reddish hue, and I would begin to weep because I was taught that one of the signs of the end of the world would be that the moon would become red like blood. As an eightyear old child I began to develop such a fear at what I thought were signs in the heavens and on earth of Doomsday that I actually had nightmares of what the Day of Judgement would be like. Ourhouse was close to a set of railroad tracks, and trains passed by on a frequent basis. I can remember being awakened out of sleep by the horrendous sound of the locomotive's horn and thinking that I had died and was being resurrected after hearing the sound of the trumpet. These teachings were ingrained in my young mind through a combination of oral teachings and the reading of a set of children's books known asthe Bible Stoly.

Every Sunday we would go to church dressed in all of our finery. My grandfather was our means of transportation. Church would last for what seemed to me like hours. We would arrive at around eleven in the morning and not leave until sometimes three in the afternoon. I remember falling asleep in my grandmother's lap on many occasions. For a time my brother and I were permitted to leave church in between the conclusion of Sunday school and morning worship service to sit with our grandfather at the railway yard and watch the trains pass. He was not a churchgoer, but he saw to it thatmyEamily made it there every Sunday. Sometime later he suffered a stroke, which left him partiallyparalyzed, and as a result, we were unable to attend church od a regular basis. This period of time would be one of the most crucial stages of my development.
  

aenemy7

Rededication

I was relieved, in a sense, at no longer being able to attend church, but I would feel the urge to go on my own every now and then. At age sixteen I began attending the church of a friend whose father was the pastor. It was a small storefrontbuildingwith only my friend's family, myself, and another schoolmate as members. This went on for only several months before -the church closed down. After graduating from high school and entering the university I rediscovered my religious commitment and became fully immersed in Pentecostal teachings. I was baptized and "filled with the Holy Ghost," as the experience was then called. As a college student, I quickly became the pride of the church. Everyone had high hopes for me, and I was happy to once again be "on the road to salvation. "

I attended church every time its doors would open. I studied the Bible for days and weeks at a time. I attended lectures given by the Christian scholars of my day, and I acknowledged my call to the ministry at the age of 20. I began preaching and became well known very quickly. I was extremely dogmatic and believed that no one could receive salvation unless they were of my church group. I categorically condemned everyone who had not come to know God the way I had cometo knowHim. I was taught that Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) and God Almighty were one and the samething. I was taught that our church did not believe in the trinity but that Jesus (peace be upon him) was indeed the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I tried to make myself understand it even though I had to admit that I really did not fully understand it. As far as I was concerned, it was the only doctrine that made sense to me. I admired the holy dress ofthewomenandthe pious behavior of the men. I enjoyed practicing a doctrine where women were required to dress in garments covering themselves completely, not painting their faces with makeup, and carrying themselves as true ambassadors of Christ. I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had finally found the true path to eternal bliss. Iwould debate with anyone from a different church with different beliefs and would totally silence them with my knowledge of the Bible. I memorized hundreds of Biblical passages, and this became a trademark of my preaching. Yet, even though I felt assured of being on the right path, a part of me was still searching. I felt that there was an even higher truth to be attained.

I would meditate while alone and pray to God to lead me to the correct religion and to forgive me if what I was doing was wrong. I had neverhad any contact with Muslims. The only people I knew that claimed Islam as their religion were the followers of Elijah Muhammad, who were referred to by many as the "Black Muslims" or the "Lost-Found Nation." It was during this period in the late seventies that Minister Louis Farrakhan was well into rebuilding what was called "The Nation of Islam." Iwentto hear Minister Farrakhan speak at the invitation of a coworker and found it to be an experience that would change my life dramatically. I had never in my life heard another black man speak the way that he spoke. I immediately wanted to arrange a meeting with him to try to convert him to my religion. I enjoyed evangelizing, hoping to find lost souls to save from the Hellfire - no matter who they were.

After graduating from college I began to work on a full-time basis. As I was reaching the pinnacle of my ministry, the followers of Elijah Muhammad became more visible, and I appreciated their efforts in attempting to rid the black community of the evils that were destroying it from within. I beganto support them, in a sense, by buying their literature and even meeting with them for dialogue. I attended their study circles to find out exactly what they believed. As sincere as I knew many of them were, I could not buy the idea of God being a black man. I disagreed with their use of the Bible to support their position on certain issues. Here was a book that I knewvery well, and I was deeply disturbed atwhatIdeemed was their misinterpretation of it. I had attended locally supported Bible schools and had become quite knowledgeable in various fields of Bible study.

After about six years I moved to Texas and became affiliated with two churches. The first church was led by a young pastor who was inexperienced and not very learned. My knowledge of the Christian scriptures had by this time developed into something abnormal. I was obsessed with Biblical teachings. I began to look deeper into the scriptures and realized that I knew more than the present leader. As a show of respect, I left and joined another church in a different city where I felt that I could learn more. The pastor of this particular church was very scholarly. He was an excellent teacher but had some ideas that were not the norm in our church organization. He held somewhat liberal views, but I still enjoyed his indoctrination. I was soon to learn the most valuable lesson of my Christian life, which was "all that glitters is not gold." Despiteitsoutwardappearance,there were evils taking place that I never thought were possible in the Church. These evils caused meto reflect deeply, and I began questioning the teaching to which I was so dedicated.

aenemy7

Welcome to the Real Church World

I soon discovered that there was a great deal of jealousy prevalent in the ministerial hierarchy. Things had changed from that to which I was accustomed. Women wore clothing that I thought was shameful. People dressed in order to attract attention, usually from the opposite sex. I discovered just how great a part money and greed play in the operation of church activities. There were many small churches struggling, and they called upon us to hold meetings to help raise money for them. I wastoldthatifa church did not have a certain numberofmembers, then I was not to waste my time preaching there because I would not receive ample financial compensation. I then explained that I was not in it for the money and that I would preach even if there was only one member present... and I'd do it for free! This caused a disturbance. I started questioning those whom I thought had wisdom, only to find that they had been putting on a show. I learned that money, power and position were more important than teaching the truth about the Bible. As a Bible student, I knew full well that there were mistakes, contradictions and fabrications. I thought that people should be exposed to the truth about the Bible. The idea of exposing the people to such aspects of the Bible was a thought supposedly attributable to Satan. But I began to publicly ask my teachers questions during Bible classes, which none of them could answer. Not a single one could explainhowiesus was supposedly God, and how, at the same time, he was supposedly the Father, Son and Holy Ghost wrapped up into one and yet wasnotapartofthe trinity. Several preachers finally had to concede that they did not understand it but thatwewere simply required to believe it.

Cases of adultery and fornication went unpunished. Some preachers were hooked on drugs and had destroyed their lives and the livesoftheir families. Leaders of some churches were found to be homosexuals. There were pastors even guilty of committing adultery with the young daughters of other church members. All of this coupledwitha failure to receive answers to what I thought were valid questions was enough to make me seek a change. That change came when I accepted a job in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  
  

A New Begining

It was not long after arriving in Saudi Arabia that I saw an immediate difference inthelifestyleofthe Muslim people. They were different from the followers of Elijah Muhammad and Minister Louis Farrakhan in that they were of all nationalities, colors and languages. I immediately expressed a desireto learn more about this peculiar brand of religion. I was amazed with the life of Prophet Muhammad and wanted to know more. I requested books from one of the brothers who was active in calling people to Islam. I was supplied with all of the books that I could possibly want. I read each and every one. I was then given the Holy Qur'an and read it completely several times within four months. I asked question after question and received satisfactory answers. What appealed to me was that the brothers were not keen on impressing me with their knowledge. If a brother did not know how to answer a question, he would tell me that he simply did not know and would have to check with someone who did. The next day he would always bring the answer. I noticed how humility played such a great role in the lives of these mysterious people of the Middle East.

I was amazed to see the women covering themselves from face to foot. I did not see any religious hierarchy. No one was competing for any religious position. All of this was wonderful, but how could I entertain the thought of abandoning a teaching that had followed me since childhood? What about the Bible? I knew that there is some truth in it even though it had been changed and revised countless numbers of times. I was then given a video cassette of a debate between Shaykh Ahmed Deedat and Reverend Jimmy Swaggart. After seeing the debate I immediately became a Muslim. (To see this debate thru' RealAudio for yourself, click HERE)

I was taken to the office of Shaykh 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baz to officially declare my acceptance of Islam. It was there that I was given sound advice on how to prepare myself for the long journey ahead. It was truly a birth from darkness into light. I wondered what my peers fromthe Church would think when they heard that I had embraced Islam. It was not long before I found out. I went back to the United States for vacation and was severely criticized for my "lack of faith." I was stamped with many labels - from renegade to reprobate. People were told by so-called church leaders not to even remember me in prayer. As strange as it may seem, I was not bothered in the least. I was so happy that Almighty God, Allah, had chosen to guide me aright that nothing else mattered.

Now I only wanted to become as dedicated a Muslim as I was a Christian. This, of course, meant study. I realized that a person could grow as much as they wanted to in Islam. Thereis no monopoly of knowledge - it is free to all who wish to avail themselves of the opportunities to learn. I was given a set of Saheeh Muslim as a gift from my Qur'an teacher. It was then that I realized the need to learn about the life, sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad . I read and studied as many of the hadlth collections available in English as possible. I realized that my knowledge of the Bible was an asset that is now quite useful in dealing with those of Christian backgrounds. Life for me has taken on an entirely new meaning. One of the most profound attitude changes is a result ofknowingthatthislife must actually be spent in preparation for life in the Hereafter. It was also a new experience to know that we are rewarded even for our intentions. If you intend to do good, then you are rewarded. Itwas quite different in the Church. The attitude wasthat "the path to Hell is paved with good intentions." There was no way to win. Ifyousinned,thenyou had to confess to the pastor, especially if the sin was a great sin, such as adultery. You were judged strictly by your actions.
  

The Present and Future

After an interview by the Al-Madinah newspaper I was asked about my present-day activities and plans for the future. At present, my goal is to learn Arabic and continue studying to gain greater knowledge about Islam. I am presentlyengaged inthefield-of da'wah and am called upon to lecture to non-Muslims who come from Christian backgrounds. If Allah, Almighty, spares my life, I hope to write more on the subject of comparative religion.

It is the duty of Muslims throughout the world to work to spread the knowledge of Islam. As one who has spent such a long time as a Bible teacher, I feel a special sense of duty in educating people about the errors, contradictions and fabricated talesofabook believed in by millions of people. One of the greatest joys is knowing that I do not have to engage in a great deal of dispute with Christians, because I was a teacher who taught most of the disputetechniques used by them. I also learned how to argue using the Bible to defend Christianity. And at the same time I know the counter arguments for each argument which we, as ministers, were forbidden by our leadersto discuss or divulge.

It is my prayer that Allah will forgive us all of our ignorance and guide us to the path leading to Paradise. All praise is due to Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His last messenger, Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions, and those following true guidance.

( http://www.themodernreligion.com/convert/convert_KLJ.htm )

Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall....

aenemy7

This is an article discussing about the tactics used by missionaries in India and Asia....check it out;

( http://www.kentaxrecords.com/iac ... 8&type=articles )


In Asia, some Christian groups spread supplies and the word

January 10, 2005, 2:14 am

BY JIM REMSEN
Knight Ridder Newspapers
PHILADELPHIA - (KRT)
Kansas City Star
Posted on Sun, Jan. 09, 2005

As Western humanitarian organizations unleash an armada of relief supplies and workers into Asia's crisis zone, some evangelical Christian groups aim to bring the Gospel to the victims, as well.

Religious groups promise to be a major presence in the massive relief and reconstruction effort. InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based nongovernment organizations, reports that of its 55 member agencies providing tsunami aid, 22 are faith-based.

Most of the religious players, including the Red Cross, the American Jewish World Service, and Lutheran World Relief, have rules against proselytizing.

But some evangelical groups active in Asia, including the Southern Baptists' International Mission Board, Gospel for Asia, and the Christian and Missionary Alliance, say the Bible always impels them to create converts to the faith.

"This (disaster) is one of the greatest opportunities God has given us to share his love with people," said K.P. Yohannan, president of the Texas-based Gospel for Asia. In an interview, Yohannan said his 14,500 "native missionaries" in India, Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands are giving survivors Bibles and booklets about "how to find hope in this time through the word of God."

In Krabi, Thailand, a Southern Baptist church had been "praying for a way to make inroads" with a particular ethnic group of fishermen, according to Southern Baptist relief coordinator Pat Julian. Then came the tsunami, "a phenomenal opportunity" to provide ministry and care, Julian told the Baptist Press news service.

In Andhra Pradesh, India, a plan is developing to build "Christian communities" to replace destroyed seashore villages. In a dispatch that the evangelical group Focus on the Family posted on its Family.org Web site, James Rebbavarapu of India Christian Ministries said a team of U.S. engineers had agreed to help design villages of up to 400 homes each, "with a church building in the center of them."

Not all evangelicals agree with these tactics.

"It's not appropriate in a crisis like this to take advantage of people who are hurting and suffering," said the Rev. Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan's Purse and son of evangelist Billy Graham.

Samaritan's Purse is rushing $4 million in sanitation, food, medical and housing supplies to its teams in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. But Graham, in a phone interview from his North Carolina headquarters, said there were no plans to hand out Christian literature with the relief.

"Maybe another day, if they ask why I come, I'd say, `I'm a Christian and I believe the Bible tells me to do this,'" Graham said. "But now isn't the time. We have to save lives."

As Graham knows, laws and customs in non-Christian lands also can inhibit proselytizing. Plans by Samaritan's Purse and other evangelical groups to join postwar reconstruction efforts in Iraq in 2003 raised concerns that they would violate Muslim bans on proselytizing and undercut U.S. efforts to improve ties with the Islamic world.

Yohannan said Sri Lankan officials are "extremely angry" with Christian missionary work and want to outlaw proselytizing. Some states in southern India have anti-conversion laws that bar "fraudulent manipulation," he said, adding: "I cannot tell you there is a hell awaiting you because it can be interpreted as a fear tactic." But one of the states, Tamil Nadu, recently repealed its law, and others don't enforce theirs, Yohannan said.

Indonesia, a major arena of relief work, does not ban evangelizing, said Riaz Saehu, spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy in Washington.

Though the country has a Muslim majority, Saehu said, it accords official status to Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism and Buddhism, and "people can do whatever to try to influence others."

Grass-roots resistance may be a greater impediment to evangelists. Saehu said residents of the hard-hit Aceh province are strict Muslims who "couldn't accept (missionary) activities regardless of the law." Yohannan said Hindu and Muslim extremists have burned Bibles and beaten pastors from his churches in the past.

"It's a very sensitive issue," Saehu said.

The U.S. government has said it hopes American tsunami aid improves its image abroad, particularly with Muslims. At the same time, it has not tried to impede evangelical efforts, nor has it received complaints about them, State Department spokesman Edgar Vasquez said.

"We can't control them," Vasquez said. "They are free to do what they're going to do."

Meanwhile, other religious relief groups eschew evangelizing. Many are signatories of a Red Cross-Red Crescent code of conduct that requires, among other things, that aid "not be used to further a particular political or religious standpoint."

Church World Service, the humanitarian arm of the National Council of Churches, is among the signatories.

"We carry out our work as a calling as Christians, but it's not carried out based on any form of proselytization," said Rick Augsberger, director of the agency's emergency-response program. Faith issues might be shared informally, he said, "but not as an objective."


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall...

aenemy7

Check this article,it's about some organization mixing missionaries work with aid...hmmm i'll think the tsunami tragedy issue was also being used by the missionaries,this is what the article is about!!!!here it is...

( http://www.kentaxrecords.com/iac ... 4&type=articles )


Christian Relief Groups: Some organizations mix missionary work with aid

January 10, 2005, 2:10 am

By Janice D'Arcy
Sun Staff
Originally published January 8, 2005
The Baltimore Sun

Some evangelical groups are mixing Christian missionary work with humanitarian aid in countries ravaged by the tsunamis and earthquake, a provocative approach shunned by the majority of faith-based relief organizations.

Spreading faith this way can antagonize the people they're trying to help, and there's evidence of concern among Muslims, Hindus and others. But evangelical leaders say they define humanitarian aid as having a spiritual component.

Aid should "share the love of Christ," said the Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the Rev. Billy Graham and the outspoken leader of Samaritan's Purse, which is shipping shelter materials and other emergency donations to Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Of the victims and their families, he said Wednesday in an interview, "I would hope that they would come to know the God I know."

The notion of sharing "the love of Christ" can take many forms: adoptions of orphaned children, religious pamphlets tucked into relief kits. Sometimes it's establishing relationships in the hope of future influence. "They will not give up the goal of church planting," said Scott Moreau, editor of Evangelical Missions Quarterly and a Wheaton College professor.

Baltimore-based World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, is focused on humanitarian aid while looking for opportunities to later encourage conversions in southern Asia.

World Relief spokesman Chris Pettit cited as a model the group's work helping war-ravaged Cambodians in the early 1990s. Long after the crisis, World Relief workers revived their relationships with residents and encouraged them to build churches. Pettit said there are now 300 churches in the Cambodian areas where they worked.

"Historically, the best approach is to provide help and build trust, and then through that trust, opportunities arise. We plant the seeds," he said.

That philosophy is at odds with the faith-based relief agencies that deliver aid for aid's sake, such as the Christian relief agency World Vision and Catholic Relief Services. "They consider the very fact that they're there and compassionate as a viable form of Christian witness without having to convert people," Moreau said.

Centuries-old debate

The debate is centuries old, said Richard Wood, a former Yale Divinity School dean who now leads the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia.

Going back to at least the 16th century when the Jesuits and Franciscans fought over their approach to working in China, Wood said, religious groups have argued about how to deliver humanitarian aid. One side supports deference to indigenous religions and cultures; the other seeks an opportunity to spread its religious message.

Today, the majority of faith-based relief groups embrace the cultural deference model. By all accounts, the same is true for those groups working now in southern Asia.

InterAction, an umbrella organization that coordinates the largest relief agencies, including the most widely recognized faith-based groups, does not explicitly prohibit proselytizing. But it does expect its members to respect the "cultural, religious and political customs" in the countries where they work.

Number unknown

Quantifying the number of evangelical relief workers in the region is difficult, given that few belong to larger coordinating groups and that missionary groups may include large numbers of local residents. But there is evidence that they have a significant presence there.

Moreau, who edited the Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, said that before the tsunami, India was host to more than 100 missionary agencies, Indonesia at least 70 and Sri Lanka at least 25.

When disaster struck, the dozens of staff and thousands of indigenous members affiliated with these agencies were in the region and ready to deliver aid.

Texas-based Gospel for Asia, for instance, reported that many of its members in India immediately converged on disaster areas. Gospel for Asia's president, K.P. Yohannan, pledged in a letter to members that workers are "rushing much-needed aid and the love of God to millions of Asians."

Graham, for his part, is departing for the region next week to witness his group's work. He is blunt about the importance of his group's work and the work of Christians in general. "If we are going to depend on Muslims to go in and help Muslims, well, they aren't coming," Graham said.

Emotional reaction

The reaction of some non-Christians in and from the region is visceral.

An anonymous electronic text message spread through Indonesia this week captured a glimmer of the anxieties. "Please ask among friends who would like to adopt orphans from Aceh. 300 orphans coming soon. Need Muslim homes. Christian missionaries want them. Pls help!" it read.

That message caused such an uproar that the government pledged to try to reunite the Aceh province's orphaned children with family members, the Indonesian Embassy said yesterday.

At the same time, groups such as Indians Against Christian Aggression are sending out a steady stream of stories that tell of overzealous missionaries exploiting vulnerable non-Christians. Headlines on the group's Web site yesterday included "Christian Missionaries Seek Converts Amidst Tsunami Victims" and "Evangelist Comes Looking For Orphans in a 747 Boeing."

Though the stories tend to exaggerate or sensationalize, they are finding an audience.

On one message group for Southeast Asians this week, a Minnesota Hindu proposed a protest of a benefit that would send proceeds to a Christian group - even though the group, World Vision, does not proselytize.

That is precisely what relief workers fear most.

'Not good on both sides'

"It's not good on both sides," said Rizwan Mowlana, a Gaithersburg Muslim who said he lost 42 members of his family when the tsunami flooded Sri Lanka.

Mowlana works with the Council on American-Islamic Relations and has also established his own nondenominational relief agency in the tsunami aftermath. He calls the proselytizing groups "predatory," but he said it may be best to ignore them.

"It's not something we should talk about because people may get scared and stop donating."


Allah Knows Best,Peace Yall...........

Originally posted by aenemy7 at 26-11-2004 12:56 PM:
There's something goin on there which u don't wanna know....if im not wrong(please someone confirm this), they teach about how to take over the nation from small groups to a larger scale of groups! ...

Yes, i also heard this kind of their latest tactics...they are now try to do "all out" in their missionary/zionist tactics...may be they know " something" will happen in a nearby  time...

this is my first time in this thread, but i think my gut feeling is right...there is something fishy with this thread...dont you think that some of the forumners have been paid to be involved in this thread discussion?....

so if thats the situation, i hope the muslim community should be alert about that....

DivinePonytail

Debmey, allow me,

THE QUESTIONS NOBODY WANTS TO ANSWER
(Taken from "Bible A Closer Look!")  - By snipersnake

I'll answer 1 by 1

1. What about the Bible? Who actually wrote it?

Old Testament
---------------------
Genesis,Exodus, Leviticus,Numbers & Deuteronomy - Moses
Joshua -Joshua
Judges,Ruth, First Samuel - Samuel
Second Sammuel - Ezra
First Kings,2nd Kings - Jeremiah
First Chronicles,2nd chronocles, Ezra - Ezra
Nehemiah - Nehemeiah
Esther - Mordecai
Job - Job

Psalm - Son of Korah wrote Psalms 42, 44-49, 84-85, 87;
        Asaph wrote Psalms 50, 73-83; Heman wrote Psalm 88;
        Ethan wrote Psalm 89; Hezekiah wrote Psalms 120-123, 128-130, 132, 134-136;
        Solomon wrote Psalms 72, 127.

Proverbs - Solomon wrote 1-29
           Agar wrote 30
           Lemuel wrote 31

Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon - Solomon
Isaiah - Isaiah
jeremiah,Lamentations - Jeremiah
Ezekiel - Ezekiel
Daniel - Daniel
Hosea - Hosea
Joel - Joel
Amos - Amos
Obadiah - Obadiah
Jonah - Jonah
Micah - Micah
Nahum - Nahum
Habakkuk - Habakkuk
Zephaniah - Zephaniah
Haggai - Haggai
Zechariah - Zechariah
Malachi -Malachi

New Testament
-----------------------
Matthew - Matthew
Mark - John Mark
Luke - Luke
John - John
Acts - Luke

Romans1,Corinthians2,Corinthians,Galatians,Ephesians
Philippians,Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians - Paul
1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

Hebrews- Paul, Apollos

James - James, half brother of Jesus

1 Peter, 2 Peter - Peter

1 John, 2 John, 3 John - John

Jude - Jude, half brother of Jesus

[ Last edited by DivinePonytail on 16-1-2005 at 11:09 AM ]

DivinePonytail

2. What was the original language of the Bible? (Hebrew? Aramaic? Koine Greek?)
- The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, and the New Testament was written in Greek.

3. Does the Bible exist in the original form anywhere on earth? (No)
- But the fact is that the Bible has not been rewritten. Take the New Testament, for example. The disciples of Jesus wrote the New Testament in Greek and though we do not have the original documents, we do have around 6,000 copies of the Greek manuscripts that were made very close to the time of the originals. These various manuscripts, or copies, agree with each other to almost 100 percent accuracy.  Statistically, the New Testament is 99.5% textually pure.  That means that there is only 1/2 of 1% of of all the copies that do not agree with each other perfectly.  But, if you take that 1/2 of 1% and examine it, you find that the majority of the "problems" are nothing more than spelling errors and very minor word alterations.  For example, instead of saying Jesus, a variation might be "Jesus Christ."  So the actual amount of textual variation of any concern is extremely low.  Therefore, we can say that we have a remarkably accurate compilation of the original documents.

4. Why does the Catholic Bible has seven (7) more books than the Protestant Bible?
-  This is true, the catholic bible have 46 Old testament books  than protestant bible which is 39. These extra book is called by catholics as deuteracanon or second canon, while the protestant called it the apocrypha  (a non canonical book).
   Catholic Bibles contain all the books that have been traditionally accepted by Christians since Jesus