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Christ is Risen!! Indeed He is Risen!!!

Just received the March copy of the American Family Association journal. Interesting article entitled "Radical Islam's plan for world domination." An eye-opening read. Will be online sometime in the near future at www.afajournal.org. [afajournal.org.]

In Christ,

BOB

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Terry,

Yes, of course, Satan can "inspire" someone. If demons can completely take over people's will, certainly they can inspire them to write.

Lawrence,

That's the trouble with Islam (and, while we're at it, Mormonism). In the Culture Wars, Islam often seems like an ally in what Peter Kreeft calls "Ecumenical Jihad," but, really, it's a totally different thing. Especially when Islam would precisely blame Christiainty for the decadence of the West.

Remember that Satan is a moralist and a legalist. He is the Accuser. There is often a thin line between Prophet and Pharisee, and the greatest lies are 99% true.


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John, I think the first paragraph of your post sums it up pretty well.

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I was referring to the post in which John said bad Christians are not following the teachings of Christianity but violent Muslims are obeying the Quran.

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Check this site out:

www.americancongressfortruth.com [americancongressfortruth.com]

This organization was founded by Bridgette Gabriel who is a Maronite Catholic. She is crusading against the "political correctness" that is causing a major erosion of our awareness about the truth about Islam and what they stand for (mostly radical Islam).

I personally met this lady. She's very brilliant. She's a former TV anchor. But my GOSH! She talks ultra-extremely FAST! shocked

SPDundas
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Christ is risen !!

Hello spdudas:

I checked out the web sight, it was spot on. I can remember from the days of my youth spending many wonderful holidays in different areas in Lebanon especially in Beirut. It makes me weep to see the state of that country today and you can thank the Islamist hate groups, terrorists, and Syria in particular.

In Christ:
Einar

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All your observations about Islam are confirmed accurate by a high profile and recent Muslim convert to Catholicism, Magdi Allam, journalist and Deputy Director of the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

His conversion story in full as translated by Zenit:

http://www.zenit.org/article-22151?l=english

Amado

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I am perhaps the one dissenter here. (And before I start let me point out that I am of Spanish blood and my ancestral home was once brutally taken over by Muslims).

However, I think that the (some) Muslims could well be our allies in an even greater war--that against radical secularization, those who wish to enforce anti-religious beliefs upon society, and those in power with an agenda.

There is much that is commendable in Islam (most of it taken from Christianity) such as an encouragement of a family-centered life, personal modesty, a focus on a prayerful life, pilgrimages, the invocation of saints, alms for the poor, fasting, scholasticism, evangelization, etc. There are also many things that are unsavory to us Christians. However, I find that the similarities often outweight the differences. Every religion has radical extremists (can we say Waco? Jonestown?). What matters is what the majority thinks, and not reactionism either.

What has soured the relationship of the West with the Islamic world is not just history, but also an agenda... well really two agendas that have joined forces: the Neo-Conservative Israel Lobby [csmonitor.com], and the Big Government Utopian Progressivists [lewrockwell.com].

Both of these groups are very anti-Catholic. However, due to their adoption of conservative stances on a few key issues they have been able to court the Catholic vote in this country and bring themselves into power. As well, they have built up this "Crusade" (as our President once put it) against Islam and both sides have been egged on by those pushing forward the agendas. The re-emergence of radical Islam serves these agendas by turning the West against the Islamic world--the West will support Israel against the "crazy, warlike, barbarian" Muslims, as well any impending war will boost the economy and be a chance to export "American" (read fundy Evangelical Christian) values and culture abroad.

Because of this, every time I see some sort of violent act in the Middle East I realize that, while radical Islamists may be the immediate instigators/murderers, in reality they are merely unwitting pawns of larger forces at work. Thus, I usually pray for them rather than blame them. All of my anger, rage, and blame is reserved for those in our government with the agendas and my vote will reflect this.

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Quote
Check this site out:

www.americancongressfortruth.com [americancongressfortruth.com]

This organization was founded by Bridgette Gabriel who is a Maronite Catholic. She is crusading against the "political correctness" that is causing a major erosion of our awareness about the truth about Islam and what they stand for (mostly radical Islam).

I personally met this lady. She's very brilliant. She's a former TV anchor. But my GOSH! She talks ultra-extremely FAST!

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

From my experience, Brigitte Gabriel is in the minority of what Lebanese Maronites think about the Israel/Palestine conflict. While the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are not well-liked by anyone there, even the Lebanese Christians know what Israel is capable of. As well, the Maronites have often had Muslim allies in politics and the civil war. The real divide is whether or not you are Pro-Syria.

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"The difference, my friends, between Israel and the Arab world is the difference between civilization and barbarism. It's the difference between good and evil. This is what we're witnessing in the Arabic world, They have no SOUL! They are dead set on killing and destruction. And in the name of something they call "Allah" which is very different from the God we believe because our God is the God of love" --Brigitte Gabriel

IMHO, this smacks of propaganda.

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I agree that it's evil. Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light (the "angel" that came to Mohammed), and he will tell truths (like when Islam rails against the decadence and immorality of the West) to get in a lie, (like denying the divinity of Christ).

I agree with Nathan re: relativism. Most people have been totally brainwashed into believing there is no absolute truth. They think they're "enlightened" and really believe in nothing. They don't know what to do when faced with a people that truely believe their religion to the point of blowing themselves up. I think a lot of Westerners can not really perceive the threat because they think they can just dialogue enough about tolerance and Islam will give up and become all fuzzy feel good. Meanwhile they are quickly and quietly "taking over" for lack of a better word. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/25/nmuslims125.xml Yes, the article says 2020. But really it's not that far away.


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Meanwhile they are quickly and quietly "taking over" for lack of a better word. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/25/nmuslims125.xml Yes, the article says 2020. But really it's not that far away.

Knowing the situation in Britain, this says more about the irreligiousness of the English. As someone wiser than me once said, "the logical conclusion and ultimate evolution of Protestantism is Atheism."

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Originally Posted by Byzantophile
Knowing the situation in Britain, this says more about the irreligiousness of the English. As someone wiser than me once said, "the logical conclusion and ultimate evolution of Protestantism is Atheism."


I agree re: protestantism. But they're outnumbering the Catholics too.

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Originally Posted by AndreaW
Originally Posted by Byzantophile
Knowing the situation in Britain, this says more about the irreligiousness of the English. As someone wiser than me once said, "the logical conclusion and ultimate evolution of Protestantism is Atheism."


I agree re: protestantism. But they're outnumbering the Catholics too.

I would just like to clarify that the news article opines that "active" Muslims may outnumber "active" Catholics by the middle of this century.

The subject of comparison is Catholic Church attendance on Sundays versus Muslim Friday worship.

Based on the 2001 official census Catholics in the UK number about 5 million while Muslims number about 1.6 million, or roughly 1/3. Muslims constitute about 2.7% of UK's total population while Christians (of all denominations) still number 72% of UK's total population.

Unless a catastrophic event intervenes, I don't think the UK will be taken over by Islam soon or at anytime this century.

Having said that, it would be interesting to see the results of the next official census in 2010 or 2011!

Amado


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There is much that is commendable in Islam (most of it taken from Christianity) such as an encouragement of a family-centered life, personal modesty, a focus on a prayerful life, pilgrimages, the invocation of saints, alms for the poor, fasting, scholasticism, evangelization, etc. There are also many things that are unsavory to us Christians. However, I find that the similarities often outweight the differences. Every religion has radical extremists (can we say Waco? Jonestown?). What matters is what the majority thinks, and not reactionism either.

I find nothing wrong with the Muslim people, and actually I find them very humble and quite likable as individuals. My problem is with their leaders, which they follow blindly. So blindly, that they will sacrifice their children for the progression of their state, the religions/political state of Islam.

It was thirty years ago that I read how someone admired the Palestinians for their patience, regarding the return of their land....and that was thirty years ago. They are still patiently waiting, because there is no Muslim country that will take them in. They are to suffer their fate, until their land, their Islamic land returns to them.

Turkey wants a return of the Ottoman Empire, and wants to extend itself to the Adriatic, and this will come about, whether it joins the EU or not. If it joins the EU, it will do so only if it can have full rights, and by that it means that her enormous population will be able to immigrate freely into the EU. In a matter of time, the Turks will exceed the European population, and the EU will become the new Ottoman Empire. They are patient.

If on the other hand, Turkey is not able to join the EU, it will gradually extend her lands westward, as it is now doing. Albania is predominantly Muslim, most of the Christians have left, and they consider themselves Turks. Kosovo was ripped from Serbia, by the Clinton administration and Madeleine Albright and our state department, (which is still a carry over of that administration), and in time it will unite with Albania, making it a large Muslim/Turkish nation in the center of Europe. It is no wonder, the Kosovan Albanian Muslims that were dancing in the streets when we recognized their independance, were wearing the red fez's of the Turks during the Ottoman Empire.

In time, Fyrom will be all Muslim, and start claiming Greek Macedonia, and Turkey will begin to arouse the Muslims in Greek Thrace. The original treaty allowed 25,000 Turks to remain in Thrace, and they are now 300,000 Turks. Yet the population of the Greeks in Turkey has diminished. They left out of fear for their lives. The Ottoman Empire is being rebuilt, regardless of whether Turkey joins the EU or doesn't.

The same goes for the Arabs. The Jordanians, as well as all the Arabs want to restore the Caliphate, and insist that they are the original inhabitants of Spain. Is it any wonder that the Saudi's have been buying property there non stop.

This is not to diminish what Israel has been doing, yet there can be no comparison to the Muslim mentality. There has to be something wrong with people when they lack a concern for the lives and welfare of their own people. As one Muslim said, once land is occupied by Muslims, it must always be Muslim. Is it any wonder then, that so many Palestinians are still living in refugee camps waiting for a return of their land.

Now I know that in France and Holland, the area's that are occupied by Muslims, have their own police, etc. Are they now Muslim lands? Can they ever be reclaimed by the country they are living in, without terrorism and war?

Israel on the other hand, seems to be reaping what it has sowed as far as terrorism is concerned. The Jews were terrorists in Russia before the revolution, and continued it into Palestine before it became the state of Israel...if one should wonder where Arafat got his ideas from

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Knowing the situation in Britain, this says more about the irreligiousness of the English. As someone wiser than me once said, "the logical conclusion and ultimate evolution of Protestantism is Atheism."

I find this foolish, since the most pious and practicing Christians, tend to be Evangelicals.

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"What matters is what the majority thinks, and not reactionism either."
So, the majority of Catholics in the US think contraception is OK. The majority of Catholics in the US are moderate-to-liberal and could care less about abortion.
most Americans think that the Catholic Church's teachings on abortion and contraception are "no big deal," that Catholics don't really follow those teachings, and that anyone who does follow those teachings is a wacko extremist.

The whole point of a religion--any religion--is that you believe its basic principles to be Truth and that you form your life in accordance with that truth.

While Islam is a "religion of the book," and, as such, gives its adherents a certain leeway in how "the book" is interpreted, there are certain basic guidelines as to what Islam "really is," most notably, the behavior of Mohammed himself and his immediate successors.

Certainly radical Islam today is as much a reaction against American Imperialism as anything, but it is a reaction based in the solid tradition of Islam.

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