Posted on 05/05/2006 12:53:27 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback
Note: This commentary was delivered by Prison Fellowship President Mark Earley.
Not long ago, an ex-con named Umar Abdul-Jalil gave a speech in which he said the “greatest terrorists in the world occupy the White House,” and that the “Zionists of the media” should not be dictating “what Islam is to us.”
That was bad enough, but what was worse was the fact that Jalil is the chief Islamic chaplain in the New York City Department of Corrections.
After his comments became public, he was suspended from his job. But New York’s Mayor Bloomberg refused to dismiss him, claiming that his right to free speech covered such explosive comments.
Jalil is far from being the only radical imam in America’s prison system. Stephen Schwartz, writing last week in the Weekly Standard, believes that “radical Muslim chaplains . . . acting in coordination to impose an extremist agenda . . . have gained a monopoly over Islamic religious activities in American state, federal, and city prisons and jails.”
Moderate Muslim prisoners are complaining that radical chaplains subject them to humiliation, discrimination, and even physical threats. “Imagine,” he says, “each prison Islamic [prison] community as a little Saudi kingdom behind prison walls, without the amenities. They have effectively induced American authorities to establish a form of ‘state Islam’” in correctional systems, Schwartz says.
Over the years at Prison Fellowship, Chuck has asked many inmates, chaplains, and officers why Islam is growing so fast. First, they say that inmates consider Christianity a white man’s religion, and Islam a black man’s religion. Second, they say the brotherhood of Islam appeals to them because it invites them into a whole way of living that is different. They talk about Islam as a whole life system—which, by the way, points out that as Christians we must do a better job of presenting Christianity as a whole way of life.
We’ve already seen some frightening examples of what can happen when radical Muslims play on the sensibilities of prisoners who feel isolated and vulnerable. Muktar Said Ibrahim, who is believed to be the ringleader in the attempted bombing of London’s subway system last summer, converted to Islam in prison. So did “shoe bomber” Richard Reid.
We need to heed the warnings of Patrick Sookhdeo, a Muslim convert to Christianity. Sookhdeo is the author of a book titled Islam: The Challenge to the Church. In it, he warns that Islam, “alone among world faiths, has very clear-cut aims for reorganizing society to conform to its teaching. Because of this, Muslim minorities are impacting their host societies in the West in a way which no other faith is doing”—and that’s including in America’s prisons.
Clearly, prison authorities must be more vigilant and adopt strict measures to guard against the spread of radical Islam that teaches violence and hate. In particular, they must remove radical imam chaplains who incite terrorism. But as Christians we must do our job, as well. We need to increase our own loving presence among prisoners—people who are often lonely and desperate.
In prison, like everywhere else, the surest antidote to the poison of hatred is the message of love—the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This is part four in a four-part series on Islam.
There are links to further information at the source document.
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One of the big lies helping to propagate the Islamic faith behind prison walls is the notion that Mohamed was a black man - He was not!
Also Mosques.
1. Leaving aside whether I consider that a morally viable/strategically smart option or not, I will note that it is not even remotely feasible. Maybe some significant percentage of Americans would consider it if Osama takes out a city, but otherwise no way. And there would still be plenty of people who would say that Osama's crowd is to Islam as Fred Phelps is to Christianity.
2. Please consider the following analogy: Islam is to Religion of Peace as Christianity is to Gay Marrage.
Kinda sad that one could figure out they're being lied to just by reading the "Muhammad" entry in any encyclopedia.
A good oldie but goody read on this is Malcolm X' autobio. He was converted to the Nation of Islam by jailhouse preaching then became a jailhouse preacher himself while still doing time. Until his rift with NoI leadership, he was one of the early promoters. He said he was like a zombie while he was caught up in it.
This is true. Many Christians have entirely dropped the ethical component of Christianity. They go for some bizarre emotional high and forget that they now have a life to be lived in Christ.
However, that said, I think that Islam appeals to prisoners because it is authoritarian (they don't have to think for themselves) and violent, and approves most of the things they like anyway: more than one "wife," the sexual abuse of weaker or immature males by stronger and older ones, use of drugs other than alcohol, and, of course, violence and the feeling that they are a special class that is above the laws of our society. Christianity does none of these things and hence would be a lot more difficult for lower-status males with impulse control and anger management problems. Islam, on the other hand, is made to order.
I am curious if anyone here has ever ministered in prison, either on their own or as part of a church group. What's it like?
At the very least in prisons. And if the ACLU attempts to stop it with lawsuits, arrest every commie lawyer waving their banner under RICO statutes.
Christianity should be a lifestyle to please God, other religions please man. We should not allow other religions to be used in prisons as a springboard for the destruction of our country. Let'em eat pork. If they cannot handle it, tell them them to obey the law.
The real reason criminals like Islam is because it gives them a feeling of power and supremacy.
From your lips to SCOTUS!
This whole idea of prison religions is ridiculous. The criminals need punishment, not cult training. That being said, Islam itself is extremism. Add criminals and you've got Islam-Ready-To-Go.
Ready-To- Fry would be so much better..
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