Posted on 01/17/2003 6:11:48 AM PST by chance33_98
Church's sign has Muslims outraged
Florida pastor says criticism of Islam is legal and fair
Associated Press Friday, January 17, 2003
Jacksonville --- The Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida is calling on state religious leaders to repudiate a Jacksonville Baptist church's roadside sign the group claims is anti-Muslim.
The sign outside the First Conservative Baptist Church in Jacksonville's Mandarin area reads: ''Jesus Forbade Murder. Matthew 26:52. Muhammad Approved Murder. Surah 8:65.''
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida, said his organization attempted to talk with the Baptist church's officials about the sign, but were rebuffed with belligerent language.
''All Americans must band together to condemn hate speech designed to divide our nation along religious and ethnic lines,'' Ali said. ''Any attempt to marginalize or vilify one religious community is an attack on all people of faith.''
The church's pastor, the Rev. Gene Youngblood, who also leads the Conservative Theological Society and Conservative Christian Academy, said he has been using the marquee-type sign to express the church's opinion for 15 years and has no plans to remove the message.
''First and foremost, are we not entitled to freedom of speech?'' Youngblood said.
Youngblood, who said he is an expert on world religions, said he had been threatened and his property vandalized. He said he has filed 13 police reports since July.
Youngblood said his church would issue a formal statement later.
Iman Zaid Malik, spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida, said some Christian friends brought the offensive sign to his attention.
''Misinformation must be rejected by all people of conscience,'' Malik said. ''This shows that the vast majority of Americans reject hate and seek a society where good overcomes the evil.''
Malik said the Quran verse indicates that those who believe and are steadfast in battle will overcome much larger armies. It is not an endorsement of murder, he said.
The verse reads: ''O Prophet [Muhammad]! Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death when fighting, [so that] if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred; and if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one-thousand of those bent on denying the truth, because they are people who cannot grasp it.''
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the Quran also states, ''whoever murders a person . . . it will be as if he killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life, shall be regarded as if he saved all mankind.''
ON THE WEB: Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida: www.cair-florida.org
First Conservative Baptist Church: www.conservative.edu/main.htm
Can you not read? Are you incapable of reason? The point is, if anyone choses verses from a book (any book!!) as single sentences (ie. verses) one can argue any point one wishes. And, why is it that you are demanding that I limit myself from which section of the bible I may chose from, and you don't feel compelled to limit your selection? I am not islamic, and am not defending Islam. My point is that this sign is an abuse of the freedom of speech, designed for the single purpose of insulting a group of people. I do believe that our counstitution garantees freedom of religon, and forbids discrimination based upon religon. Or is that just when it's convenient?
And I have said nothing to counter your belief. In fact, I agree. My statements are to the effect of using single verses (from any book) taken without context to make a point.
Hardcover edition sitting on my shelf at home. Translated by Ahmed Ali from the original Arabic and certified by the Saidi Arabian government as a true and accurate translation.
Signed by Hafiz 'Abd-al-Rauf Research and registration officer, Department of Auqaf, Sind.
Where, in the Bible, did Jesus support genocide?
<< crickets >>
The problem is that we don't have room for the entire book and that the sentences so listed are representative of it.
If everyone here read the Koran, they would realize that it is an evil religion. Christianity, while it may have a bloody history has matured and does not advocate violence. Islam still is in it's 11th century forms.
Simple. Let me help you then. Take the verse, put it back in its context(the entire Koran), show us verses which clearly show that to treat the enemies of Islam with love and respect is the way to go; how to convert you simply prosthelytize and not force by sword. Line up those verses one by one
With the context, please.
Show how that contexrt clearly changes the meaning.
Then show how this "peace" was practiced in history (with Mohammed), and is being done today in such places as the Phillipines, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Russia, Israel......ad nauseum.
Oughtta be easy for the "religion of peace", no?
His, (STILL the Prince of PEACE)
Bob Z.
Or is that not the issue at hand?
Of course he can.
Good point! Maybe even better, though, would be to say:
"Jesus died for our sins. Muhammad would have you die for his."
I am niether christian, nor muslim.
The phrase 'another religion' denotes (to me) a cultural equivalance. No such equivalance exists. The Islamic world is backwards, totalitarian, and evil. Let's not fear being clear on this.
All we are all saying is show us where the context changes the meaning, nothing more.
We (and you) both know you can not. We just admit it.
Islam IS the epitome of an evil religion, this pastor aside. Unless you can show from the Quran and history both otherwise.
His,
Bob Z.
?
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