Christian lied about faith to survive Saudi siege

Reuters ^ | 31 May 2004 14:43:21 GMT | Samia Nakhoul

[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."

[sauropod]

read the entire thread please.

[kittymyrib]

Those who have given their lives for their faith in Jesus will be given the places of honor in heaven. Those who have lied and denied Him to save their lives here have broken the First Commandment: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. When you deny Jesus to save your life, you tell Him that your life is more important than your faith in Him. Millions of martyrs over the millenia have had to make the choice. This is nothing new. Only by the power of the Spirit can we confess that Christ is Lord...and that certainly is true when faced with denial of Him or death.

[sauropod]

Read the entire thread please.

[sauropod]

If there is no hell, what is the inducement to walk the Christian walk?

[madison10]

The guy may be off the hook on a technicality--the terrorist asked if the Jordanian was a "Christian," he didn't ask if he believed in Jesus Christ. "Christian" can have all sorts of connotaions & baggage which does not even involve professing to believe in Jesus. Christian in that part of the world may be more of a cultural & a western concept.

Not my call, but the scripture does say if you "deny me before men..."

[sauropod]

Thank you for judging me. I really appreciate it.

[sauropod]

"We live according to the law of love. If love is better served by lying or murder or anything else, then so be it."

I really think you're gonna need to explain this one.

[chris1]

You guys are sick in the head to even think for one moment that this guy did anything but the right thing. Peter was not facing a throat slitting at the time he denied Christ. Woulnd't be an overall plus if now this person led a better life and helped people for the rest of his life than to let himself be slaughtered by these scum. Would it not have been better for Jews during WWII to deny their faith then immediately take up arms against the Nazis than to be led to the slaughter? Many of you so called "good chrisitians" are going to get more of us murdered, more of us decapitated, and slaves to the Islamic menace. You can turn your cheek only so often before your head comes off.

[cookcounty]

" This guy has just lost his eternal life. He'd better enjoy this one."

He "denied Christ" before 2 terrorists rying to kill him and destroy his family........then, before the 200 million people who watched the news, he said he's a Christian from Jordan (and being a Christian in Jordan is 1000X harder than being a Christian in Nebraska). Those who have never experienced persecution should be very slow to criticize, and it might be worth some time to study what is meant by "denying."

[RansomOttawa]

You have been refuted.

You realize you're not dealing with a garden-variety ignorant fundy, right? I'm not impressed with your ability to fire off a Bible verse and draw a conclusion without your also showing your work. Spouting off Matt. 16:23 and declaring me "refuted" is a bit of a joke, to tell the truth.

[PleaseNoMore]

Thank you. That was a beautiful reply.

[AndrewC]

You realize you're not dealing with a garden-variety ignorant fundy, right? I'm not impressed with your ability to fire off a Bible verse and draw a conclusion without your also showing your work. Spouting off Matt. 16:23 and declaring me "refuted" is a bit of a joke, to tell the truth.

A logical argument does not rely on the characteristics of the viewer. You stated "The disillusioned Peter who saw his rabbi railroaded and executed, and had no idea that his grave would be empty a few days later,".
Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. refutes that.

[tray-sea]

How do you know that God wasn't using this jordanian Christian? If he was not feeling guilty (OK, I'd like to think the best) would he have told his story of lying? Also, his friend - the Muslim covered for him.

Sure, he lied about following Jesus. For all we know, this experience will help him stand tall on his beliefs or if he was a Christian in name only, perhaps he will learn more about it and begin to follow it.

The bottomline is it got me thinking about what I would do. I consider myself a decent Christian (new Catholic). I have a lot of room for growth and I struggle daily with having God in the center of my life. I have to admit, in this situation, I am not sure I would of told the truth unless I knew that my death would actually mean something. Also, if I was with a muslim, me not following along with the "out" I would of had could of jeopardized someone else. It just makes you wonder. Could God be using this situation to get us thinking and preparing for the same thing?

There will be a time when we're tested and I trust that when that time comes, I'll have the courage to speak my heart. However, if your heart is true, does it matter to speak the truth on deaf ears? The terrorist's don't care about anything but killing non muslim's. My death would just be another number-- I don't get the martydom thing unless your actually standing up. How one can stand up to someone holding a AK47 at your head is beyond me, I'd rather live and use the rest of my life to defeat them (fanatics) and spread gospel then just die b/c I won't save myself.

If your heart is true, then it's true.

Just my thoughts. In's God's time, he'll judge. Let us take this and learn from it. Prepare b/c the time will come where we could be faced with the same choices.

[Bobby777]

I have not weighed in on this matter, but I am reminded that Peter boasted that he would never deny His Lord, only to be prophesied by Jesus Himself that Peter would do it, no less than 3 times, a significant number ...

I am also reminded that Peter became a great witness for the Lord afterwards ... One thing we know for sure, when the Mark is being handed out (Revelation 13) that kind of denial is definitely irreversible ...

prior to that period, let us pray the Lord finds us worthy, which we can only be in His Blood (Luke 21:34-36), to escape those things that will come to pass ...

[aruanan]

Pod, if he HAD eternal life, he still has it.

If you believe in tulips. Old Calvin really took after his father.

[FlJoePa]

You don't get it. YOU are the one doing the judging. And from the comfort of your home office, not with knife wielding maniacs on top of you ready to cut your throat.

[SheLion]

So this man has committed an unpardonable sin? One sin and he's toast? I'm not so sure about that.

I didn't say ANYTHING about that!  One guy posts that DocRock and I said that this man will not be forgiven.  We never said anything like that.  I wish people would take time to go back and read.

DocRock mentioned a scripture, and I said that I had read that and this article was sad.  I never once said that he would not be forgiven.  Please go back and copy and paste what you think I said that was so wrong!

The thief that died on the cross next to Jesus cried out to the Lord at the last minute, and his soul was saved.  I don't know how you got the idea that I didn't believe this.  It would be a mighty hard road to walk on this earth if our sins had not been forgiven on that Cross.

[SheLion]

You guys are sick in the head to even think for one moment that this guy did anything but the right thing

Ok! You copy and paste in here just what you think I said that was so wrong.  I'm tired of being put upon for what you THINK I said!  You better go all the way back and read my posts!

[sauropod]

I DO get it. There are a lot of uninformed people on this thread. YOU are among the number.