Posted on 05/31/2004 9:00:49 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia, May 31 (Reuters) - A Christian Arab who was held captive by al Qaeda militants in Saudi Arabia said on Monday he lied to them about his faith and praised their battle against the West, to save his life.
Nizar Hajazeen, a Jordanian software businessmen who was at the Tower hotel in the Oasis compound during the 25-hour drama in Khobar, said the militants lectured him about Islam and their aim to liberate Saudi Arabia from "infidels and crusaders".
The complex where the militants held about 50 foreigners -- including some Westerners -- was their last target in the violence in the eastern Saudi oil city in which they killed at least 22 people.
Hajazeen, 32, had tried to call a cab to go to work on Saturday but the phone lines were jumbled.
"I went down and the Filipino receptionist told me there were terrorists in the compound and gunshots were heard," he told Reuters.
He tried to help security guards close the hotel entrance gate but the lock did not work and a manager recommended he hide, Hajazeen said.
"I went to the room of a Jordanian colleague. Someone banged violently on the door. We opened and there were two men, one with a machinegun, another with a revolver. They were wearing black track suits," he said, adding that one had a wounded arm.
Both were in their twenties.
"They asked us if we were Arab or Westerners. We told them: 'We're Arab'.
"One then asked if I was a Christian or a Muslim. I told him we were Muslims and showed him my colleague's Koran as proof. I told him we supported them and that we were against America and Europe. I had to say that."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
Residents of the compound said the attackers asked everyone they encountered if they were Muslim or Christian, before taking them hostage or killing them.
An Oasis manager said the gunmen shot and killed several Westerners as soon as they entered the complex.
The gunmen made two Indian hotel staff with master keys show them where the Westerners were, Hajazeen said.
His brother called him on his mobile phone to wish him a happy birthday -- a day late -- just as the militants were saying their motive was to drive Americans and Christians from their country.
"They asked me to turn off my mobile but did not take it away as they did with others," Hajazeen said, adding that they told him and his colleague to stay in the room and left.
"We stayed locked in our room. One of us was hiding in the shower, another one was hiding in the bathtub," Hajazeen said, adding that from time to time they sneaked back into the bedroom to watch the news on television.
He said that before commandos freed them on Sunday, compound security guards called his mobile to ask him to check if the militants had rigged his floor with explosives. He found nothing.
"Before the commandos came, there was heavy gunfire and one explosion shook the hotel. We could hear glass being smashed, screams... It sounded like someone was giving out orders."
Saudi security forces later called them out, saying: "Do not be scared."
Making his way to freedom he saw the bodies of four Indians and an Italian cook.
"They had been shot dead. Some were on the staircases."
eternal life lost?
St. Peter was forgiven for denial.
The scripture "If you deny me before men; I will deny you before the Father"...does not seem to be limited to one event like Paul supporting the stoning of Stephen, but a life of denial as Nietzche and Bertrand Russel evidenced.
Mercy triumphs over sin.
...and thats what its all about.
Christians do not seek out and kill innocent people in furtherance of their martyrdom.
We (Christians) value this life on earth as precious and cannot fathom the rewards of our faith in Jesus Christ, But when the true test of faith comes, Jesus does not want you to deny Him or the Father and has promised eternal life in Heaven for believeing in Him.
..and yes, I too pray that I will have the courage of my convictions when the moment of truth comes.
A man can repent. I would not be so quick to judge. He hasn't denied Christ forever...he had a moment of weakness. Just like you. And just like me.
"Should a similar situation occur in my life, I hope that I'm armed at the time so I have the option of changing the subject"
LOL! Kinda reminds me of Indiana Jones. :)
Thanks, Ernest! That's where it is!!!
I knew I wasn't losing it!
An Orthodox Christian perspective:
1. The man was Jordanian, and thus perhaps Orthodox. Any pious Orthodox Christian knows the implication of denying Christ. The scripture references that others have posted clearly apply.
2. Had the man cofessed that he is a Christian, recited the Nicean Creed (1st Ecumenical Council), who could doubt that he would then die a martyr and be numbered among the saints of The Church?
3. I make no judgement about the man...God alone judges. But he now lives knowing the scripture and fearing the dread judgement. He chose that unknown over martyrdom. He will be thinking about this for the rest of his life.
4. Also, it appears this all transpired upon the feast of Pentecost (one of the 13 major feastdays of the Orthodox Church); when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles.
Perhaps this happend so this man could get the word out?
My first thought --- how do we know he's not one of them? Who can know what side this guy is working for.
It's an "ox in the ditch" situation.
Over there in the hot sands of the peninsula, that means being a follower of Jesus. Hence, if he denies it, he denies being a follower of Jesus, meaning he denies that Jesus is who He said He was.
This isn't difficult.
Tell you what. Come Judgment Day, why don't you approach God's throne with this kind of logic and see how far you get with it?
"Some people in this thread should stop judging the guy for lying and let the Almighty work it out when the time comes."
Thanks!
I often wonder what these folks think about things like "shalt not kill" and "shall not commit adultry"...how do they excuse what King David did? I'm pretty sure he made it to Heaven.
There are people on this earth who would have testified to their Faith in the same situation. Tha idea that God will view them the same way He will view this poor guy is ludicrous.
Peter was Peter. He served God and was used by God. (What was his death like, by the way?)The degree of his remorse for offending in known only to God and is the basis for forgivness or damnation. That's the upper hand God has: He KNOWS who you are and he knows your motives.
One thing is certain: Deny God when it suits you and you had better not rationalize it the way people tend to try to do. "If you are ashamed of ME before men I will be ashamed of YOU before my Father".
Over the years I have considered this question--what would I do in a situation like this guy in the article--and instinct tells me he did the wrong thing. That of course doesn't tell me what I would do but I DO know what is right and what is wrong. God help this guy.
So9
CNN,CBS,ABC,NBC, where are the pictures. This is truly horific and all you talk about is the nekked pictures at the prison.
It's not me who's "twisted."
Hey, I didn't say you were twisted (you're LYING, I think you're in trouble here), I said that's twisted, as in that reasoning.
And let's not obfuscate, go back to my original question, would you lie to try to protect the lives of your kids?
Or of course, you could just let the enemy have their way with you and not be around to fight another day. I'd sure rather have a living Arab Christian here helping out than another martyr. Had he not deceived the enemy, he'd just have been another statistic in the body count, and no one would have known his story at all -- or even have the 1st person testimony that the terrorists were specifically looking to kill Christians. That's very useful first hand knowledge to trumpet around the world. Enough of these and maybe even the Europeans and American Democrats might take notice (well, that's probably a stretch). Martyrs are no good at all in helping with the fight at hand.
It is above my pay grade. Never tried to pretend it wasn't.
I've already answered this...
eternal life lost?
St. Peter was forgiven for denial.
The scripture "If you deny me before men; I will deny you before the Father"...does not seem to be limited to one event like Paul supporting the stoning of Stephen, but a life of denial as Nietzche and Bertrand Russel evidenced.
Mercy triumphs over sin.
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