Posted on 06/14/2002 7:57:25 PM PDT by tutstar
JACKSONVILLE, FL - After maintaining silence for several days the local Muslim community is finally speaking out about the controversy created by Reverend Jerry Vines earlier in the week at the Southern Baptist Convention.
Islamic Center President Shakur Bolden addressed the public Friday in an attempt to undo the damage done to the Muslim community. Bolden began by asking his followers "How can one be demon possessed and tell us to live in peace and harmony? Is that a demon possessed person?"
The questions he asked stemmed from the comments made by Reverend Jerry Vines. Said Vines, "Islam was founded by Mohammed, a demon-possessed pedophile who had 12 wives and his last one was a 9 year old girl."
In his sermon before a packed mosque, Bolden took special aim not so much at the words Vines used by Vines but at the ignorance that fueled them. He chastised Vines for speaking about a culture he knows little of and perhaps for knowing even less of his own.
Said Bolden, "If we were even to read the history of our country, the United States of America, we would find that up to a hundred years ago, marriage was legal at the age of ten."
In addition to addressing followers of the Muslim faith on Friday, a full page ad will run in the Florida Times Union on Saturday and will feature a letter from Bolden to the Reverend Vines. The letter talks about how offensive Vines' language was to all Muslims and asks him to clear the air by meeting with Bolden.
Muslims say that they are concerned about the damage that could be done from the comments that the Reverend made. Tahirah Abdullah said, "I wish he had been a little bit more sensitive in the words that he used. I think pedophile is a strong word. I don't know why he did that but I hope he learns." Hafez Assali added, "We hope everyone understands to respect to one another and not to rush to a quick judgment."
In the meantime, Reverend Jerry Vines is preparing to speak to his congregation for the first time since he made the controversial comments, this Sunday. You can watch Vines' sermon live Sunday at 10:30am on WTLV12.
With all due respect for the Pastor, I did predict he'd back off. Let's see what happens next, if anything.
I do like the way he absolves the innocent and points out the key parts of the scripture in question, not to mention the invitation for correction!
Thanks for getting back to me.
That's got to be the most ignorant, counter-intuitive, head-in-the-sand comment ever made on FR. Congratulations.
I'll go first, starting with these attacks against US interests:
1979- November 4 Tehran, Iran. 52 Americans taken hostage. Held for 444 days. President Carter authorized a failed rescue attempt on April 24, 1980 which resulted in the deaths of 8 soldiers. Canadian embassy officials smuggled six Americans out of Iran under Canadian passports.
1983- April 18, Beirut, Lebanon. US Embassy destroyed in car bombing. 63 killed, 17 were Americans. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility.
1983- October 23, Beirut, Lebanon. US Marine barracks attacked by truck bomb. 241 Marines killed. At the same time, the French barracks in West Beirut were attacked, killing 58 French Paratroopers.
1983- December 12. Kuwait. Al-Dawa terrorists attack the American and French embassies in Kuwait with truck bombs. Five are killed.
1984- January 1. Beirut Lebanon. The President of American University, Malcolm Kerr is killed by Islamic Jihad. 1985- April 12, Madrid Spain. Bomb explodes near US base. 18 Spaniards killed, 82, including 15 Americans wounded.
1984 - April Hezbollah attacks the environs of a U.S. airbase in Spain, killing 18 servicemen.
1984 September 20 A bombing at the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, Lebanon, kills 16 and injures the ambassador.
1985- June 14. Beirut, Lebanon. TWA 847 hijacked. there are 104 Americans, and 49 other passengers on board. A US Navy diver is killed by hijackers. 39 passengers are held hostage for weeks. Hezbollah masterminded the hijacking.
1985- October 7. Mediterranean Sea. Terrorists from the Popular Liberation Front hijack the cruise ship Achille Lauro. 69 year old Leon Klinghoffer, an American is killed, and his body is thrown over in his wheelchair. The remaining hostages are released after two days.
1988- December 21, Lockerbie, Scotland. Pan AM 103 en route to New York is destroyed by a bomb in flight. 259 people on board, including 189 Americans and 11 on the ground are killed.
1993- January 25. Langley, VA. Mir Amal Kansi, a Pakistani, kills two CIA employees, and wounds three others outside of CIA headquarters.
1993- February 26. New York City. Truck bomb explodes in the parking garage of the World Trade Center. Six killed, 1,040 injured. The blast causes $300 million worth of damage. Six men were convicted, they have strong Al Qaeda ties.
1995- November 13, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Car bomb kills Seven. Five were civilian advisers for the National Guard.
1996- June 25. Dharan, Saudi Arabia. Truck bomb explodes at Khobar military complex. 19 killed, nearly 500 injured. Hezbollah.
1997- November 12. Karachi, Pakistan. Four employees of Union Texas Petroleum are murdered in retaliation for the guilty verdict for Mir Amil Kansi.
1998- June 21. Beirut Lebanon. Rocket propelled grenade explodes at US embassy. No injuries reported.
1998- August 7. Nairobi, Kenya. Truck bomb destroys US embassy, killing 213, 12 of whom were Americans and injuring several thousand. Bombers have Al Qaeda ties.
1998- August 7, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Truck bomb destroys US embassy, killing 11, injuring 86. No American deaths. Coordinated with the Nairobi attack, bombers have Al Qaeda ties.
2000- October 12. Aden, Yemen. USS Cole is attacked when entering port. 17 sailors killed, 39 injured. Bombers have Al Qaeda ties.
2001- June 12. Phillipines. Abu Sayyaf, with ties to Al Qaeda, behead Giliermo Sobero one of three American hostages.
2001 Sept 11 World Trade Center struck by two hijacked commercial planes killing 3,000
2001 Sept 11 Pentagon struck by hijacked commercial plane killing 189
2001 December Attempt to blow up a passenger jet by Richard Reid
2002- January 25. Karachi, Pakistan. Daniel Pearl, Wall Street Journal reporter taken hostage by The National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty. Murdered on or about 2/21.
Okay, your turn.
Same way he said to kill the Jews?
Is that a demon possessed person?"
Yes.
I note that he doesn't refute a word of the analysis - he just attacks the messenger. How islamic.
You cannot be serious.
Uhhh...
What part of that isn't true?
Can you give me some examples of "moderate" Islam? Name a "moderate" Islamic country. What has the Islamic world contributed to the advancement of mandkind?
I'll wait.
No, but I'll say this: Every muslim is a potential terrorist.
Subjective? Married a six year old and consumated the relationship at age nine? If you don't call it pedophilia, what do you call it?
It certainly seems logical that Mohammed would have been possessed considering the violent nature of his teachings. Regardless, the Hadith indicates that Mohammed considered himself to be under demonic influence. (see #2)
It's time to clear the air regarding this religion. Let the debate begin.
Well said brother. We should have nothing to fear from the truth.
And congratulations in overcoming your upbringing.
Certain knowledge of salvation? Then why was Paul working out his salvation in fear and trembling?
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