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Will Of Faith - Christian Academy Fights Back Against Muslim Extremism
PIpeLIneNews.org ^ | August 2, 2004 | William A. Mayer - Editor & Publisher PipeLineNews.org

Posted on 08/02/2004 7:41:47 AM PDT by johnqueuepublic

Will Of Faith - Christian Academy Fights Back Against Muslim Extremism

August 2, 2004 - by William A. Mayer - Editor & Publisher, PipeLineNews.org

Osceola County, Florida - PipeLineNews - The great 18th-century conservative Scottish political philosopher Edmund Burke said, "Evil triumphs when good men do nothing."

Yet, as we near the anniversary of our third year of war against radical Islamic terrorism, thoughtful observers might be struck with daily examples of such moral lassitude - failure to confront evil.

We see it in the political sphere, where cheap advantage is sought with the hopes of defeating a political party. In the media, where all pretense of objectivity seems to have been cast aside. In education, where the preaching of diversity-based moral equivalency has already, in large measure, established the de-facto state religion of secular humanism.

We even see it in traditional institutions of faith, where heretofore established orthodoxy is overthrown in the name of inclusiveness.

So it comes as a relief when one happens upon someone who takes the Burkean charge to heart.

One such individual is Lee Wasson.

Mr. Wasson is pastor of an evangelical Christian congregation in Osceola County, Florida called Celebration Worship.

Over a period of years he and his staff built and operated a church and parochial school - the Kissimmee Christian Academy - which at its peak educated about 140 students. The instruction these children received was exemplary, featuring one of the highest percentages of "graduates-to-college rates in the county " - 100% last year - and a promotion rate that is also among the highest.

Celebration Worship had been located on a 6 acre parcel of a larger, 31 acre piece of property which had been owned by David Peoples.

Mr. Peoples ran a rather well developed travel and cooking school on the property. Unfortunately, Peoples’ school failed and he was forced to file for bankruptcy.

Up to that time, Celebration Worship had been operating under the existing contract with Peoples. Celebration had been complying with all of the terms of the lease, including making payments on a timely basis as well as making substantial improvements to the property.

All that changed for the worse on October 1, 2003.

Super Stop Petroleum, a corporation owned by a Pakistani, Denise Qureshi, purchased Mr. Peoples’ parcel of land in bankruptcy proceedings, thus subsuming Wasson’s lease.

Shortly after the purchase of the property, Super Stop allowed a Muslim consortium to take possession of the part not leased by Wasson’s church/school complex. This included all of the buildings that Mr. Peoples’ enterprise had occupied.

The Muslim group was headed by a known Islamist – Zulfiqar Ali Shah – and was allowed by Super Stop to act as its agent, essentially becoming Celebration’s landlord.

Mr. Shah and his minions incorporated the group as a 501c3 tax-exempt organization, naming it the Universal Heritage Foundation [UHF.]

Shah and other individuals associated with UHF have professed adherence to radical religious beliefs and have a long history of making, sometimes shockingly, intemperate remarks:

“Either the best Muslim will get power, or the worst Kaffir ["worst infidel" - etymology – North African word, essentially the same as nigger, not so surprising given the North African Arabs' track record with regard to the slave trade]. Allah has created us as the Khaleefah [leaders] and we do not know Biology, Chemistry, Geology, when the Muslims knew those sciences they rules those lands and controlled them. We need to learn these sciences then we know how to control this earth. Rasool (S) struggled for 13 years, he was tortured abused, made sacrifices, even lost his uncle. Victory will not come sitting down. We need to prepare ourselves in all aspects." - Zulfiqar Ali Shah from remarks on the "History of Islam" prepared for the consumption of young Muslims.

UHF’s stated purpose was to further the religious and educational training of Muslims and to present to the community in general, the peaceful side of Islam.

UHF, as part of its marketing plan organized an inaugural event – “Islam for Humanity" – showcased to be touchy-feely and Christian friendly.

As the event neared it became clear that the speakers chosen for it represented some of the worst examples of Islamist theology:

“We want to awaken the conscience of America: because if you remain on the side of injustice, the wrath of God will come," he told the crowd. “Please all Americans, do remember that, that Allah is watching everyone. If you continue doing injustice, and tolerating injustice, the wrath of God will come." - Muzammil H. Siddiqui, PhD., the former president of Islamic Society of North America, Imam of the Islamic Society of Orange County in California.

“In a similar vein, CAIR board member Imam Siraj Wahaj calls for replacing the American government with a caliphate, and warns that America will crumble unless it "accepts the Islamic agenda." Wahaj, it should be noted, served as a character witness for Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, the Muslim cleric convicted for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing." Front Page Magazine March 5, 2003.

The firestorm that erupted when the list of participants became public knowledge forced UHF to remove Wahaj from the speaker’s list. Not so surprisingly, Siddiqui not only remained part of the event but he currently sits on UHF’s board of directors.

Because of the controversy, the event had to be relocated and eventually concluded with a disastrous amount of almost universally negative press.

Belying its loftily stated goals of accommodation, UHF immediately upon being given de-facto status as Wasson’s landlord, instituted a program of harassment against Celebration Worship.

UHF violated the existing lease, cut off water and power and also undertook a campaign of psychological terror that resulted in Celebration being denied its right to enjoy the use of its facility.

Super Stop engaged in similar tactics, which in short course led to Celebration Worship being constructively evicted from the property.

Wasson has since obtained other facilities and is once again providing a place of Christian worship and education for his parishioners.

To his credit Wasson is fighting back against those who drove his small flock from its previous location.

The law firm of Brown, Garganese, Weiss & D’Agresta, PA. was retained by Wasson and they have just filed a 4 count complaint, naming Super Stop Petroleum as defendant.

The complaint will allege that:

“…under the totality of circumstances, including the affiliation of the operators of the private fundamentalist school with persons associated with past public statements hostile to Christians, Jews and Israel, the posting of Counter-Plaintiffs’ identity on Islamic websites, and the termination of utilities for unnecessary reasons and excessive periods of time, without adequate reason or notice, the Counter-Plaintiffs became reasonably and justifiably afraid for their safety and the well-being and safety of the students attending Counter-Plaintiffs’ school" [that] “Wasson and Celebration have encountered hostility and discriminatory treatment against them based upon their status as Christians and the conduct of their activities on the premises as a private Christian school and church…"

The suit states that Super Stop granted UHF permission to act as its agent with regard to Celebration and that UHF then violated the existing lease in numerous ways.

Super Stop's de-facto granting to UHF the authority to act as its agent, makes Super Stop responsible for actions taken - in that regard - by UHF:

1. Failure to pro-rate the utility bills.

2. Cutting off or interrupting utility services necessary for Celebration to carry on its business.

3. Raising the amount of the lease.

4. Acting in a manner that denied Celebration the peaceful enjoyment of the premises.

5. Organized an event which featured anti-Christian, inflammatory & pro-Islamist speakers.

6. Retaliated against Celebration’s opposing the "Islam for Humanity" event by placing pictures of his school on pro-Islamist websites with the intent of intimidation.

The firm will also claim that for their part, Super Stop Petroleum:

1. Renovated buildings surrounding Celebration in a manner injurious to the tenant’s business.

2. Denied Celebration the right of first refusal to purchase the property occupied by UHF.

3. Failed to return tenant’s security deposit.

4. Acted in a manner that constructively evicted Celebration as a tenant this caused it to suffer great financial loss.

Celebration is asking compensation for all recoverable compensatory as well as consequential damages, which could amount to a judgment of several million dollars against Super Stop. Celebration also seeks declaratory relief, stating exactly what their rights were under the lease.

Lawsuit aside, Wasson has moved on, now seemingly stronger than ever - buoyed by his decision to fight back against an institution whose public persona screams peaceful Islam but whose private actions have placed the dark side of the religion on trial, literally.

Celebration Worship's Christian Academy though down in registration has retained new facilities and is once again growing, now devoid of the Universal Heritage Foundation's harassing tactics and malevolent presence.

In many ways Lee Wasson's struggle mimics America's actions post 911. He didn't seek this test of wills, but he is by no means running from it, instead meeting it head-on with determination and more than a bit of resolve.

Toward that end, he has established a legal defense fund to help his organization to help defray the daunting legal costs entailed in such an undertaking. If you are interested in contacting Pastor Wasson, offering your support and possibly making a tax-exempt [funds so raised go ONLY to defray the legal costs entailed in defending against UHF's predation] contribution, he can be reached at:

Kissimee Christian Academy Legal Defense Fund


© 2004 William A. Mayer/PipeLineNews, all rights reserved


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: evangelicals; islamist; muslimbigotry
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To: MarineDad

Nobody ever came to ruin or regret by NOT trusting "muslims."

A big 10-4 to that.


21 posted on 08/02/2004 1:51:41 PM PDT by johnqueuepublic
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To: johnqueuepublic

BTTT


22 posted on 08/02/2004 8:46:34 PM PDT by johnqueuepublic
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To: johnqueuepublic

Radical Islamist Smackdown BumpTTT


23 posted on 08/02/2004 8:47:08 PM PDT by johnqueuepublic
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To: Kerfuffle

SA specifically and most Muslim dominated countries in general will not allow anyone who is employed by a Christian denomination to live in their country. Consequently, each person has to have an "official" job. One gentleman I met last year was covered as a reporter for a Christian news service.

I haven't been involved with foreign missionaries for quite a while, but the Southern Baptist Convention used to supply materials and training to folks who lived in missionary-unfriendly areas through what was called the "tent-worker" program. I am sure they still do the same now, but don't know any specific info.


24 posted on 08/02/2004 9:07:18 PM PDT by SWake ("Estrada was savaged by liars and abandoned by cowards." Mark Davis, WBAP, 09/09/2003)
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To: johnqueuepublic
Muhammad-inspired persecution of Christians, Jews and all non-Muslims continues...
25 posted on 08/03/2004 10:08:39 AM PDT by miltonim (Fight those who do not believe in Allah. - Koran, Surah IX: 29)
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To: Rays_Dad

Ping for later


26 posted on 08/03/2004 10:11:40 AM PDT by Rays_Dad
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