McCain & the Islam Problem
John McCain’s pastor problem, part 2, in the form of Reverend Rod Parsley, can be summed up in the minister’s own words about Islam. Parsley’s remarks - quoted below - are ones that cannot be made in the modern world without blowback. Now McCain has rejected Parsley’s support as a result. No matter, their association helped push McCain past Mike Huckabee, which is what mattered at the time. The question is: How far wrong is Reverend Parsley?
Reverend Rod Parsley:
I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.
(YouTube)
Strong words and a strong call to arms. I, like most Americans, wouldn’t be willing to go as far. Yet from the Christian perspective it’s clear that Islam, while partially based on the Judaism, is fundamentally incompatible with the Christian belief that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Many readers will, of course, reject that notion out of hand, make relatively little distinction between Islam and Christianity, and fail to see the conflict. The articles of faith in question prohibit reconciliation. In the absence of final truth, agreeing to disagree in peace is the best possible outcome for our two philosophies.
True believers in Christianity must regard Islam as a false religion, as Parsley does. The question is how we should live in a world whose peace, order, and prosperity have been put at risk because of Islamic-based terrorism.
That risk is quite real, as recent events in Iraq, with Ayatollah Sistani endorsing violence against American troops - the only thing keeping his country from descending into a national bloodbath - and in England, where Muslim extremists duped a mentally ill man into attempting a terrorist attack demonstrate.
Truth be told, the extent of the average American’s interest in Islam is that it’s the ruling religion in a region from which we buy far too much oil. At heart we are interested only a commercial relationship with Islamic nations, something that logically ought to be achievable through peaceful means, despite the fundamental conflict in our religious beliefs and social values.
This, I think, was one of Ron Paul’s points during the Republican primary season, although he never communicated it as directly. But is such a relationship realistic? Would a fully Islamic Saudi Arabia, for example, continue to pump oil to the west? At what price and reliability? Or would they use their power over the west to strangle what many Muslim leaders regard as the evil of democracy? And would they continue to immigrate, legally and otherwise, with the intent of spreading Islam into the west in hopes of eventually coming to control nations that are currently democratic?
Again, then - how far wrong is Reverend Parsley?
I’m trying, with no success, to wrap my mind around the concept of "a fully Islamic Saudi Arabia" that you raise in your next to last paragraph. This would differ from Saudi Arabia today how?
Having been there personally, I’m not sure I can see much distance available in a "more Islamic" direction. Certainly, if the Saudis’ thought there was further to go, they would have long since done so.
It seems to me that what you are envisioning is a non-Muslim’s misunderstanding of what Islam is all about. I certainly am not an expert, but even I can see that it’s a long ways away from the reality of Islam.
admin: religious bigotry is not welcome here
Religion is a system of believe on what happen in the future after death. Islam is a religion that believes in Allah and sent a messenger who received word of Allah recorded in the Koran. The evidence of a messenger is that he performed miracle. A Muslim says," there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger." Allah promised to reward Muslims who good deed out weight his bad deed a place in paradise, a place of joy, free from suffering. Allah that says he will reward whom He pleases and punish in hell whom He pleases. Allah says once you see Me you will also see Hell and Paradise. Then He says "have I not sent you a Messenger" This cannot be false, this is a warning to mankind.
Yeah. What do you mean by TRUE ISLAMIC SAUDI ARABIA. Is that the reason that US supports the dictators in Saudi Arabia who generate extremism which indeed plays in US’s own interest? What are you afraid of that you will not get oil in cheaper prices from the THE TRUE ISLAMIC SAUDI ARABIA.
Do you think that the TRUE ISLAMIC SAUDI ARABIA will be a place where priorities will be given to its citizens and justice and tolerance and ethical values and will act no more as your proxy government. Yeah it sounds like against the interest of US. There is a valid reason for US to be afraid of ‘THE TRUE ISLAMIC SAUDI ARABIA’.
The religion of Jesus christ is ISLAM.
Muhammad PBUH was the last and final messenger of God to Mankind (ADAM being the first)did you know Muhammad was illiterate. How did an illiterate man become the founder of a faith??????
Islam is the fastest growing way of life every where. That must frighten you - even your children will convert to islam through science logic and reasoning. They will wonder why their fore-fathers were allowed to be brainwashed by the zionist media.
Rev. Parsley is 100% correct. Islam is a cult, with intentions to dominate the world. It doesn’t take a genious to see how vile and backward, this cult is. Muslim countries produce no intellectual acheivments whatsoever. If they don’t have oil, they live in squalor, and if they do, they have to import both people (scientists, engineers, etc.), products and services, in order for them to live at par with western democracies. Case and point: Iran, one of the largest oil producers in the world, has a gasoline shortage. Why? Because they don’t have the technological know how to produce it.
Time to see Islam for what it is. Like communism, a failed and destitute religion, that cannot survive, unless it physically conquers others. Case and point: Christianity is forbidden in all muslim countries. Why is that? Because it is the Truth, and it drives a stake through the heart of lies, which Muhammad represents.
Wake up America! Time to clean house and get rid of the scourge, that seeks to destroy the world.
This last comment is evidence of a basic ignorance of the complexity of a major world faith that has never exhibited the kind of ideological rigidity the writer assumes. Case in point is the writer’s claim that "Christianity is forbidden in all Muslim countries." This is so far off base that it is hardly worth a response. In point of fact there are churches found in all Muslim countries with the notable exceptions of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. And even in Saudi there are churches on the oil compounds. Just recently a large Catholic church was opened to great fanfare in Qatar. Other Gulf countries not only allow churches, but have given land to the Christians upon which to build these churches. Muslim majority countries in the Levant have always had appreciable and influential Christian minorities. At least ten percent of Egypt’s population is Christian. Just recently in Bahrain’s parliamentary elections a Christian woman was elected. Islam, like Christianity, represents a great diversity of interpretive schools which means that just as it is impossible to speak of "Christianity" as though all who practice it can be said to believe the same things and act the same way, so it can be said of Islam. What’s amazing to me are the number of people like this writer who even in this day and age where there is so much information available on the internet and in books, continue to speak with such deep ignorance about the faith of the second largest religious community in the world. But then I guess I shoudn’t be surprised as what this really represents is less the ignorance of someone who doesn’t have access to the truth, but of someone who prefers to feed her prejudices with more prejudice.
Churches in England have be turned into mosques without firing a bullet.
May the true God have mercy on your souls. Whomever she may be.
I was sitting in an American owned Costco wholesale (They are actually retail but so be it) in a store in Richmond Hill, in Canada. It was today about 1 PM EST this afternoon. I was having a typical American (or Canadian) hot dog with a large coke at a very good price. (i.e. $1.99) Alongside of me was a person all covered over in a black costume and all I could see was that she or he had black eyebrows. She (I GUESS) was with her 4 children. I did not actually see her husband but my wife said he was there.
My apolitical wife said "my goodness, any man could disguise himself as a woman to commit atrocities." I said: "They do it all the time in Afghanistan and in Pakistan."
I realize that covering of the whole body is a cultural fashion in some Islamic countries but there is something in the old saying such as "when in Rome do as the Romans do’. They may be mistaken for TERRORISTS. Oh My!
Mohamed was a Jihadist and Bin Laden follows in his footsteps as do all good Muslims. 270 million have been killed by jihad, look in the history books. A belief can be stronger than history and the truth so some are blind.
Muslims & Hindus: Yesterday & Today:
"an estimated 80 million Hindus were slain in the Jihadist war of extermination against the Hindu kaffirs (unbelievers). Centuries of Jihad is why the country of India today is only half the size of ancient India. The mountain range near India known as the Hindu Kush means "Killer of Hindus" in Hindi, owing to the countless men, women and children who died of exposure in those mountains while being dragooned by Jihadist slavetraders to the slave markets of Central Asia."
Nafisa writes “Do you think that the TRUE ISLAMIC SAUDI ARABIA will be a place where priorities will be given to its citizens and justice and tolerance and ethical values”
Can anyone name an Islamic country that comes close to offering it’s citizens justice, tolerance and ethcial values?
And no, cutting the hands off of people who steal bread is not justice.
Jhubers….you are living in a dream world. Churches in Muslim countries??? Really?? Have you visited these countries and witnessed first hand how Christians are treated in these countries?? I know you haven’t. It’s ignorant, brain washed types such as yourself, that have sold out to a people that look to destroy you. Do us all a favour, go to Saudi Arabia and start preaching Christ. When you are in prison, awaiting execution, remember you heard it here first.
My name is Kirk A Watson
i am a christain {sinner saved by grace}…. i believe that Jesus Christ is the son of the living god…. he was the literal word of god spoken forth and became flesh and walked upon this earth…. he was crucified DIED AND WAS RAISED BY GOD THE FATHER ON THE THIRD DAY…. he is the only way to heaven THERE IS NO OTHER WAY PERIOD.
… HE SAID I AM THE DOOR NONE COME TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME…. HE ALSO SAID WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON ME WILL NOT BE ASHAMNED….
*******************to be saved*****************
IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BELIEVE IN THY HEART GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD THOU SHALT BE SAVED.
…… TO WORSHIP ANYTHING ELSE IS TO WORSHIP DEMONS..
i am nothing he is everything to my last breath i will point to JESUS …..HE IS THE DOOR..HE IS LOVE AND MERCY..
many evil ones envoke his name and do not follow him
it is god that will judge them not you or i for we cannot see the heart and its intent..it is writen whosoever shall call upon th name or the lord SHALL BE SAVED..
….. I SAY THIS OPENLY AND WITHOUT A DOUBT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE SHALL FOLLOW CHRIST AND HIM ALONE…… THATS MY FAITH STATEMENT
peace
kirk a. watson