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.
Okay maybe thats a legitimate concern. But they should also be concerned about the damage that is being done to their religion in the public perception by extremists.
I dont think anyone really cares what people believe in as long as no one goes around ramming airplanes into building and blowing up pizza parlors. That tends to have a far bigger impact on people perception than anything said by a marginally well known minister.
I think youre probably right, this issue is probably going to be heated in that community for awhile.
I wouldn't hold my breath on his caving in though. LOL He is my pastor. There have been death threats in the past because of Dr. Vines standing firm on Biblical issues. I do think this is an opportunity for him to talk with local Muslims who may not have talked with him otherwise and I know the gospel will not be cast aside. Dr. Vines even issued an invitation to Marilyn Manson a few years ago when he came here for a concert, but Marilyn declined.
All I can say now is WOW, Sunday service ought to be very interesting.
I read something a while back (forgive me because I don't recall exactly where) that mentioned Islam's view of the Fall vs. the Christian viewpoint. Islam looks at the Fall as some sort of "forgetfullness" or "ignorance" and that the remedy is through knowledge/revelation... hence the prophets (Jesus is viewed as a prophet and not a redeemer in Islam). It reminded me a lot of Gnosticism. The Bible, on the other hand, presents a far more serious problem than simple ignorance. The problem is so serious that it has caused a barrier between us and the Holy and that only God himself could intervene. Christianity and Judaism are both religions of redemption (as one can read in the Old Testament) and rather than simply "lifting the veil" from our eyes, God must buy us back from sin as he has done in Christ on the Cross. Anyway, I thought it was an interesting and worthwhile difference to note.
It is being damaged. It is likely that mainstream Muslims view the terrorists with dismay, but they aren't allowed by their own creed to speak against anyone who claims to be Muslim. It's an easy membership, just a few words that anybody can utter and that's it, home free. There are a few groups, in Palestine and their sympathizers, in the Middle East and elsewhere who have another agenda that isn't particularly religious but they operate under cover of religion. That's who is causing the problem, and either Islam will police their own, or the rest of the world will deal with it.
They are. But they don't worship the old man; they follow his way to various degrees. There are other such in the world, Buddhas and all. He was a prophet, of which there have been many in Judaism and Christianity has its complement of saints who aren't worshiped so much as respected.
It was done because Mohammed was a pervert for whom having a lot of other wives wasn't enough. I guess in his old age he needed a new "twist" to make up for the lack of Viagra.
As far as I know, they've yet to condemn the suicide bombings as well. Jerry Vine BUMP! At last, someone with SPINE. For the naysayers, remember that this was spoken during a closed, invitation only convention, not publically like the Muslims do in "Palestine", Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, etc.
In dog years, she was less than one-and-a-half.
Or maybe she was 56.
I'm not sure what the factor for pig years is, either.
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