Posted on 08/27/2006 8:48:04 AM PDT by TaxachusettsMan
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Two FOX News journalists were released by their kidnappers Sunday, nearly two weeks after they were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip.
Steve Centanni, 60, and Olaf Wiig, 36, left Gaza and have since crossed into Israel after their release. The men left Gaza through the Erez border crossing.
The freeing of Centanni, a correspondent, and Wiig, a cameraman, ends the longest-running drama involving foreign hostages in Gaza.
The two journalists were dropped off at Gaza City's Beach Hotel by Palestinian security officials and appeared to be in good health. A tearful Centanni embraced a Palestinian journalist briefly as he entered, then rushed upstairs as Wiig followed.
Centanni, in a phone interview shortly after his release, said "I'm fine. I'm just so happy to be free."
He recounted how he and Wiig were pulled out of their car on August 14 and taken at gunpoint into another car. The kidnappers blindfolded them and handcuffed their hands behind their backs with plastic ties. They were then transferred to another car and driven to a building that they later learned was a garage.
"We were pushed down onto the dirt-covered concrete floor and we were forced to lie face down with our handcuffs on," Centanni said.
"Olaf was in the same room with me. Our shoulders were wrenched back, very painful."
Both of the men were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint, Centanni said.
"We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint," Centanni told FOX News. "Don't get me wrong here. I have the highest respect for Islam, and I learned a lot of good things about it, but it was something we felt we had to do because they had the guns, and we didn't know what the hell was going on."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
That's an interesting point. You may be right.
There is the rub indeed.
I certainly would prefer the swiftness of a bullet over torture, mutilation and beheading with a dull knife. But even that is short compared to eternity and quicker than death by terminal cancer.
There should be no doubt in anyone's minds that the goal of Islam is to make everybody Muslim.
Okay so you are saying that Steve and Olaf will go to hell for "converting" to Islam.
I've seen lots of scripture being thrown around by some overly righteous FReepers. Well answer this then. What is the point of the parable of the prodigal son? If you are saying that anyone who strays from Christ will burn in hell for all eternity then why does Jesus say that there is a party in Heaven everytime a soul who strays, returns to Christ.
I really am impressed that you all can speak for God, even though there is scripture that contradicts everything you've all been saying on this thread.
Like I said, put your money where your mouth is. Go to Palestine with a sign that says "Jesus Saves", and see how you react when you're kidnapped and tortured.
Well SAID DENGAR01 !!!
Also during World War 2 , SOME Jewish leaders GAVE permission that the Jewish people could save themself if their LIFE was in DANGER !!!
In Example SOME of The Jewish leaders said the Jewish people were allowed to eat NOT KOSHER Food , Some Jewish leaders also Allowed them to make the choice of hiding in Christian Covenants , Allowed them to PRETEND To be Christian by hav ing false papers too !!!!
Pretending to be Christian In ORDER To save Jewish Lives !!
And alot of the pretend Jewish Christian ( Who Pretended To Save Their Lives ) Are AWESOME Jewish Leaders In Israel Who Contributed MUCH TOO ISRAEL !!!!!!!
None!!!
-"I have the highest respect for Islam, and I learned a lot of good things about it..."-
Even now they can't turn off the journalist-media bull$hit. Well I'm happy they didn't get their heads lopped off.
Anyone know to which faith(s) these two correspondents adhere? And what does 'conversion' entail?
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Could live another 35 years; could die tomorrow ... only God knows. However, if 'conversion to Islam' entails denying Christ, then any christian who does so, will have a lot of explaining when they stand before Him on judgement day. Would you deny the One who gave up His life so that you might have eternal salvation?
Renouncing Christ would be if they said "I am converting to Islam and I renounce Jesus Christ as my personal savior". They did not say that and all this condemnation by the various goody twoshoes on this thread is sickening.
My, my, my. Who died and made you God. I thought He was the only one who was supposed to judge, but apparently I was wrong. Somewhere along the line apparently God gave your his powers to judge.
I never said would, can't say for certainty if I would succumb to the pressure or not, would try with all my might and pray for special graces that I would not.
"Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil." That can have many levels of meaning and there is another translation that hints at praying not to be put to that test.
I often wonder when under such a threat, if you can go into an altered state of consciousness; I believe some do. I believe it happens to what I consider some "false martyrs", but not from the same source.
The Islamic view of martyrdom and the Christian view of martyrdom are polar opposites. Some Christians lay down their lives for Christ or their friends. Islamists lay down their lives because of a mass hypnosis sort of thing for want of a better expression. They are all cranked up psychologically when they kill themselves and take others with them. I don't even know if one of the Islam faith is considered a martyr if they are killed simply they are adherents of that faith.
37Peter said onto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down they life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say onto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Nice to know that you are so much more holy than St. Peter.
Nothing.
You'll _be able_ to figure it out someday .. I hope. :)
I would hope that I could be as true as Stephen in that instance, but I also know that time and time again I fall short of the mark.
btw, Stephen ended up very dead.
YEP! This is the best way to show just how absurd the ROP is. Forced conversion does not make a true believer. He's seen the full videos of Nick Berg, Daniel Pearl and all the other beheadings. He used his head to keep his head....
NONE of us can honestly say what we would do if in the same position as him.
Thank you...I do hope you have a chance to listen to it...
"So,,, you will take the mark of the beast as long as it doesn't show?"
Most of the people who've responded here agree with me.
How have you lasted this long on FR with this blunted brain stem of yours?
Is that triple-comma use indicative of some secret Satan-loving cult you belong to, and you only accuse me of it to deflect our suspicion from you?
"Mark of The Beast" is often capitalized. "The Beast," in your context, is always capitalized.
You're an ass.
If you need to report this as "abuse," please let me clarify things for the Admin Mod: Yes, this is absolutely a personal attack.
If you come at me saying things like I am taking the "Mark of The Beast," expect me to come right back at you.
Judaism prohibits this denial of faith even on penalty of death.
> Dead men walking.
You're right. Salmon Rushdie had a death sentence pronounced on him, and he is still alive. But Rushdie and the two newsmen--and their families--will be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives.
Islam should be declassified as a religion.
Rather than allowing one's self to be used as a blood sacrifice to the satanic god allah. Far better it be, to get safe and proclaim the lie of islam.
Fox should do a day long special news program on how Islam 'converts' by force and intimidation. How it is not a religion , but a political system focused on putting unquestioned power in to the hands of Muslim men.
Islamofascist; Radical Islam is an insane death cult, and 'moderate' Islam is it's Trojan Horse in the West World.
Islam is not a religion; it embodies no concept of spirituality.
Islam is a political system.
The 'peace of allah' is the peace of ultimate submission, never having to question, never having to decide, just to do as you are told; the peace of the hive, a queen named allah and her many drone workers. Hence their need for five times a day periods of brainwashing.
Islam is a system of coercion.
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