http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/2008/03/neocons.html
Neconism is an attitude latent in each one of us, and not a group or certain people.
Every group, religious or otherwise is composed of the good, bad and the ugly; we can further classify them into pacifist, peacemakers, saints, fundamentalist, conservatives, liberals, terrorists, extremists, fanatics, good people and every possible category.
Bad apples are part of the mix you get; you’ll find them in Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and all other religions. They are part of every possible mix from the board room, to City council, to executive committees, religious meetings, social meetings, cultural meeting... bad apples are going to be there, it is a part of the whole.
Neocons are people who act and talk contrary to the very belief they claim to espouse. It is their way or no way. Their attitudes are shaped by the fear that their life is at risk if others exist, if they can, they would wipe every one off from the face of the earth who ever differs from them. They manufacture imaginary enemies as Samuel Hunington had crafted the myth of Clash of Civilizations. They are intolerant and an insecure group of men. They trust their Gun power but invoke God in vain, they do not have an appetite for dialogue, they are afraid to listen to another point of view. They are chaotic and desperate souls.
Neocons are mindless butchers. They chop up God into bits and pieces, and their bit of God is supreme to other pieces. They are a bunch of "me, me and me" babies and everthing is for them and not for others to have.
They pretend that God is on their side, and has exclusively given them the permission or at to dominate, control, monopolize and influence the resources that God has created for the benefit of his creation. They know what is good for others, they want to have it all. And finally, the Neocons do not value other people's life.
The Neocon variety exists in every group;
1. They are among Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and others.
2. They are in business of maligning other groups for their gains.
3. They live in hallucinations that their group is right and others are wrong.
4. They tell a bold face lie to the public at large like the WMD's.
5. They are in it for money, but pretent to save their community.
6. They frighten the crap out of you with their cooked up stories and documentaries
7. Their only interest is them and monies funneling to them.
The imaginary societal make up every imaginable group including Atheists;
95.00% Moderates - they mind their own business and have no problems with others
02.40% Liberals - they stretch the limits of the traditions
00.10% Ultra Liberals - Me, me an me - no rules
02.40% Conservatives - They want to hang on to the traditions
00.10% Neocons - Me, me, and me - everyone is wrong, I am right, my way or no way.
100.0% Total
I will continue to break this down into further orientations. If I get the time to do a survey research, I will do it, but Gallup or some one can pick this and do the work to prove or disprove this or find the numbers. These are merely my guesstimates.
Offensive and Mis-representative phrases;
Neocon is a word I will be using to describe the extremists in every group;
Islamist V. Islam
Islamist is a small band of individuals who fit the description of Neocons above. They do not follow their own religion, yet claim to own it. Where as Islam is a religion, like all other religions and it fits the description of religion above. Make no mistake about it; the Islamists unabashedly violate the very principles of Islam they claim to protect.
Islamist no more; they will be called Neocon-Muslims.
Hindutva V. Hinduism
Hindutva is a political group driven by a few individuals, who fit the description of Neocons above. Where as Hinduism is a religion of co-existence, like all other religions and fits the description of religion above. Make no mistake about it; the Hindutva forces unabashedly violate the very principles of Hinduism they claim to protect.
Hindutva no more; they will be called Neocon-Hindus.
Necons V. Christianity
Neocons are defined above. Christianity is the religion of love and none of the Neocons who unashamedly wear the label of religion follow the teachings of Christ. Make no mistake about it; the Neocon forces unabashedly violate the very principles Jesus taught, they claim to protect.
Neocons no more; they will be called Necon-Christians.
Zionism V. Judaism
Zionism in its simplest form is the desire of the Jews in diaspora to live in their home land, indeed, that is the desire of most people; to be at home where they feel secure. Zionism encapsulates the dream of the Jewish people to have a homeland; it is an idea of life for the people. The Word Zionism conjures up different images to different people, we have to accept that bad elements are in every group, whether Zionism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or others, we cannot brand the whole group for the acts of few, this amounts to stereotyping and it is wholesale prejudice.
Islamist is a bad word to lump all Muslims, or Hindutva is a bad word to lump all Hindus, we cannot lump all Zionists as a bad people for the acts of a few. As a Muslim and as a Pluralist, I will do my part to keep people from stereotyping others, however, we all (people of all faiths) need to join and do a combined education. No Muslim should smile when some one is bashing Judaism, no Jew should gloat if some one is bashing Muslims, or Hinduism or Christianity, that is downright stupid and not religious at all.
The word Zionism word will be used to describe the dreams of Jewish people and to describe the extremists among them, we have the right word; Neocon Jews.
Zionist no more; they will be called Neocon- Jews or Neocon-Zionists
Some of these Necons gang up to be against their perceived common enemy, frienships should be based on the good things they can do together.
~~~~
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Wilders, Fitna and Muslims
By Mike Ghouse & Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh
This is a Muslim response to Geert Wilders documentary called "Fitna".
There are 14 mis-translated verses of Qur'aan in the movie that are listed along with the correct translation.
“Geert Wilders, Dutch conservative lawmaker, has made a sixteen minute film called "Fitna" (trouble) exposing the horrific passages of the Koran. Wilders refers to theses selected verses as “fascist.’” http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/29496.html
First of all, as a Muslim, I want to thank Geert Wilders for making this documentary, the verses, as he has quoted certainly sound fascist. These verses have not only been misquoted for millennia, but were mis-translated with the intent of maligning Islam in the middle ages to protect the European kings and their kingdoms. My gratitude to Wilders comes from the fact that he is putting it on the spot light, so we have an opportunity to discuss and clarify them, hopefully for ever.
Prophet Muhammad was pelted with stones by a bunch of miscreants, he was bleeding, and his associates and angel Gabriel were requesting him to give permission to go get the bad boys, the Prophet said no, instead he asked them to pray with him that God gave goodwill and a good sense to the misled miscreants.
Following the model of forgiveness given by the Prophet with a belief that there is good in every human soul, we have to relentlessly stoke the goodness in humans. I ask fellow humans in general and Muslims in particular to pray for Geert Wilders’ safety and well being.
Mr. Wilders, I have personally prayed for your safety and well being and request our Imams to do the same across the world. The report expressed that "You do not fear being slain, claiming 24-hour protection." Again, I admire you for your courage and conviction and request you to consider the truth side of the equation that nearly 1.5 billion Muslims believe.
Note to the Muslim Leadership:
As Muslims leaders, we have a responsibility to prevent mis-haps. To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker; one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for co-existence and world peace - God wants his creation to be in peace and harmony, and that is the chief purpose of religion. Islam is indeed peace.
Geert Wilder's is going to show a 10 minute documentary on the 25th - the hell may freeze over and all of us will be scrambling to defend.... if our Imams can address this in the Friday Sermons, and urge Muslims to follow the model Prophet has created, we can avoid a big mishap and turn this upcoming nightmare into a peace building effort. I request all Imams to call their counterparts around the globe to win this propaganda war with love and kindness and it is an opportunity God has provided to become leaders. If you like, please circulate.
A Prelude to Qur'aan Translations:
When the European Kings were threatened by the invading Arab armies in early part of the millennia, to safeguard and protect their Kingdoms, they gave birth to the idea of Islamophobia and their strategy was:
1. To label the Invading Kings as Muslim, as that was one of the ways to get their subjects to fight.
2. To mis-translate the Qur'aan to create a permanent wedge between the two communities
3. To paint the religion negatively and as a Mohammedan cult.
4. To reinforce this strategy they roped in the Pope to issue a fatwa approving crusades.
Their Blueprint worked well for them and the Arab Kings were pushed back and defeated. It is important to note that a majority of the kings were thieves and robbers, whose only purpose in life was to invade and annex the neighboring territories, loot their wealth, destroy their cultures and come back home stronger and erect a statue of themselves as Heroes. Very few of them wanted to spread their faith for the purpose of spreading piety and goodwill. Their goal was to control the resources and the people; in the process they destroyed civilizations, no different than today's Neocons.
The Neocons of middle ages were exceptionally successful in steering public opinion against Islam via the translations. The foundation they laid at that time has become the basis for building baseless theories against Islam. The kings happened to be Muslims that they were against, instead their propaganda turned against all Muslims and Islam.
Dahlia Sabry is researching on the effects of this work and reports that " it was found out that translating the meanings of the holy Qur'aan offered an opportunity to distort and misinterpret its meanings. This played a crucial role in framing a negative and an inaccurate image of Islam. The problem can be ascribed mostly to translations by non-Muslims, however, also partially to translations by Muslims."
Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete (English: "Law of Mahomet the pseudo-prophet") was the first translation of the Qur'aan into Latin by Robert of Ketton in 1142. Peter the Venerable persuaded Robert to join a team he was creating to translate Arabic works into Latin in hopes of aiding the religious conversion of Muslims to Christianity. It was the standard translation for Europeans from its release until the 18th century. This translation is loaded with inaccuracies.
Another Latin translation by Ludovicus Marracci was published in 1698. It was supplemented with quotes from Qur'an commentaries "carefully juxtaposed and sufficiently garbled so as to portray Islam in the worst possible light" (Colin Turner,1997 p. xii). The title of the introductory volume of such translation was A Refutation of the Qur'an.
Such translations formed the foundation for a number of subsequent translations into English, French, Italian, German, etc. The first English translation was that of Alexander Ross published in 1649. In his introduction, Ross says "I thought good to bring it to their colours, that so viewing thine enemies in their full body, thou must the better prepare to encounter … his Alcoran" (p. A3).
Similarly, H. Reckendorf (1857) says in his Hebrew translation of the Qur'an, "I can now stop writing and ask God's pardon for the sin I committed when I profaned our sacred language and transferred to it the talk of lies and falsehood" (as cited in Abdul Aal, January 29, 2006, p. 78).
In 1734, George Sale’s translation came out based on Marracci’s earlier notorious work. In 1861, J. M. Rodwell’s work provided a further example of a writer "gunning for Islam" (Turner, 1997, p. xii).
That was the story of Neocons who shamelessly wore the Christian label, similar inaccurate and brazen translations were made by Muslims as well. The Noble Qur'an, also informally known as the Hilali-Khan translation was published in early 1900's and is despicable. http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Not-like-Jews-and-Christians.asp
Religions emerged to allay individual fears and bring a balance in one's life and peace for the society. It is obvious that the Kings of the past have raped the religion to their own advantage and we must not give them the religious label. Their purpose was simply expansion, exertion and oppression and religion did not figure in the conquests, they were far from it.
It is time for us to strip the wrongs people have ascribed to religion, every religion, and get to know the truth. I am amazed neither the Universities, nor the responsible Governments have under taken research project to dismantle the false castles of hate from the past. It is time now, and we have begun this process.
Further Geert Wilders adds "When taking the Koran seriously as divine revelation, a superficial review of the Koran’s extremist verses is not what meshes with democracies."
All the fourteen verses quoted below have one theme in common "Punishment" for those who do not follow the rules. Mr. Geert may understand this better, if he were to look at it from an universal perspective and not as Islam V. Christianity issue.
One can find ‘punitive’ verses in every holy book. However, the critical element overlooked is the most powerful and dominant aspect of the creator; Qur'aan 1:1 "In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace." This verse is repeated 113 times in Qur’aan, more than any other verse.
For societies to function on equilibrium there must be law and order. When there is justice in a society, peace is a natural outcome. The Criminal and Civil laws are designed to bring net-peace to the society. For every violation of a rule, punishment is determined. If there were no punishment, then crimes go un-checked creating chaos in the society.
From a common man’s perspective, the word ‘painful doom’ appears to be cruelty coming from a kind God. Well, then what should hold any one from murdering and butchering the other. If you are a good guy who holds the temptations to steal someone else's hard earned goods, and the bad guys steal with no consequences to it, then every one may resort to stealing. What will happen to a society when every one is stealing, lying or cheating? No one would trust and everyone is frightened of the other.
Imagine the nightmare in America, if we were to remove the punishment aspect from the United States Constitution, civil and criminal laws.
Religions emerged to allay individual fears and bring a balance in one's life and peace for the society. It is time for us to strip the wrongs people have ascribed to religion, indeed every religion, and find the truth for ourselves. I cannot believe that the Universities and responsible Governments have not undertaken the research to dismantle the false castles of hate from the past.
We have undertaken the work to fix 60 misrepresented verses, hopefully to mitigate the conflicts and nurture goodwill for co-existence, as citizens of the world, you and I, every one included, have the responsibility to watch for the trouble makers whose business is manufacturing enemies and cashing in on fears of ordinary people.
The 14 Verses mis-translated in the Film Fitna
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Surah 9: Repentance
A full copy of the text from Geert Wilders is pasted at the bottom that includes 14 verse that sounds fascist, indeed they are as quoted. Actual verses from Qur'aan are pulled with each one of the 14 verses.
Mohammad Asad - http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/
1:1 In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
According to most of the authorities, this invocation (which occurs at the beginning of every surah with the exception of surah 9) constitutes an integral part of "The Opening" and is, therefore, numbered as verse I. In all other instances, the invocation "in the name of God" precedes the surah as such, and is not counted among its verses. - Both the divine epithets rahman and rahrim are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies "mercy", "compassion", "loving tenderness" and, more comprehensively, "grace". From the very earliest times, Islamic scholars have endeavoured to define the exact shades of meaning which differentiate the two terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I, 48): the term rahman circumscribes the quality of abounding grace inherent in, and inseparable from, the concept of God's Being, whereas rahrim expresses the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation-in other words, an aspect of His activity.(Quran Ref: 1:1 )
#1. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve. 3
Mohammad Asad - http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/ At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:3 And a proclamation from God and His Apostle [is herewith made] unto all mankind on this day of the Greatest Pilgrimage: "God disavows all who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and [so does] His Apostle. Hence, if you repent, it shall be for your own good; and if you turn away, then know that you can never elude God!" And unto those who are bent on denying the truth give thou [O Prophet] the tiding of grievous chastisement.
There is no unanimity among the commentators as to what is meant by "the day of the Greatest Pilgrimage". Most of them assume that it refers to the pilgrimage in the year 9H., in which the Prophet himself did not participate, having entrusted Abu Bakr with the office of amir al-hajj. This very fact, however, makes it improbable that the designation "the Greatest Pilgrimage" should have been given in the Qur'an to this particular pilgrimage. On the other hand, there exists a Tradition on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn `Umar to the effect that the Prophet described in these very words the last pilgrimage led by himself in 10 H. and known to history as the Farewell Pilgrimage (Zamakhshari, Razi); one may, therefore, assume that it is this which is alluded to here. If this assumption is correct, it would justify the conclusion that verses 3 and 4 of this surah were revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage, i.e., shortly before the Prophet's death. This might explain the-otherwise perplexing-statement, reliably attributed to the Prophet's Companion Al-Bara' (Bukhari, Kitab at-Tafsir), that At-Tawbah was the last surah revealed to the Prophet: for, although it is established beyond any doubt that the surah as a whole was revealed in 9 H. and was followed by several other parts of the Qur'an, e.g., Al-Ma'idah, it is possible that what Al-Bard' had in mind were only these two key-verses (3 and 4) of At-Tawbah, which conceivably were revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage.(Quran Ref: 9:3 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: This is a classic example of misinterpretation of the Quran. You needn’t look very far in understanding what the verse is talking about. The VERY NEXT VERSE talks about observing peace treaties and NOT attacking those people that weren’t a threat! Here is the verse: (9:4. Except those of the Mushrikin with whom you have a treaty, and who have broken that treaty, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty for them until the end of their term. Surely, Allah loves those who have Taqwa (awareness of God).)
Mike Ghouse: There is just a God, and there is no Muslim, Christian or other God. If Wilders can see one source of Creation called God, he would not have the problem. God is essentially saying if you have some one else besides me, go to him or her, don’t come to me if you don’t believe in me.
#2. Slay the idolaters wherever you find them. 5
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:5 And so, when the sacred months are over [6] , slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them, [7] and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place [8] ! Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace. [9]9:2 [Announce unto them:] "Go, then, [freely] about the earth for four months [2] -but know that you can never elude God, and that, verily, God shall bring disgrace upon all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!"
9:5 Article: http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Slay-the-idolaters-whereever-you-find-them.asp .
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The four months were given for the hostile people so that they can come and go peacefully amongst the Muslims and see what Islam is about. If it was not for them, they could leave the Holy Lands, and seek refuge elsewhere. If the whole purpose was killing and butchering them, then what is the purpose behind giving them four months??
# 3. Don't let idolaters tend the sanctuaries. Their works are in vain and they will be burned in the Fire. 17
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:17 IT IS NOT for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend [26] God's houses of worship, the while [by their beliefs] they bear witness against themselves that they are denying the truth. It is they whose works shall come to nought, and they who in the fire shall abide [27]
In its transitive form, the verb `amara comprises the meanings of both visiting and maintaining a place; hence my rendering of an ya'muru as "that they should visit or tend".(Quran Ref: 9:17 )
Some of the commentators conclude from this verse that "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God" are not allowed to enter mosques ("God's houses of worship"). This conclusion, however, is entirely untenable in view of the fact that in 9 H. -that is, after the revelation of this surah -the Prophet himself lodged a deputation of the pagan Banu Thaqif in the mosque at Medina (Razi). Thus, the above verse expresses no more than the moral incongruity of the unbelievers' "visiting or tending God's houses of worship". As regards their exclusion from the central mosque of Islam at Mecca ("the Inviolable House of Worship"), see verse 28 of this surah.(Quran Ref: 9:17 )
9:28 O YOU who have attained to faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure: [37] and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship from this year onwards [38] And should you fear poverty, then [know that] in time God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wills: [39] for, verily, God is all-knowing, wise!
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The whole purpose of all religions, including Judaism and Christianity is that God alone should be worshipped. If polytheists were allowed to tend to or attend or build the holiest sanctuaries whose whole foundation was on Tawheed (the sole worship of God), it would be a huge contradiction in the religion. So to avoid this contradiction and conflict, Islam very clearly outlines the rules about who could or couldn’t come to the Haram of Makkah.
Bear in mind that the Prophet himself hosted a delegation of Christian dignitaries and priests from Najran, whom he allowed to STAY and whom he allowed to PRAY in his own mosque in the Holy city of Madina, the second holiest site to all Muslims.
Mike Ghouse:: Those who do not believe in God, simply cannot serve in the sanctuary with sincerity. Obviously one feels the pain of doing things that which is not in his or her nature. Caveat: There is no compulsion in faith, no one can push any one to believe what he or she is not willing to.
#4. Give tiding of a painful doom to Christians and Jews. 34
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:34 O you who have attained to faith! Behold, many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men's possessions and turn [others] away from the path of God. But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of Gods [51] - give them the tiding of grievous suffering [in the life to come]:
Most probably this is, in the first instance, an allusion to the wealth of the Jewish and Christian communities, and their misuse of this wealth. Some of the commentators, however, are of the opinion that the reference is wider, comprising all people, including Muslims, who hoard their wealth without spending anything thereof on righteous causes.(Quran Ref: 9:34 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The purpose of religious leadership is to focus on the Hereafter, and they should lead by example is this respect. If they are seen to be hoarding wealth, and not distributing it to the poor and needy, what kind of example are they setting for their followers? Also bear in mind that the condemnation in this verse is the hoarding of ILLICITLY gained funds and riches.
Mike Ghouse: Another good example of misquoting the Verses. Indeed, those (not all) who embezzle public funds need to be punished, be it Muslim, Jew, Christian or otherwise. Those are the laws of any civilized nation including the Netherlands. In the verse 34, there is word like Christian and Jew.
Pasted below is the transliteration and actual Quranic verse.
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo inna katheeran mina alahbari waalrruhbani layakuloona amwala alnnasi bialbatili wayasuddoona AAan sabeeli Allahi waallatheena yaknizoona alththahaba waalfiddata wala yunfiqoonaha fee sabeeli Allahi fabashshirhum biAAathabin aleemin
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (9:34)
#5. If you refuse to fight, Allah will afflict you with a painful doom. 39
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:39 If you do not go forth to war [in God's cause], He will chastise you with grievous chastisement, and will place another people in your stead - whereas you shall in no wise harm Him: for, God has the power to will anything.
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The purpose of religious leadership is to focus on the Hereafter, and they should lead by example is this respect. If they are seen to be hoarding wealth, and not distributing it to the poor and needy, what kind of example are they setting for their followers? Also bear in mind that the condemnation in this verse is the hoarding of ILLICITLY gained funds and riches.
Mike Ghouse: In the USA, and perhaps in the Netherlands, these men are referred to as draft dodgers, during the Vietnam war if you dodge going to the war, you faced grievous chastisement by the Government of the United states of America, even though that was the wrong war. Perhaps Netherlands may not be sympathetic towards them either.
#6. Disbelievers go to hell. 49
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:49 And among them there was [many a one] who said," [71] Grant me permission [to remain at home], and do not put me to too hard a test!" Oh, verily, [by making such a request] they had [already failed in their test and] succumbed to a temptation to evil: [72] and, behold, hell will indeed encompass all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!
See verses 44 and 45 above. It is to be noted that both the verbal form la taftinni (rendered by me as "do not put me to too hard a test") and the noun fitnah have the same root, comprising a great complex of meanings: e.g., test, trial, affliction. temptation to evil, seduction, persecution, oppression, discord, civil strife, etc. (cf. surah 8, note 25). Since it is impossible in any language but Arabic to reproduce all these many shades of meaning in a single expression, the rendering of the term fitnah must necessarily vary in accordance with the context in which it is used.(Quran Ref: 9:49 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Here the analogy of the draft-dodgers is appropriate. Anyone who opposed or even voices dissent in the “war on terror” was labeled unpatriotic. But, here the verse is referring to those hypocrites who showed that they were Muslims in front, but internally held malice against the Muslims. Part of their malice was not supporting the Muslims in anything they did including fighting if the need was there. God chastises these people, as their negative actions raised disorder and disunity and pessimism and negativity amongst even the true Muslims.
Mike Ghouse: Any one who refuses to acknowledge the truth must be punished. I don’t know what kind of tortures Netherlands applies to criminals, but most nations in the world including the United States of American, has used the water boarding techniques to extract the truth.
God could have made us all sinless angels; instead he chose to make us humans, giving guidance on one hand, temptations on the other – then giving room to make mistakes, and room for correction. Islam has not claimed monopoly to heaven; it is assured to those who do good deeds. Good deeds are defined by Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) as how your treat others.
#7. Those who vex the Prophet, for them there is a painful doom. 60
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:60 The offerings given for the sake of God [83] are [meant] only for the poor and the needy, and those who are in charge thereof, [84] and those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage, and [for] those who are over burdened with debts, and [for every struggle] in God's cause, and [for] the wayfarer: [this is] an ordinance from God - and God is all-knowing, wise. [85]
Note 83/81: Since there is no English equivalent for the term sadaqat (sing. sadagah), I am rendering it here as "offerings given for the sake of God". This comprises everything that a believer freely gives to another person, out of love or compassion, as well as what he is morally or legally obliged to give, without expecting any worldly return: that is, charitable gifts and deeds of every description (which is the primary meaning of sadaqat -e.g., in 2:263 and 264), as well as the obligatory tax called zakah ("the purifying dues", because its payment purifies, as it were, a person's property from the taint of selfishness). In the context of the above verse, this term refers to the funds thus collected and administered by the Muslim community or state. When these funds are disbursed for the purposes stipulated in verse 60, they assume once more - this time in relation to the recipients-the aspect of "charitable gifts".(Quran Ref: 9:58 )
Note 84- I.e., the officials entrusted with the collection and administration of zakah funds.(Quran Ref: 9:60 Note 85: These eight categories circumscribe all the purposes for which zakah funds may be expended. By "those whose hearts are to be won over" are apparently meant such non-Muslims as are close to understanding and, perhaps, accepting Islam, and for whose conversion every effort should be made, either directly or indirectly (i.e., by means of the widest possible propagation of the teachings of Islam). As regards the expression fi 'r-rigab ("for the freeing of human beings from bondage"), which relates both to the ransoming of prisoners of war and to the freeing of slaves, see surah 2, note 146. The term al-gharimun describes people who are overburdened with debts contracted in good faith. which - through no fault of their own - they are subsequently unable to redeem. The expression "in God's cause" embraces every kind of struggle in righteous causes, both in war and in peace, including expenditure for the propagation of Islam and for all charitable purposes. Regarding the meaning of ibn as-sabil ("wayfarer"), see surah 2, note 145.(Quran Ref: 9:60 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: I don’t see anything that can be held as negative in the verse. It is simply talking about giving in charity, and that includes to non-muslims.
Mike Ghouse: Another falsity.
#8. Those who oppose Allah and His messenger will burn in the fire of hell. 63
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:63 Do they not know that for him who sets himself against God and His Apostle there is in store the fire of hell, therein to abide -that most awesome disgrace?
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: This verse was specifically for those hypocrites who raised their voices of dissent and fueled disunity amongst the Muslims. It is not a general verse for everyone. The next verse emphasizes this point.
Mike Ghouse: Once you pledge your allegiance, and then betray it to do harm, it is called treason. However, if you chose not to believe, but not hurt any one in the process, you go Scot free. Justness is paramount in Islamic values. This is no different than the civil laws of any nation.
# 9. Allah promises hypocrites and disbelievers the fire of hell. Allah curses them. They will have a lasting torment. 68
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:68 God- has promised the hypocrites, both men and women-as well as the [outright] deniers of the _ truth-the fire of hell, therein to abide: this shall be their allotted_ portion. For, God has rejected them, and long-lasting suffering awaits them.
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The reason hypocrisy is so bad is because these were the “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, i.e under the guise of being Muslims they fueled rancor amongst the Muslims. It is better to know your enemy up front, so you can avoid them, rather than an outwardly friendly person who is really your enemy.
Mike Ghouse: Please remember God is merciful and forgiver. Prescription of punishment is a deterrent to crime, at least most average people will not commit crime. Mr. Wilders, Welcome to the United States of America, and particularly Texas, those who deny the truth get the life time imprisonment or the electric chair.
#10. Fight the disbelievers and hypocrites. Be harsh with them. They are all going to hell anyway. 73
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:73 O PROPHET! Strive hard against the deniers of the truth and the hypocrites, and be adamant with them. [101] And [if they do not repent,] their goal shall be hell -and how vile a journey's end!
Note 101 - I.e., "do not compromise with them in matters of principle". Regarding the meaning of the verb jahada ("he strove hard", i.e., in a righteous cause), see surah 4, note 122. The imperative jahid is obviously used here in its spiritual connotation, implying efforts at convincing both the outspoken unbelievers and the waverers, including the various types of hypocrites spoken of in the preceding passages. Although the imperative is addressed in the first instance to the Prophet, it is considered to be morally binding on all believers.(Quran Ref: 9:73 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Comments It is obvious that the order is for striving to guide them, otherwise the translation be adamant would be rendered useless if one was to simply kill them. If the meaning is punishment, then punishing criminals is not wrong.
Mike Ghouse: Think in terms of civic societies and how the criminals are punished or at least there is a law ranging from a day in Jail to the death penalty. Shall we be lenient to rapists, murderers? Shall we tell them, that we believe in civility and as a bonus for their crimes, there is no punishment fro them.
#11. Allah will afflict disbelievers with a painful doom in this world and the Hereafter. 74
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:74 [The hypocrites] swear by God that they have said nothing [wrong]; yet most certainly have they uttered a saying which amounts to a denial of the truth, [102] and have [thus] denied the truth after [having professed] their self-surrender to God: for they were aiming at something which was beyond their reach. [103] And they could find no fault [with the Faith] save that God had enriched them and [caused] His Apostle [to enrich them] out of His bounty! [104] Hence, if they repent, it will be for their own good. but if they turn away, God will cause them to suffer grievous suffering in this world and in the life to come, and they will find no helper on earth, and none to give [them] succour.
Note 102- See the first sentence of verse 61 above, and the corresponding note 86. The allegation that the Prophet deceived himself in the matter of revelation is, naturally, equivalent to disbelief in the outcome of his revelation, i.e., the Qur'an.(Quran Ref: 9:74 )
Note 103 - Lit., "which they were unable to attain to". The classical commentators take this as a reference to an abortive plot, on the part of some of the hypocrites, to kill the Prophet during the expedition to Tabuk. However, without contesting the validity of this historical interpretation, I believe that the above allusion has a far deeper meaning-namely, the existential impossibility of one's ever attaining to inner peace without a positive belief that man's life has meaning and purpose, either of which can be glimpsed only through the revelations bestowed on those exceptionally gifted and receptive personalities, the prophets. (An indirect reference to divine revelation as the only source of this kind of cognition appears in 96:5, that is, in the earliest Qur'anic passage revealed to the Prophet.) Thus, torn between their half-hearted desire to "surrender themselves to God" and their unwillingness to accept the divine guidance offered them by the Prophet, the hypocrites "were aiming at something which was beyond their reach".(Quran Ref: 9:74 )
Note 104- I.e., by means of the spiritual guidance contained in the Qur'an and the material welfare resulting from an adherence to its moral and social principles. The above phrase implies that the reluctance of the hypocrites to pay heed to the Prophet was not due to their finding fault with the Faith as such but, rather, to their lack of gratitude for the spiritual and material benefits which they had derived from it. (Because of its historical associations, most of this verse is expressed in the past tense, although its moral import is obviously timeless.)(Quran Ref: 9:74 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Comments
#12. For disbelievers there will be a painful doom. 90
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:90 AND THERE came [unto the Apostle] such of the bedouin as had some excuse to offer, [with the request] that they be granted exemption, [122] whereas those who were bent on giving the lie to God and His Apostle [simply] remained at home. [123] [And] grievous suffering is bound to befall such of them as are bent on denying the truth!
Note 122 - I.e., from participating in the expedition to Tabuk. The term al-mu'adhdhirun connotes both "those having a valid excuse (`udhr)" and "those offering false excuses"; it is, therefore, best rendered as "such as had some excuse to offer". The specific mention of the a'rab ("bedouin") in this and the following passages probably arises from the fact that their attitude - positive or negative-towards Islam was of the greatest importance within the context of early Muslim history, inasmuch as the message of Muhammad could not obtain a real, lasting foothold in Arabia without first securing the allegiance of those warlike nomads and half-nomads, who constituted the great majority of the Peninsula's population. At the time when the Prophet was preparing to set out towards Tabuk, many of the already-converted tribesmen were willing to go to war under his leadership (and, in fact, did so), while others were afraid lest in their absence their encampments, denuded of man-power, be raided by hostile, as yet unconverted tribes (Razi); others, again, were simply averse to exposing themselves to the hardships of a campaign in distant lands, which did not seem to them to have any bearing on their own, immediate interests.(Quran Ref: 9:90 )
Note 123 - I.e., without even caring to come to Medina and to excuse themselves.(Quran Ref: 9:90 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: All religions carry the same criteria, that if you don’t believe in the fundamentals of that particular religion, you will be punished. Why is Islam being singled out?
Again the verses in question are about the hypocrites of the time.
Mike Ghouse: The key phrase is bent on telling the lies, which is denying the truth.
#13. Don't pray for idolaters (not even for your family) after it is clear they are people of hell-fire. 113
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:113 IT DOES NOT behove the Prophet and those who have attained to faith to pray that they who ascribed divinity to aught beside God be forgiven [by Him] even though they happened to be [their] near of kin [148] -after it has been made clear unto them that those [dead sinners] are destined for the blazing fire.
Note: As is obvious from the sequence, this prohibition relates to the dead among such sinners-i.e., those who have died without repentance (Zamakhshari, Razi)-and not to those who are still living: for "a prayer for forgiveness in respect of a living [sinner] ... amounts to asking God that He grace him with His guidance ... and this is permissible" (Manar XI, 60).(Quran Ref: 9:113 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: There is no point in praying for one who has died as a polytheist, as this is an unforgivable sin. This verse was specifically revealed about the Uncle of the Prophet SAW, whom the Prophet loved very much. If the Prophet was not allowed to pray for him then how can any regular person from his followers?
Mike Ghouse: Those who do not believe in God, don't really have to worry about any punishment after death as there is no God for them to believe in the first place, prayers for them don't mean a thing. However, God's most endearing quality, that comes as a creator is kindness and grace that he or she reserves to itself. (deliberate use of words). Then he advises in the most pluralistic terms, giving respect to one's belief. Mind you, disagreement is handled in the most civil terms, putting the other person on equal footing.
109:1 SAY: "O you who deny the truth!
109:2 "I do not worship that which you worship,
109:3 and neither do you worship that which I worship!
109:4 "And I will not worship ~hat which you have [ever] worshipped,
109:6 Unto you, your moral law, and unto me, mine !
#14. Fight disbelievers who are near you, and let them see the harshness in you. 123
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:123 O you who have attained to faith! Fight against those deniers of the truth who are near you, and let them find you adamant ; [163] and know that .God is with those who are conscious of Him.
Note 163- I.e., uncompromising with regard to ethical principles. For the general circumstances in which war is permitted, see 2:190-194, 22:39, 60:8-9, and the corresponding notes, as well as notes 7 and 9 on verse 5 of this surah. The reference to "those deniers of the truth who are near you" may arise from the fact that only "those who are near" can be dangerous in a physical sense or, alternatively, that - having come from afar- they have already approached the Muslim country with an aggressive intent.(Quran Ref: 9:123 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Uncompromising rigidity in the matters of right and wrong, black and white is not something to be ashamed of. If I am not harsh in for example somebody robbing my house at night by calling the police and prosecuting those involved, what message does it give?
Mike Ghouse: How does one translate Adamant to harshness? Shows lack of freedom on the part of Neocons to question what is dished out to them. They are taking that false translation as gospel. The least they can do is see if there is another translation. Isn’t that what democracy is all about?
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Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh
ICI is fortunate to have Shaikh Zia as Imam of our center. Imam Zia ul Haque Sheikh was born in Azad Kashmir, and at the age of four he migrated to England with his parents. He attended regular schools until the age of thirteen, when he enrolled in a full time Islamic school.
He memorized the Quran, and at the age of sixteen, he started an Islamic Theology course, which consisted of Arabic Syntax, Etymology and Grammar, Logic, Quranic Exegesis, Hadith Exegesis, Comparative Religions, Islamic Jurisprudence of the four main schools of thought, Foundations of Jurisprudence, Quran and Hadith, and other subjects. After extensive studying for approximately twelve years, he graduated in 1994 with a Masters in Islamic Theology. He is still engaged in various courses to further his education.
He is a founding member and Board Member of the North Texas Islamic Council, an umbrella organization representing Islamic Organizations in the North Texas Area. He is also one of the Board Members of Irving Faiths together, a group of various religious organizations, dedicated to Peace and Harmony between faiths.
He is one of the instructors at Suffa Academy in the Islamic Association of North Texas, teaching subjects such as Seerah, Aqidah, and Hadith studies.
He also conducts regular study circles at the Islamic Center of Irving, and is often invited to speak at colleges, universities, conferences and seminars.
He is actively involved in Interfaith and Dawah work.
He has served as an Imam in the USA since 1996.
Education & Other Skills:
Masters in Arabic and Islamic Theology
Memorized the complete Qur'an
Languages: Arabic, Urdu, English, Punjabi, Gujarati fluently
Has his own website : www.isaina.org
Has written a complete explanation of Imam Bukhari's Book of Iman
Hobbies & Interests:
Soccer, Weight Training, Keeping Fit, Dawah Work
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Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker and a Writer. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussing interfaith, political and civic issues. He is the founding president of World Muslim Congress with a simple theme: Good for Muslims and good for the world. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com
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By Grant Swank
Koran's Verses via Dutch Film
December 04, 2007 12:00 PM EST
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/29496.html
Geert Wilders, Dutch conservative lawmaker, has made a ten-minute film exposing the horrific passages of the Koran.
Per AP Wilders refers to the selected verses as “’fascist.’”
He does not fear being slain, claiming 24-hour protection.
Theo van Gogh, film director, made “Submission” available for public viewing. It was a “fictional study of abused Muslim women with scenes of near-naked women with Quaranic texts engraved on their flesh.”
Theo van Gogh was murdered—shot with throat slit by a Muslim extremist. His body was discovered on an Amsterdam street in 2004.
“Prominent Muslim critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who wrote the (van Gogh) screenplay, was threatened in a note left on Van Gogh's body. She now lives under round-the-clock protection in the United States.
“Wilders plans to depict parts of the Quran he says are used as inspiration ‘by bad people to do bad things.’
“Less than 10 minutes long, the film is expected to air in late January.
"It will show ‘the intolerant and fascist character of the Quran,’ said Wilders, whose anti-Islam campaign helped his Freedom Party win nine seats in parliament in last year's election.
“In the past, Wilders has said that half the Quran should be torn up and compared it with Adolf Hitler's book ‘Mein Kampf.’ He has claimed the Netherlands is being swamped by a ‘tsunami’ of Islamic immigrants.”
In other countries, there are those sympathetic with Wilders’ point of view. There is grave concern on the part of persons enjoying democracies that infiltration of extremist Islamic lifestyle, especially that built upon the sharia so-called justice system, is a real-life real-time deadly threat to civility.
Numerous persons who have researched the Koran verse-by-verse have concluded that the general public in the main is ignorant of the Allah-dictates that threaten civility. This ignorance is evident when uninformed individuals still refer to Islam as a “peace religion.”
When taking the Koran seriously as divine revelation, a superficial review of the Koran’s extremist verses is not what meshes with democracies.
A sample of extremist Koran verses includes the following:
Surah 9: Repentance
1. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve. 3
2. Slay the idolaters wherever you find them. 5
3. Don't let idolaters tend the sanctuaries. Their works are in vain and they will be burned in the Fire. 17
4. Give tiding of a painful doom to Christians and Jews. 34
5. If you refuse to fight, Allah will afflict you with a painful doom. 39
6. Disbelievers go to hell. 49
7. Those who vex the Prophet, for them there is a painful doom. 60
8. Those who oppose Allah and His messenger will burn in the fire of hell. 63
9. Allah promises hypocrites and disbelievers the fire of hell. Allah curses them. They will have a lasting torment. 68
10. Fight the disbelievers and hypocrites. Be harsh with them. They are all going to hell anyway. 73
11. Allah will afflict disbelievers with a painful doom in this world and the Hereafter. 74
12. For disbelievers there will be a painful doom. 90
13. Don't pray for idolaters (not even for your family) after it is clear they are people of hell-fire. 113
14. Fight disbelievers who are near you, and let them see the harshness in you. 123
Concerning the Dutch situation, AP reports: “Immigrants from Muslim countries number about 1 million of the country's 16 million people.
Wilders informs the media: "’I will make the film and see what reaction it creates.’"
Read "Dutch lawmaker planning film criticizing the Quran" at www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=8512622
Send your comments to: WMCArchives@Gmail.com
Subject line write: Muslim Response to Geert Wilders
This is a Muslim response to Geert Wilders documentary called "Fitna".
There are 14 mis-translated verses of Qur'aan in the movie that are listed along with the correct translation.
“Geert Wilders, Dutch conservative lawmaker, has made a sixteen minute film called "Fitna" (trouble) exposing the horrific passages of the Koran. Wilders refers to theses selected verses as “fascist.’” http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/29496.html
First of all, as a Muslim, I want to thank Geert Wilders for making this documentary, the verses, as he has quoted certainly sound fascist. These verses have not only been misquoted for millennia, but were mis-translated with the intent of maligning Islam in the middle ages to protect the European kings and their kingdoms. My gratitude to Wilders comes from the fact that he is putting it on the spot light, so we have an opportunity to discuss and clarify them, hopefully for ever.
Prophet Muhammad was pelted with stones by a bunch of miscreants, he was bleeding, and his associates and angel Gabriel were requesting him to give permission to go get the bad boys, the Prophet said no, instead he asked them to pray with him that God gave goodwill and a good sense to the misled miscreants.
Following the model of forgiveness given by the Prophet with a belief that there is good in every human soul, we have to relentlessly stoke the goodness in humans. I ask fellow humans in general and Muslims in particular to pray for Geert Wilders’ safety and well being.
Mr. Wilders, I have personally prayed for your safety and well being and request our Imams to do the same across the world. The report expressed that "You do not fear being slain, claiming 24-hour protection." Again, I admire you for your courage and conviction and request you to consider the truth side of the equation that nearly 1.5 billion Muslims believe.
Note to the Muslim Leadership:
As Muslims leaders, we have a responsibility to prevent mis-haps. To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker; one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for co-existence and world peace - God wants his creation to be in peace and harmony, and that is the chief purpose of religion. Islam is indeed peace.
Geert Wilder's is going to show a 10 minute documentary on the 25th - the hell may freeze over and all of us will be scrambling to defend.... if our Imams can address this in the Friday Sermons, and urge Muslims to follow the model Prophet has created, we can avoid a big mishap and turn this upcoming nightmare into a peace building effort. I request all Imams to call their counterparts around the globe to win this propaganda war with love and kindness and it is an opportunity God has provided to become leaders. If you like, please circulate.
A Prelude to Qur'aan Translations:
When the European Kings were threatened by the invading Arab armies in early part of the millennia, to safeguard and protect their Kingdoms, they gave birth to the idea of Islamophobia and their strategy was:
1. To label the Invading Kings as Muslim, as that was one of the ways to get their subjects to fight.
2. To mis-translate the Qur'aan to create a permanent wedge between the two communities
3. To paint the religion negatively and as a Mohammedan cult.
4. To reinforce this strategy they roped in the Pope to issue a fatwa approving crusades.
Their Blueprint worked well for them and the Arab Kings were pushed back and defeated. It is important to note that a majority of the kings were thieves and robbers, whose only purpose in life was to invade and annex the neighboring territories, loot their wealth, destroy their cultures and come back home stronger and erect a statue of themselves as Heroes. Very few of them wanted to spread their faith for the purpose of spreading piety and goodwill. Their goal was to control the resources and the people; in the process they destroyed civilizations, no different than today's Neocons.
The Neocons of middle ages were exceptionally successful in steering public opinion against Islam via the translations. The foundation they laid at that time has become the basis for building baseless theories against Islam. The kings happened to be Muslims that they were against, instead their propaganda turned against all Muslims and Islam.
Dahlia Sabry is researching on the effects of this work and reports that " it was found out that translating the meanings of the holy Qur'aan offered an opportunity to distort and misinterpret its meanings. This played a crucial role in framing a negative and an inaccurate image of Islam. The problem can be ascribed mostly to translations by non-Muslims, however, also partially to translations by Muslims."
Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete (English: "Law of Mahomet the pseudo-prophet") was the first translation of the Qur'aan into Latin by Robert of Ketton in 1142. Peter the Venerable persuaded Robert to join a team he was creating to translate Arabic works into Latin in hopes of aiding the religious conversion of Muslims to Christianity. It was the standard translation for Europeans from its release until the 18th century. This translation is loaded with inaccuracies.
Another Latin translation by Ludovicus Marracci was published in 1698. It was supplemented with quotes from Qur'an commentaries "carefully juxtaposed and sufficiently garbled so as to portray Islam in the worst possible light" (Colin Turner,1997 p. xii). The title of the introductory volume of such translation was A Refutation of the Qur'an.
Such translations formed the foundation for a number of subsequent translations into English, French, Italian, German, etc. The first English translation was that of Alexander Ross published in 1649. In his introduction, Ross says "I thought good to bring it to their colours, that so viewing thine enemies in their full body, thou must the better prepare to encounter … his Alcoran" (p. A3).
Similarly, H. Reckendorf (1857) says in his Hebrew translation of the Qur'an, "I can now stop writing and ask God's pardon for the sin I committed when I profaned our sacred language and transferred to it the talk of lies and falsehood" (as cited in Abdul Aal, January 29, 2006, p. 78).
In 1734, George Sale’s translation came out based on Marracci’s earlier notorious work. In 1861, J. M. Rodwell’s work provided a further example of a writer "gunning for Islam" (Turner, 1997, p. xii).
That was the story of Neocons who shamelessly wore the Christian label, similar inaccurate and brazen translations were made by Muslims as well. The Noble Qur'an, also informally known as the Hilali-Khan translation was published in early 1900's and is despicable. http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Not-like-Jews-and-Christians.asp
Religions emerged to allay individual fears and bring a balance in one's life and peace for the society. It is obvious that the Kings of the past have raped the religion to their own advantage and we must not give them the religious label. Their purpose was simply expansion, exertion and oppression and religion did not figure in the conquests, they were far from it.
It is time for us to strip the wrongs people have ascribed to religion, every religion, and get to know the truth. I am amazed neither the Universities, nor the responsible Governments have under taken research project to dismantle the false castles of hate from the past. It is time now, and we have begun this process.
Further Geert Wilders adds "When taking the Koran seriously as divine revelation, a superficial review of the Koran’s extremist verses is not what meshes with democracies."
All the fourteen verses quoted below have one theme in common "Punishment" for those who do not follow the rules. Mr. Geert may understand this better, if he were to look at it from an universal perspective and not as Islam V. Christianity issue.
One can find ‘punitive’ verses in every holy book. However, the critical element overlooked is the most powerful and dominant aspect of the creator; Qur'aan 1:1 "In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace." This verse is repeated 113 times in Qur’aan, more than any other verse.
For societies to function on equilibrium there must be law and order. When there is justice in a society, peace is a natural outcome. The Criminal and Civil laws are designed to bring net-peace to the society. For every violation of a rule, punishment is determined. If there were no punishment, then crimes go un-checked creating chaos in the society.
From a common man’s perspective, the word ‘painful doom’ appears to be cruelty coming from a kind God. Well, then what should hold any one from murdering and butchering the other. If you are a good guy who holds the temptations to steal someone else's hard earned goods, and the bad guys steal with no consequences to it, then every one may resort to stealing. What will happen to a society when every one is stealing, lying or cheating? No one would trust and everyone is frightened of the other.
Imagine the nightmare in America, if we were to remove the punishment aspect from the United States Constitution, civil and criminal laws.
Religions emerged to allay individual fears and bring a balance in one's life and peace for the society. It is time for us to strip the wrongs people have ascribed to religion, indeed every religion, and find the truth for ourselves. I cannot believe that the Universities and responsible Governments have not undertaken the research to dismantle the false castles of hate from the past.
We have undertaken the work to fix 60 misrepresented verses, hopefully to mitigate the conflicts and nurture goodwill for co-existence, as citizens of the world, you and I, every one included, have the responsibility to watch for the trouble makers whose business is manufacturing enemies and cashing in on fears of ordinary people.
The 14 Verses mis-translated in the Film Fitna
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Surah 9: Repentance
A full copy of the text from Geert Wilders is pasted at the bottom that includes 14 verse that sounds fascist, indeed they are as quoted. Actual verses from Qur'aan are pulled with each one of the 14 verses.
Mohammad Asad - http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/
1:1 In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
According to most of the authorities, this invocation (which occurs at the beginning of every surah with the exception of surah 9) constitutes an integral part of "The Opening" and is, therefore, numbered as verse I. In all other instances, the invocation "in the name of God" precedes the surah as such, and is not counted among its verses. - Both the divine epithets rahman and rahrim are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies "mercy", "compassion", "loving tenderness" and, more comprehensively, "grace". From the very earliest times, Islamic scholars have endeavoured to define the exact shades of meaning which differentiate the two terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I, 48): the term rahman circumscribes the quality of abounding grace inherent in, and inseparable from, the concept of God's Being, whereas rahrim expresses the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation-in other words, an aspect of His activity.(Quran Ref: 1:1 )
#1. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve. 3
Mohammad Asad - http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/ At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:3 And a proclamation from God and His Apostle [is herewith made] unto all mankind on this day of the Greatest Pilgrimage: "God disavows all who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and [so does] His Apostle. Hence, if you repent, it shall be for your own good; and if you turn away, then know that you can never elude God!" And unto those who are bent on denying the truth give thou [O Prophet] the tiding of grievous chastisement.
There is no unanimity among the commentators as to what is meant by "the day of the Greatest Pilgrimage". Most of them assume that it refers to the pilgrimage in the year 9H., in which the Prophet himself did not participate, having entrusted Abu Bakr with the office of amir al-hajj. This very fact, however, makes it improbable that the designation "the Greatest Pilgrimage" should have been given in the Qur'an to this particular pilgrimage. On the other hand, there exists a Tradition on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn `Umar to the effect that the Prophet described in these very words the last pilgrimage led by himself in 10 H. and known to history as the Farewell Pilgrimage (Zamakhshari, Razi); one may, therefore, assume that it is this which is alluded to here. If this assumption is correct, it would justify the conclusion that verses 3 and 4 of this surah were revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage, i.e., shortly before the Prophet's death. This might explain the-otherwise perplexing-statement, reliably attributed to the Prophet's Companion Al-Bara' (Bukhari, Kitab at-Tafsir), that At-Tawbah was the last surah revealed to the Prophet: for, although it is established beyond any doubt that the surah as a whole was revealed in 9 H. and was followed by several other parts of the Qur'an, e.g., Al-Ma'idah, it is possible that what Al-Bard' had in mind were only these two key-verses (3 and 4) of At-Tawbah, which conceivably were revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage.(Quran Ref: 9:3 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: This is a classic example of misinterpretation of the Quran. You needn’t look very far in understanding what the verse is talking about. The VERY NEXT VERSE talks about observing peace treaties and NOT attacking those people that weren’t a threat! Here is the verse: (9:4. Except those of the Mushrikin with whom you have a treaty, and who have broken that treaty, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty for them until the end of their term. Surely, Allah loves those who have Taqwa (awareness of God).)
Mike Ghouse: There is just a God, and there is no Muslim, Christian or other God. If Wilders can see one source of Creation called God, he would not have the problem. God is essentially saying if you have some one else besides me, go to him or her, don’t come to me if you don’t believe in me.
#2. Slay the idolaters wherever you find them. 5
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:5 And so, when the sacred months are over [6] , slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them, [7] and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place [8] ! Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace. [9]9:2 [Announce unto them:] "Go, then, [freely] about the earth for four months [2] -but know that you can never elude God, and that, verily, God shall bring disgrace upon all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!"
9:5 Article: http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Slay-the-idolaters-whereever-you-find-them.asp .
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The four months were given for the hostile people so that they can come and go peacefully amongst the Muslims and see what Islam is about. If it was not for them, they could leave the Holy Lands, and seek refuge elsewhere. If the whole purpose was killing and butchering them, then what is the purpose behind giving them four months??
# 3. Don't let idolaters tend the sanctuaries. Their works are in vain and they will be burned in the Fire. 17
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:17 IT IS NOT for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend [26] God's houses of worship, the while [by their beliefs] they bear witness against themselves that they are denying the truth. It is they whose works shall come to nought, and they who in the fire shall abide [27]
In its transitive form, the verb `amara comprises the meanings of both visiting and maintaining a place; hence my rendering of an ya'muru as "that they should visit or tend".(Quran Ref: 9:17 )
Some of the commentators conclude from this verse that "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God" are not allowed to enter mosques ("God's houses of worship"). This conclusion, however, is entirely untenable in view of the fact that in 9 H. -that is, after the revelation of this surah -the Prophet himself lodged a deputation of the pagan Banu Thaqif in the mosque at Medina (Razi). Thus, the above verse expresses no more than the moral incongruity of the unbelievers' "visiting or tending God's houses of worship". As regards their exclusion from the central mosque of Islam at Mecca ("the Inviolable House of Worship"), see verse 28 of this surah.(Quran Ref: 9:17 )
9:28 O YOU who have attained to faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure: [37] and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship from this year onwards [38] And should you fear poverty, then [know that] in time God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wills: [39] for, verily, God is all-knowing, wise!
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The whole purpose of all religions, including Judaism and Christianity is that God alone should be worshipped. If polytheists were allowed to tend to or attend or build the holiest sanctuaries whose whole foundation was on Tawheed (the sole worship of God), it would be a huge contradiction in the religion. So to avoid this contradiction and conflict, Islam very clearly outlines the rules about who could or couldn’t come to the Haram of Makkah.
Bear in mind that the Prophet himself hosted a delegation of Christian dignitaries and priests from Najran, whom he allowed to STAY and whom he allowed to PRAY in his own mosque in the Holy city of Madina, the second holiest site to all Muslims.
Mike Ghouse:: Those who do not believe in God, simply cannot serve in the sanctuary with sincerity. Obviously one feels the pain of doing things that which is not in his or her nature. Caveat: There is no compulsion in faith, no one can push any one to believe what he or she is not willing to.
#4. Give tiding of a painful doom to Christians and Jews. 34
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:34 O you who have attained to faith! Behold, many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men's possessions and turn [others] away from the path of God. But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of Gods [51] - give them the tiding of grievous suffering [in the life to come]:
Most probably this is, in the first instance, an allusion to the wealth of the Jewish and Christian communities, and their misuse of this wealth. Some of the commentators, however, are of the opinion that the reference is wider, comprising all people, including Muslims, who hoard their wealth without spending anything thereof on righteous causes.(Quran Ref: 9:34 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The purpose of religious leadership is to focus on the Hereafter, and they should lead by example is this respect. If they are seen to be hoarding wealth, and not distributing it to the poor and needy, what kind of example are they setting for their followers? Also bear in mind that the condemnation in this verse is the hoarding of ILLICITLY gained funds and riches.
Mike Ghouse: Another good example of misquoting the Verses. Indeed, those (not all) who embezzle public funds need to be punished, be it Muslim, Jew, Christian or otherwise. Those are the laws of any civilized nation including the Netherlands. In the verse 34, there is word like Christian and Jew.
Pasted below is the transliteration and actual Quranic verse.
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo inna katheeran mina alahbari waalrruhbani layakuloona amwala alnnasi bialbatili wayasuddoona AAan sabeeli Allahi waallatheena yaknizoona alththahaba waalfiddata wala yunfiqoonaha fee sabeeli Allahi fabashshirhum biAAathabin aleemin
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (9:34)
#5. If you refuse to fight, Allah will afflict you with a painful doom. 39
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:39 If you do not go forth to war [in God's cause], He will chastise you with grievous chastisement, and will place another people in your stead - whereas you shall in no wise harm Him: for, God has the power to will anything.
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The purpose of religious leadership is to focus on the Hereafter, and they should lead by example is this respect. If they are seen to be hoarding wealth, and not distributing it to the poor and needy, what kind of example are they setting for their followers? Also bear in mind that the condemnation in this verse is the hoarding of ILLICITLY gained funds and riches.
Mike Ghouse: In the USA, and perhaps in the Netherlands, these men are referred to as draft dodgers, during the Vietnam war if you dodge going to the war, you faced grievous chastisement by the Government of the United states of America, even though that was the wrong war. Perhaps Netherlands may not be sympathetic towards them either.
#6. Disbelievers go to hell. 49
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:49 And among them there was [many a one] who said," [71] Grant me permission [to remain at home], and do not put me to too hard a test!" Oh, verily, [by making such a request] they had [already failed in their test and] succumbed to a temptation to evil: [72] and, behold, hell will indeed encompass all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!
See verses 44 and 45 above. It is to be noted that both the verbal form la taftinni (rendered by me as "do not put me to too hard a test") and the noun fitnah have the same root, comprising a great complex of meanings: e.g., test, trial, affliction. temptation to evil, seduction, persecution, oppression, discord, civil strife, etc. (cf. surah 8, note 25). Since it is impossible in any language but Arabic to reproduce all these many shades of meaning in a single expression, the rendering of the term fitnah must necessarily vary in accordance with the context in which it is used.(Quran Ref: 9:49 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Here the analogy of the draft-dodgers is appropriate. Anyone who opposed or even voices dissent in the “war on terror” was labeled unpatriotic. But, here the verse is referring to those hypocrites who showed that they were Muslims in front, but internally held malice against the Muslims. Part of their malice was not supporting the Muslims in anything they did including fighting if the need was there. God chastises these people, as their negative actions raised disorder and disunity and pessimism and negativity amongst even the true Muslims.
Mike Ghouse: Any one who refuses to acknowledge the truth must be punished. I don’t know what kind of tortures Netherlands applies to criminals, but most nations in the world including the United States of American, has used the water boarding techniques to extract the truth.
God could have made us all sinless angels; instead he chose to make us humans, giving guidance on one hand, temptations on the other – then giving room to make mistakes, and room for correction. Islam has not claimed monopoly to heaven; it is assured to those who do good deeds. Good deeds are defined by Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) as how your treat others.
#7. Those who vex the Prophet, for them there is a painful doom. 60
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:60 The offerings given for the sake of God [83] are [meant] only for the poor and the needy, and those who are in charge thereof, [84] and those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage, and [for] those who are over burdened with debts, and [for every struggle] in God's cause, and [for] the wayfarer: [this is] an ordinance from God - and God is all-knowing, wise. [85]
Note 83/81: Since there is no English equivalent for the term sadaqat (sing. sadagah), I am rendering it here as "offerings given for the sake of God". This comprises everything that a believer freely gives to another person, out of love or compassion, as well as what he is morally or legally obliged to give, without expecting any worldly return: that is, charitable gifts and deeds of every description (which is the primary meaning of sadaqat -e.g., in 2:263 and 264), as well as the obligatory tax called zakah ("the purifying dues", because its payment purifies, as it were, a person's property from the taint of selfishness). In the context of the above verse, this term refers to the funds thus collected and administered by the Muslim community or state. When these funds are disbursed for the purposes stipulated in verse 60, they assume once more - this time in relation to the recipients-the aspect of "charitable gifts".(Quran Ref: 9:58 )
Note 84- I.e., the officials entrusted with the collection and administration of zakah funds.(Quran Ref: 9:60 Note 85: These eight categories circumscribe all the purposes for which zakah funds may be expended. By "those whose hearts are to be won over" are apparently meant such non-Muslims as are close to understanding and, perhaps, accepting Islam, and for whose conversion every effort should be made, either directly or indirectly (i.e., by means of the widest possible propagation of the teachings of Islam). As regards the expression fi 'r-rigab ("for the freeing of human beings from bondage"), which relates both to the ransoming of prisoners of war and to the freeing of slaves, see surah 2, note 146. The term al-gharimun describes people who are overburdened with debts contracted in good faith. which - through no fault of their own - they are subsequently unable to redeem. The expression "in God's cause" embraces every kind of struggle in righteous causes, both in war and in peace, including expenditure for the propagation of Islam and for all charitable purposes. Regarding the meaning of ibn as-sabil ("wayfarer"), see surah 2, note 145.(Quran Ref: 9:60 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: I don’t see anything that can be held as negative in the verse. It is simply talking about giving in charity, and that includes to non-muslims.
Mike Ghouse: Another falsity.
#8. Those who oppose Allah and His messenger will burn in the fire of hell. 63
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:63 Do they not know that for him who sets himself against God and His Apostle there is in store the fire of hell, therein to abide -that most awesome disgrace?
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: This verse was specifically for those hypocrites who raised their voices of dissent and fueled disunity amongst the Muslims. It is not a general verse for everyone. The next verse emphasizes this point.
Mike Ghouse: Once you pledge your allegiance, and then betray it to do harm, it is called treason. However, if you chose not to believe, but not hurt any one in the process, you go Scot free. Justness is paramount in Islamic values. This is no different than the civil laws of any nation.
# 9. Allah promises hypocrites and disbelievers the fire of hell. Allah curses them. They will have a lasting torment. 68
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:68 God- has promised the hypocrites, both men and women-as well as the [outright] deniers of the _ truth-the fire of hell, therein to abide: this shall be their allotted_ portion. For, God has rejected them, and long-lasting suffering awaits them.
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: The reason hypocrisy is so bad is because these were the “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, i.e under the guise of being Muslims they fueled rancor amongst the Muslims. It is better to know your enemy up front, so you can avoid them, rather than an outwardly friendly person who is really your enemy.
Mike Ghouse: Please remember God is merciful and forgiver. Prescription of punishment is a deterrent to crime, at least most average people will not commit crime. Mr. Wilders, Welcome to the United States of America, and particularly Texas, those who deny the truth get the life time imprisonment or the electric chair.
#10. Fight the disbelievers and hypocrites. Be harsh with them. They are all going to hell anyway. 73
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:73 O PROPHET! Strive hard against the deniers of the truth and the hypocrites, and be adamant with them. [101] And [if they do not repent,] their goal shall be hell -and how vile a journey's end!
Note 101 - I.e., "do not compromise with them in matters of principle". Regarding the meaning of the verb jahada ("he strove hard", i.e., in a righteous cause), see surah 4, note 122. The imperative jahid is obviously used here in its spiritual connotation, implying efforts at convincing both the outspoken unbelievers and the waverers, including the various types of hypocrites spoken of in the preceding passages. Although the imperative is addressed in the first instance to the Prophet, it is considered to be morally binding on all believers.(Quran Ref: 9:73 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Comments It is obvious that the order is for striving to guide them, otherwise the translation be adamant would be rendered useless if one was to simply kill them. If the meaning is punishment, then punishing criminals is not wrong.
Mike Ghouse: Think in terms of civic societies and how the criminals are punished or at least there is a law ranging from a day in Jail to the death penalty. Shall we be lenient to rapists, murderers? Shall we tell them, that we believe in civility and as a bonus for their crimes, there is no punishment fro them.
#11. Allah will afflict disbelievers with a painful doom in this world and the Hereafter. 74
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:74 [The hypocrites] swear by God that they have said nothing [wrong]; yet most certainly have they uttered a saying which amounts to a denial of the truth, [102] and have [thus] denied the truth after [having professed] their self-surrender to God: for they were aiming at something which was beyond their reach. [103] And they could find no fault [with the Faith] save that God had enriched them and [caused] His Apostle [to enrich them] out of His bounty! [104] Hence, if they repent, it will be for their own good. but if they turn away, God will cause them to suffer grievous suffering in this world and in the life to come, and they will find no helper on earth, and none to give [them] succour.
Note 102- See the first sentence of verse 61 above, and the corresponding note 86. The allegation that the Prophet deceived himself in the matter of revelation is, naturally, equivalent to disbelief in the outcome of his revelation, i.e., the Qur'an.(Quran Ref: 9:74 )
Note 103 - Lit., "which they were unable to attain to". The classical commentators take this as a reference to an abortive plot, on the part of some of the hypocrites, to kill the Prophet during the expedition to Tabuk. However, without contesting the validity of this historical interpretation, I believe that the above allusion has a far deeper meaning-namely, the existential impossibility of one's ever attaining to inner peace without a positive belief that man's life has meaning and purpose, either of which can be glimpsed only through the revelations bestowed on those exceptionally gifted and receptive personalities, the prophets. (An indirect reference to divine revelation as the only source of this kind of cognition appears in 96:5, that is, in the earliest Qur'anic passage revealed to the Prophet.) Thus, torn between their half-hearted desire to "surrender themselves to God" and their unwillingness to accept the divine guidance offered them by the Prophet, the hypocrites "were aiming at something which was beyond their reach".(Quran Ref: 9:74 )
Note 104- I.e., by means of the spiritual guidance contained in the Qur'an and the material welfare resulting from an adherence to its moral and social principles. The above phrase implies that the reluctance of the hypocrites to pay heed to the Prophet was not due to their finding fault with the Faith as such but, rather, to their lack of gratitude for the spiritual and material benefits which they had derived from it. (Because of its historical associations, most of this verse is expressed in the past tense, although its moral import is obviously timeless.)(Quran Ref: 9:74 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Comments
#12. For disbelievers there will be a painful doom. 90
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:90 AND THERE came [unto the Apostle] such of the bedouin as had some excuse to offer, [with the request] that they be granted exemption, [122] whereas those who were bent on giving the lie to God and His Apostle [simply] remained at home. [123] [And] grievous suffering is bound to befall such of them as are bent on denying the truth!
Note 122 - I.e., from participating in the expedition to Tabuk. The term al-mu'adhdhirun connotes both "those having a valid excuse (`udhr)" and "those offering false excuses"; it is, therefore, best rendered as "such as had some excuse to offer". The specific mention of the a'rab ("bedouin") in this and the following passages probably arises from the fact that their attitude - positive or negative-towards Islam was of the greatest importance within the context of early Muslim history, inasmuch as the message of Muhammad could not obtain a real, lasting foothold in Arabia without first securing the allegiance of those warlike nomads and half-nomads, who constituted the great majority of the Peninsula's population. At the time when the Prophet was preparing to set out towards Tabuk, many of the already-converted tribesmen were willing to go to war under his leadership (and, in fact, did so), while others were afraid lest in their absence their encampments, denuded of man-power, be raided by hostile, as yet unconverted tribes (Razi); others, again, were simply averse to exposing themselves to the hardships of a campaign in distant lands, which did not seem to them to have any bearing on their own, immediate interests.(Quran Ref: 9:90 )
Note 123 - I.e., without even caring to come to Medina and to excuse themselves.(Quran Ref: 9:90 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: All religions carry the same criteria, that if you don’t believe in the fundamentals of that particular religion, you will be punished. Why is Islam being singled out?
Again the verses in question are about the hypocrites of the time.
Mike Ghouse: The key phrase is bent on telling the lies, which is denying the truth.
#13. Don't pray for idolaters (not even for your family) after it is clear they are people of hell-fire. 113
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:113 IT DOES NOT behove the Prophet and those who have attained to faith to pray that they who ascribed divinity to aught beside God be forgiven [by Him] even though they happened to be [their] near of kin [148] -after it has been made clear unto them that those [dead sinners] are destined for the blazing fire.
Note: As is obvious from the sequence, this prohibition relates to the dead among such sinners-i.e., those who have died without repentance (Zamakhshari, Razi)-and not to those who are still living: for "a prayer for forgiveness in respect of a living [sinner] ... amounts to asking God that He grace him with His guidance ... and this is permissible" (Manar XI, 60).(Quran Ref: 9:113 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: There is no point in praying for one who has died as a polytheist, as this is an unforgivable sin. This verse was specifically revealed about the Uncle of the Prophet SAW, whom the Prophet loved very much. If the Prophet was not allowed to pray for him then how can any regular person from his followers?
Mike Ghouse: Those who do not believe in God, don't really have to worry about any punishment after death as there is no God for them to believe in the first place, prayers for them don't mean a thing. However, God's most endearing quality, that comes as a creator is kindness and grace that he or she reserves to itself. (deliberate use of words). Then he advises in the most pluralistic terms, giving respect to one's belief. Mind you, disagreement is handled in the most civil terms, putting the other person on equal footing.
109:1 SAY: "O you who deny the truth!
109:2 "I do not worship that which you worship,
109:3 and neither do you worship that which I worship!
109:4 "And I will not worship ~hat which you have [ever] worshipped,
109:6 Unto you, your moral law, and unto me, mine !
#14. Fight disbelievers who are near you, and let them see the harshness in you. 123
Mohammad Asad - At-Tauba (The Repentance)
9:123 O you who have attained to faith! Fight against those deniers of the truth who are near you, and let them find you adamant ; [163] and know that .God is with those who are conscious of Him.
Note 163- I.e., uncompromising with regard to ethical principles. For the general circumstances in which war is permitted, see 2:190-194, 22:39, 60:8-9, and the corresponding notes, as well as notes 7 and 9 on verse 5 of this surah. The reference to "those deniers of the truth who are near you" may arise from the fact that only "those who are near" can be dangerous in a physical sense or, alternatively, that - having come from afar- they have already approached the Muslim country with an aggressive intent.(Quran Ref: 9:123 )
Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh: Uncompromising rigidity in the matters of right and wrong, black and white is not something to be ashamed of. If I am not harsh in for example somebody robbing my house at night by calling the police and prosecuting those involved, what message does it give?
Mike Ghouse: How does one translate Adamant to harshness? Shows lack of freedom on the part of Neocons to question what is dished out to them. They are taking that false translation as gospel. The least they can do is see if there is another translation. Isn’t that what democracy is all about?
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Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh
ICI is fortunate to have Shaikh Zia as Imam of our center. Imam Zia ul Haque Sheikh was born in Azad Kashmir, and at the age of four he migrated to England with his parents. He attended regular schools until the age of thirteen, when he enrolled in a full time Islamic school.
He memorized the Quran, and at the age of sixteen, he started an Islamic Theology course, which consisted of Arabic Syntax, Etymology and Grammar, Logic, Quranic Exegesis, Hadith Exegesis, Comparative Religions, Islamic Jurisprudence of the four main schools of thought, Foundations of Jurisprudence, Quran and Hadith, and other subjects. After extensive studying for approximately twelve years, he graduated in 1994 with a Masters in Islamic Theology. He is still engaged in various courses to further his education.
He is a founding member and Board Member of the North Texas Islamic Council, an umbrella organization representing Islamic Organizations in the North Texas Area. He is also one of the Board Members of Irving Faiths together, a group of various religious organizations, dedicated to Peace and Harmony between faiths.
He is one of the instructors at Suffa Academy in the Islamic Association of North Texas, teaching subjects such as Seerah, Aqidah, and Hadith studies.
He also conducts regular study circles at the Islamic Center of Irving, and is often invited to speak at colleges, universities, conferences and seminars.
He is actively involved in Interfaith and Dawah work.
He has served as an Imam in the USA since 1996.
Education & Other Skills:
Masters in Arabic and Islamic Theology
Memorized the complete Qur'an
Languages: Arabic, Urdu, English, Punjabi, Gujarati fluently
Has his own website : www.isaina.org
Has written a complete explanation of Imam Bukhari's Book of Iman
Hobbies & Interests:
Soccer, Weight Training, Keeping Fit, Dawah Work
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Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker and a Writer. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussing interfaith, political and civic issues. He is the founding president of World Muslim Congress with a simple theme: Good for Muslims and good for the world. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com
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By Grant Swank
Koran's Verses via Dutch Film
December 04, 2007 12:00 PM EST
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/29496.html
Geert Wilders, Dutch conservative lawmaker, has made a ten-minute film exposing the horrific passages of the Koran.
Per AP Wilders refers to the selected verses as “’fascist.’”
He does not fear being slain, claiming 24-hour protection.
Theo van Gogh, film director, made “Submission” available for public viewing. It was a “fictional study of abused Muslim women with scenes of near-naked women with Quaranic texts engraved on their flesh.”
Theo van Gogh was murdered—shot with throat slit by a Muslim extremist. His body was discovered on an Amsterdam street in 2004.
“Prominent Muslim critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who wrote the (van Gogh) screenplay, was threatened in a note left on Van Gogh's body. She now lives under round-the-clock protection in the United States.
“Wilders plans to depict parts of the Quran he says are used as inspiration ‘by bad people to do bad things.’
“Less than 10 minutes long, the film is expected to air in late January.
"It will show ‘the intolerant and fascist character of the Quran,’ said Wilders, whose anti-Islam campaign helped his Freedom Party win nine seats in parliament in last year's election.
“In the past, Wilders has said that half the Quran should be torn up and compared it with Adolf Hitler's book ‘Mein Kampf.’ He has claimed the Netherlands is being swamped by a ‘tsunami’ of Islamic immigrants.”
In other countries, there are those sympathetic with Wilders’ point of view. There is grave concern on the part of persons enjoying democracies that infiltration of extremist Islamic lifestyle, especially that built upon the sharia so-called justice system, is a real-life real-time deadly threat to civility.
Numerous persons who have researched the Koran verse-by-verse have concluded that the general public in the main is ignorant of the Allah-dictates that threaten civility. This ignorance is evident when uninformed individuals still refer to Islam as a “peace religion.”
When taking the Koran seriously as divine revelation, a superficial review of the Koran’s extremist verses is not what meshes with democracies.
A sample of extremist Koran verses includes the following:
Surah 9: Repentance
1. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve. 3
2. Slay the idolaters wherever you find them. 5
3. Don't let idolaters tend the sanctuaries. Their works are in vain and they will be burned in the Fire. 17
4. Give tiding of a painful doom to Christians and Jews. 34
5. If you refuse to fight, Allah will afflict you with a painful doom. 39
6. Disbelievers go to hell. 49
7. Those who vex the Prophet, for them there is a painful doom. 60
8. Those who oppose Allah and His messenger will burn in the fire of hell. 63
9. Allah promises hypocrites and disbelievers the fire of hell. Allah curses them. They will have a lasting torment. 68
10. Fight the disbelievers and hypocrites. Be harsh with them. They are all going to hell anyway. 73
11. Allah will afflict disbelievers with a painful doom in this world and the Hereafter. 74
12. For disbelievers there will be a painful doom. 90
13. Don't pray for idolaters (not even for your family) after it is clear they are people of hell-fire. 113
14. Fight disbelievers who are near you, and let them see the harshness in you. 123
Concerning the Dutch situation, AP reports: “Immigrants from Muslim countries number about 1 million of the country's 16 million people.
Wilders informs the media: "’I will make the film and see what reaction it creates.’"
Read "Dutch lawmaker planning film criticizing the Quran" at www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=8512622
Send your comments to: WMCArchives@Gmail.com
Subject line write: Muslim Response to Geert Wilders
Bedevilled World
Prof. Azharul Islam plays the same game in reverse, placing the blame on Christians. The game of blaming and counterblaming might satisfy a few Muslim Neocons, but will not bring lasting solutions to any.
When we finally learn that the crimes are committed by men, insecure men, and not their religion, then we have a target to hit and punish. As long as we blame religions, we do not have a target, religion is intangible and you simply cannot punish it.
The war on Terra by Bush has failed simply because he is aiming the gun at Islamic Terrorism, an intangible item, it is not a target Mr. Bush. Go after the individuals, follow Bin Laden and his gang to the gates of hell and get them, then you are a gutsy man.
The pack of Neocons are chickens, they are afraid to do the right thing and instead scheme and aimlessly blaze their guns in darkness hoping some one will come in the way of fire and get killed, and claim a major victory on the war on terra.
Every policy recommendation by the schemey Neocons like Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Daniel Pipes, Alan Dershowitz, Dick Cheney has failed and will continue to do so. Why would any one in the admin listen to them beats me.
If we want to make peace, we need to work on justice. Punish the wrong doer, as simple as it sounds will actually work. All else will fall in place.
As a member of community of nations, our efforts ought to be directed towards justice and equity to attain peace for the humankind with a firm grounding in commonly held values. We cannot have advantages at the cost of others. Such benefits are temporary and deleterious to lasting peace. We believe what is good for America has got to be good for the world, and vice versa, to sustain it.
Let the Neocons go.
Mike Ghouse
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Name of the Book: Bedevilled World
By Azharul Islam,
Published by : Global Media Publications
http://www.gmpublications.com/product_info.php?products_id=25640
About the Book:
Islam has been accused for every evil, every incident of terrorism, every action of some splinter groups in remote corners of the world. Islam has been portrayed as a savage religion, bent upon destroying world. This unjust portrayal of Islam (a Divine Religion) is in sharp contrast to Christian groups responsible for atrocities or terrorist attacks throughout the century up to the present time. For these Christianity is hardly named or blamed in world media. Basque separatists, IRA, Ku Klux Klan, other terrorists groups or individuals including Oklahoma city bomber 27-year old Timothy James McVeigh (168 were killed on 19 April, 1995) in countries like Britain, Germany, Lebanaon, North or South America or elsewhere in the world are never called Christian terrorists and Christianity is never blamed for their actions.
President Bush's so-called multi-billion dollar 'war on terror' in the last few years has failed to contain terrorism. The so-called 'war on terror' should have been fought alongside the 'war on global injustice'. Something about redressing global injustice, Muslim plight, bigotry, attack on Islam should be addressed genuinely. One should clearly understand that 'fault' does not entirely rest on a group or a smaller country but on the most powerful nation and the colonial powers for their imperialistic behaviour. A manifesto that seeks to enforce 'Western hegemony and cultural imperialism' through an archaic policy of 'divide and rule' is probably hard to win friends, though it is sure to create more enemies. This book discusses all the above issues and tries to find out as to how the world can be made more secure, how terrorism can be contained and how the injustice can be removed from the face of the earth. Bangladesh is a good example where the Bangladeshi government destroyed the terrorist infrastructure in the country. It can be a good example to follow elsewhere too.
About the author
Born in Bogra (Bangladesh) in 1946, Professor Islam earned his Ph.D. from London University in 1972. For 39 years he has been engaged in university teaching and research.
Dr Azharul Islam is a former vice chancellor of International Islamic University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He is the recipient of several national and international awards. He has authored 17 books. Two International Conference proceedings edited by the author are catalogued in the Library of Congress, and several other libraries of UK, Italy, Japan, China, India, Pakistan, Singapore etc.
Professor Islam regularly writes about culture, social issues, current affairs, issues involving Middle East and scientific issues including nuclear proliferation in several national and international dailies and weeklies. He has published more than 100 research articles in his field of research and around 75 review and general articles. He has also translated books from English to Bengali and edited several books and conference proceedings in English. The Arabic version of one of his recent books is being published from Jordan. He has recently completed a 50-page chapter of a big volume on invitation by Nova science publishers in New York.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter - 1 Wild World - Global Injustice
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Mapping some basic issues
1.3 US Middle East policy
1.4 From Hiroshima to Iraq
Chapter - 2 Global Violence and Terrorism
2.1 Violence and terrorism
2.2 Face of terrorism – few examples
2.3 From 'favoured' Mujahideen to 'Al-Qaeda'
2.4 US 'War on Terror'
2.5 Violence and terrorism – other aspects
2.6 Root causes of terrorism and why it is on the rise
Chapter - 3 Vilification and Demonization of Islam
3.1 The clash of ignorance
3.2 Neo-Crusaders – reviving ancient hatred of Islam
3.3 Religious intolerance and Qur'an abuse
3.4 Pretext of freedom of expression
3.5 'Militant Islam' – a fashionable label
3.6 Experiencing the fight against terror
Chapter - 4 From Nation-building to Religion-building
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Pretext to 'fix' Islam
4.3 Blueprint for nation to religion-building
4.4 Muslim revival
Chapter - 5 Unlearning Negative Image of Islam
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Abrahamic faiths of the world
5.3 Islam and Islamic world
5.4 West's ignorance of Islam
5.5 Fundamentalism and Jihad
5.6 Democracy in the context of Qur'an
5.7 Women's Issues
Chapter - 6 Tragedy of Muslim Nations and Possible Strategies
6.1 Current tragedy of Muslim nations
6.2 Unions of divided Muslims
6.3 Rising to the occasion
Countering terrorism – example of a Muslim nation
Chapter - 7 Road to a Better World
7.1 Odyssey of a safer world
7.2 Global peace – its chances of success
7.3 Reviving global justice
7.4 Deterrence of global violence and conflict resolutions
7.5 New Global Order – Road to end the evil
Index
Please contact
Global Media Publications
J-51-A, 1st Floor, AFE,
Jamia Nagar, Okhla,
New Delhi-110025
India
Tel: 91-11-55666830, 9818327757
E-mail: info@...
Or shop online at our secure online bookshop www.gmpublications.com
When we finally learn that the crimes are committed by men, insecure men, and not their religion, then we have a target to hit and punish. As long as we blame religions, we do not have a target, religion is intangible and you simply cannot punish it.
The war on Terra by Bush has failed simply because he is aiming the gun at Islamic Terrorism, an intangible item, it is not a target Mr. Bush. Go after the individuals, follow Bin Laden and his gang to the gates of hell and get them, then you are a gutsy man.
The pack of Neocons are chickens, they are afraid to do the right thing and instead scheme and aimlessly blaze their guns in darkness hoping some one will come in the way of fire and get killed, and claim a major victory on the war on terra.
Every policy recommendation by the schemey Neocons like Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Daniel Pipes, Alan Dershowitz, Dick Cheney has failed and will continue to do so. Why would any one in the admin listen to them beats me.
If we want to make peace, we need to work on justice. Punish the wrong doer, as simple as it sounds will actually work. All else will fall in place.
As a member of community of nations, our efforts ought to be directed towards justice and equity to attain peace for the humankind with a firm grounding in commonly held values. We cannot have advantages at the cost of others. Such benefits are temporary and deleterious to lasting peace. We believe what is good for America has got to be good for the world, and vice versa, to sustain it.
Let the Neocons go.
Mike Ghouse
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of the Book: Bedevilled World
By Azharul Islam,
Published by : Global Media Publications
http://www.gmpublications.com/product_info.php?products_id=25640
About the Book:
Islam has been accused for every evil, every incident of terrorism, every action of some splinter groups in remote corners of the world. Islam has been portrayed as a savage religion, bent upon destroying world. This unjust portrayal of Islam (a Divine Religion) is in sharp contrast to Christian groups responsible for atrocities or terrorist attacks throughout the century up to the present time. For these Christianity is hardly named or blamed in world media. Basque separatists, IRA, Ku Klux Klan, other terrorists groups or individuals including Oklahoma city bomber 27-year old Timothy James McVeigh (168 were killed on 19 April, 1995) in countries like Britain, Germany, Lebanaon, North or South America or elsewhere in the world are never called Christian terrorists and Christianity is never blamed for their actions.
President Bush's so-called multi-billion dollar 'war on terror' in the last few years has failed to contain terrorism. The so-called 'war on terror' should have been fought alongside the 'war on global injustice'. Something about redressing global injustice, Muslim plight, bigotry, attack on Islam should be addressed genuinely. One should clearly understand that 'fault' does not entirely rest on a group or a smaller country but on the most powerful nation and the colonial powers for their imperialistic behaviour. A manifesto that seeks to enforce 'Western hegemony and cultural imperialism' through an archaic policy of 'divide and rule' is probably hard to win friends, though it is sure to create more enemies. This book discusses all the above issues and tries to find out as to how the world can be made more secure, how terrorism can be contained and how the injustice can be removed from the face of the earth. Bangladesh is a good example where the Bangladeshi government destroyed the terrorist infrastructure in the country. It can be a good example to follow elsewhere too.
About the author
Born in Bogra (Bangladesh) in 1946, Professor Islam earned his Ph.D. from London University in 1972. For 39 years he has been engaged in university teaching and research.
Dr Azharul Islam is a former vice chancellor of International Islamic University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He is the recipient of several national and international awards. He has authored 17 books. Two International Conference proceedings edited by the author are catalogued in the Library of Congress, and several other libraries of UK, Italy, Japan, China, India, Pakistan, Singapore etc.
Professor Islam regularly writes about culture, social issues, current affairs, issues involving Middle East and scientific issues including nuclear proliferation in several national and international dailies and weeklies. He has published more than 100 research articles in his field of research and around 75 review and general articles. He has also translated books from English to Bengali and edited several books and conference proceedings in English. The Arabic version of one of his recent books is being published from Jordan. He has recently completed a 50-page chapter of a big volume on invitation by Nova science publishers in New York.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter - 1 Wild World - Global Injustice
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Mapping some basic issues
1.3 US Middle East policy
1.4 From Hiroshima to Iraq
Chapter - 2 Global Violence and Terrorism
2.1 Violence and terrorism
2.2 Face of terrorism – few examples
2.3 From 'favoured' Mujahideen to 'Al-Qaeda'
2.4 US 'War on Terror'
2.5 Violence and terrorism – other aspects
2.6 Root causes of terrorism and why it is on the rise
Chapter - 3 Vilification and Demonization of Islam
3.1 The clash of ignorance
3.2 Neo-Crusaders – reviving ancient hatred of Islam
3.3 Religious intolerance and Qur'an abuse
3.4 Pretext of freedom of expression
3.5 'Militant Islam' – a fashionable label
3.6 Experiencing the fight against terror
Chapter - 4 From Nation-building to Religion-building
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Pretext to 'fix' Islam
4.3 Blueprint for nation to religion-building
4.4 Muslim revival
Chapter - 5 Unlearning Negative Image of Islam
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Abrahamic faiths of the world
5.3 Islam and Islamic world
5.4 West's ignorance of Islam
5.5 Fundamentalism and Jihad
5.6 Democracy in the context of Qur'an
5.7 Women's Issues
Chapter - 6 Tragedy of Muslim Nations and Possible Strategies
6.1 Current tragedy of Muslim nations
6.2 Unions of divided Muslims
6.3 Rising to the occasion
Countering terrorism – example of a Muslim nation
Chapter - 7 Road to a Better World
7.1 Odyssey of a safer world
7.2 Global peace – its chances of success
7.3 Reviving global justice
7.4 Deterrence of global violence and conflict resolutions
7.5 New Global Order – Road to end the evil
Index
Please contact
Global Media Publications
J-51-A, 1st Floor, AFE,
Jamia Nagar, Okhla,
New Delhi-110025
India
Tel: 91-11-55666830, 9818327757
E-mail: info@...
Or shop online at our secure online bookshop www.gmpublications.com
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Politics of Apocalypse
Name of the Book: The Politics of Apocalypse—The
History and Influence of Christian Zionism
Author: Dan Cohn-Sherbook
Publisher: Oneworld Books, Oxford
Year: 2006
Pp: 221
ISBN: 13:978-1-85168-453-3
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
Christian Zionism, a variant of Christian
fundamentalism, is today a major global force to
reckon with. Christian Zionists are a key player in
American (and to a lesser extent, Western European)
politics. Firm backers of Zionism, Israel and Israeli
expansionism, they are also one of the principal
fountainheads of Islamophobia on the global scence.
The origins, development and politics of Christian
Zionism are brought out in considerable detail in this
well-researched, balanced and very timely book by the
noted activist scholar Dan Cohn-Sherbook, himself a
Jew, and Professor of Judaism at the University of
Wales.
Approximately a tenth of the American population is a
devoted member of the cult of Christian Zionism, the
author observes. 'It is the fastest growing religious
movement in Christianity today', he notes (p.xi).
Many followers of the cult are from the middle and
upper-middle classes, followers of televangelists who
wield enormous political and economic clout. Christian
Zionists are impelled by an imperialistic vision, of
Jesus' impending arrival on earth, when he shall, so
they believe, wipe out all his enemies (all
non-Christians, presumably) and establish his global
dominion, with his capital at Jerusalem. Meanwhile,
Christian Zionists believe that they, as allegedly
God's chosen people, will be spared the horrors of the
global war that shall precede Jesus' advent, and will
be miraculously wafted up to heaven, where they shall
watch the final destruction of the world.
Christian Zionists believe that Jesus can only return
the world once the Jews colonise Palestine. This
belief is based on the contentious claim that God had
granted this land to the progeny of Abraham, through
Isaac, that is the Jews, for eternity. This land is
not restricted to the present borders of the state of
Israel. Instead, Zionists, both Jewish and Christian,
believe that a vast swathe of land, stretching from
the Nile to the Euphrates, today inhabited by millions
of Arab Muslims and Christians, belongs rightfully to
the Jews, and so must be ethnically 'cleansed' of
non-Jewish presence. Hence the justification they
offer for their genocidal project aimed at the Arabs.
Hence, too, their consistent backing to Israel, their
generous funding of Jewish settlements in Palestine,
and their enormous pressure on successive American
governments to adopt rigorously pro-Israel and
anti-Palestinian policies.
The author traces the origins of Christian Zionism to
the changing attitude of Christian groups towards the
Jews following the Protestant Revolution. The early
Catholic Church justified the witch-hunt of the Jews,
labeling them as alleged Christ-killers. However,
numerous Protestant sects, while equally vehemently
anti-Jewish, believed that the Jews needed to colonise
Palestine before Jesus would re-appear in the world to
save it. This was, and still is, by no means a
generous acceptance of the Jews. Rather, they
believed, as Christian Zionists today do, that only
those Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah would be
saved. The rest would ally themselves with the
Anti-Christ and would be defeted by Jesus and his
forces and, consequently, would be sent off to eternal
damnation in the fires of hell.
From the seventeenth century onwards, the author
shows, numerous European, and, later American,
Protestant churches began evolving schemes to settle
the Jews in Palestine. This was also seen as a
convenient way of getting rid of the Jewish presence
in Europe. They petitioned various European powers to
back this scheme. By the early nineteenth century,
numerous British administrators had been won round to
this idea, impelled, no doubt, also by a motive to
undermine the Ottoman Empire, which at that time
controlled Palestine, and by a deep-rooted aversion to
Islam.
Increasingly, the author shows, Christian Zionists
began to join hands with secular Jewish Zionists,
whose plans to settling Jews in Israel had nothing to
do with any messianic hopes, but, rather, arose as a
response to the centuries'-old persecution of Jews by
European Christians. (In contrast, the author rightly
notes, 'In Arab lands, Jews had flourished for
centuries […] [while] in European countries Jewry had
been subject to oppression and persecution' (p.44).
Ties between secular Jewish Zionists and Christian
Zionists to pursue the common project of Jewish
colonization of Palestine, the author writes, were
strengthened by the support given to Theodore Herzl
(b.1860), the Hungarian Jew who is regarded as the
father of modern-day Zionism. The author traces the
course of this close collaboration down to the
present-day, describing the strong political and
financial links between Christian and Israeli/Jewish
Zionists and also the enormous clout of the Zionist
lobby in American political circles.
The author clearly indicates that Christian Zionism,
based on a virulently anti-Islamic agenda, is a major
hurdle to peace not just in West Asia but globally,
too. Indeed, some Christian Zionists even ardently
wish (and work for) a final global war, in the belief
that this would accelerate their hoped-for wafting up
to heaven and the subsequent arrival of Jesus. At the
same time, and this gives some cause for hope, the
author also discusses critiques of the Zionist
imperialist project by progressive Christian and
Jewish groups and also by orthodox Jewish Rabbis, who
are opposed to Zionism on the grounds that, as the
author puts it, 'It [is] forbidden to accelerate
divine redemption through human efforts'.
History and Influence of Christian Zionism
Author: Dan Cohn-Sherbook
Publisher: Oneworld Books, Oxford
Year: 2006
Pp: 221
ISBN: 13:978-1-85168-453-3
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
Christian Zionism, a variant of Christian
fundamentalism, is today a major global force to
reckon with. Christian Zionists are a key player in
American (and to a lesser extent, Western European)
politics. Firm backers of Zionism, Israel and Israeli
expansionism, they are also one of the principal
fountainheads of Islamophobia on the global scence.
The origins, development and politics of Christian
Zionism are brought out in considerable detail in this
well-researched, balanced and very timely book by the
noted activist scholar Dan Cohn-Sherbook, himself a
Jew, and Professor of Judaism at the University of
Wales.
Approximately a tenth of the American population is a
devoted member of the cult of Christian Zionism, the
author observes. 'It is the fastest growing religious
movement in Christianity today', he notes (p.xi).
Many followers of the cult are from the middle and
upper-middle classes, followers of televangelists who
wield enormous political and economic clout. Christian
Zionists are impelled by an imperialistic vision, of
Jesus' impending arrival on earth, when he shall, so
they believe, wipe out all his enemies (all
non-Christians, presumably) and establish his global
dominion, with his capital at Jerusalem. Meanwhile,
Christian Zionists believe that they, as allegedly
God's chosen people, will be spared the horrors of the
global war that shall precede Jesus' advent, and will
be miraculously wafted up to heaven, where they shall
watch the final destruction of the world.
Christian Zionists believe that Jesus can only return
the world once the Jews colonise Palestine. This
belief is based on the contentious claim that God had
granted this land to the progeny of Abraham, through
Isaac, that is the Jews, for eternity. This land is
not restricted to the present borders of the state of
Israel. Instead, Zionists, both Jewish and Christian,
believe that a vast swathe of land, stretching from
the Nile to the Euphrates, today inhabited by millions
of Arab Muslims and Christians, belongs rightfully to
the Jews, and so must be ethnically 'cleansed' of
non-Jewish presence. Hence the justification they
offer for their genocidal project aimed at the Arabs.
Hence, too, their consistent backing to Israel, their
generous funding of Jewish settlements in Palestine,
and their enormous pressure on successive American
governments to adopt rigorously pro-Israel and
anti-Palestinian policies.
The author traces the origins of Christian Zionism to
the changing attitude of Christian groups towards the
Jews following the Protestant Revolution. The early
Catholic Church justified the witch-hunt of the Jews,
labeling them as alleged Christ-killers. However,
numerous Protestant sects, while equally vehemently
anti-Jewish, believed that the Jews needed to colonise
Palestine before Jesus would re-appear in the world to
save it. This was, and still is, by no means a
generous acceptance of the Jews. Rather, they
believed, as Christian Zionists today do, that only
those Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah would be
saved. The rest would ally themselves with the
Anti-Christ and would be defeted by Jesus and his
forces and, consequently, would be sent off to eternal
damnation in the fires of hell.
From the seventeenth century onwards, the author
shows, numerous European, and, later American,
Protestant churches began evolving schemes to settle
the Jews in Palestine. This was also seen as a
convenient way of getting rid of the Jewish presence
in Europe. They petitioned various European powers to
back this scheme. By the early nineteenth century,
numerous British administrators had been won round to
this idea, impelled, no doubt, also by a motive to
undermine the Ottoman Empire, which at that time
controlled Palestine, and by a deep-rooted aversion to
Islam.
Increasingly, the author shows, Christian Zionists
began to join hands with secular Jewish Zionists,
whose plans to settling Jews in Israel had nothing to
do with any messianic hopes, but, rather, arose as a
response to the centuries'-old persecution of Jews by
European Christians. (In contrast, the author rightly
notes, 'In Arab lands, Jews had flourished for
centuries […] [while] in European countries Jewry had
been subject to oppression and persecution' (p.44).
Ties between secular Jewish Zionists and Christian
Zionists to pursue the common project of Jewish
colonization of Palestine, the author writes, were
strengthened by the support given to Theodore Herzl
(b.1860), the Hungarian Jew who is regarded as the
father of modern-day Zionism. The author traces the
course of this close collaboration down to the
present-day, describing the strong political and
financial links between Christian and Israeli/Jewish
Zionists and also the enormous clout of the Zionist
lobby in American political circles.
The author clearly indicates that Christian Zionism,
based on a virulently anti-Islamic agenda, is a major
hurdle to peace not just in West Asia but globally,
too. Indeed, some Christian Zionists even ardently
wish (and work for) a final global war, in the belief
that this would accelerate their hoped-for wafting up
to heaven and the subsequent arrival of Jesus. At the
same time, and this gives some cause for hope, the
author also discusses critiques of the Zionist
imperialist project by progressive Christian and
Jewish groups and also by orthodox Jewish Rabbis, who
are opposed to Zionism on the grounds that, as the
author puts it, 'It [is] forbidden to accelerate
divine redemption through human efforts'.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Hagee at Reform Temple
http://www.jewsonfirst.org/08a/hagee_wise.html
Christian Zionist Leader Hagee in Unprecedented Appearance at Reform Temple
By Robin Podolsky, March 17, 2008.
Special to JewsOnFirst.org
On Tuesday, March 11, the Reverend John C. Hagee spoke as a guest at Stephen S. Wise, a Reform Temple in West Los Angeles—the first time, the Reverend said that he had spoken at a Reform Temple in more than 20 years. The event was billed as a ‘dialogue’ between Reverend Hagee and Rabbi David Woznica, and the format was that of a long interview in which Rabbi Woznica asked questions that Reverend Hagee answered. The audience had no opportunity to ask questions of its own.
When asked to identify himself theologically, Reverend Hagee said that he is Evangelical, which means that he “reads scripture” and then simply “does it.” He said that he is not fundamentalist, because he does not wish to be identified with the sort of people who handle snakes. (This was not the only time when Reverend Hagee appeared to cater to a prejudice that he expected his audience to share. At one point, he invited the mixed audience of Jews and evangelicals to commiserate with the difficulties of winning Texas “rednecks” to the task of combating anti-Semitism; he also described a rushed, hurried prayer as being like that of “a Presbyterian late for lunch.”)
Reverend Hagee (at right) and Rabbi Woznica at Stephen S. Wise Temple, March 11th
When Rabbi Woznica asked the Reverend if he was a literalist, he said that he was and that he did believe that the world was really created in six days and that Noah’s ark was real. On the other hand, in response to a follow-up question from Rabbi Woznica, Reverend Hagee said that he does not believe a Sabbath-breaker ought to be stoned to death, referring to Biblical laws as ‘word pictures’ that indicate ‘principles.’ Pressed further, Hagee said that he takes stories of miracles literally and that his belief in God as all-powerful and all-knowing has ‘never’ been shaken.
Blessings and curses in Deuteronomy
Rabbi Woznica pressed the point in reference to Reverend Hagee’s famous remark that Hurricane Katrina can be best understood as God’s punishment for sin, homosexuality in particular. Hagee didn’t answer directly but responded with a précis of the blessings and curses described in Deuteronomy as the recompense for obedience or sin. He then went on to say that when a tragedy occurs, “you don’t know that day if it is a tragedy,” re-telling the story of Joseph who thought he was having a bad day when his brothers sold him into slavery and who later realized that the series of events leading to his position of leadership in Egypt represented the work of God on behalf of his entire people.
Rabbi Woznica asked if, on the day that a tsunami wiped out thousands of people, we might not be justified in assuming that we were all having a bad day. The Reverend acknowledged that it would certainly feel bad at the time.
Then the tone of the conversation changed abruptly. Rabbi Woznica asked the Revered if we are always obliged “to forgive.” Hagee said that we are only obliged to forgive in response to a promise of changed behavior, because to forgive without a promise of different conduct is to “make the grace of God an accomplice to evil.” The Reverend went on to remind us of the story of Jesus and the adulterous woman—Jesus, whom Hagee described as a “Reform Rabbi” (!) rescued from the crowd “of Pharisees” about to stone her and told her to “go and sin no more.” The point being that the woman was forgiven, but not without conditions.
The recitation of this story in service of the Reverend Hagee’s theology of forgiveness crystallized what was intriguing and exasperating about the whole evening. As Rabbi Woznica remarked, this may have been the first time that any of the Jews in the audience had heard a Christian suggest that gratuitous forgiveness is not the absolute obligation of every victim—and certainly the first time that we had heard a conservative Christian acknowledge Jesus as a rabbi, much less a Reform one. On the other hand, Jesus’ ‘legalistic’ and bloodthirsty opponents were still characterized as Pharisees—those forerunners of the Rabbinic movement. It was an odd juxtaposition—on one hand, a clear attempt to win over the audience while slipping in a reference to an old canard: forgiving Jesus versus hateful and unforgiving proto-rabbis.
This was even odder following Hagee’s refusal to categorically take back his on-record assertion that a hurricane that wiped out thousands of lives might best be understood as Divine punishment and, therefore, as just.
Support of Israel?
Reverend Hagee said that he wished the audience to understand that his work “in support of Israel” was not aimed at conversion of Jews to Christianity. He then expressed irritation at being asked if his work with CUFI had to do with the Apocalypse. He said, “Only a moron would ask a question like that.”
Rabbi Woznica smiled and said that the question had been “on his list.” However, perhaps because he was uncomfortable at the possibility of his guest calling him a moron or because he was distracted with other questions, he never returned to the issue again.
Therefore, the audience never got a chance to hear what the Reverend would have said if someone had asked him to explain his dismissal, in advance, of any discussion of the Apocalypse in the context of the discussion that followed.
At one point, Reverend Hagee said that, following the example of his father, also a minister, he regards the founding of the State of Israel to be the most important event of the 20th Century—because this ‘in-gathering’ is a necessary prelude to the rebuilding of the Temple, the battle of Armageddon and revelation of the Messiah, whom Hagee believes to be Jesus Christ. At the sight of the Messiah, the “remnant” of the Jews who would be left after the Armageddon struggle (Hagee coyly observed that while, remnant sounds bad, “we don’t actually know how big a remnant is”) would “weep at the sight of the one whose side they (!) had pierced.” This account is absolutely at odds with Hagee’s earlier statement that it is wrong to interpret the Christian Bible to suggest that the Jews killed Jesus, because that killing was actually a “Roman conspiracy.” Rabbi Woznica, doing his game best to follow the argument, did not interrupt to point out this inconsistency.
It is worth noting, in this context, that Hagee has made statements on the record claiming that a nuclear war between Israel and Iran would trigger the Armageddon war in which Russia will join with an Arab coalition against Israel. Surely this means that, like Hurricane Katrina or the perfidy of Joseph’s brothers, the coming of this terrible war in which many people, including Israelis would be killed would not actually be a bad day.
To this Reform audience, Hagee insisted that CUFI is a ‘one-issue’ organization that does nothing but “support Israel,” sending out lobbying brigades to Congress with focused talking points on that subject alone. But he was never asked how, in light of his belief that the War of Armageddon is necessary to the chain of events that will bring on the world to come, such a belief colors his notion of what “support” for Israel means. (The Rabbi admitted that he has not read Hagee's book, Jerusalem Countdown, and asked Reverend Hagee to send him a copy.)
To heighten the contradiction even further, Hagee averred that, while he does not believe that Israel ought to give up any territory it now controls (because of the Biblical mandate that “excludes Ishmael”), he would not “tell them they could not do that.” However, his lobbying efforts have been documented elsewhere as ‘supportive’ of the most war-mongering right wing elements in Israeli society.
Christian right leaders on CUFI's board
Hagee also has, on the Board of CUFI, assembled the most socially right wing Christian ministers, who are working, actively, to re-brand the United States as a Christian nation. Hagee was never asked how, if he believes that the removal of Jews from the United States to Israel is an eschatological necessity and, if he is working to turn our constitutional democracy into a Christian nation, what he thinks the role of Jews as US citizens ought to be.
Hagee was warmly received by this Reform Jewish audience and given several standing ovations. It may be that this audience had never heard a Christian preacher acknowledge the several truths that Hagee did address in his remarks.
He admitted that the Crusaders were “liars, murderers, rapists and thieves;” that Jews were tortured during the Inquisition; that the perpetrators of the Holocaust were, for the most part “baptized Christians in good standing within their congregations.” He admitted the anti-Jewish screed of Martin Luther. (And, no, he was never asked to explain his remark that the Catholic Church is a “whore.”) Hagee said it was time that Christians acknowledged the anti-Judaism that has run through Christian history and “asked forgiveness.”
All this, along with the Reverend’s warm, personable attitude, proved utterly seductive to this crowd, who seemed unfamiliar with Hagee’s other side: the side that has every reason to help provoke a state of constant war between Israel and her neighbors in order to bring about the Messianic scenario in which he believes; the side that attacks Catholicism in such terms as would draw blanket condemnation if they were ever used to describe Judaism; the side that flatly opposes separation of church and state; a woman’s right to choose and gay rights—all principles that the Reform movement has endorsed.
For more on Rev. Hagee and Christian Zionists, please click here.
Christian Zionist Leader Hagee in Unprecedented Appearance at Reform Temple
By Robin Podolsky, March 17, 2008.
Special to JewsOnFirst.org
On Tuesday, March 11, the Reverend John C. Hagee spoke as a guest at Stephen S. Wise, a Reform Temple in West Los Angeles—the first time, the Reverend said that he had spoken at a Reform Temple in more than 20 years. The event was billed as a ‘dialogue’ between Reverend Hagee and Rabbi David Woznica, and the format was that of a long interview in which Rabbi Woznica asked questions that Reverend Hagee answered. The audience had no opportunity to ask questions of its own.
When asked to identify himself theologically, Reverend Hagee said that he is Evangelical, which means that he “reads scripture” and then simply “does it.” He said that he is not fundamentalist, because he does not wish to be identified with the sort of people who handle snakes. (This was not the only time when Reverend Hagee appeared to cater to a prejudice that he expected his audience to share. At one point, he invited the mixed audience of Jews and evangelicals to commiserate with the difficulties of winning Texas “rednecks” to the task of combating anti-Semitism; he also described a rushed, hurried prayer as being like that of “a Presbyterian late for lunch.”)
Reverend Hagee (at right) and Rabbi Woznica at Stephen S. Wise Temple, March 11th
When Rabbi Woznica asked the Reverend if he was a literalist, he said that he was and that he did believe that the world was really created in six days and that Noah’s ark was real. On the other hand, in response to a follow-up question from Rabbi Woznica, Reverend Hagee said that he does not believe a Sabbath-breaker ought to be stoned to death, referring to Biblical laws as ‘word pictures’ that indicate ‘principles.’ Pressed further, Hagee said that he takes stories of miracles literally and that his belief in God as all-powerful and all-knowing has ‘never’ been shaken.
Blessings and curses in Deuteronomy
Rabbi Woznica pressed the point in reference to Reverend Hagee’s famous remark that Hurricane Katrina can be best understood as God’s punishment for sin, homosexuality in particular. Hagee didn’t answer directly but responded with a précis of the blessings and curses described in Deuteronomy as the recompense for obedience or sin. He then went on to say that when a tragedy occurs, “you don’t know that day if it is a tragedy,” re-telling the story of Joseph who thought he was having a bad day when his brothers sold him into slavery and who later realized that the series of events leading to his position of leadership in Egypt represented the work of God on behalf of his entire people.
Rabbi Woznica asked if, on the day that a tsunami wiped out thousands of people, we might not be justified in assuming that we were all having a bad day. The Reverend acknowledged that it would certainly feel bad at the time.
Then the tone of the conversation changed abruptly. Rabbi Woznica asked the Revered if we are always obliged “to forgive.” Hagee said that we are only obliged to forgive in response to a promise of changed behavior, because to forgive without a promise of different conduct is to “make the grace of God an accomplice to evil.” The Reverend went on to remind us of the story of Jesus and the adulterous woman—Jesus, whom Hagee described as a “Reform Rabbi” (!) rescued from the crowd “of Pharisees” about to stone her and told her to “go and sin no more.” The point being that the woman was forgiven, but not without conditions.
The recitation of this story in service of the Reverend Hagee’s theology of forgiveness crystallized what was intriguing and exasperating about the whole evening. As Rabbi Woznica remarked, this may have been the first time that any of the Jews in the audience had heard a Christian suggest that gratuitous forgiveness is not the absolute obligation of every victim—and certainly the first time that we had heard a conservative Christian acknowledge Jesus as a rabbi, much less a Reform one. On the other hand, Jesus’ ‘legalistic’ and bloodthirsty opponents were still characterized as Pharisees—those forerunners of the Rabbinic movement. It was an odd juxtaposition—on one hand, a clear attempt to win over the audience while slipping in a reference to an old canard: forgiving Jesus versus hateful and unforgiving proto-rabbis.
This was even odder following Hagee’s refusal to categorically take back his on-record assertion that a hurricane that wiped out thousands of lives might best be understood as Divine punishment and, therefore, as just.
Support of Israel?
Reverend Hagee said that he wished the audience to understand that his work “in support of Israel” was not aimed at conversion of Jews to Christianity. He then expressed irritation at being asked if his work with CUFI had to do with the Apocalypse. He said, “Only a moron would ask a question like that.”
Rabbi Woznica smiled and said that the question had been “on his list.” However, perhaps because he was uncomfortable at the possibility of his guest calling him a moron or because he was distracted with other questions, he never returned to the issue again.
Therefore, the audience never got a chance to hear what the Reverend would have said if someone had asked him to explain his dismissal, in advance, of any discussion of the Apocalypse in the context of the discussion that followed.
At one point, Reverend Hagee said that, following the example of his father, also a minister, he regards the founding of the State of Israel to be the most important event of the 20th Century—because this ‘in-gathering’ is a necessary prelude to the rebuilding of the Temple, the battle of Armageddon and revelation of the Messiah, whom Hagee believes to be Jesus Christ. At the sight of the Messiah, the “remnant” of the Jews who would be left after the Armageddon struggle (Hagee coyly observed that while, remnant sounds bad, “we don’t actually know how big a remnant is”) would “weep at the sight of the one whose side they (!) had pierced.” This account is absolutely at odds with Hagee’s earlier statement that it is wrong to interpret the Christian Bible to suggest that the Jews killed Jesus, because that killing was actually a “Roman conspiracy.” Rabbi Woznica, doing his game best to follow the argument, did not interrupt to point out this inconsistency.
It is worth noting, in this context, that Hagee has made statements on the record claiming that a nuclear war between Israel and Iran would trigger the Armageddon war in which Russia will join with an Arab coalition against Israel. Surely this means that, like Hurricane Katrina or the perfidy of Joseph’s brothers, the coming of this terrible war in which many people, including Israelis would be killed would not actually be a bad day.
To this Reform audience, Hagee insisted that CUFI is a ‘one-issue’ organization that does nothing but “support Israel,” sending out lobbying brigades to Congress with focused talking points on that subject alone. But he was never asked how, in light of his belief that the War of Armageddon is necessary to the chain of events that will bring on the world to come, such a belief colors his notion of what “support” for Israel means. (The Rabbi admitted that he has not read Hagee's book, Jerusalem Countdown, and asked Reverend Hagee to send him a copy.)
To heighten the contradiction even further, Hagee averred that, while he does not believe that Israel ought to give up any territory it now controls (because of the Biblical mandate that “excludes Ishmael”), he would not “tell them they could not do that.” However, his lobbying efforts have been documented elsewhere as ‘supportive’ of the most war-mongering right wing elements in Israeli society.
Christian right leaders on CUFI's board
Hagee also has, on the Board of CUFI, assembled the most socially right wing Christian ministers, who are working, actively, to re-brand the United States as a Christian nation. Hagee was never asked how, if he believes that the removal of Jews from the United States to Israel is an eschatological necessity and, if he is working to turn our constitutional democracy into a Christian nation, what he thinks the role of Jews as US citizens ought to be.
Hagee was warmly received by this Reform Jewish audience and given several standing ovations. It may be that this audience had never heard a Christian preacher acknowledge the several truths that Hagee did address in his remarks.
He admitted that the Crusaders were “liars, murderers, rapists and thieves;” that Jews were tortured during the Inquisition; that the perpetrators of the Holocaust were, for the most part “baptized Christians in good standing within their congregations.” He admitted the anti-Jewish screed of Martin Luther. (And, no, he was never asked to explain his remark that the Catholic Church is a “whore.”) Hagee said it was time that Christians acknowledged the anti-Judaism that has run through Christian history and “asked forgiveness.”
All this, along with the Reverend’s warm, personable attitude, proved utterly seductive to this crowd, who seemed unfamiliar with Hagee’s other side: the side that has every reason to help provoke a state of constant war between Israel and her neighbors in order to bring about the Messianic scenario in which he believes; the side that attacks Catholicism in such terms as would draw blanket condemnation if they were ever used to describe Judaism; the side that flatly opposes separation of church and state; a woman’s right to choose and gay rights—all principles that the Reform movement has endorsed.
For more on Rev. Hagee and Christian Zionists, please click here.
Jews 'Uneasy' With Christians
Some Jews 'Uneasy' With High-Profile Christian Allies
by Omar Sacirbey
Religion News Service
Mike Ghouse ; Rabbi Yoffie should stick to his words, associating with extremists of any kind will cause injustice and injustice will ruin sustainability of peace and will constantly prick the peace. His call to McCain to disassociate from Hagee must be heeded. The neocons of Fox and CNN banged Obama for Jeremiah Wright's comments while letting McCain go scot free.
In recent years, conservative Christians have emerged as some of the most vocal supporters of the state of Israel -- support that many Jewish groups have welcomed at a time when they feel Israel is under siege.
One of the loudest voices has been John Hagee, the San Antonio megachurch pastor who recently endorsed John McCain's White House bid and raised the ire of Catholic groups with statements that even some Jews called vicious and inflammatory.
The Catholic flap has sparked a new round of questions among Jewish groups over the support from Christian Zionists like Hagee and the Rev. Pat Robertson. Where is the line between embracing their support and keeping their politics at arm's length?
"On the one hand, there's a desire to have as strong a support for Israel as possible," said Rabbi Joel Meyers, who heads the Rabbinical Assembly, an umbrella group of Conservative rabbis. "On the other hand, there's concern that no one wants to back any religious extremist. And some of the comments coming from some of the leaders of the evangelical movement are certainly extreme when they talk about other faiths.
"That makes a lot of people, including myself, very uneasy."
Christian Zionism has various interpretations, but the central belief is that ancient Israel must be restored to bring about Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. Most Christian Zionists believe that during the Second Coming, Jews will ether convert to Christianity or perish.
That theology alone is enough to give many Jews pause.
While Israel's birth in 1948 seemed to fulfill biblical prophecy, Christian Zionists believe an intact Israel must also include Judea and Samaria -- the predominantly Palestinian West Bank captured by Israel in 1967. As such, they have resisted returning any land to the Palestinians as part of a peace deal. And a war with Iran, some say, could usher in Armageddon.
Estimates on the number of Christian Zionists in the U.S. range from 20 million to 40 million. The movement is mostly evangelical, and its most potent force is Christians United For Israel, established two years ago by Hagee, the pastor of the 18,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. The group's executive board includes Gary Bauer, Jonathan Falwell and other evangelical leaders.
Hagee, in an interview, said he can "understand" why some Jews would "shy away from Christian support," but blamed that reluctance on 2,000 years of anti-Semitism, not political or social differences.
"We have made a clean break with the past replacement theology and have embraced the Jewish people for whom the Bible says they are -- the apple of God's eye," Hagee said. "And we would say to our critics you need to take a closer look at 26 years of unconditional support of the Jewish people."
Many Jewish leaders have been turned off by some of the statements that leaders of the religious right have made about Catholics, Muslims, gays and lesbians and other minorities.
Hagee has stepped away from previous comments that called the Catholic Church "the whore of Babylon" and that seemed to blame Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans' willingness to host a gay parade.
"I am not now, nor have I ever been, an anti-Catholic," Hagee said, arguing the media have misconstrued his statements. "I have never called the (Catholic) church the Antichrist or a false cult system." And Katrina, he said, was either a blessing or a curse, and "it was not a blessing, I can tell you that."
One of the directors for Christians United for Israel, Ohio megachurch pastor Rod Parsley, has said "Islam must be destroyed" and issued a "lock and load" call against spiritual enemies. Hagee has been equally critical of Islam, but said that "my remarks about Islam are always ... about radical Islam."
Still, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said such bombastic rhetoric is bound to raise eyebrows -- and concerns.
"I think we need to be very, very reluctant to partner with anyone who isn't fundamentally respectful towards other religious traditions," Yoffie said. "His comments on Islam are a legitimate and important factor here when Jewish groups consider whether they should join with him."
Some Jews have even compared Hagee with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose anti-Semitic rhetoric and recent campaign endorsement has caused headaches for Sen. Barack Obama.
"Jews and other people of good will should demand that John McCain renounce and reject the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee because of his vicious and inflammatory anti-Catholicism," Rabbi Irwin Kula, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, wrote in a statement last month.
Some Jewish groups have tried to draw a line between Hagee's views on Israel and his views on practically everything else. They've also distinguished between his political views on Israel and an End Times theology that some say uses Jews as pawns to usher in the Second Coming.
"Will I welcome Hagee's support? Absolutely," said Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. "Would I want his endorsement, or would I appear with him? No, because I don't want to be associated with his positions."
Some Jewish leaders said they welcome the support of Christian Zionists -- but reserve the right to openly and publicly disagree.
"I don't have to agree with anybody 100 percent in order to welcome their support, as long as their support is not conditioned on my agreeing with them on everything or accepting them 100 percent," said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League.
But Yoffie, who leads the nation's largest Jewish movement, worries that young American Jews' attachment to Israel has frayed because of an "increasingly right-wing and even reactionary tone" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The conclusion that our young people are most likely to draw from this arrangement," Yoffie wrote last year in The Forward, a Jewish newspaper, "is that we are simply selling our souls."
Foxman disagreed.
"The only way I would see selling my soul is accepting Christianity," he said. "It's nonsense. We're not selling our souls for anything. I will fight Hagee in court on issues of church-state. I will criticize Hagee on issues that we disagree on. I haven't sold anything."
by Omar Sacirbey
Religion News Service
Mike Ghouse ; Rabbi Yoffie should stick to his words, associating with extremists of any kind will cause injustice and injustice will ruin sustainability of peace and will constantly prick the peace. His call to McCain to disassociate from Hagee must be heeded. The neocons of Fox and CNN banged Obama for Jeremiah Wright's comments while letting McCain go scot free.
In recent years, conservative Christians have emerged as some of the most vocal supporters of the state of Israel -- support that many Jewish groups have welcomed at a time when they feel Israel is under siege.
One of the loudest voices has been John Hagee, the San Antonio megachurch pastor who recently endorsed John McCain's White House bid and raised the ire of Catholic groups with statements that even some Jews called vicious and inflammatory.
The Catholic flap has sparked a new round of questions among Jewish groups over the support from Christian Zionists like Hagee and the Rev. Pat Robertson. Where is the line between embracing their support and keeping their politics at arm's length?
"On the one hand, there's a desire to have as strong a support for Israel as possible," said Rabbi Joel Meyers, who heads the Rabbinical Assembly, an umbrella group of Conservative rabbis. "On the other hand, there's concern that no one wants to back any religious extremist. And some of the comments coming from some of the leaders of the evangelical movement are certainly extreme when they talk about other faiths.
"That makes a lot of people, including myself, very uneasy."
Christian Zionism has various interpretations, but the central belief is that ancient Israel must be restored to bring about Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. Most Christian Zionists believe that during the Second Coming, Jews will ether convert to Christianity or perish.
That theology alone is enough to give many Jews pause.
While Israel's birth in 1948 seemed to fulfill biblical prophecy, Christian Zionists believe an intact Israel must also include Judea and Samaria -- the predominantly Palestinian West Bank captured by Israel in 1967. As such, they have resisted returning any land to the Palestinians as part of a peace deal. And a war with Iran, some say, could usher in Armageddon.
Estimates on the number of Christian Zionists in the U.S. range from 20 million to 40 million. The movement is mostly evangelical, and its most potent force is Christians United For Israel, established two years ago by Hagee, the pastor of the 18,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. The group's executive board includes Gary Bauer, Jonathan Falwell and other evangelical leaders.
Hagee, in an interview, said he can "understand" why some Jews would "shy away from Christian support," but blamed that reluctance on 2,000 years of anti-Semitism, not political or social differences.
"We have made a clean break with the past replacement theology and have embraced the Jewish people for whom the Bible says they are -- the apple of God's eye," Hagee said. "And we would say to our critics you need to take a closer look at 26 years of unconditional support of the Jewish people."
Many Jewish leaders have been turned off by some of the statements that leaders of the religious right have made about Catholics, Muslims, gays and lesbians and other minorities.
Hagee has stepped away from previous comments that called the Catholic Church "the whore of Babylon" and that seemed to blame Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans' willingness to host a gay parade.
"I am not now, nor have I ever been, an anti-Catholic," Hagee said, arguing the media have misconstrued his statements. "I have never called the (Catholic) church the Antichrist or a false cult system." And Katrina, he said, was either a blessing or a curse, and "it was not a blessing, I can tell you that."
One of the directors for Christians United for Israel, Ohio megachurch pastor Rod Parsley, has said "Islam must be destroyed" and issued a "lock and load" call against spiritual enemies. Hagee has been equally critical of Islam, but said that "my remarks about Islam are always ... about radical Islam."
Still, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said such bombastic rhetoric is bound to raise eyebrows -- and concerns.
"I think we need to be very, very reluctant to partner with anyone who isn't fundamentally respectful towards other religious traditions," Yoffie said. "His comments on Islam are a legitimate and important factor here when Jewish groups consider whether they should join with him."
Some Jews have even compared Hagee with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose anti-Semitic rhetoric and recent campaign endorsement has caused headaches for Sen. Barack Obama.
"Jews and other people of good will should demand that John McCain renounce and reject the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee because of his vicious and inflammatory anti-Catholicism," Rabbi Irwin Kula, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, wrote in a statement last month.
Some Jewish groups have tried to draw a line between Hagee's views on Israel and his views on practically everything else. They've also distinguished between his political views on Israel and an End Times theology that some say uses Jews as pawns to usher in the Second Coming.
"Will I welcome Hagee's support? Absolutely," said Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. "Would I want his endorsement, or would I appear with him? No, because I don't want to be associated with his positions."
Some Jewish leaders said they welcome the support of Christian Zionists -- but reserve the right to openly and publicly disagree.
"I don't have to agree with anybody 100 percent in order to welcome their support, as long as their support is not conditioned on my agreeing with them on everything or accepting them 100 percent," said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League.
But Yoffie, who leads the nation's largest Jewish movement, worries that young American Jews' attachment to Israel has frayed because of an "increasingly right-wing and even reactionary tone" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The conclusion that our young people are most likely to draw from this arrangement," Yoffie wrote last year in The Forward, a Jewish newspaper, "is that we are simply selling our souls."
Foxman disagreed.
"The only way I would see selling my soul is accepting Christianity," he said. "It's nonsense. We're not selling our souls for anything. I will fight Hagee in court on issues of church-state. I will criticize Hagee on issues that we disagree on. I haven't sold anything."
Friday, March 14, 2008
Hate Hurts America
Michael Savage
Moderator - Much of the hate generated in America is by the talk show hosts, Teleevangelists and Neocon TV anchors. If we were to tune out these guys for a week, there is a burst of joy knowing that we are not prodded to hate others and feel home, by feeling good about life. Unfortunately, their livelihood depends on propagating hate and anger.
CHOICE HOTELS REFUSES TO AIR 'SAVAGE NATION' RADIO SPOTS
Growing list of companies reject host’s bigoted rhetoric
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/14/08) - The Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition (HHA) today announced that Choice Hotels International (www.choicehotels.com), one of the nation’s largest hotel chains, has joined a growing list of companies that have stopped advertising or refuse to place their ads on Michael Savage's "Savage Nation" radio program.
HHA, a group of religious and civic organizations seeking to challenge hate speech on talk radio, was formed as a result of Savage's rhetorical attacks on religious and ethnic minorities. Coalition members are calling on advertisers nationwide to stop airing commercials on his nationally-syndicated program.
SEE: Hate Hurts America - http://www.hatehurtsamerica.org/news.php
In an e-mail to HHA, Choice Hotels’ media buyer stated in part:
“After further looking into this issue, we have determined that 2 networks did air during the Michael Savage show. While Choice commercials are NOT scheduled to run through any programming we buy, the ‘DO NOT AIR IN CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAMS’ disclaimer was somehow omitted by trafficking on the network's end to their individual stations…The networks have apologized and verified that the disclaimer is on future Choice traffic correspondence.”
Advertisers that have already stopped airing or refuse to air commercials on “Savage Nation” include Sam’s Club, ITT Technical Institute, Chattem, Inc. (owners of Gold Bond, Icy Hot, and Selsun Blue), Union Bank of California, Intuit (parent company of TurboTax and QuickBooks), and GEICO Insurance, US Cellular, Sprint Nextel, Sears, Universal Orlando Resorts, AutoZone, Citrix, TrustedID, JCPenney, OfficeMax, Wal-Mart, and AT&T.
Late last year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on radio listeners of all faiths to contact Savage’s advertisers to express their concerns about the host's anti-Muslim bigotry. CAIR is a member of the Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition.
SEE: National Radio Host Goes on Anti-Muslim Tirade (CAIR) -http://www.cair.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?mid1=777&&ArticleID=23608&&name=n&&currPage=3
Savage has a long history of rhetorical attacks on a variety of minority groups. He says he has lost at least $1 million in revenue because of the advertiser campaign.
SEE: Michael Savage (Media Matters) -http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/tags/michael_savage -
The Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition includes public officials and civil rights advocates, as well as representatives of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Latino, and Asian communities.
Moderator - Much of the hate generated in America is by the talk show hosts, Teleevangelists and Neocon TV anchors. If we were to tune out these guys for a week, there is a burst of joy knowing that we are not prodded to hate others and feel home, by feeling good about life. Unfortunately, their livelihood depends on propagating hate and anger.
CHOICE HOTELS REFUSES TO AIR 'SAVAGE NATION' RADIO SPOTS
Growing list of companies reject host’s bigoted rhetoric
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/14/08) - The Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition (HHA) today announced that Choice Hotels International (www.choicehotels.com), one of the nation’s largest hotel chains, has joined a growing list of companies that have stopped advertising or refuse to place their ads on Michael Savage's "Savage Nation" radio program.
HHA, a group of religious and civic organizations seeking to challenge hate speech on talk radio, was formed as a result of Savage's rhetorical attacks on religious and ethnic minorities. Coalition members are calling on advertisers nationwide to stop airing commercials on his nationally-syndicated program.
SEE: Hate Hurts America - http://www.hatehurtsamerica.org/news.php
In an e-mail to HHA, Choice Hotels’ media buyer stated in part:
“After further looking into this issue, we have determined that 2 networks did air during the Michael Savage show. While Choice commercials are NOT scheduled to run through any programming we buy, the ‘DO NOT AIR IN CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAMS’ disclaimer was somehow omitted by trafficking on the network's end to their individual stations…The networks have apologized and verified that the disclaimer is on future Choice traffic correspondence.”
Advertisers that have already stopped airing or refuse to air commercials on “Savage Nation” include Sam’s Club, ITT Technical Institute, Chattem, Inc. (owners of Gold Bond, Icy Hot, and Selsun Blue), Union Bank of California, Intuit (parent company of TurboTax and QuickBooks), and GEICO Insurance, US Cellular, Sprint Nextel, Sears, Universal Orlando Resorts, AutoZone, Citrix, TrustedID, JCPenney, OfficeMax, Wal-Mart, and AT&T.
Late last year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on radio listeners of all faiths to contact Savage’s advertisers to express their concerns about the host's anti-Muslim bigotry. CAIR is a member of the Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition.
SEE: National Radio Host Goes on Anti-Muslim Tirade (CAIR) -http://www.cair.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?mid1=777&&ArticleID=23608&&name=n&&currPage=3
Savage has a long history of rhetorical attacks on a variety of minority groups. He says he has lost at least $1 million in revenue because of the advertiser campaign.
SEE: Michael Savage (Media Matters) -http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/tags/michael_savage -
The Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition includes public officials and civil rights advocates, as well as representatives of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Latino, and Asian communities.
Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson is in my prayers, and I pray that God fill his heart with love and kindness for humanity and remove the arrogance and hate in him and bring peace to him, so he understand the message of Jesus and live and let live a peaceful life.
If Pat Robertson were to live in a lawless country, would he play out the acts of Bin Laden? He had called for Assasination of the leaders of other nations. When Ariel Sharon was bed-ridden with sicknes, Pat calls that God is getting even with him for wanting to square with the West bank issue with the Palestinians.
May God bless him with love
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7027/patrobertson.html
"It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians have the desire to build something. He is motivated by love of man and God, so he builds. The people who have come into [our] institutions [today] are primarily termites. They are into destroying institutions that have been built by Christians, whether it is universities, governments, our own traditions, that we have.... The termites are in charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a godly fumigation."
--Pat Robertson, New York Magazine, August 18, 1986
"When I said during my presidential bid that I would only bring Christians and Jews into the government, I hit a firestorm. `What do you mean?' the media challenged me. `You're not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that those who believe in the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?' My simple answer is, `Yes, they are.'"
--Pat Robertson, "The New World Order," page 218
"[The] feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."
--Pat Robertson, fundraising letter, 1992
"The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by Christian people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Dec. 30, 1981
"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, January 14, 1991
"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history."
--Pat Robertson in a 1993 interview with Molly Ivins
[On apartheid in South Africa]
"I think 'one man, one vote,' just unrestricted democracy, would not be wise. There needs to be some kind of protection for the minority which the white people represent now, a minority, and they need and have a right to demand a protection of their rights."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," 3/18/92
"They have kept us in submission because they have talked about separation of church and state. There is no such thing in the Constitution. It's a lie of the Left, and we're not going to take it anymore."
--Pat Robertson, address to American Center for Law & Justice
"That [separation of church and state] was never in the Constitution, however much the liberals laugh at me for saying it, they know good and well it was never in the Constitution! Such language only appeared in the constitution of the communist Soviet Union"
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Jan. 22, 1995
"Many of those people involved with Adolph Hitler were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals--the two things seem to go together."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," 1/21/93
"It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-biased media and the homosexuals who want to destroy all Christians" --Pat Robertson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sept. 14, 1993
"I have known few homosexuals who did not practice their tendencies. Such people are sinning against God and will lead to the ultimate destruction of the family and our nation. I am unalterably opposed to such things, and will do everything I can to restrict the freedom of these people to spread their contagious infection to the youth of this nation."
--Pat Robertson
"Modern experience has shown that usury inevitably leads to subservience. And God did not want that for his people but rather intend for them to rule...
He directed that every fifty years that all debt would be cancelled, all property be redistributed, and the cycle begin again... Not withstanding the sneers of many in the banking community, it may be that God's way is the only one open to us - a year of jubillee to straighten us out."
--Pat Robertson, The Secret Kingdom, 1992
"There will never be world peace until God's house and God's people are given their rightful place of leadership at the top of the world. How can there be peace when drunkards, drug dealers, communists, atheists, New Age worshipers of Satan, secular humanists, oppressive dictators, greedy moneychangers, revolutionary assassins, adulterers, and homosexuals are on top?"
--Pat Robertson, "The New World Order", 1991, P. 227
"In the 1990s and beyond, the battle is not going to be fought much longer between Christianity and atheistic humanism, but between Christianity and satanic-inspired Eastern religions."
--Pat Robertson, The Secret Kingdom, 1992
"I believe that he [Jesus] is Lord of the government, and the church, and business and education, and, hopefully, one day, Lord of the press. I see him involved in everything. And that's why I don't want to stay just in the church, as such. I want the church to move into the world."
--Pat Robertson
"The strategy aginst the American radical left should be the same as General Douglas MacArthur employed against the Japanese in the Pacific... bypass their strongholds, then surround them, isolate them bombard them, then blast the individuals out of their power bunkers with hand-to-hand combat. The battle for Iwo Jima was not pleasant, but our troops won it. The battle to regain the soul of America won't be pleasant either, but we will win it."
--Pat Robertson, in "Pat Robertson's Perspective," April-May 1992
"I've heard all this stuff about little Jewish kids being marred by having to say a prayer in Jesus' name. That's all you hear when you're with the liberals, the ACLU. `Well, think about a little Jewish child, you have no idea what went on in their mind.' But listen, we don't hear the liberals talking about what happened to Christian little children."
--Pat Robertson
"I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period."
--Pat Robertson, newsletter as quoted by Federal News Service, Sept. 11, 1992
"Why are so many marriages falling apart? Why is the divorce rate so high? ...Why is there such a tragedy in marriage?...Now the basic answer to the basic problem of marriages today is a question of leadership. The wife actually makes the husband the head of the household and she looks to him and she says 'now you pray, and I'm going to pray for you that the Lord will speak to you."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, May 22, 1986
"The key in terms of mental ability is chess. There's never been a woman Grand Master chess player. Once you get one, then I'll buy some of the feminism..."
--Pat Robertson
[NOTE: According to the Chess Federation of the U.S. there were already two women Grand Masters at that time, both from Georgia. Since Robertson's gaffe, three more women became Grand Masters]
"The mission of the Christian Coalition is simple, to mobilize Christians-- one precinct at a time, one community at a time -- until once again we are the head and not the tail, and at the top rather than the bottom of our political system....the Christian Coalition will be the most powerful political force in America by the end of this decade.. We have enough votes to run this country... and when the people say, 'We've had enough,' we're going to take over!"
--Pat Robertson
"Popular television is flooded with filth and violence; MTV, VH-1, and pop radio stations are sewers of obscenity, rebellion and violence; pop magazines promote the vilest forms of pornography and a form of materialism, selfishness, and greed that has fallen to the lowest levels in human history."
--Pat Robertson, "The New World Order"
"The courts are merely a ruse, if you will, for humanist, atheistic educators to beat up on Christians."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Oct. 2,1990
"I am bound by the laws of the United States and all 50 states...I am not bound by any case or any court to which I myself am not a party... I don't think the Congress of the United States is subserviant to the courts...They can ignore a Supreme Court ruling if they so choose."
--Pat Robertson, interview with The Washington Post editorial board, June 27,1986
"Communism was the brain-child of German-Jewish intellectuals."
--Pat Robertson, in The New World Order, (1991), p.17
[When asked "Does the Bible specifically tell us what is going to happen in the future"]
"It sure does, Ben, it definitely does...this is definite...it specifically clearly, unequivocally says that Russia and other countries will enter into war and God will destroy Russia through earthquakes, volcanoes..."
--Pat Robertson when asked the question "700 Club" December 2, 1981
"The wars of extermination have given a lot of people trouble unless they know what was going on. The people in the land of Palestine were very wicked. They were given over to idolatry; they sacrificed their children; they had all kinds of abominable sex practices; they were having sex, apparently, with animals; they were having sex men with men, and women with women; they were committing adultery, fornication; they were worshipping idols, offering their children up; and they were forsaking God.
"God told the Israelites to kill them all -- men, women and children, to destroy them. And that seems to be a terrible thing to do. Is it? Or isn't it?"
"Well, let us assume there were 2,000 of them, or 10,000 of them living in the land, or whatever number there was of them. I don't have the exact number. Pick a number. God said, 'Kill them all.'
"Well, that would seem hard, wouldn't it? That would be 10,000 people who would probably go to Hell. But, if they stayed and reproduced, in 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or 100 more years, they could conceivably be -- 10,000 would go to a 100,000 -- 100,000 could conceivably go to a million. And then, there would be a million people who would have to spend eternity in Hell! And it's far more merciful to take away a few than to see in the future a 100 years down the road, and say, 'Well, I have to take away a million people that would forever be apart from God, ' because the abomination was there like a contagium. God saw that there was no cure for it. It wasn't going to change; their hearts weren't going to change; and all they would do is cause trouble for the Israelites, and pull the Israelites away from God, and prevent the truth of God from reaching the Earth."
"So, God, in love, took away a small number that he might not have to take away a large number."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club" May 6, 1985
"The public education movement has also been an anti-Christian movement... We can change education in America if you put Christian principles in and Christian pedagogy in. In three years, you would totally revolutionize education in America."
--Pat Robertson,"The 700 Club," September 27, 1993
"You see what happened in 1962. They took prayer out of the schools. The next year the Supreme Court ordered Bible reading taken from the schools. And then progressing, liberals, most of them atheistic educators, have pushed to remove all religion from the lives of children...The people who wrote the "Humanist Manifesto" and their pupils and their disciples are in charge of education in America today."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," January 13, 1995
"If anybody understood what Hindus really believe, there would be no doubt that they have no business administering government policies in a country that favors freedom and equality.... Can you imagine having the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as defense minister, or Mahatma Gandhi as minister of health, education, and welfare? The Hindu and Buddhist idea of karma and the Muslim idea of kismet, or fate condemn the poor and the disabled to their suffering. ... It's the will of Allah. These beliefs are nothing but abject fatalism, and they would devastate the social gains this nation has made if they were ever put into practice."
--Pat Robertson's "The New World Order," page 219
[On Planned Parenthood]
"It is teaching kids to fornicate, teaching people to have adultery, every kind of bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism-everything that the Bible condemns."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," 4/9/91
"We want...as soon as possible to see a majority of the Republican Party in the hands of pro-family Christians by 1996."
--Pat Robertson, Denver Post, 10/26/92
[On the Mars Pathfinder and extarterrestrial life]
"The Bible says the Earth belongs to man, but the heavens belong to the Lord,"
"He has given us the Earth. He also warned, way back when Moses was writing down not only what is the Ten Commandments, but Deuteronomy, which is almost the Second Law."
"Here is what he said to the children of Israel about this whole matter:
"'If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing His covenant, who has gone and served other gods and worshipped them, either the sun or moon or any of the hosts of heaven which I have not commanded you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination has been committed in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and stone to death that man or woman with stones.'" (Deuteronomy 17:2-5, NKJV)
"Now, that’s what Moses said to the children of Israel about those who worship the sun and the moon and the hosts of heaven, because these things, at best, are lifeless nothings, or, if they are intelligent, they’re demonic. And, yes, there is a host of h eaven. There are angels and there are fallen angels. There is no question about it."
"Can a demon appear as a slanty-eyed, funny-looking creature? Of course he can, or it can. Of course they can deceive people. And if they can lead somebody away from the true God, or away from Jesus Christ, anyway it happens, it doesn’t matter, you will l ose your salvation. It doesn’t matter how they get you. The question is, did they get you, and under what guise?"
"This is man in rebellion against God, who refuses to take God’s Law. And God says, 'My covenant says you won’t do this. And if I find anybody in Israel,' -- which is his pure nation -- 'If I find anybody in Israel that’s doing this sort of thing, then I want you to take him out and dispose of him.'
"It’s a clear violation of God’s word."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club", July 8, 1997
"To see Americans become followers of, quote, Islam, is nothing short of insanity. Terry, you know, I've been in Africa many, many, many, many times, and you see people over here learning Swahili, for example. Swahili was the language of the slave traders. The Islamic people, the Arabs, were the ones who captured Africans, put them in slavery, and sent them to America as slaves. Why would people in America want to embrace the religion of the slavers, and the language of the slavers?"
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," Oct 27, 1997
[Addressed to the husband of one of her victims]
"I want to comment about this Mr. Thornton. I faced him in the "Larry King Live" show on CNN. He has become a public figure condemning Karla [Faye Tucker] Brown. But I want to ask Mr. Thornton, publicly on this national television program, number one, sir, why was your wife in bed with another man in a motel room in Texas on the night of the killing. And number two, rumors have come to us -- these are unconfirmed but have some validity -- that you were not only estranged from her, you, quote, threw her out of the house and when she called back and talked to her son and said 'I want to come home,' you refused to let her do it. Now before you condemn Karla Faye anymore on national television, I think you owe the American people a full disclosure of your activity on the day of your wife's killing. And could it be possible, that if you had not been so unyielding and harsh toward her that day, your wife would not have been in harm's way and would not have been murdered? And are you really angry at Karla Faye Tucker, or are you angry at yourself? Now these are questions I think the American people need to ask of Mr. Thornton, who's become so public in his denunciation of Karla Faye Tucker."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," Feb 4, 1998
[On Gay Day at Disney World]
"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate; this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club" June 6, 1998
If Pat Robertson were to live in a lawless country, would he play out the acts of Bin Laden? He had called for Assasination of the leaders of other nations. When Ariel Sharon was bed-ridden with sicknes, Pat calls that God is getting even with him for wanting to square with the West bank issue with the Palestinians.
May God bless him with love
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7027/patrobertson.html
"It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians have the desire to build something. He is motivated by love of man and God, so he builds. The people who have come into [our] institutions [today] are primarily termites. They are into destroying institutions that have been built by Christians, whether it is universities, governments, our own traditions, that we have.... The termites are in charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a godly fumigation."
--Pat Robertson, New York Magazine, August 18, 1986
"When I said during my presidential bid that I would only bring Christians and Jews into the government, I hit a firestorm. `What do you mean?' the media challenged me. `You're not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that those who believe in the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?' My simple answer is, `Yes, they are.'"
--Pat Robertson, "The New World Order," page 218
"[The] feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."
--Pat Robertson, fundraising letter, 1992
"The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by Christian people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Dec. 30, 1981
"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, January 14, 1991
"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history."
--Pat Robertson in a 1993 interview with Molly Ivins
[On apartheid in South Africa]
"I think 'one man, one vote,' just unrestricted democracy, would not be wise. There needs to be some kind of protection for the minority which the white people represent now, a minority, and they need and have a right to demand a protection of their rights."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," 3/18/92
"They have kept us in submission because they have talked about separation of church and state. There is no such thing in the Constitution. It's a lie of the Left, and we're not going to take it anymore."
--Pat Robertson, address to American Center for Law & Justice
"That [separation of church and state] was never in the Constitution, however much the liberals laugh at me for saying it, they know good and well it was never in the Constitution! Such language only appeared in the constitution of the communist Soviet Union"
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Jan. 22, 1995
"Many of those people involved with Adolph Hitler were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals--the two things seem to go together."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," 1/21/93
"It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-biased media and the homosexuals who want to destroy all Christians" --Pat Robertson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sept. 14, 1993
"I have known few homosexuals who did not practice their tendencies. Such people are sinning against God and will lead to the ultimate destruction of the family and our nation. I am unalterably opposed to such things, and will do everything I can to restrict the freedom of these people to spread their contagious infection to the youth of this nation."
--Pat Robertson
"Modern experience has shown that usury inevitably leads to subservience. And God did not want that for his people but rather intend for them to rule...
He directed that every fifty years that all debt would be cancelled, all property be redistributed, and the cycle begin again... Not withstanding the sneers of many in the banking community, it may be that God's way is the only one open to us - a year of jubillee to straighten us out."
--Pat Robertson, The Secret Kingdom, 1992
"There will never be world peace until God's house and God's people are given their rightful place of leadership at the top of the world. How can there be peace when drunkards, drug dealers, communists, atheists, New Age worshipers of Satan, secular humanists, oppressive dictators, greedy moneychangers, revolutionary assassins, adulterers, and homosexuals are on top?"
--Pat Robertson, "The New World Order", 1991, P. 227
"In the 1990s and beyond, the battle is not going to be fought much longer between Christianity and atheistic humanism, but between Christianity and satanic-inspired Eastern religions."
--Pat Robertson, The Secret Kingdom, 1992
"I believe that he [Jesus] is Lord of the government, and the church, and business and education, and, hopefully, one day, Lord of the press. I see him involved in everything. And that's why I don't want to stay just in the church, as such. I want the church to move into the world."
--Pat Robertson
"The strategy aginst the American radical left should be the same as General Douglas MacArthur employed against the Japanese in the Pacific... bypass their strongholds, then surround them, isolate them bombard them, then blast the individuals out of their power bunkers with hand-to-hand combat. The battle for Iwo Jima was not pleasant, but our troops won it. The battle to regain the soul of America won't be pleasant either, but we will win it."
--Pat Robertson, in "Pat Robertson's Perspective," April-May 1992
"I've heard all this stuff about little Jewish kids being marred by having to say a prayer in Jesus' name. That's all you hear when you're with the liberals, the ACLU. `Well, think about a little Jewish child, you have no idea what went on in their mind.' But listen, we don't hear the liberals talking about what happened to Christian little children."
--Pat Robertson
"I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period."
--Pat Robertson, newsletter as quoted by Federal News Service, Sept. 11, 1992
"Why are so many marriages falling apart? Why is the divorce rate so high? ...Why is there such a tragedy in marriage?...Now the basic answer to the basic problem of marriages today is a question of leadership. The wife actually makes the husband the head of the household and she looks to him and she says 'now you pray, and I'm going to pray for you that the Lord will speak to you."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, May 22, 1986
"The key in terms of mental ability is chess. There's never been a woman Grand Master chess player. Once you get one, then I'll buy some of the feminism..."
--Pat Robertson
[NOTE: According to the Chess Federation of the U.S. there were already two women Grand Masters at that time, both from Georgia. Since Robertson's gaffe, three more women became Grand Masters]
"The mission of the Christian Coalition is simple, to mobilize Christians-- one precinct at a time, one community at a time -- until once again we are the head and not the tail, and at the top rather than the bottom of our political system....the Christian Coalition will be the most powerful political force in America by the end of this decade.. We have enough votes to run this country... and when the people say, 'We've had enough,' we're going to take over!"
--Pat Robertson
"Popular television is flooded with filth and violence; MTV, VH-1, and pop radio stations are sewers of obscenity, rebellion and violence; pop magazines promote the vilest forms of pornography and a form of materialism, selfishness, and greed that has fallen to the lowest levels in human history."
--Pat Robertson, "The New World Order"
"The courts are merely a ruse, if you will, for humanist, atheistic educators to beat up on Christians."
--Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Oct. 2,1990
"I am bound by the laws of the United States and all 50 states...I am not bound by any case or any court to which I myself am not a party... I don't think the Congress of the United States is subserviant to the courts...They can ignore a Supreme Court ruling if they so choose."
--Pat Robertson, interview with The Washington Post editorial board, June 27,1986
"Communism was the brain-child of German-Jewish intellectuals."
--Pat Robertson, in The New World Order, (1991), p.17
[When asked "Does the Bible specifically tell us what is going to happen in the future"]
"It sure does, Ben, it definitely does...this is definite...it specifically clearly, unequivocally says that Russia and other countries will enter into war and God will destroy Russia through earthquakes, volcanoes..."
--Pat Robertson when asked the question "700 Club" December 2, 1981
"The wars of extermination have given a lot of people trouble unless they know what was going on. The people in the land of Palestine were very wicked. They were given over to idolatry; they sacrificed their children; they had all kinds of abominable sex practices; they were having sex, apparently, with animals; they were having sex men with men, and women with women; they were committing adultery, fornication; they were worshipping idols, offering their children up; and they were forsaking God.
"God told the Israelites to kill them all -- men, women and children, to destroy them. And that seems to be a terrible thing to do. Is it? Or isn't it?"
"Well, let us assume there were 2,000 of them, or 10,000 of them living in the land, or whatever number there was of them. I don't have the exact number. Pick a number. God said, 'Kill them all.'
"Well, that would seem hard, wouldn't it? That would be 10,000 people who would probably go to Hell. But, if they stayed and reproduced, in 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or 100 more years, they could conceivably be -- 10,000 would go to a 100,000 -- 100,000 could conceivably go to a million. And then, there would be a million people who would have to spend eternity in Hell! And it's far more merciful to take away a few than to see in the future a 100 years down the road, and say, 'Well, I have to take away a million people that would forever be apart from God, ' because the abomination was there like a contagium. God saw that there was no cure for it. It wasn't going to change; their hearts weren't going to change; and all they would do is cause trouble for the Israelites, and pull the Israelites away from God, and prevent the truth of God from reaching the Earth."
"So, God, in love, took away a small number that he might not have to take away a large number."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club" May 6, 1985
"The public education movement has also been an anti-Christian movement... We can change education in America if you put Christian principles in and Christian pedagogy in. In three years, you would totally revolutionize education in America."
--Pat Robertson,"The 700 Club," September 27, 1993
"You see what happened in 1962. They took prayer out of the schools. The next year the Supreme Court ordered Bible reading taken from the schools. And then progressing, liberals, most of them atheistic educators, have pushed to remove all religion from the lives of children...The people who wrote the "Humanist Manifesto" and their pupils and their disciples are in charge of education in America today."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," January 13, 1995
"If anybody understood what Hindus really believe, there would be no doubt that they have no business administering government policies in a country that favors freedom and equality.... Can you imagine having the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as defense minister, or Mahatma Gandhi as minister of health, education, and welfare? The Hindu and Buddhist idea of karma and the Muslim idea of kismet, or fate condemn the poor and the disabled to their suffering. ... It's the will of Allah. These beliefs are nothing but abject fatalism, and they would devastate the social gains this nation has made if they were ever put into practice."
--Pat Robertson's "The New World Order," page 219
[On Planned Parenthood]
"It is teaching kids to fornicate, teaching people to have adultery, every kind of bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism-everything that the Bible condemns."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," 4/9/91
"We want...as soon as possible to see a majority of the Republican Party in the hands of pro-family Christians by 1996."
--Pat Robertson, Denver Post, 10/26/92
[On the Mars Pathfinder and extarterrestrial life]
"The Bible says the Earth belongs to man, but the heavens belong to the Lord,"
"He has given us the Earth. He also warned, way back when Moses was writing down not only what is the Ten Commandments, but Deuteronomy, which is almost the Second Law."
"Here is what he said to the children of Israel about this whole matter:
"'If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing His covenant, who has gone and served other gods and worshipped them, either the sun or moon or any of the hosts of heaven which I have not commanded you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination has been committed in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and stone to death that man or woman with stones.'" (Deuteronomy 17:2-5, NKJV)
"Now, that’s what Moses said to the children of Israel about those who worship the sun and the moon and the hosts of heaven, because these things, at best, are lifeless nothings, or, if they are intelligent, they’re demonic. And, yes, there is a host of h eaven. There are angels and there are fallen angels. There is no question about it."
"Can a demon appear as a slanty-eyed, funny-looking creature? Of course he can, or it can. Of course they can deceive people. And if they can lead somebody away from the true God, or away from Jesus Christ, anyway it happens, it doesn’t matter, you will l ose your salvation. It doesn’t matter how they get you. The question is, did they get you, and under what guise?"
"This is man in rebellion against God, who refuses to take God’s Law. And God says, 'My covenant says you won’t do this. And if I find anybody in Israel,' -- which is his pure nation -- 'If I find anybody in Israel that’s doing this sort of thing, then I want you to take him out and dispose of him.'
"It’s a clear violation of God’s word."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club", July 8, 1997
"To see Americans become followers of, quote, Islam, is nothing short of insanity. Terry, you know, I've been in Africa many, many, many, many times, and you see people over here learning Swahili, for example. Swahili was the language of the slave traders. The Islamic people, the Arabs, were the ones who captured Africans, put them in slavery, and sent them to America as slaves. Why would people in America want to embrace the religion of the slavers, and the language of the slavers?"
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," Oct 27, 1997
[Addressed to the husband of one of her victims]
"I want to comment about this Mr. Thornton. I faced him in the "Larry King Live" show on CNN. He has become a public figure condemning Karla [Faye Tucker] Brown. But I want to ask Mr. Thornton, publicly on this national television program, number one, sir, why was your wife in bed with another man in a motel room in Texas on the night of the killing. And number two, rumors have come to us -- these are unconfirmed but have some validity -- that you were not only estranged from her, you, quote, threw her out of the house and when she called back and talked to her son and said 'I want to come home,' you refused to let her do it. Now before you condemn Karla Faye anymore on national television, I think you owe the American people a full disclosure of your activity on the day of your wife's killing. And could it be possible, that if you had not been so unyielding and harsh toward her that day, your wife would not have been in harm's way and would not have been murdered? And are you really angry at Karla Faye Tucker, or are you angry at yourself? Now these are questions I think the American people need to ask of Mr. Thornton, who's become so public in his denunciation of Karla Faye Tucker."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club," Feb 4, 1998
[On Gay Day at Disney World]
"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate; this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor."
--Pat Robertson, "The 700 Club" June 6, 1998
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