Posted on 08/30/2006 5:10:36 AM PDT by unionblue83
The most bizarre element of the two weeks of captivity suffered by Fox News reporter Steve Centanni and photographer Olaf Wiig at the hands of Gaza’s Holy Jihad Brigade was the video that surfaced depicting their conversion to Islam. Even before the journalists revealed that their conversions had been coerced, there were disturbing indications that they were not acting freely. While reading a statement he himself had ostensibly written, Centanni stumbled over words, appeared to puzzle over the handwriting, and seemed to grimace after pronouncing the words “peace be upon him” after the name of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Their messages as new converts to Islam were predictable denunciations of the United States and Israel, combined with emphasis on Islam’s universal call as the solution to the world’s problems. But most jarring was the video editor’s invocation of the favorite Qur’an verse of Western analysts of Islam and terrorism, “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256). The irony of featuring this verse in a video depicting two forced conversions has been widely noted. In fact, however, the juxtaposition of this verse with the video of Centanni and Wiig was probably not simply transparent deception, as strange as that may seem, and has far-reaching implications.
(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...
"No condemnation concerning their eternal destiny; however their words are open for judgement."
***
To my mind, judgment of the person and judgment of his/her words are the same thing.
But on that point, we disagree...and that's ok.
I never said it wouldn't be difficult.
To the contrary it would be horrific.
True, we don't know the religious leaning of Centani.
Was he still in Gaza?
I believe he was.
If you had seen the live interview last night with Centani and Olaf perhaps you'd think differently.
God sent his only Son to save us from the wrath of God to come and give us eternal life; not necessarily to give us or extend a longer life here on earth.
I can appreciate your sentiments and I also cannot say what any of us would do in such a situation. I know that I would not convert to Islam under any circumstances. I would hopefully see my family on the "other side" wherever the Good Lord decided to send me. Centanni now has to live with this for the rest of days and probably longer. I am not going to jump on board and consider his motivations for doing what he did.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1692027/posts
Yeah! Hurray! Let's trash another kidnap victim! We did such a terrific job attacking that Christian Science Monitor reporter, no reason not to do again with these Fox News guys.
Hate and intolerance, that's our cry! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!
"The morons and tough guys on this thread is amazing."
You got that right. Hate, intolerance, and sanctimony just drips from their lips.
"If he hadn't "converted", would he have been murdered, like Christians who refused to bow to the Emperor were burned like torches or fed to lions?"
It's not at all like that. The Christians you mention had no choice. They were going to be killed anyway. They didn't have the option of going back to a life in which they could freely practice their faith.
Depends on where the comments were made. Plus, it takes a while ~ maybe several days ~ to get used to being "free". Many people have experience that phenomenon ~ e.g. as draftees being discharged after 2 years.
Do not tempt God.
I'm not really interested in people saying someone ELSE should have refused to convert. I want to see THEM do it.
BTTT
Anyone who thinks that Centani was sympathetic to his captors, did not see the disgust and anger he exhibited as he described the ordeal last night.
St. Peter didn't denounce Christ and then announce his allegiance to Satan. That is the difference.
He wasn't lauding. From what I've read that others have written after having lived/visited over there, most of the the Palestinian people are indeed nice people who welcome "guests" into their homes, often strangers. It's a part of their culture. Unfortunately, these people have been abused for decades by other Arabs and their own leaders who want power (read Arafat and others) for its own sake. Just because Centanni has gotten to know the culture of a place he covers and happens to like the people, he is a coward? Far from it!
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