Posted on 04/29/2006 4:32:22 AM PDT by Libloather
Muslims and Christians Hold Dueling Rallies at RCC
Apr 27, 2006 8:03 pm US/Pacific
(CBS) RIVERSIDE Members of a Christian evangelical group and Muslim students engaged in a brief shouting match Thursday at an otherwise peaceful rally and counter-rally at Riverside Community College.
Dr. Robert Morey is the organizer of a Christian evangelical group called Faith Defenders and teaches Islamic studies at the fledgling Irvine-based California Biblical University and Seminary.
The university began taking admissions last September. Faith Defenders spreads Christian teachings and distributes literature and videos critical of Islam.
Morey held a lecture and rally at the campus quad, which attracted about 100 people. He called for the United Nations to issue a declaration of human rights in Islamic countries and addressed the issue of "equal rights denied to women."
"Women can't vote. Women can't drive and two women's votes equal one vote of a man," he said as the event began.
About 75 people attended a separate discussion of Islam by Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Anaheim.
Ayloush, who was brought in by RCC students to counter criticism of the Koran, said there was no point in arguing with critics of Islam.
"Speaking louder does not mean the truth," Ayloush said. "Don't be swayed by hatred. Be focused on what you do."
Another member of Faith Defenders, Luis Zepeda, raised the ire of about three-dozen Muslim women in attendance when he said, "Islam means that freedom of expression, freedom of religion is not allowed."
Quoting heavily from the Surah, or chapters in the Koran, Zepeda said the Koran condones slavery, prostitution, suppression of women's rights, the right for men to keep four wives and Muslims' intolerance toward Judaism and Christianity.
"Did you know that a woman's silence is considered as acceptance?" he asked his audience of about 100 people.
He said that if a woman does not protest unwanted sex, prostitution or marriage it is considered acceptance.
As Zepeda spoke, about a dozen young Muslim women held signs that read "The Hijab Does Not Oppress Women" and "Islam is the Fastest Growing Religion in U.S."
Morey also said Muslim countries under Sharia, or Islamic law, deny women the right to a college education and to drive.
Sharia law was written 1,400 years ago, long before cars were invented, and the government of Saudi Arabia is the only country that bans women from driving, according to human rights organizations.
Huda Aljord, 35, of Corona, is from Syria. She said she has a master's degree and has always driven a car.
"I drove my car here from Corona," she said. As Zepeda continued to discuss his interpretation of the Surah, the protesters inched closer and tried to shout him down. A half-dozen college police officers stood nearby.
Zepeda's supporters demanded that he be allowed to finish and began singing "God Bless America."
Throughout the speech, protesters urged the audience to attend their rally about a 100 yards away at another campus quad.
"I think it's nonsense," RCC Muslim student Jeneen Shoman, 21, of Riverside said. "He's putting it out of context. I'm happy as a Muslim woman and I'm satisfied."
A Muslim Riverside woman, 25, who declined to identify herself, said the speaker was not credible because he took his information from the Internet.
"He doesn't know what he is talking about," she said. "You have to have valid translations. You can't interpret. You can't generalize."
Tasneem Almasri, 20, of Riverside, and a Muslim of Syrian descent, said Zepeda had a right to free speech, but took issue with his selective interpretation.
"He's just picking out information that is biased," she said.
If you take the hatred out of Islam, you really have nothing left.
Idiot Muslim protesters defending Islam based on the rights they have in the US vs the original call to the UN to improve rights in Muslim countries.....How duplicitous.
Muslim countries don't even acknowledge the right of Jews and Christians to exist.
I attended Mass in pre-Ayatollah Teheran. In fact, my boss there was in charge of the Catholic community's CCD program. I also attended Mass at St. Raphael's in downtown Bagdad during the Iran-Iraq war. Those societies were relatively tolerant. In Saudi Arabia, we saw the true face of islam: intolerant to the max. One could only attend Mass in Jeddah at the U.S., Belgian or Irish embassies.
No kidding! I had lunch in a Hare Krishna restaurant in Tehran back in 1978 on my way to India on a bus from Europe. Iran will be a much better place when they get rid of the imams.
And to the more extreme, where there are places like Sudan where they just kill you if they think you are Christian. The Vatican has helped advance some tolerance in some Middle Eastern countries, but even then there are still death penalties for trying to convert people.
"Be focused on what you do."
Sure, kill more Infidels, you sandmaggot garbage.
Gee, maybe that's because what the critics are saying is true??
Too bad the crusades didn't wipe out islam 7 centuries ago!!
I forget the title of the book. It was useful, but not a great book.
HEAR HEAR.......
The Muzzies has terrorised the world long enough.
One of the reasons Christians are so "intolerant" is that we have been dealing intimately with Muslims for years while the rest of the world slept.
I remember getting letters from Pat Robertson many years ago about Chtistian radio stations he supported in the Middle East being raided and employees terrorized. And churches being burnt.
Franklin Graham was also demonized for speaking strongly against the muslims but his hospitals were attacked several times.
Seems to me some Muslims did that on 9/11 and what's good for the goose is good for the gander, baby.
For a fine read about Saudi Arabia-Mecca-Iran-Turkey go to yourarmstoisrael.org and select "sermon notes" and pull up "The Final End Time Beast". See who is the Harlot of Babylon might just be.
Arguing with Muslims?
Memo to Chrstians: If you are gonna fight with a pig, then you are going to get dirty.
Sharia law was written 1,400 years ago, long before cars were invented, and the government of Saudi Arabia is the only country that bans women from driving, according to human rights organizations.
I want to see the FIRST time an MSM newspaper debates the points made in, say, another global warming announcement or a report about the homelessness epidemic.
Which is why, for the most part, no one likes to visit those countries.
Jews and Christians are "kuffir" which means "dust". Debate the jihadists with lead..
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