Posted on 12/09/2016 7:08:04 AM PST by rhett october
After I read the story entitled, Methodist Churches Converting To Virtual Mosques For Muslim Migrants, I spent much of the day in mild shock. I couldnt believe what was going on inside of a Christian denomination whose founding was so deeply influenced by the great man John Wesley.
I had to know what Methodists thought of this. Surely they didnt go along with it. At least not all of them or even a majority of them. My assumption, and hope, was that it was a very small minority of Methodists who thought that having worship of Allah in their building was an appropriate, God-honoring event. How could they think their church should double as a church and a Mosque? Surely they had not lost their way and could see how apostate and foreign such a thing was to Christianity and the New Testament. Surely this was just one man who had been led astray or who was seeking his 10 minutes of fame.
So I took to the phones, contacting my Methodist friends to ask their thoughts. Here are some of their reactions and concerns.
Suzanne from near Little Rock, AR
Suzanne I heard about it yesterday but couldnt believe what I was hearing. I mean, aint nothing wrong with reaching out to folks, but you dont sell yourself, your soul to do it. You dont give up God to make some other religion happy. You dont join them in worship to a false god.
Rhett October "Is your church taking part in this?"
Suzanne Absolutely not. And if they did, I, we would not go back there. Wed just find ourselves another place to go, to worship you know.
Rhett October "Would you leave the Methodist church over this for another church?"
Suzanne Well, I mean, Im hoping it doesnt come to that, but you asked so Im telling you. Yes, I would. My family would. Were not Muslims. We worship Jesus, not their god, Allah or whatever.
Kyle from Tennessee
Kyle My wife is kind of freaking out about this. She had me call our pastor last night about it.
Rhett October "So I guess its safe to say youre against it?"
Kyle What, are you kidding me or something? Yeah Im against it. You think theyd let us in one of their mosques to worship Jesus? You think theyd even entertain the idea? Theyd see it as an abomination. Theyd no way.
Rhett October "How is your wife reacting? How is she freaking out?"
Kyle Shes thinking in terms of, you know, safety. I mean the biggest thing is the, well, you know, its an affront is what it is. Trying to water down or make all of the religions equal or the same and like were all going to heaven.
Rhett October "In what way is she thinking of safety?"
Kyle Well I told her if where we go, our church, was to do this, wed be gone, but what she was saying was, with the terrorism and the attacks by the refugees, Islamic refugees, which is who that Texas bunch is trying to invite in, you know, shed be worried about an attack or well, and we also have daughters. There have been some rapes by refugees in Europe. It just makes no sense that wed risk our children. You think were going to convert them? Were not going to convert them. They dont want to be converted. Of course, what that Texas group is doing would mean the Muslims wouldn't even have to convert.
Deronte from Austin, TX
Deronte My pastor emailed the whole church and hes was all like telling us that it wasnt going to happen in our church. People be panicking. People saying they going to leave the church if we starting a Muslim service. Im right there with them. Right there, you know.
Rhett October "So you dont agree in reaching out to Muslims in that way?"
Deronte Alright, so theres a difference in reaching out to someone and what theyre doing. Yeah, so what theyre doing is incorporating worship of another God into their church. Your church shouldnt offer worshiping another God as, like a, service they offer. We aint supposed to be a buffet. You know what Im saying?
Angie from Atlanta, GA
Angie Im just reacting now that you told me and Im just in disbelief. This isnt the church I grew up in. Its not my church now. I just, I, why would they do this? Why would they, when we dont just substitute God for some other god to make people happy. Who does that? What church would do that? Would they substitute Allah for Jesus and think its okay or what, I mean, would anyone think that God would be happy to just be replaced. This just seems too crazy to be, you know, well, it seems impossible. Like its not happening. But thats todays world. Thats where we are.
Rhett October "So what would you do if your church decided to do this?"
Angie I cant think about that. I mean
Rhett October "Im saying, would you continue to go to your church?"
Angie Well, no. I mean, no. How could we? How could we support such a thing?
Rhett October "What would you do?"
Angie Wed go to another church, thats what. Wed find a group that doesnt sell out God for someone elses God just to look open minded and well, tolerant-looking, I guess is what theyre going for. They want to look like theyre so meek and mild but the Bible says for us to stand firm in the truth, you know?
Rhett October "Yes, I do know."
“I hear the nuns are gay”
I also posted a link to Geller's story in the FR news section. And as I said three out of the four people I talked to had already seen/heard that story, so it wasn't like I was responsible for widespreading (isn't a word but should be) the story. If anything, I showed that the story already had gotten around extremely well. I only asked people if they heard story and what they thought about it and what they would do if it happened in their church.
The INTERVIEW where I asked people if they heard the story, what they thought about it, and what they would do if it happened in their church - that was on Resistance Feed and, yes, just like every other article that is posted here that originated on another website, I sourced it even though I posted the full content here.
But that interview was not the story that Geller published. It was simply me asking Methodists if they had heard about it, what they thought about it, and what they would do if it came to their church. Asking someone if they have heard a story without me commenting on whether the story was true or not and then asking them a couple of follow-up questions about how they felt about the story is hardly suggestive of a lack of journalistic diligence.
And unlike other websites and blogs who posted the Geller story, I actually went to people in the Methodist Church and asked them what they thought about it instead of vilifying everyone associated with the Methodist Church as though they were now Islamic-propaganda tools. I even said in the blurb written above the interview that I thought it had to be a single, isolated event headed by one person and that it was not representative of the entire Methodist church.
I also posted an excerpt to the Geller story in the news section here on FR, so when people here accuse me of spreading a fake story, I assume that’s what they’re talking about because the interview happened regardless of the validity of the Geller story and it gave voice to Methodists who were being painted as brainwashed Islamists.
You should consider a career with a Federal Agency.
Or perhaps as a Press Secretary for a Democrat Congressman.
Bless your heart.
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