Oh dear Lord. Please don't let this be true!!!
Yep. They have "chosen the path of peace" and "converted to Islam".
I really hate to say this. I've been worried sick about Steve and Olaf, but they just sold their souls to the devil. I couldn't do it. Saw my head of with a butter knife but I'll never forsake my God.
I'm glad they are safe though. I'm sure their families are relieved.
"Yep. They have "chosen the path of peace" and "converted to Islam". "
YOU don't know what they have "chosen".
Don't be silly. In this situation your God knows what you really believe, right? Not to open a can of worms or anything, but this reminds me of Columbine. Remember the female student... approached by gunman and asked her about being a Christian?
She was unwavering in her response and was killed instantly. Was she brave? Absolutely. If she said otherwise, would she have still been killed? Maybe, probably. We just never know.
Well, aren't you the brave and righteous one posting safely at home.
Yes, I agree...it is better to be a martyr than do this stuff...
But unless you've been in the situation, then don't judge. Indeed, how do you know they weren't drugged or tortured?
I have a bad temper. If I was captured, and they said convert, I would tell them where to stick their koran...but after a couple days of threats and terror and dread, I'm not sure...
Sort of reminds me of 'taking the mark of the beast'.
I think the mark pertains to a belief system.
Speaking as someone who has been schooled in SERE tactics, after the first 48 hours, you can say whatever you want in order to save your life.
After that, it is assumed that HQ has changed their plans, leaving the POW to give up info in order to save his life.
That way HQ protects the mission and the POW saves his life without endangering his fellow soldiers.
I doubt it. They're just trying to save their lives. What the terrorists force them to say means nothing.
Please don't say such things. Do not judge them by what they might say with a possible gun to their heads! But, I'm sure they mean it....I'm sure they have accepted Islam. I'm just sure of it and now their captors will release them. Surely they will. (stick with me on this, okee dokee?)
Oh dear Lord. Please don't let this be true!!!
"I couldn't do it. Saw my head of with a butter knife but I'll never forsake my God."
I would hope that I would do the same thing. However, you seem to be an extremely strong person. I cannot say that I would not do the same thing as these guys are not that I am a traitor, but I think to be tortured for long periods of time could break some. I would love to be as mentally able to say heck no I won't say things I don't believe, but I can't say for sure that I would. It is a scary situation regardless.
In this situation, it is smart to pay lip service to these scumbags so that you have a least a chance to get out of there alive. You can always publicly renouce them later and maybe even join the Marines so you can go back over there with an M16 in your hands and even the score a bit.
At any rate, there is a saying "cut your nose to spite your face" and this loosely applies to this situation.
"I really hate to say this. I've been worried sick about Steve and Olaf, but they just sold their souls to the devil."
I'm thinking that God knows what truly is in their hearts and minds. He knows that they are only going through the motions.
Texas Bump
That's wonderful! You have real guts. Personally, no one has ever called me Gutmatter, and I hope none ever will.
Yep. They have "chosen the path of peace" and "converted to Islam".
"I really hate to say this. I've been worried sick about Steve and Olaf, but they just sold their souls to the devil. I couldn't do it. Saw my head of with a butter knife but I'll never forsake my God. I'm glad they are safe though. I'm sure their families are relieved."
Do you really believe that their statement of conversion to Islam which was made with a gun to their heads means they have forsaken God? I know that my God would have wanted them to do whatever they needed to do to lead to their freedom. I also believe that if they had been killed regardless of what they were forced to do, that they would have immediately gone to heaven.
I know they are in a tough spot, but I could NEVER denounce my God! NEVER!
Do you have any idea how sanctimonious and down right silly you sound....sitting there in the safety of your home telling us all how brave you are?
The moment I heard this news on TV I KNEW some loudmouth would be telling us what they would do in this situation. Since you need attention so badly, I'll just say...yeah, right, we all believe we....we're all in awe of you.... yada, yada, yada.
God gave most of us a brain and the ability to use it, but I see some people obiously slipped through the cracks.
Here's the story from Drudge
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060827/D8JOPCEO0.html
[...they just sold their souls to the devil...]
I'm sorry, but where did you find any evidence that these two newpeople had any relationship with Jesus? Non believers will say anything to get out of trouble, and THAT is understandable.
What irritates me is Centanni saying the Palestinian's "story" needs to be told. He is obviously sympathetic to this INVENTED people group. [..."You guys need us on the streets, and you need people to be aware of the story."...] And he obviously has blinders on about Isreal. Conversion or not, Centanni is more useful to the PA alive than dead.
Praise God they have been released unharmed. I hope they know what a miracle this is.
Some people have stronger mental/physical constitutions than others. A conversion at the point of a gun is no conversion. God can divide sinew from soul and knows the heart of every man.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Thanks for posting your thoughts because I had the very same ones. I also could not deny my Lord. "Every knee shall bend, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." This is what I hope I will have the courage to say if I am ever in this kind of situation.