Posted on 05/31/2004 9:00:49 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia, May 31 (Reuters) - A Christian Arab who was held captive by al Qaeda militants in Saudi Arabia said on Monday he lied to them about his faith and praised their battle against the West, to save his life.
Nizar Hajazeen, a Jordanian software businessmen who was at the Tower hotel in the Oasis compound during the 25-hour drama in Khobar, said the militants lectured him about Islam and their aim to liberate Saudi Arabia from "infidels and crusaders".
The complex where the militants held about 50 foreigners -- including some Westerners -- was their last target in the violence in the eastern Saudi oil city in which they killed at least 22 people.
Hajazeen, 32, had tried to call a cab to go to work on Saturday but the phone lines were jumbled.
"I went down and the Filipino receptionist told me there were terrorists in the compound and gunshots were heard," he told Reuters.
He tried to help security guards close the hotel entrance gate but the lock did not work and a manager recommended he hide, Hajazeen said.
"I went to the room of a Jordanian colleague. Someone banged violently on the door. We opened and there were two men, one with a machinegun, another with a revolver. They were wearing black track suits," he said, adding that one had a wounded arm.
Both were in their twenties.
"They asked us if we were Arab or Westerners. We told them: 'We're Arab'.
"One then asked if I was a Christian or a Muslim. I told him we were Muslims and showed him my colleague's Koran as proof. I told him we supported them and that we were against America and Europe. I had to say that."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
Residents of the compound said the attackers asked everyone they encountered if they were Muslim or Christian, before taking them hostage or killing them.
An Oasis manager said the gunmen shot and killed several Westerners as soon as they entered the complex.
The gunmen made two Indian hotel staff with master keys show them where the Westerners were, Hajazeen said.
His brother called him on his mobile phone to wish him a happy birthday -- a day late -- just as the militants were saying their motive was to drive Americans and Christians from their country.
"They asked me to turn off my mobile but did not take it away as they did with others," Hajazeen said, adding that they told him and his colleague to stay in the room and left.
"We stayed locked in our room. One of us was hiding in the shower, another one was hiding in the bathtub," Hajazeen said, adding that from time to time they sneaked back into the bedroom to watch the news on television.
He said that before commandos freed them on Sunday, compound security guards called his mobile to ask him to check if the militants had rigged his floor with explosives. He found nothing.
"Before the commandos came, there was heavy gunfire and one explosion shook the hotel. We could hear glass being smashed, screams... It sounded like someone was giving out orders."
Saudi security forces later called them out, saying: "Do not be scared."
Making his way to freedom he saw the bodies of four Indians and an Italian cook.
"They had been shot dead. Some were on the staircases."
Discretion can be an ugly word.
The great Christian philosophical question:
Would God condone lying to save the lives of others? If we are true Christians, lying is not going to send us to hell..obviously.
Excellent discussion going on..take care and good night.
Ahh, so you do allow a little casuistry. There may yet be common ground to be found.
Sinkspur, not sure we have agreed on many things but we do on this thread it seems.
Oops! Sorry about that, I thought you were someone else. Ha!
I am sorry. I just do not see love being better served by sinning ( lying and murdering ).
God bless you, for whatever answer you gave, ...
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
He did. 2000 years ago on a cross.
Oh, come on. There are situations that arise where lying could actually serve love better. Everyone has contemplated them. What if muslims broke into your house and demanded to know if you knew any jews living in your neighborhood. I would lie in a heartbeat if I knew of some jews in order to save their lives. Wouldn't you?
I know that I'd like to prevent my throat from being cut. And I'm not at all religious. So, if I had to pretend to be muslim for all of a few hours just to stay alive in that circumstance, that's what I'd do.
Your question reminded me of Corrie Ten Boom and "The Hiding Place". Here is a citation from an easy English version evidently for children but containing the message from the original.
One of the Gestapo took Corrie into another room. "Where are the Jews?" he asked. "There aren't any Jews here," answered Corrie. She hated telling lies, but surely that was better than allowing people to be murdered, she thought. The policeman hit her, repeating the question, but Corrie did not answer.
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." (Matt. 16:21)
It looks to me like Peter was in denial about Jesus suffering and being killed. (Why would Peter have "an idea that Jesus would rise from the dead" if he didn't think Jesus was going to die?)
A complete refutation of your false assertion.
Complete refutation? Wrong on both counts.
Well, thank you for calling and sharing, and shall we take our next call, please?
Yes, and he received an answer for that.
Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Peter did not leave Jesus. You have been refuted. He had an idea that Jesus would rise from the dead.
Amen!
I probably came across as too harsh. My dander was up.
I know and love bible.gospelcom.net. I use it often :-).
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