Posted on 12/29/2001 6:00:50 PM PST by Rockyrich
Letter To A Critic
Dear Pastor,
I read your letter with great interest. I appreciate your heart and the tone with which you wrote the letter. You expressed concern about “my perspective of Islam and the Holy Qur’an.” Let me assure you that what I am teaching is not being done out of ignorance, hate, or prejudice. I made it clear that I was not speaking of Muslims who seek to live at peace with other religions. What I teach is based on interaction with Muslims in the Middle East, particularly in Israel, over the past 31 years. My understanding of the meaning of the Koranic verses was learned from them as well as from personal study.
To begin with, I can assure you there is nothing ‘holy’ about the Koran. The Koran directly attacks some of the most basic, essential truths of the Judeo-Christian faith. The God who sent His Son into the world to save it cannot be the same God who inspired Muhammad to write, “NEVER DID ALLAH TAKE TO HIMSELF A SON, and never was there with him any (other) god . . .” Sura 23.91; “And say: All praise is due to Allah, WHO HAS NOT TAKEN A SON and WHO HAS NOT A PARTNER in the kingdom . . .” Sura 17.111 “The Christians say: The Christ is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them.” Sura 9:30 There is nothing out of context about these verses. They represent the consistent theme of the Koran’s teaching about Jesus, the Son of God.
The Koran denies Christ’s Deity, His death for sin and His resurrection. These are not peripheral doctrines; they are the essentials of our faith. Many verses declare that Christians should be destroyed for believing such things. Now I believe that Muslims have a right to believe whatever they choose, but they do not have a right to persecute and kill Christians for not agreeing with them. My life has been threatened repeatedly for simply disagreeing with them. Christians have been killed by the hundreds of thousands in the Sudan, Ethiopia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Many are in prison in Saudi Arabia for the crime of being a Christian.
The meaning I expressed in the verses I quoted in the message you heard is what of the Islamic Fundamentalists believe. The Islamic Fundamentalists make up about 40% of the Muslim world of the Middle East. Overall, it is estimated that 15% of the Muslim world of 1.2 billion is Fundamentalist today. That means that there are about 180 million Muslim Fundamentalists in the world. This should send a chill down the spine of Americans, for they see the USA as the ‘Great Satan’.
Now they do not hate us so much because of our sinful behavior. They see our modern western culture as the ultimate threat to their 7th century based Arab culture with which their religion is infused. The Fundamentalist Imams of Islam find it difficult to adapt the Muslim religion to the modern world. This is why there is such a tension with western civilization. Their ultimate goal is to replace what they see as the Judeo-Christian based western culture with an Islamic based world culture.
In many ways they face the same problems of the Orthodox Jewish Rabbis who try to fit the Mosaic laws given to rule Israel’s theocracy into the modern world. Thank God Jesus Christ delivered us from the Old Testament Mosaic system. (Romans 10:1-4) True Christianity can adapt to any culture and therein make a man righteous through the filling of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
There is one phenomenon that is undeniably true – and history bears it out. The more devoutly a Muslim seeks to follow the Koran and the example of Muhammad, the more he moves into Islamic Fundamentalism. And Islamic Fundamentalism has become synonymous with terrorism today.
You said, “When the United States was attacked; ‘TURN THE OTHER CHEEK’ went out the window, we had to retaliate.” Now may I say you are quoting out of context. This, like the other teachings of Sermon on the Mount, was given to govern a Christian’s inter-personal relationships – not to govern relationships between nations. Nor was it written for a government’s rule over its citizens.
A nation has not only the right but the responsibility to defend its citizens against those who would take life, liberty and property away. Paul taught, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.” (Romans 13:1-4)
Governments are ordained of God to punish evildoers. You don’t spank people with a sword. This is symbolic of deadly force. Today we would say, “Governments do not bear the M16 in vain.” If God had not ordained the police force and national armies, civilization would be back to the law of the jungle over night. And you wouldn’t have the freedom to have the wonderful Church that you minister to.
I am a spirit-filled servant of God who has studied the Scriptures in the original languages for over 46 years. I don’t believe by any means that this makes me infallible, but it should suggest that I am not a novice at exegeting the Scriptures.
May I humbly suggest that you need to study the Scriptures in more depth in this particular area. As for me, I am certain that the Holy Spirit has led me to speak out against a clear and apparent danger that could snatch all of our hard won freedoms away.
May God continue to bless you and your ministry.
Sincerely in Christ, Hal Lindsey
That Hal Lindsey is a crock.
A member of the clergy who isn't afraid to tell it like it is! What a great letter!
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