"Kuwait, Gulf- Beware Iran"

There is LOTS of buzz lately about Iran, their spies, their plots, & their threats. There is much cause for concern, especially for Americans. So I covet your prayers.

KUWAIT CITY, April 27: The current political behavior of Iran is a clear proof that it is bent on implementing its expansionist agenda in the region, says MP Mubarak Al-Waalan.
Besides the illogical policies of Iran, Al-Waalan believes the recent discovery of an Iranian spy network in Kuwait is a new episode in the long series of Iranian attacks against the security and stability of the country, similar to what happened in the 1980s.

He pointed out Kuwait is the only Gulf nation that has been threatened by the Iranian military and intelligence during the Iran-Iraq War. At the time, the Iranian missiles targeted Kuwait and there were bombings orchestrated by Iran in different parts of the country, some of which destroyed vital and strategic installations like oil, he added.

Urging Kuwait and other GCC states to be wary of Iran’s dirty political and security games, Al-Waalan said all the Gulf countries were threatened by Iran before the Islamic Revolution. After March 1979, Tehran decided to ‘export’ the revolution to the Gulf. At the height of its war against Iraq, Iran also carried out bombings in Kuwait, said the lawmaker.

Al-Waalan asserted Iran again exposed its ugly face by dropping hints that it is keen on implementing the expansionist agenda in the region after improving its relations with the Gulf nations in the mid-1990s. If Iran has blatantly threatened Bahrain, interfered in its internal affairs, defied international agreements and spied on Kuwait, then there is a possibility that it will also threaten the other Gulf nations. This requires stronger security coordination between the GCC states to protect their territories, he added.
In conclusion, the lawmaker enumerated the Iranian attacks on Kuwait as follows:

December 1983: a roadside bomb targeted a power plant; another bomb targeted the French Embassy; car bomb explosion at the Kuwait International Airport led to the death of an Egyptian artiste; and a truck exploded targeting the US Embassy, causing the death of seven people and injuries to 37 others.

May 1985: bombing of the convoy of HH the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, leading to the death of two soldiers and injuries to several others.

July 1985: bombing of popular cafés in Watiyyah and Salmiya, resulting in the death of 11 people and 89 were injured.

April 1986: attempted hijacking of Jabriya — a Kuwaiti aircraft — immediately after take-off from India

June 1986: three bombings in the Ahmadi Oil Complex (roadside bombs)

1986: attempted hijacking of Kuwaiti airplane Kazma on its way back from India, causing injuries to an aircraft crew

January 1987: car bomb explosion near the Le Meridien Hotel during the Islamic Conference and a similar explosion near Salhiya Police Station

October 1987: Iranian missile hit a Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) building and car bomb explosion near the Pan American Airlines office

November 1987: bombing of an American insurance company office in the Capital

April 1988: bombing of the Saudi Arabia Airlines office and hijacking of Jabriya aircraft on its way from Mashhad, then to Cyprus and landed at the airport in Algiers, causing the death of two citizens

May 1988: car bombing in front of the Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) building in the Capital.

By: Abubakar A. Ibrahim - Arab Times Staff

What Christians Believe

Perhaps many don't know what Christians believe. Well let me explain.

We believe in 1 God, existent as triune. Example of something triune is the atom, which is comprised of a positive energy, a negative energy, and a special force which holds both negative & positive together creating a basic building block of life. God created mankind perfect & w/out sin. God gave them a specific command and out of curiosity & coaxing by an angel that God kicked out of heaven, Adam & Eve disobeyed the only rule given & they spiritually died whilst sin entered the world. Now every person who is born, is born a sinner- imperfect & the evidence of sin is death.

God however, is a righteous judge who must condemn sin b/c he is so holy & pure. He warned man that if they disobeyed they were going to die. He spoke of a spiritual death that severed a relationship between a holy God & his beloved creation, as well as brought decay & disease to the body so that they did eventually have a physical death.

But God, bc of his great love for his creation, provided a way for them- us- to be regenerated spiritually, to have our damned sinful selfs redeemed from sin while have it completely irradicated, and restore a loving relationship with our creator God without being condemned to eternal damnation- RESCUED US- GOD RESCUED US. But his rescuing came with 1 condition- faith.

The way God brought about this redemption for man, is by this triune God becoming a human, to fulfill his own holy law given to mankind & take on himself- OUR punishment that we deserve for being sinners. God spoke to prophets in the Old Testament & warned the Jews of a coming deliverer (Messiah) whom they mistakingly thought the Messiah was going to be a King to restore the oppressed Jewish nation.

God gave very specific prophecies of where the Messiah would be born, what his mission would be, who would betray him, how he must die, how he must endure torture, the fact that his birth would be miraculous, the fact that he would perform miracles, and that he would resurrect (plus hundreds more). The probability of 1 person fulfilling the entire prophecy is impossible- but it WAS fulfilled, when God our creator gave up his glory & became a man, yet still 100% God.

He knew what it was like to be hungry & to hurt. His mission was to make salvation from sin & eternal separation from God possible. Thus, he willingly went to the cross- even though he could have come down & displayed his divinity (though many of the Jews saw his miracles & were offended that he proclaimed himself the Messiah). So he was tried for Blasphemy. He was found innocent by the Roman govt but the Jews were so offended by him that they demanded his death- and they demanded a very specific way to die- by crucifixion, as was foretold.

So Jesus gave up his life as a man, for mankind to be restored to our Creator. But Jesus resurrected 3 days later & MANY people saw him alive after they witnessed his death.

Christians believe Jesus is God & has unending love for all of his creation and still decided to die for the world, even knowing many would not believe in him. He overcame death. He demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And it is by faith ALONE that anyone can freely receive forgiveness of sin, rebirth of spirit, and have a sweet relationship with God not only here in this life but in the next life when our bodies perish.

This is what Chriatians believe.

Would you like to proclaim your faith in Jesus Christ, to receive forgiveness of sin? Then listen to the following song & read the lyrics below it. This song has taken Romans 10 and put it into a song. So this song is the prayer of salvation. If you pray this with sincere faith, choosing to let Jesus into your life, you WILL be saved and your sins completely forgiven. No need to do anything BUT pray.

Here I am Father God, wanting to know who you are

Here I stand on holy ground, wanting to receive your Son

I know that you are near

I choose to come and bow

Lord I confess I've sinned

By faith I choose you now

Now's the time, here's the place

Now's the time we receive your grace

With opened hearts, outstretched arms

Proclaiming that you are God

I know that you are near

I choose to come and bow

Lord I confess I've sinned

By faith I choose you now

Romans 10:1-17

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them [Israelites] is that they may be saved. ² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ⁶ But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and non-Jew;for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?^[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

A Chapter from the Quran

If you look at the Chronological Order of the Qur’an, you can see the last chapter is called Nasr. Every chapter has a name. In the traditional order, Nasr is the 110th chapter. But it was really the 114th; the last one “revealed” to Mohammad. He died 80 days later. The last chapter doesn’t say much. It’s just three verses basically saying “When Allah has achieved victory and conquered lots of people and when they are becoming Muslims in great numbers, praise Allah and ask for forgiveness.” That’s about it.

But if you look up the second to last chapter, called Taubah (which means “Ultimatum”), you will find it says a great deal about non-Muslims. In the traditional chapter order, this is chapter 9. Here are a few choice verses:

9:5 Slay the idolaters wherever you find them.

9:6 Those who submit and convert to Islam will be treated well. (Those who don’t submit will be killed. See previous verse.)

9:7-9 Don’t make treaties with non-Muslims. They are all evildoers and should not be trusted.

9:11 Treat converts to Islam well, but kill those who refuse to convert (see 9:5).

9:12-14 Fight the disbelievers! Allah is on your side; he will give you victory.

9:23 Don’t make friends with your disbelieving family members. Those who do so are wrong-doers.

9:29 Fight against Christians and Jews “until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.”

9:33 The “Religion of Truth” (Islam) must prevail, by force if necessary, over all other religions.

9:41 Fight for Allah with your wealth and whatever weapons are available to you.

9:42 Those who refuse to fight for Allah (claiming they are unable) are liars who have destroyed their souls.

9:73 Fight the disbelievers and hypocrites. Be harsh with them. They are all going to hell anyway.

9:81-83 Those who refuse to give their wealth and lives to Allah will face the fire of hell.

9:85 Those who refuse to fight for Allah will be treated (along with their children) as unbelievers.

9:111 Believers must fight for Allah. They must kill and be killed. Allah will reward them for it.

9:123 Fight disbelievers who are near you, and let them see the harshness in you.

This is Allah’s “last word” on tolerance and peace toward non-Muslims. If nothing else up to this point had abrogated the tolerant verses, the above verses completely wipe out every last positive verse in the Quran for non-Muslims. And Muslims take the latter words of the Prophet as more important than the earlier words.

The translations above are based on the Skeptics Annotated Quran: http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/int/long.html

Excerpt from http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/

Terrorism & Kuwait: A Sleeping Giant

If you asked anyone in Kuwait if they like living in Kuwait, the majority would tell you "NO!" The impression you get from Foreign Nationals who have lived in Kuwait for severals years is a very negative one. They constantly complain about how mean, disrespectful, entitled, selfish, careless, abusive Kuwaitis are. And in some cases that is completely true. While the countries around Kuwait face war- whether it be civil wars in Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Bahrain, or a US Invasion in Iraq with frequent suicide bombers, or constant threats from Iran...Kuwait has been a pretty low-key country in all this.

My boyfriend likens the 'peace' in Kuwait to a sleeping giant, the giant being insurgents from other countries starting chaos in Kuwait. Just this week the press has revealed that

Kuwait's foreign minister said an Iranian spy cell uncovered by the Gulf Arab state last year monitored the U.S. military presence and possessed explosives to bomb "strategic" facilities. "We are talking about a cell whose task was not only to monitor and record the (U.S.) military presence that is in their view hostile -- the American forces presence on Kuwait lands -- but it exceeded that," Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah told Dubai-based Al Arabiya television.

"They had explosives and the intention to explode vital Kuwaiti facilities. They had names of officers and they had extremely sensitive information. This indicates bad intentions to harm Kuwaiti security."

OPEC-member Kuwait hosts Camp Arifjan, a vast U.S. logistics base in the desert south of the capital that serves as a staging post for U.S. forces being deployed in neighbouring Iraq.

Last month, a Kuwaiti court sentenced two Iranians and a Kuwaiti to death for being part of an alleged Iranian spy ring in a case that has strained relations between Kuwait and the Islamic Republic.

Earlier this month, Iran expelled three Kuwaiti diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after the Gulf emirate said it would throw out three Iranian diplomats in a row over spy allegations.

The move came after Kuwait expelled three Iranian diplomats, a Kuwaiti official had said.

Kuwaiti media said in May 2010 that authorities had detained a number of people, Kuwaitis and foreigners, suspected of engaging in espionage for Iran. Media reports said they were accused of gathering information on Kuwaiti and U.S. military sites for Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/oukwd-uk-kuwait-iran-spying-idAFTRE73K3NC20110421

Another article I read said that there are at least 8 more Iranian spy rings that have not yet been investigated.

Let me tell you, ANY terrorist who wants to target Westerners (Americans & Euros), would find Kuwait is a GOLD MINE. I mean, there are SO many people from so many other countries in Kuwait. I hop in a taxi & they have their License, Civil ID, & other forms of identification hanging on the back of the drivers seat. I've been driven by Syrians, Bengalis, Indians, Sri Lankas, Iranians, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Lebanese, & Jordanians. These cab drivers also know where Westerners live, shop, & frequent since they drive them from location to residence.

I will credit Kuwait though with their fierce anti-terrorism efforts within their country. They have foiled attempts & put to justice- immediately- those involved. Yet Kuwait seems to be stuck between a rock & a hard spot. They remain pretty moderate although highly conservative, but the pressure for stricter Islamic laws is building from countries around them & from a few within the country.

I do however, greatly appreciate the 'tolerance' of Kuwait to non-Muslims. There are churches even though it's illegal to evangelize & try to convert someone from Islam. Grocery stores sell Christian holiday decorations & products. Kuwait is moderate because so much of the residents are from other countries. There is a huge Christian (Catholic) population here since most are Philippino or Indians. There are also many Hindus.

Sometimes Kuwait surprises me- in a positive manner. The journalists who write for the Arab Times Online can be pretty balanced & show a different side to the form of Islam in Kuwait (or the form that they are trying to keep from getting 'radicalized.') Below is an article written about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan & one village dominated by Christians, whose light shines in the darkness. This was posted by the Arab Times. Another article on their website reported how China was detaining Christians who went to a specific church for Easter b/c they were planning to hold service outside of the building they were evicted from. But other churches still held their services.

For that, I want to say THANK YOU ARAB TIMES, for your compassionate thoughts towards Christians & fair reporting. I appreciate it.

BTW, I found out that the Arab Times is banned in most Muslim Countries!

Please take a few seconds to read the article below.

Fear In Pakistani Village Dominated By Christians
KHUSHPUR, Pakistan (AP) -- A church bell, not a mosque loudspeaker, calls people to prayer along the dung-lined streets and inside the crumbling houses of this village. The body of Pakistan's most recent Christian martyr is buried in its graveyard.

Khushpur is almost entirely Catholic, and for decades it has been an oasis for Christians in a nation where 95 percent of people are Muslim and Islamist extremism is spreading. The village has produced so many priests and nuns that some call it the "Rome of Pakistan."

But Islamist militants' recent murder of federal minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian son of the village targeted for opposing Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws, has rattled the peace. As they prepare to observe Easter, many of the 5,300 villagers say Pakistan's Christians face more pressure than ever.

"You live with fear," said Rose Dominic, 45, a math teacher. "You can't express yourself."

Khushpur traces its roots to 1902 when the area was part of British India, decades before Pakistan was created in 1947 as a homeland for the subcontinent's Muslims. The lead founder was Father Felix, a Capuchin friar from Belgium. Felix means "happy" in Latin, and the friar named Khushpur, which means "happy place," after himself, according to research by the late scholar Linda S. Walbridge.

Today, Khushpur is in most respects a typical Pakistani village: Many residents are poor farm workers, the roads are decrepit, the electricity is out half the day, animals roam freely and clean water is a luxury. There are few local stores or other forms of commerce, and while the schools are considered good, many of the most educated Khushpuris leave to find work in the cities.

But the Christians here say they feel a deep affection for the land and the well-kept, red-brick Catholic church that looms over it.

On Palm Sunday, dozens of worshippers sang and marched to church through a muddy street holding palm leaves. Women and men crowded the church minutes later, sitting on separate sides, and wearing their Sunday best as light filtered through the stained-glass windows.

Khushpur has risen to prominence among Pakistan's Christian villages partly because of its reputation for producing "martyrs."

One of them was Bishop John Joseph, a human rights activist who shot himself in 1998 to protest the same blasphemy laws Bhatti wanted to change. The laws impose the death penalty for insulting Islam, and rights groups say they are frequently used to persecute religious minorities or settle personal disputes.

Joseph's body is buried in the nearby city of Faisalabad, but his bloody clothes were interred in the graveyard in Khushpur under a large marble slab. Just a few meters away is Bhatti's grave, topped with a cross bearing his picture, and still topped with fresh flowers daily.

Bhatti led the ministry for minorities, and what little political power Pakistan's Christians had was almost entirely vested in him. Fliers left at the scene of his March 2 murder in Islamabad were signed by Taliban and al-Qaida militants who said they targeted Bhatti because of the blasphemy issue.

The mention of Bhatti's name still brings tears in Khushpur, where one woman said people loved him more than their own sons.

"People feel and people think their hope died," said Father Anjum Nazir, the parish priest. "If he is killed, what will be security for other people?"

The ruling Pakistan People's Party, of which Bhatti was a member, has said repeatedly that it will protect minorities in the country. However, it has refused to change the blasphemy law in the face of Islamist furor over the matter.

Attention to the law rose last year after a Christian became the first woman to be sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Islam. Bhatti and Punjab Province Gov. Salman Taseer tried to secure a pardon for her and called for reforming the law. Taseer was murdered in January, and Bhatti in March.

According to a Freedom House review of data from non-profits and the U.S. State Department, 695 people were accused of blasphemy in Pakistan between 1986 and April 2006, of which about 12 percent were Christian. The Pakistani daily newspaper Dawn has reported that 964 people were charged with blasphemy from 1984 to 2004, with a similar percentage of Christians.

The blasphemy law hangs like a sword over Pakistani Christians' heads, even in Khushpur where they dominate.

Earlier this month, two Muslim police officers stopped by the catechist training center in the village and asked if Christians worshipped images of Jesus Christ. The Christians declined to respond, worried that saying the wrong thing could get them accused of blasphemy, said Babar Peter, 27, a Bible teacher.

While Pakistan has never carried out a death sentence for blasphemy, people can lose months or years of their lives in prison. Dozens have been killed by extremists during the trial process or after they are released.

While many of those accused under the law are Muslim, Christians are disproportionately targeted. Already, Christians in this nation of 180 million face daily discrimination and often hold low-level jobs, such as street sweeping.

"We explain to our children that the blasphemy law is against Christians and to be careful, but that they should not lie about being a Christian," said Mariam Moghal, a 60-year-old mother of nine.

A few dozen Khushpur households are Muslim, and both Christians and Muslims said the two communities get along well. They attend each other's festivals and weddings and bury their dead in the same graveyard. Christian leaders said they gave money to help the Muslims build their mosque, a polished structure with a soaring minaret.

Haji Mohammad Latif, the mosque imam, said he wept when he heard of Bhatti's assassination.

"He always talked about love, peace and harmony. That's why I loved him," said Latif, 52, a portly man with wavy, jet-black hair whose family has lived in Khushpur for generations.

Khushpur's Christians say they feel safer in the village than elsewhere in the country because they are the majority, as opposed to the many Christians who live in slums in the cities. Some Khushpuris speak of "Pakistan" as if it were another country altogether.

Still, occasionally there have been threats -- or at least rumors of threats -- against Khushpur. After Bhatti was killed, talk of a potential bombing swept the village. For a couple of days, residents manned 24-hour watch posts, bearing what few weapons they had, said Ijaz Masih, 42, a farmer.

A handful of police show up to guard religious events now and then, and the Bhatti family and his office have security guards provided by the government. Still, Khushpur Christians said they doubt police would intervene if they were attacked.

"We can just hope," said Sehrish Rafiq Sindhu, 19.

As Father Nazir, the parish priest, crafts his message for Easter Sunday, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he keeps returning to the theme of renewing the spirit.

"Old things are gone, new things are coming," Nazir plans to tell his still-grieving flock in Khushpur. "Make your today better than yesterday."

SOURCE: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/168328/reftab/36/t/Fear-in-Pakistani-village-dominated-by-Christians-/Default.aspx

Easter is NOT Allowed for Many

What a joyful weekend for those of us who celebrate the risen Lord! As an American, what a sweet privelage it is to be able to attend any of the thousands of services on Sunday & celebrate with family & friends! I wish I could be home to celebrate this joyous season with my family & church family.

But I must share that there are MILLIONS of Christians who are not allowed to hold Easter services. Even if they are, they face the threat of violence. In some villages in Yemen there only exists secret Christian communities who cannot reveal their identity in Christ as terror group Al Shabaab
Is on the prowl like a roaring lion seeking to devour Christians- as they recently did Thursday to a 21 Yr old Christian convert from Islam.
http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/somalia/article_111281.html

In North Korea believers are THE MOST oppressed & persecuted. A survivor of the political concentration camp said this:
"since The North Korean War (in Korea they call in June 25 War) the No. 1 enemy is God. Kim II Sung hated God most." Soon Ok Lee, survivor of N Korea
http://www.therightscoop.com/horror-stories-of-christian-persecution-in-north-korea/

In Indonesia they foiled an attempt to bomb a church on Easter.
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-22/world/indonesia.terror.plan_1_parcel-bombs-church-bomb-mail-bombs?_s=PM%3AWORLD

In Iraq & Egypt Christians & churches have been targets of violence. Even though Egypt toppled Mubarak's regime, they are demanding a more Islamic state which puts native Christians in danger.
(Egypt) http://www.persecution.org/2011/01/29/fate-of-coptic-christians-in-post-mubarak-egypt-worries-some/
(Iraq) http://www.11alive.com/news/article/186203/166/Al-Qaida-in-Iraq-threatens-attacks-on-Christians

In Nigeria the new President Elect is Christian and bc of that, THIS WEEK ALONE, the Muslims who were supporting the Muslim presidential candidate went on a murder rampage, burning churches, raping, beheading, and setting to fire HUNDREDS of Christians- their bodies lined up all over the place. Even if Christians there wanted to go to Church, their church has probably been burnt down.
http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/nigeria-charred-christian-corpses-line-the-roads-after-muslims-go-wilding/

The Ivory Coast is similar, except they replaced the Christian president with a Muslim & they have been killing Christians & burning churches.
http://globetribune.info/2011/04/07/at-least-1000-christians-killed-churches-burned-on-ivory-coast-disturbing-raw-video/

I can go on about other countries... But I'll share this one last story.

In Kuwait, thankfully there ARE services for Christians. However, many of the work force here work 12+ hours 6 days a week or more. Many are trafficked- promised a nice salary & a specific Job but end up getting paid far less IF THEY EVEN GET PAID AT ALL and become human slaves.

I went to the salon today & one of the ladies who works there, Gigi, a Philippina, went on vacation for 42 days. Good for her bc sponsors end up taking & keeping their passports so they won't escape. Anyway, the rest of the ladies in the salon are not allowed a day off until she returns. So these ladies work 12 hour shifts & will be working 7 days a week for the next 42 days. They asked their boss if they could attend an Easter church service but they were still waiting for an answer & most likely it will be a "no." one of the ladies asked me to keep them in prayer bc of this.

Then there's me. I work a night shift beginning at 9pm and ending at 6am. I can't make any of the chapel services- even the 6am Sonrise service on base. So I'm pretty bummed about that but at least I've got my iPod full of worship music & my guitar.

So I plead with you dear brothers & sisters to remember those who wish to celebrate Resurrection Sunday but face gruesome persecution. Please pray for God to encourage them & give them strength to stand in confidence, on the faith in the Lord Jesus even if it means death or torture.

Please say a prayer for Alma, Mali, Mona, & Gigi, the ladies at the salon I go to.

Dear Persecuted Christian

I don't know you. I don't know how you came to Christ & what risks you are taking to live for him. I only read about the injustices against you. I can only imagine the fear you have not just for yourself but for your families because you are Christian. I cannot relate to how you live because I'm an American
and I grew up in a country where we have freedom & protection.

I want to tell you, that you are all heroes. You live daily for Christ knowing the cost. Just like Jesus did. You walk forward even when you have no access to a church, to another Christian, or even a Bible. Yet your faith in the one true God grows. I know you get weary. I know you get scared. I know that you cry out to God in desperation, seeking hope.

He is with you. And believe it or not, there are brothers & sisters in Christ praying for you.

My blog gets read by many people all over the world!

US, Kuwait, UK, Saudia Arabia, Calcutta, Belgium, Mauritus, Vienna, Australia, Skane Lan, Canada, Paris, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine...and many more.

I don't know whether my readers are atheist, Muslim, Christian, Hindus, Jews, or Pagan. But I do know, that God has put it on my heart to write a message to the body of Christ.

I am praying for you. I carry you in my heart & in my prayers daily. Please be encouraged that God is with you and all things work for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

Blessed are those who are persecuted,
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
"People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do, you will be blessed. Rejoice and be glad, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on.
"You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don't hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

I stand in the gap for you, my persecuted brethren. If you have any special prayer needs please write me a comment. I moderate comments before posting them & I will not post your comment to keep you secure.

Remember, Pray for & love your enemies. He that is in YOU is GREATER than he that is in the world. Your father is the Creator of the Universe! NOTHING is too difficult for him!

Not About Hate

Can we have a heart to heart? I know that many of my posts seem "hateful" to some who are too open minded for their own good. But when evil, perversion, & injustice is exposed by truth- some people can't help but react with anger which leads to hate. Can you not honestly see- that one who takes delight in beheading someone is awful? What about when an innocent victim of rape gets criminalized for "adultery" & then dies from her punishment of 101 lashes? People don't WANT to hate others. In reality, Westerners just want to be left alone. You do your thing and I'll do mine so long as we don't conflict, harm, or inconvenience each other. But the truth is simply that- TRUTH. One can try to sugar coat but it is what it is.

As a Christian, I am trying to reconcile what Jesus taught & apply it to how I view, feel, & treat people who live by a 'truth' that allows sexual abuse, perversion, injustice, violence, etc. Some people really do 'hate' the people of Islam. But me? I'm angry. But I'm also deeply grieved & desperately cry out to God for the return of Jesus.

I have to remind myself that we do not wage a war against flesh & blood, but against principalities & powers of darkness. I have to remember that there is a real enemy called the 'father of lies' that is behind deceiving millions of people. I have to remember what Jesus said as he hung on that crucifix...as he, being God, became man to take upon himself OUR sin....right before HE GAVE up his spirit....."Father forgive them for they not know what they do."

I was on google searching something & off to the side was an ad that said "How to Convert To Islam." So I clicked on it. Regarding sin, this is what Islam teaches:

With the pronunciation of this testimony, or “Shahada”, with sincere belief and conviction, one enters the fold of Islam.

Upon entering the fold of Islam purely for the Pleasure of God, all of one’s previous sins are forgiven, and one starts a new life of piety and righteousness. The Prophet said to a person who had placed the condition upon the Prophet in accepting Islam that God would forgive his sins:

“Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it?” (Saheeh Muslim)

When one accepts Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. The person’s record is clean, and it is as if he was just born from his mother’s womb. One should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible.

How did one have forgiveness of sins BEFORE Islam? I mean....Jesus came 600+ years way before Mohammed. And Jesus NEVER mentioned "Islam" was the way to have forgiveness of sins. Since Muslims "believe" in the 'Torah' (I heard one Muslim scholar say in a debate w/ a Christian) how did the JEWS have forgiveness of sins since Islam was not around? It's also interesting that in Islam, they too have the concept of being "born again."

But look what else I found:

“Whoever testifies that there in none worthy of being worshipped but God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Prophet, and that Jesus is the Slave of God, His Prophet, and His word which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; and that Paradise (Heaven) is true, and that the Hellfire is true, God will eventually admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

I agree that there is NONE worthy of being worshipped but THE GREAT I AM. Who is beautifully triune as God the Father, Jesus the Son, & The Holy Spirit. If an atom is able to manifest as 1 particle that comprises of both a negative energy & positive energy being held together by a special force, then the Trinity is possible.

And here is what broke my heart:

“We did not send the Messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘none has the right to be worshipped except I, therefore worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25)

This conveys that all forms of worship, whether it be praying, fasting, invoking, seeking refuge in, and offering an animal as sacrifice, must be directed to God and to God alone. Directing any form of worship to other than God (whether it be an angel, a messenger, Jesus, Muhammad, a saint, an idol, the sun, the moon, a tree) is seen as a contradiction to the fundamental message of Islam, and it is an unforgivable sin unless it is repented from before one dies. All forms of worship must be directed to God only.

While I won't be praying to a saint, idol, sun, moon, or tree- I will be to Jesus, who is the mediator between God & man.

Jesus says:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10

Matthew 5:43-45 (New Century Version)
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.' But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. If you do this, you will be true children of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on good people and on evil people, and he sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.

Jesus has made it clear to us that GOD will vindicate. He will separate the wheat from chaf:

John answered everyone, "I baptize you with water, but there is one coming who is greater than I am. I am not good enough to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out."
Luke 3:16-17

So no, I don't hate. I'm trying to love those WHO DO HATE. I don't excuse their barbaric actions. It angers me. But I even take risks in writing about truth in this blog while living in the Middle East. And part of that truth is that even though some of us "Christians" want to hate, we CANNOT hate. But that doesn't mean we can't stand up & defend ourselves, our families, and our faith. I for one will stand for truth even if......well....ya know....(don't wanna jinx myself lol)....

Burning of Quran & Attack on UN in Afghanistan

What HORROR! What began as a peaceful demonstration outside a U.N. office in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, turned deadly when some protestors grabbed weapons from the U.N guards & opened fire on police & then stormed the building on Friday 1 April 2011 (AP). There were more attacks & deaths reported for a second day today too. I read in a separate report that 2 were beheaded, 8 foreigners (including U.N staff) & 4 Afghan protestors were killed.

They were protesting & taking action after news got out that Pastor Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center, did in fact burn a Koran on March 20, 2011. I find it INTERESTING how he did it though.

He held a self-styled mock trial of the holy book in which he presided from the pulpit as judge. The prosecutor was a Christian who had converted from Islam. An imam defended the Quran. Sitting in judgment was a jury of 12 members of Mr. Jones’s church After listening to arguments from both sides, the jury pronounced the Koran guilty of five “crimes against humanity,” including the promotion of terrorist acts and “the death, rape and torture of people worldwide whose only crime is not being of the Islamic faith.”

Punishment was determined by the results of an online poll. Besides burning, the options included shredding, drowning and facing a firing squad. Mr. Jones, a nondenominational evangelical pastor, said voters had chosen to set fire to the book, according to a video of the proceedings.
NYT By LIZETTE ALVAREZ and DON VAN NATTA Jr.

It went unnoticed in the US but somehow Afghans knew about it. Want to know WHY I find the mock trial interesting? Well for starters, it sounds like some childish imaginary court, too silly to take seriously. Secondly, although there WAS an Imam defending the Quran, a "jury" of 12- all members of the church- is way too biased. But, if you really want to 'put the Quran on trial' (so to say), go attend the MANY debates between Christians & Muslims who debate various issues & topics in a very professional manner. You can even find videos & audio links. I don't know that burning a Quran was the wisest thing to do- but some people act out their statements of faith in many symbolic ways.

For example, in youth group one time, we blew balloons & wrote our sins on them. Then we let the balloons fly into the air as a symbol that God takes away our sins & remembers them no more. It wasn't literal, just....a motivational act of faith.

Now, burning a BOOK, is NOT the same as killing a person. Books can be replaced, re-printed, & re-distributed.

So my third reason for why I find this mock-trial interesting, is because it really parallels a real life situation. SHARIA LAW. Before I proceed, let me just remind my readers who ARE NOT AMERICAN, that in America we are protected by the First Amendment & free to express ourselves however we want so long as we abide by the laws. Burning a book is no where near breaking ANY laws, in fact it was a form of expression that even the President should NOT dare apologize for. Next, just because 1 or a few Americans act on an offensive act- PLEASE WORLD.....PLEASE UNDERSTAND....THAT JUST BECAUSE AN AMERICAN DOES SOMETHING OFFENSIVE, THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE ENTIRE USA!!! Terry Jones certainly does not speak for Muslim-Americans, Jewish-Americans, and certainly not many Christian-Americans either. But this is an IGNORANT misconception that many parts of the uncivilized, uneducated, poor, & deeply religious countries believe. They believe it because it is used as propaganda by the Taliban/Al-Qaeda, so suggests one article I read. This same article also suggested that the parade of protestors was just used to cover up the planned attacks on the UN. I wish I could site the article but I've read so many different ones I lost track of it.

Do you REALLY think that burning a BOOK is EQUAL to MURDER??? And do you REALLY think that Afghans who were passionately moved to violence, wouldn't have killed ANYONE if the Quran was NOT burned? In other words- I don't believe the Afghans needed any more motivation to attack. Their own world view, their religious belief, & perhaps allegiance to an 'extreme' form of Islam, is enough to murder innocent people simply on the basis that the Koran instructs them to.

Now let's get back to this mock-trial. Because it's "all fun & games" until Americans realize that there are "trials" imposed, NOT ON BOOKS, but on PEOPLE- ALSO with BIASED JURY, laws- and no Christian or Hindu representation in most cases.

What is Sharia anyway? It's important that we are all educated on what Sharia Law is. So with the help of this link I'll just summarize it for the sake of my argument: http://www.cfr.org/religion/islam-governing-under-sharia/p8034

Sharia, or Islamic law, influences the legal code in most Muslim countries..."There are so many varying interpretations of what sharia actually means that in some places it can be incorporated into political systems relatively easily," says Steven A. Cook, CFR senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies. Sharia's influence on both personal status law and criminal law is highly controversial, though. Some interpretations are used to justify cruel punishments such as amputation and stoning as well as unequal treatment of women in inheritance, dress, and independence. The debate is growing as to whether sharia can coexist with secularism, democracy, or even modernity.

What is Sharia?
Also meaning "path" in Arabic, sharia guides all aspects of Muslim life including daily routines, familial and religious obligations, and financial dealings. It is derived primarily from the Quran and the Sunna--the sayings, practices, and teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. Precedents and analogy applied by Muslim scholars are used to address new issues. The consensus of the Muslim community also plays a role in defining this theological manual.

Controversy: Punishment and Equality under Sharia
Marriage and divorce are the most significant aspects of sharia, but criminal law is the most controversial. In sharia, there are categories of offenses: those that are prescribed a specific punishment in the Quran, known as hadd punishments, those that fall under a judge's discretion, and those resolved through a tit-for-tat measure (ie., blood money paid to the family of a murder victim). There are five hadd crimes: unlawful sexual intercourse (sex outside of marriage and adultery), false accusation of unlawful sexual intercourse, wine drinking (sometimes extended to include all alcohol drinking), theft, and highway robbery. Punishments for hadd offenses--flogging, stoning, amputation, exile, or execution--get a significant amount of media attention when they occur. These sentences are not often prescribed, however. "In reality, most Muslim countries do not use traditional classical Islamic punishments," says Ali Mazrui of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies in a Voice of America interview. These punishments remain on the books in some countries but lesser penalties are often considered sufficient.

Despite official reluctance to use hadd punishments, vigilante justice still takes place. Honor killings, murders committed in retaliation for bringing dishonor on one's family, are a worldwide problem. While precise statistics are scarce, the UN estimates thousands of women are killed annually in the name of family honor (National Geographic). Other practices that are woven into the sharia debate, such as female genital mutilation, adolescent marriages, polygamy, and gender-biased inheritance rules, elicit as much controversy.

In essence, Sharia Law has its own religious rules, offenses, & punishments that are under scrutiny by Human Rights organizations. One has to look no further than Pakistan to see the biased, partial, unfair practice of Sharia on non-muslims. Remember Asia Bibi? She was convicted on charges of "blasphemy" against the Prophet Mohammed- she's not even Muslim that the law should apply to her! But they gave her a DEATH sentence!

So while we're throwing Terry Jones under the bus (some Americans even suggest killing him for the consequences of his actions), the rest of the world- mostly the Islamic countries- do FAR WORSE. Did you not hear about the 14 year old Bangladeshi girl who was RAPED by her cousin & then sentenced to 101 lashes for ADULTERY, and died after 70 whips??? The incident was brought to the local Imam who condemned the girl & sentenced her!

Now lets get to the nitty gritty. Muslims have BURNED bibles for many years, burned churches, persecuted Christians & non-muslims by torture, taxing them, enslaving them, beheading, subjecting them under Sharia, preventing them from worshipping, preventing them from sharing their faith to anyone....the list goes on- and yet all the world sees is a burning BOOK!?!? If you don't believe me, just check this website out- which has VIDEOS OF BEHEADINGS ---> barenakedislam.wordpress.com/

Protesters in Afghanistan burned a U.S flag at a sports stadium in Herat. They chanted "Death to the U.S" & "They broke the heart of Islam" according to the Associated Press. And GET THIS.....this right here is what really sets me off....

Last week, Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a statement calling the burning a "crime against a religion." He denounced it as a "disrespectful & abhorrent" and called on the U.S & the United Nations to bring to justice those who burned the holy book and issue a response to Muslims around the world." (AP)

What the hell? ISSUE A RESPONSE TO MUSLIMS AROUND THE WORLD???? What about ALL THE CHRISTIANS, JEWS, & HINDUS that were killed, that are IN PRISON, that were raped, whose churches were bombed- by Muslims?!? Why do WE have to issue a response??? WHY IS THERE NO RESPONSE FROM CIVILIZED MUSLIMS ON CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY??? President Obama better NOT punish Terry Jones because that would be AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, since Terry Jones did NOT break the law. Obama better NOT issue a response to Muslims around the world until we hear Muslims issue a response first! What AUDACITY from President Karzai! Until Human Rights organizations go out of business, Islam & any other oppressive law/regime whether secular or religious, should be the ones to blame.

And those of you out there saying that "the Bible has rape, murder, & torture," the Bible is not instructing readers to go kill a non-christian. The Bible details events, rules for the priests, & then Jesus comes on the scene & says "PUT DOWN YOUR SWORD FOR THOSE WHO LIVE BY THE SWORD WILL DIE BY THE SWORD."

Do not hold Terry Jones responsible, hold the doctrine of Islam, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, & propaganda responsible. Because all of those mentioned are currently kidnapping, murdering, & even bombing mosques! Sunnis & Shiites kill each other nearly daily.