The President of Afghanistan has been told by the country’s Islamic council to stop foreign aid groups from converting locals to Christianity.
The influential council of Islamic clergy and ulema (scholars) made the warning in a statement during a meeting with President Hamid Karzai on Friday in which it also called for the reintroduction of public executions, which have not taken place since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
"The council is concerned about the activities of some ... missionary and atheistic organs and considers such acts against Islamic sharia (law), the constitution, and political stability," the council said in its statement.
"If not prevented, God forbid, catastrophe will emerge, which will not only destabilize the country, but the region and the world."
Ahmad Ali Jebrayeli, a member of the council and also a member of parliament, said that reliable sources had told him of Christian missionaries using offices in Kabul and in the provinces as bases from which to convert the local population.
He also alleged that the missionaries are being supported by NGOs.
"Some NGOs are encouraging them (to convert), give them books (Bibles) and promise to send them abroad," he told Reuters on Saturday.
Missionary work in Afghanistan came under fire in 2007 when a group of 23 South Korean missionaries were kidnapped and held hostage by the Taliban, who accused them of converting Muslim Afghans to Christianity. They were later released, but not before two from the group were murdered.
Some Muslims who hold onto a strict interpretation of the Koran believe that conversion to another faith from Islam is apostasy and therefore punishable by death.
In 2006, Pope Benedict appealed for clemency and a number of Western leaders protested over the case made by an Afghan court against Abdul Rahman over his conversion to Christianity. The case was later dropped amid international clamor and widespread protests after the court ruled that Rahman was mentally ill.
A number of foreign aid groups and charities operating in Afghanistan are supported by or partnered with Christian organizations. They make clear, however, that their remit is restricted to providing aid and practical support, and not to proselytize.
Comments
This is good news! All the christian missionaries in any country should be deported or killed.
For Christians, Muslims are funny people. They said Muhammad is their prophet and is a perfect human being. But why oh why does every Muslim after their prayer (salat) always plead to their God Allah to give Muhammad the murdering paedophile the high place in his grave, a position that was promised to Muhammad during his lifetime.
Please check out this verse from Sahih Bukhari, and I guarantee you the translation is perfect
Allahumma rabba hazihi ad-da'wah at-tammah wa as-salati al-qa;imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilah wa al-fadhilah wab'athhu maqaman mahmudan allzi wa'adtah (Sahih Bukhari)
Why would anybody want to convert to Islamism when Muhammad himself cannot get to this good position in his grave? Certainly very funny.
Muhammad himself is just another dead people and is going to answer to God about his actions
aritonang
You have just lost the dignity of being a debater by using abusive and confrontational language against The Last Messenger Prophet of Almighty The-God. That will be sufficient to take your sleep of the night and peace of your mind. Certainly you would get enraged and you will reach to your extremes because your devil would take you there.
The only way out for you is to repent in the court of Almighty The-God and become the worshipper of The-God of Jesus Christ if you may understand.
For Christians, Muslims are funny people. They said Muhammad is their prophet and is a perfect human being. But why oh why does every Muslim after their prayer (salat) always plead to their God Allah to give Muhammad the high place in his grave, a position that was promised to Muhammad during his lifetime.
Please check out this verse from Sahih Bukhari, and I guarantee you the translation is perfect
Allahumma rabba hazihi ad-da'wah at-tammah wa as-salati al-qa;imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilah wa al-fadhilah wab'athhu maqaman mahmudan allzi wa'adtah (Sahih Bukhari)
Why would anybody want to convert to Islamism when Muhammad himself cannot get to this good position in his grave? Certainly very funny.
Muhammad himself is just another dead people and is going to answer to God about his actions
jesus4me
I love Jews, Christians and Muslims alike but certainly not discriminate against anyone who may not be of my category. You being a conservative christian, do not need to subjugate, harass and terrorise Muslims because they believe in One-God.
Today, more christians are returning to the religion of God because Islam / Shalom is what Almighty The-God seeks from humankind and Jinnkind. Among the thousands of American Christians who embrace Islam, they become closer to Almighty The-God by keeping their conviction about all the Messengers including Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him).
Brian Morrow, a former Christian, converted to Islam in late August 2007. He said that in Islam there is no governing body except God, meaning no one can condemn, judge or punish another for actions if they do not infringe on the rights of others-08.
"All throughout high school I had plenty of good friends that were followers of Islam," said Brian Morrow, a freshman open preference major. "I truly believe that it is the correct way of life and it makes the most sense to me"-08.
"It turns out that Islam had always agreed with what I believed as a Christian," Morrow said. "I always believed that Jesus was God's messenger rather than God in the flesh and that none other should be placed equal to God. Also, in July of last year I stopped eating pork. I figured God didn't want the Hebrews to consume this for some reason. Then I stopped getting sick, lost weight and felt way livelier" -08.
"Islam truly is a beautiful way of life despite the slandering on television," Morrow said. "After I (converted), I found out that there were more followers of Islam in the world than Catholics and our numbers are rapidly growing. Islam is the world's second largest religion, and I'm proud to say that I am a part of it"-08.
"The number one difficulty that I have is the Islam-phobia that has been pumped through the media for almost half a decade," Morrow said. "Myself, along with nearly everybody else in this country, was completely narrow minded with what Muslims believe and just went along with the news network's hate speech" -08.
You will find sporadic Muslim's conversion to Christianity or atheism, they do so to get attraction and benefits from the glitter of western society. But Christians converting to Islam get trust of Almighty The-God and heaven in the Day of Judgement.
jesus4me
I am always smily but serious when talking about Lord The-God. If you like a smiling icon, I would fulfil your wish. You did not respond to my comments "Wake Up John, use some common sense from my last postings of Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:40 pm".
You be conservative but do not use the Goggles of radical conservatism when dealing with matter of Almighty The-God. I as a monotheist believer recognise all the Messengers and Prophets of Almighty The-God. Do not mistreat me because I worship One-God; The-God of Adam and Abraham.
your jewish Rabbi friends are probably not Orhtodox Jewish Rabbi's, but those who are liberal in nature. They may very well misinterpret the Torah, Law, and the Prophets just like there are liberal Christians who misinterpret the Old/New Testaments to suit modern times. I am a conservative, orthodox born again Christian, and I see Jesus Christ predicted all throughout the Old Testament. He(Jesus) is the fulfillment of the Law.
Christians do not ignore the Old Testament. Jesus Christ the Messiah - God's Only Son IS the fullfillment of the Old Testament Law. He is the Lamb of God that was slain for the sins of the world. It is in His prescious Blood that was shed for you and me that there is life and a true relationship with Almighty God Yahweh.
erroneous statements khanson? You follow a book that was invented by Mohammad in the 7th century AD, and yet you say the New Testament is full of human error? Repent therefore, and give your life to Jesus the Christ, that you may enjoy eternal life with God the Father.
p.s. smile when you post next time.
jesus4me
Elohim refers to single deity of Almighty The-God. Ask any of my fellow Jewish brother Rabbi, he will answer you politely but categorically.
Yahweh is the name of Almighty The-God, categorically not of Messiah The Jesus.
Wake Up John, use some common sense from my last postings of Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:40 pm
jesus4me
Thou shall reform yourself and do not be repeatedly apologetic.
There are three major types of erroneous statements in the New Testament which are considered here as theological blunders.
The first and most erroneous statements in the New Testament are those which blaspheme Almighty The-God in His Almighty’s authority as The-Deity by affiliating Him with man made deities (Shirk). Christians make the statue of Jesus Christ and worship the Statue instead of Almighty The-God. Christians ignore the commands of Old Testament that
"Do not have any other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth" [The Bible: Old Testament (Exodus 20: 2 – 3)].
"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God…" [The Bible: Old Testament (Deuteronomy 5: 7–29)].
The Christians who do not follow such biblical commands from the Old Testament are not Christians but polytheist destined to become the fuel of Hellfire.
Shirk is the Islamic concept of the sin of polytheism specifically, but in a more general way refers to serving anything other than one God. It is the vice which is opposed to the virtue of Monotheism (Tauheed).
khanson, I don't believe in 3 different god's when I say I believe in the Trinity. I'll put it as simple for you as possible in human terms; when God said in Genesis let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, He made man as 1) body, 2) soul (i.e. mind, emotions, your conscience, etc), and 3) spirit. Now I wouldn't say there are 3 "men" walking around when I see one man, because all men and women are created with a body, a soul, and a spirit.
In a similar manner, although not the same, God is ONE GOD, but composed of three different persons. He is God, the Father, God the Son (the Word that was made flesh), and God the Holy Spirit referred to in Genesis 1:1, and Genesis 1: 26. khanson, there are many more Scriptures in the Old Testament Law ad Prophets (Torah, Pentateuch, and the Prophets), as well as the Gospels, and the Epistles in the New Testament; ad lastly the Book of Revelation which will prove that God set His Son Jesus Christ to redeem the world of sin. If you are truly honest with what you claim to believe, then you will investigate this for yourself. I have no doubt based on the Old and the New Testament that Jesus Christ is Deity (meaning part of the Triune Godhead). This is why I asked you if you knew what the word Elohim meant, because Elohim is a plural for God in Hebrew. Just like when Jesus used words like Yahweh to refer to Himself in the New Testament as God as well. See khanson, it is not the Old and New Testament that have a problem; it is you my friend. I do not follow Paul, or anyone else But God the Father the One and Only God Creator of Heaven and Earth, but I do this thru His plan of Redemption which is His Son Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit of God drew me to Jesus Christ as the bridge to God. See, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ all point to the Father God.
khanson, you can continue to post your remarks with the angry, bitter face you post with, but the fact remains. Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to God the Father except thru Him. Also, Elohim is plural. Read up on your Jewish Theology. Have a nice day, and p.s. try not to be so bitter and angry all the time.
jesus4me
Every human born has been already planned and created by The-God. The time frame of each human creation is not known to humans except what mentioned in divine text.
jesus4me
Elohim is not plural because The-God cannot be plural but single. Almighty The-God is supreme and that is why His Almighty often refers to Himself as "WE". This is indicative of Him being Most powerful. Creative in His Almighty's own image means giving behavioural attributes like Mercy, love, reaction etcso that human finds easy to understand The-God. It does not mean that every man would be like god. God is ONE and only He is The-Deity.
Almighty The-God is not person and no human could ever know what Almighty The-God looks like until a person dies in correct belief and then finds an opportunity for an audience with The-God. Those who worship idols and worship humans as god, they would never get an opportunity to see Almighty The-God.