Father Zakaria Boutros
Posted on 10/07/2006 6:56:20 AM PDT by NYer
Father Zakaria Boutros
Father Zakaria Boutros looks like a mild-mannered, unassuming priest. But his message is rocking much of the Muslim world.
His television program called 'Truth Talk' is broadcast daily into the Middle East over the Al-Hiyat satellite channel. On it, he challenges Muslims to examine what he says are inconsistencies in Islamic doctrine – inconsistencies that he says Muslim leaders don't want exposed and ordinary Muslims are told never to question.
“Islam cannot stand in front of intellectual questions and no one can understand because of contradictions in Koran, contradictions in Hadith, contradictions and false doctrines. So they don't want anybody to ask and to learn. 'This is Islam, you have to accept it as it is' lest you should be killed,” Zakaria said.
Father Zakaria doesn't stop at challenging the teachings of Islam. He also questions the Prophet Mohammed himself, who Zakaria says had his mind set on wordly pursuits.
“He said that his concerns are three things: women, perfume, and food,” he said. “Where is the kingdom of God? Where is the glory of God? Where is the salvation? Where is love? Where is the mission of a true Prophet of God?”
Father Zakaria's broadcasts have generated intense anger in the Muslim world and there's a $60 million bounty on his head. But he makes no excuses for his confrontational style.
He says the provocative statements are designed to challenge Muslims to examine their faith.
“This is my way: short, sharp, shock for the unconscious,” Zakaria said
That was the case with James, an Egyptian who began watching Truth Talk late at night while the rest of his family slept.
"When I first saw the show, I was angry at him. I wanted revenge," he said.
He began studying the Koran and the Bible to refute father Zakaria's claims, and in the process learned more about Christianity and Islam.
"I started to think about things I had never thought of before. My understanding changed and things became clear," James said.
James came to faith in Jesus Christ watching Father Zakaria. His wife soon followed.
"I realized Islam was a fake religion, Mary said. “When I learned the truth, I removed my veil. I felt freedom. I had been released. "Life is not about religion it's about a relationship between us and Christ. Christ is life."
Father Zakaria says the Muslim world is full of people like James and Mary.
Thousands of people visit his Internet chat room on 'Pal Talk' every month.
They come to challenge Father Zakaria's teaching and end up learning more about Jesus Christ.
The Copts are the original Christian denomination of Egypt, from which the word "Egypt" derives BTW. I'm not all that familiar with it, but priests are not celibate, monastacism is popular, and Mary figures prominently in the theology.
5.56mm
Beautifully true.
Pray. "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church."
I love this guy.
Fact:Islam is a murderous cult.
There are the "hadith" sources, accepted Islamic lore that do not have the status of Quranic revelation, but are generally accepted as credible and authoritative by Muslims. That's where the references to women and perfume come from. One hadith quotes Muhammad's wife on this score.
For a specific link, try searching "hadith, Muhammad, women, perfumes" and you'll find plenty of them.
Thanks!
I have heard him on Paltalk. He is much loved there. And hated, by the Muslims.
This Priest is a great and courageous man. May God grant him the courage (and the safety) to continue his work.
You're so right. The western churches seem to fit the description of the rich church in Revelation, the church that says to itself that it is "rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing", and does not know that it is poor and lame and halt and blind in spiritual riches that really count. Rich in "programs" and "mega-church worship centers" with lots of entertainment. Deep in debt in many instances spending huge sums of money on frivolities and educational materials while Christians in other countries are martyred or freeze and starve without their most basic needs being met - even for Bibles in their own languages. I'm personally sick of it.
Actually, Fr. Zakaria Boutros is Coptic Orthodox.
Two Coptic Orthodox priests, Fr. Zakaria Boutros and Fr. Bishoy Yassa, were imprisoned and expelled from Egypt in June 1991 because they had baptized converts from Islam to Christianity in Cairo. Prior to their expulsion the priests were held in a maximum security prison. The Egyptian government pressed the Orthodox hierarchy to reassign the two priests to churches outside Egypt. Frs. Boutros and Yassa were taken to the airport in handcuffs before being sent to Australia.
Evangelization & Conversion (in Egypt).
"He is a Coptic Catholic priest.'
Actually, Fr. Zakaria Boutros is Coptic Orthodox."
I thought so. It seems to me one of our parishioners, a doctor from Egypt, mentioned this fellow and his show and was quite proud that the priest was Coptic Orthodox. Apparently he is quite well known.
Excellent! A picture is indeed worth a thousand words :-)
Consider it done! You're now #1 on that list. Anyone else interested in joining, please freepmail me with the words: CHRISTIAN MARTYR LIST in the Subject field.
Thanks for all those links! As a Roman Catholic practicing my faith in a Maronite Catholic Church, I am drawn to the sufferings of all christians in the Middle East. There is simply not enough attention given to this in the western msm.
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