Quote from Forum Archives on October 9, 2001, 2:00 pm

Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

Friends:

I found the following articles AND the related web links to be most interesting in light of our current challenge. If you have interest in knowing how the Muslim world thinks, you'll want to especially look at the links noted in the last two items.

If you are not currently subscribed to Religion Today News Summary, I'd recommend you do so.

Bob Tolliver

>Crackdown on Christians Intensifies in Saudi Arabia

Six more Christian men - four Ethiopians, an Eritrean and a Filipino -
have been arrested in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, as the crackdown on
believers escalates, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
This brings the summer's total to 15, according to reports from a human
rights agency, Middle East Concern. CSW also reports that they believe
one reason for the continued arrests of ex-patriate believers is an
attempt to track down Saudis sympathetic to Christians.

Of the 15, two have been released, including a Filipino who was deported
after having spent two days in a coma in a Jiddah hospital as a direct
result of the appalling conditions in which he was held, said Richard
Chilvers, CSW spokesman. The remaining 13 have been denied consular
access, although some have been permitted to see their families.
Another man has now been held for 10 weeks, and sources report his
Indian consulate has never been officially notified of his arrest.

Mervyn Thomas, a CSW executive, said that CSW appeals for "tolerance in
calling for the immediate release of these men, whom we believe to be
prisoners of conscience." Thomas added that, according to Saudi law,
its citizens must be Muslim, but officials have said that ex-patriate
non-Muslims are free to worship in private, as reported by Absolute News
Service.

news.christiansunite.com/religion/religion01116.shtml

>Terrorist Attacks Affect World Missions

The ripple effects of the WTC disaster and the attack on the Pentagon
are being felt around the globe. Currently all U.S. missionaries are
safe, and are keeping in close contact with their respective regional
and area directors, according to the Assemblies of God News Service.
The A/G World Missions office has been inundated with e-mails and
letters sent from church leaders in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet
Union and the Balkans.

"At first it might seem strange," said John Bueno A/G World Missions
director, "that such a response of solidarity should come for these
areas of the world ... Yet, upon consideration, we know that for a long
time these countries have endured the same kinds of things we are now
suffering."

Bueno said such an outpouring is particularly gratifying because these
fellowships represent some of the A/G's newest partners. This response
"not only testifies to the way we do missionary work, but also to the
character of our fellow believers in other parts of the world who
understand what solidarity is."

He also believes the Fellowship needs to step up its evangelistic
efforts. "I see this as a fabulous opportunity ... I've never seen
people all around the world as open to God as they are now."

link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.ASP?A3.15.2936.1.688567

>War Against Terrorism Is a Spiritual War

"The U.S. and its allies are up against a spiritual war that must be won
spiritually," warned Yusuf Abdallah, a recent speaker, at the Latin
American Mission, who has worked with Muslims in Miami for over 15
years. He said that to combat terrorism from extremist Islamic groups,
Americans must understand their deep devotion to Islam, and why they
view the United States with such anger.

Abdallah stated that when Islam is portrayed as a religion of peace,
"They are omitting the basis of that peace, which is total submission to
the will of Allah and complete obedience to His commands, to the point
of giving up one's life as a joyful, willing surrender to Allah."
Abdallah, who ministered for many years in the Middle East, has written
a book "Jesus Gives Peace; Jesus in the Qur'an and the Bible,"
according to Latin America Mission News Service.

Pointing to several areas of Muslim anger, Abdallah mentioned
"resentment against the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia," and
other factors as well. "The greater influence Islam is in a Muslim's
life, the more he hates the economic, political and cultural influences
of the U.S. ... Is it any wonder that there is a strong religious
revival going on all over the Muslim world that seeks to fight the
immoral excesses of the West, and bring even moderate Muslim nations
back into the fold of true Islam?" It should not be surprising,
Abdallah said, that the only fight that seems to work for them is
terrorism. (The text of Abdallah's presentation can be found at
www.lam.org/articles/muslim.html).

He also explained that many are predicting a massive turning of Muslims
to Christ following the Sept. 11 incidents. He called on Christians to
reach out to their Muslim neighbors. "Go and be a friend, let them know
that you care .... If they ask questions, do your best to answer them."
However, he cautioned, "Do not leave tracts or Bibles unless they
request them, and be sure any Bibles are in their native language."

www.gospelcom.net/lam/news/ns/100301.html

Religion Today News Summaries are a compilation of articles from various
media sources. We do not necessarily endorse nor personally adhere to
the views represented within them. We simply want our audience to have
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