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.
Sources: Ernest Kellett, A Short History of Religions. New York: Books for Libraries Press, 1971, P. 343, and Washington Irving, Life of Mahomet. New York: Dutton & Sons, 1911, p. 231.
* On his deathbed, Mohammed said: "Do not fear those who disbelieve, fear me" and called for the conquest of Christianity.
I wan't to get this right. The muslim who accsends to this level is nagged by seventy females for eternity or is denied access to the former by Satan while in full view of them. If you mean the former you are a misogynist. If you mean the latter you are probably correct. Either way it could be hell
Wish I could find the pic of the cardinal high-fiving Arafat after his release from Ramallah -- same guy as in this pic, I think.
Islam is a constructed "religion". An oppurtunistic belief system invented by a mentally unstable man and sold to ignorant camel drivers in a desolate region of the Middle East. Muhammad stole what he wished from the Judaic-Christian religion and added what he felt he needed to maintain control of his followers. Muhammad reversed himself many times throughout the Q'uran and attributed the reversals to the "will of Allah". Proclaiming that anyone who dared disagree with Muhammad would be disagreeing with Allah. Therefore, you oppose: you die.
Those who defend Islam and its adherents not only give aid and comfort to a manically driven force bent on destroying Western Culture, they also join the ranks of the "useful idiots" that so blindly assissted the Soviet Union and the Communist International in its attempts to destroy Western Culture.
As Muslims have expanded into new areas, they have repeatedly shown a pattern of misrepresentation and falsification followed by violent imposition of their views as soon as they are in a position to enforce them.
The case of Ayesha is typical. While they are in the minority, living in a country where sex with a nine-year-old is considered pedophilia, they would prefer not to talk about the matter publicly. But when they get reach a majority, then it is openly professed as an article of religious faith, and everyone is required to ADMIRE it. What a lovely, romantic relationship between Mohammed and Ayesha! In fact, I recall finding exactly that sentiment in a book I read many years ago--I'm afraid I forget the title.
Needless to say, using Mohammed as a model of virtuous behavior leads to some pretty vicious results, including the habit of multiple wives and concubines, the abuse of women, instant divorce without responsibility, and much more.
Rev. Vines's offense was to talk about these matters publicly, when Muslims in America are still at the stage of being quiet about them. And of course he used the wrong word to describe it, because Muslims find the marriage admirable.
He didn't. It was at a BAPTIST CONFERENCE.
There was a demon in the mix somewhere.
He had the right to hold a conference with others of his faith. It was for Baptists.
Well, I don't have much patience for people who want to curtail Americans' constitutional "free exercise" rights on grounds of good taste. What do you mean---not defend one's religion by "bashing" another? That's the whole point of apologetics: your religion is right and other religions are wrong. That's not "bashing"--that's argument.
Islam's "current world view" is intimately and inextricably tied to the life, actions, and sayings of Mohammed---it always has been throughout the history of Islam. Therefore, your dismissal of commentary on Mohammed as irrelevant to "the merits of Islam's current moral world view as it affects the public square" shows a fundamental ignorance of Islam.
And finally, non-believers "bash" Christ all the time, haven't you noticed? And I haven't heard of anyone telling them they'd better not do so.
You are right.
IMO, this "issue" is a red herring, and it completely misses the point of the actual transgressions of the radical muslims upon the world (as in, currently). The fact is that the average life expectancy up until the 16th century was quite low, around 40 years. So it is not surprising that marriage/intercourse occured at a much earlier age. That this is a topic of disagreement NOW is ludicrous. WHO CARES what may or may not have happened hundreds of years ago. What is significant now is WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW. Current grievances are what must be addressed now.
I cannot believe the stupidity of the people who insist upon waging the wars of the past. What next, who was right about exactly when the Earth first cooled? Zealotry on all sides must go.
This was a Baptist convention. Baptist talking to other Baptists. Private , personal talk between those of the same faith.
They have every right to talk among themselves freely.
If others dissagree, they can leave the room.
Personally, I say God bless this man for kicking the PC thought police, those who feel they can dictate how others think, right in the Butt!
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