Islamic Imperialism

The greatest challenge to "peace on earth" and the greatest enemy of the Prince of Peace is, undoubtedly, radical Islam.
I just finished reading Islamic Imperialism: A History by Efraim Karsh, who is a professor of history at King's College, London. Karsh says that, "Whereas Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, Muhammad used God's name to build an earthly kingdom" (p. 7). Then he proceeds to show how it has always been the dream of Muslims to conquer the world, by force if necessary. Karsh consistently shows this stream of what he calls "Islamic Imperialism," or the desire to conquer the world for Islam, from the time of Muhammad and the early caliphates who conquered much of Africa and southern Europe, all the way to Ayatollah Khomeini, Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. He shows that this understanding of jihad is not an isolated extreme view, but is very mainstream through Muslim culture.
Karsh says, "If, today, America is reviled in the Muslim world, it is not because of its specific policies but because, as the preeminent world power, it blocks the final realization of the age-old dream of regaining the lost glory of the caliphate" (p. 239). In other words, there is nothing we can do to make radicalized Muslims love us or make peace with us. They will only be satisfied with our complete submission to Islam.
A frightening but important book that teaches a difficult lesson that all Christians and Westerners need to understand.
However, I should point out that not all Muslims are radicalized. My father was pastor of a Baptist church in Israel for several years, and their experience was that more Arabs are open to accepting Christ than Jews! There are actually more Baptist churches in Israel that are Arab congregations, than Messianic Jewish churches.
So we should not give up on radical Muslims. Rather, it should be a call to fervent prayer for the conversion of Muslims to Christ. This may seem impossible to us, but Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
Saul of Tarsus was a Jew who was radicalized in his opposition to Christianity. But when he finally came to Christ, he became the greatest missionary of the early church. Let us pray that God will do a similar work among the Muslim world.

Defending our church from attack

Below is the text of a letter to the editor that I sent to the Effingham Now newspaper defending our church. I think it is self-explanatory.
UPDATE: This letter was printed in the Dec. 27, 2007 issue of the Effingham Now. You can read it on their website here.

Dear Editor,

I was not surprised by the personal comments against me by the pro-liquor crowd in your newspaper's Effingham Now Vox Populi (Dec. 13, 2007), but you also printed an attack on my church that bordered on libel. You printed bald-faced lies about our church: that we manipulate people, that we don't do anything to help the community, that we don't encourage new people to join our church, and that if you're a nobody, don't bother joining us. None of that is true. You did not call our church for a response; you just printed this attack under the anonymous Vox Populi. Although the vox merely said "a church," how can anybody conclude it was any other church than First Baptist of Rincon when it was immediately after two other vox statements that attacked the church’s pastor by name?

A former member told me that she sent in a response to vox to defend us, so I waited a week for her response, but it was not printed. I cannot sit by silently any longer without responding to lies about the church that I love and serve.

1. We do not manipulate people. I have a few church members who disagree with me about the liquor issue, and we have discussed the matter lovingly and calmly, without any threats.

2. First Baptist Church of Rincon spends thousands of dollars every year helping the needy in the community with utilities, etc. Our church provided a totally free Harvest Festival on October 31 for the community that was attended by 1,500 people. This Thanksgiving, our church provided 100 needy families a free Thanksgiving meal. Our youth and college students constantly do acts of kindness, such as when they gave away 1,000 bottles of free water at the Rincon Fourth of July parade. Our senior adult choir goes to sing at the Effingham Nursing Home every month. We have a family counseling center that is open to the public. I could go on and on listing things that our church does in the community.

3. Our church has an active weekly evangelistic outreach, regularly inviting new people to join our church. Nearly every week new people join our church.

4. Our church is open to all races and economic backgrounds, and we currently have African-American, Asian and Hispanic people attending our church.

So as you can see, the vox comments about our church printed in your newspaper are not only false, but they are the complete opposite of the truth. While I respect the right of the people to express various opinions, I have no respect for the faceless “voice” of one person to openly lie about a church, nor do I respect a newspaper that would print such anonymous comments.

12-year-old talks about his pet and God

Beware of "The Golden Compass"

A new movie opening December 7 appears to be similar to The Chronicles of Narnia in TV ads. The similarity is deliberate, but deceptive.
The story opens with a girl getting lost in a wardrobe (sounds like "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," doesn't it?) but the message she finds is the opposite of Narnia's.
The Golden Compass is based on the "His Dark Materials" book trilogy by agnostic writer Philip Pullman. Pullman says that he hates the Narnia books. "If there is a God," says Pullman, "and he is as the Christians describe him, then he deserves to be put down and rebelled against."
So in this movie, the church is the evil empire to be opposed, and the "good guys," according to Pullman's movie, are those who oppose the church. In one scene, a witch actually says that every church is the same, trying to destroy every good feeling.
The Golden Compass exalts homosexuality, evolution, divination, witchcraft, and premarital sex. Suffice to say, this movie is poison for children. Want to know more? Read the review at "Plugged In Online."
If the kids want to see a good movie, take them to see Enchanted instead.