Posted on 01/23/2005 3:12:28 AM PST by Calpernia
Mexico may be well on its way to a monotheistic revolution. This new trend is emerging from recent developments, and reflects a similar change evident in other South American nations - people are embracing Islam by the thousands, jettisoning the Catholicism imposed upon their ancestors in Spain.
The prayer congregation has tripled since Mexico City's Centro Cultural Islamico de Mexico (CCIM) first opened its doors 6 years ago. The numbers could be even higher. However, most Mexicans still have almost no knowledge of Islam. CCIM is spreading the Oneness of Allah at all levels of society and translating Islamic publications into Spanish. It also has several native-born active Da'wah graduates from Saudi Arabian universities who speak fluent Arabic. The Center's Islamic public radio program had to be suspended because of financial constraints.
In the last 3 years, CCIM built two new mosques in two cities close to the capital. Its ultimate goal is to establish full-time mosques in every major Mexican city.
Early History
Mexico has a rich history. The people of pre-Columbian Mexico, the Mayans, led a life similar to Native American Indians and were pantheists who relied upon high priests to mediate with their nature gods. Locked in wars and short of food, they gradually were wiped out and replaced by the Aztecs. These people believed in a polytheistic religion based on the world's constant creation and destruction. Their religion taught them that disasters could be averted only through warfarre and human sacrifice. By the sixteenth century, the Aztecs ruled a large part of Mexico.
In the early 1500's, Spanish conquistadors from Cuba and Spain came to pillage Mexico's natural resources - namely gold - and find glory. Cortez, the most infamous conquistador, posed as an Aztec god to mystify and trick people into joining forces with him. He conquered the Aztecs in less than 3 years, and set up "New Spain."
In 1535, the first royal court was established to grant Spanish colonists control over native labor and produce. The Roman Catholic Church allied to the Spanish monarchy, worked for creating a land free of religious dissent and to convert the people. During the 300 years of Spanish rule in Mexico, the colonists controlled all wealth and political power, and the natives had no other choice but to bey orders or to face death.
By the seventeenth century, New Spain had nearly collapsed, and Mexican Indians were dying by the millions from the imported diseases and the hard labor imposed by their oppressors. Out of nearly 11 million people in the 1520's, only less than 1 million remained by the 1550's. The cattle and sheep herds brought by the Spaniards ruined farmlands and depleted water resources, making it almost impossible for the natives to grow food. After enduring plunder and subjugation for centuries, Mexicans revolted and regained control over Mexico in the early 1900's.
Mexico Today
Today, Mexico has over 90 million people, most of whom follow the Catholicism imposed by the conquering Spaniards. However, the foodgates of religious thought have opened, and people are examing other religions - especially Islam.
There is very little knowledge about the origins of Islam in Mexico. Some sources say Syrian immigrants brought it; others say it came with Turkish immigrants.
Today, most Mexican Islamic organizations focus on grassroots Da'wah. These small organizations are most effective at the community level, going from village to village and speaking directly to the people. As a result of such hard work, Mexicans are eager to learn about Islam, and many are declaring their Shahadah - profession of faith in Islam.
ping
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Mexico ain't going islamic.
Millions came to see the Pope.
How about some facts and not hysterics, ok.
Ya don't say...
If you starve a person long enough, he/she will eat anything.....
Most of the Mexicans I run into (in Mexico) don't seem inclined to learn spanish :) But that's another matter.
I'll be specially careful - arabic language or not. Think "Liberation theology" with islam instead of marxism and we're potentially on a mess again. The "zapatista" debacle hasn't been cleaned up yet...
**people are embracing Islam by the thousands, jettisoning the Catholicism imposed upon their ancestors in Spain.**
This is so sad -- and should be a warning to all Catholics everywhere.
How about some facts and not hysterics, ok
UM, all I did was ping someone.
If Catholicism were New Testament Christianity and had been followed as the Bible teaches, Islam wouldn't have a prayer.
Silly little things like facts won't stop Dane. He's the Barbara Boxer of Free Republic.
Man, you got that part right.
LOL..I'll keep that in mind! :)
Iran News, "Mexico seeks greater ties with Iran mullahs"
Nov 19, 2004, 10:42
"Mexico is ready for expanding ties with Iran on all areas, notably in economy and trade, the deputy of Mexico's foreign ministry for economic affairs, Irma Avriana said on Friday.
"Speaking to the grand seminar on Irano-Mexican economic relations, Avriana said Iran was an important power in the Middle East and 'we believe expanding ties with Iran will be in the intersts of every country including Mexcio'.
"Also addressing the audience, the head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Alinaghi Khamoushi said Iran enjoyed an economic growth rate of 6.5, adding his chamber tried to strenghten trade bewteen the two countries." [End article]
As long as radical Islam courts the corrupt government of Mexico and there are millions of Mexican citizens living in a state of the U.S. that state is safe from WMD attack.
But what are the millions and millions of Mexican citizens (Fox's heroes) up to?
Saudi Wahabbis have spent millions of our petro dollars to spread Islam within the United States, so why wouldnt they spread a few dollars in Mexico? No surprise here.
Mexico is forever cursed. Anybody know where the curse originated?
Gee, Laz, you sure did have the courage to ping me when talking behind my back.
Oh well your petty little remarks don't bother me, people on top of the hill are always the object of barbs of intellectual lightweights.
Yes Muslims are willing to die to convert Mexico or any other country to Islam. And willing to kill. And mass-murder. And torture and maim and deface and debauch and defile.
But this is 2005, not 1005. It ain't agonna work.
(Just my prediction.)
What a Barbara-Boxer-like thing to say! She also thinks she is intellectually superior, even though she also is as dumb as a box of rock socks.
Dane, the Barbara Boxer of Free Republic.
Not good........
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