The Western church’s growing tendency to blur theological differences and not uphold the absolute truth is contributing to the threat of radical Islam to the Western world, said a highly respected expert on Islam.
Patrick Sookhdeo, the director of the Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity, said churches are moving away from central doctrines that teach about separation and instead conforming to secular society’s ideology of inclusion.
“When faced with the uniqueness of Christ we become inclusive. He loves everybody so we talk about love, and hell and damnation goes out the window,” said Sookhdeo. “It becomes too embarrassing. So our church has conformed itself according to society.”
Sookhdeo – a former Muslim and advisor to British, American and NATO military officials on jihadist ideology – recently spoke to 1,500 people at Focus on the Family (FOTF)’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., about the threat of radical Islam to the Western world. The event was broadcasted in two parts by FOTF this week, the last part of which aired on Wednesday.
Christians are afraid to admit that only believers in Jesus Christ will be saved and others – Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists – are lost, because that would be arrogance in a society dominated by secular humanist ideology, Sookhdeo argued.
“If the U.S. church goes the way of Europe and embraces liberalism in its theology then it will embrace liberalism in its life,” said the British Anglican canon. “And if it embraces liberalism in its life then the church will die and not only will the church die, but society around it will also die.”
“What worries me is this,” he added. “I say this to churches in Britain. I can’t say it of the U.S. Is the Lord taking His candlestick from Britain and from Europe? Is the Lord saying: ‘I’m going to vomit you out of my mouth, because your sickness is beyond cure? You are so taken with other gods, you have prostituted yourself enough. I’m finished with you.’ It is a question and a question we must address, not just in Europe but here also.”
Islam is one of these gods which Christians are embracing, said Sookhdeo.
The Islam expert acknowledged in the beginning of the program that Muslims are diverse and emphasized that there is “chaos within Islam” where its own members kill one another.
Some Muslims live peacefully among Westerners while others like Al-Qaeda want to “blow us up to bits.” While some Muslims say our religion is one of peace, the Koran has been used throughout history to justify violence.
"How do we compute, not just the hundreds, not thousands, but the tens of thousands who are dying within a religion that claims to be unified and claims to be a religion of peace?” Sookhdeo asked.
Muslim extremism is not a single movement but multiplicity of movements with different motives – some ethnic while others purely religious – but all united by faith against the West, he explained.
The method of attack is also diverse with some choosing to enter the Western system of government to change it to their agenda, and others using money, the “petrodollar,” to buy media outlets such as television and newspapers to shape the way people think. Continue >>
Comments
I would like every christain to pray constantly that the leaders of all the churces work faithfully and earnestly for the unionification of the body of christ so we can be a strong witness for Christ. Mr. Sookhedeo is a courageous witness to Christ. Having being born and raised in a Muslim country (Egypt). I know how it feels to be a Christain in a predominatly muslim country. I request taht everyone pray for the persecuted church all over the world. When we deny Christ in front of the world, we abandoning our most potent (weapon). For us to win this war, we have to preach Jesus Christ to these Muslims without shame or hestation, so we can convert them from enemies to disciples for Christ. Would not be great if we can open the hearts and eyes of some of these fanatics and convert them from Sauls to Pauls.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels - Mark 8:38.
Christians need to wake up and proclaim the truth in Christ! If we neglect to share the truths of scripture, for fear of man; we are in danger of becoming the servants of men.
The Bible makes it perfectly clear - Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone (John 14:6, 1Corinthians 3:11, Acts 4:12). We are either going to influence those around us with these truths or those around us (the culture) will influence us. There is no gray or middle ground here!
jesus4me,
You make some good points worth pondering. It must also be taken into consideration that when it comes to prosperity in the Middle East, it is seriously lacking except for among the elite class (sheiks & royalty). I think this is causing a natural migration towards the more prosperous European countries. Turkey has long desired to be counted a member among the European Union. This is said to be at least in part due to the economic problems.
Europe is headed for serious problems in the wake of Islamic immigration. As the Christians have resigned themselves to secularism, it only makes since that a counterfeit spirituality would fill the void, however bankrupt it may be. This reveals the danger of allowing the liberal media elite to marginalize faith and seek to compartmentalize it for church alone. This is not what the framers of the constitution would have wanted. They recognized that there was a source of strength and justice that transcends human government.
The Terrorist Network in America, 1991-2007
http://www.investigativeproject.org/maps.php
Oh, and one more thing------btw khanson, I have saved a copy of my post and will continue to post the truth about Islam in history in case you find it amusing to flag it for historical facts, as you have been known to do when someone says the least bit critical thing about Islam. I know you did this to John 14-6 and others who post here.
Q'uran to kill the infidels, but odly enough, teir own Q'uran tells tem to fllow the "Isha" or the Gospels. IT is a very troubling faith that has caused not thousands, but Millions of deaths at the sword over history, just like Communism has over history. The Muslims Arabs allied with Hitler during the Holocost to anhialate the Jewish people from the earth; they failed, because the Jews are the apple of God's eye. Fanatical Muslims will not stop at anialating Jews, Cristians, and even their own kin over "Sharia Law". This is very sad, but true, and it is all part of the end times, as is the worldwide ecumenical reunion of all of the world religions.
Jesus Christ is the answer to our sins, our injustice, our unfair world. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
John 1 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
John 1
The Eternal Word
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend[a] it.
John 14:6 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Matthew 7:13
[ The Narrow Way ] “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Matthew 7:12-14 (in Context) Matthew 7 (Whole Chapter)
Matthew 7:14
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-15 (in Context) Matthew 7 (Whole Chapter)
Luke 13:24
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Luke 13:23-25 (in Context) Luke 13 (Whole Chapter)
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I don't say this to stir up argument, but only to speak the truth as it pertains to history. Consider this: History in context for those who don't know it, or don't read up on it. The Moors (Muslim Arabs from North Africa) came in thu the Straight of Gibraltar and tried to take over Europe by coming in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). At that time, they had gotten as far up as the Pyranees mountains and into France, but the Spainish Kingdoms had to keep them at par. Sadly, the Moors kept a pretty heavy influence on the Southern half of Spain for several hundred years, and the Reigns of Castille and Aragon had to keep them from continuing their blood thirsty march into Europe. It was not until AFTER the Moors (Muslims) tried taking over the Europe that the Crusades began. See, people love to blame the Crusades for every woe in the world, but the FACT is that if it was not for the Moors and their conquests, then Europe may have not even had Crusades.
Having said that, what we see today in Great Britain and the rest of Europe is nothing more than the modern day Moors and the Ottomans trying to take over the world again. You see, it is their subtle attempt to gain a foothold in Britain and Germany, and Spain, and other parts of Europe, and AMERICA, and CANADA, and SOUTHA AMERICA, and establishing Muslim Sharia Law. If people protest their heavy influence, ten they cry outto the Liberal groups, and the ACLU, and every other fifth column organization that exists (which subsequently they hate as well) saying they are being discriminated against, then the Muslim Fanatics can continue their tyrrade of Hatred across Europe and the World, and threaten people with coversion to Islam or death. It is written in their
I don't say this to stir up argument, but only to speak the truth as it pertains to history. Consider this: History in context for those who don't know it, or don't read up on it. The Moors (Muslim Arabs from North Africa) came in thu the Straight of Gibraltar and tried to take over Europe by coming in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). At that time, they had gotten as far up as the Pyranees mountains and into France, but the Spainish Kingdoms had to keep them at par. Sadly, the Moors kept a pretty heavy influence on the Southern half of Spain for several hundred years, and the Reigns of Castille and Aragon had to keep them from continuing their blood thirsty march into Europe. It was not until AFTER the Moors (Muslims) tried taking over the Europe that the Crusades began. See, people love to blame the Crusades for every woe in the world, but the FACT is that if it was not for the Moors and their conquests, then Europe may have not even had Crusades.
Having said that, what we see today in Great Britain and the rest of Europe is nothing more than the modern day Moors and the Ottomans trying to take over the world again. You see, it is their subtle attempt to gain a foothold in Britain and Germany, and Spain, and other parts of Europe, and AMERICA, and CANADA, and SOUTHA AMERICA, and establishing Muslim Sharia Law. If people protest their heavy influence, ten they cry outto the Liberal groups, and the ACLU, and every other fifth column organization that exists (which subsequently they hate as well) saying they are being discriminated against, then the Muslim Fanatics can continue their tyrrade of Hatred across Europe and the World, and threaten people with coversion to Islam or death. It is written in their
Former Muslim speaks out against terrorism, gets accused of hate
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=66745
Patrick Sookhdeo who was born in 1947 in Guyana inherits his hatred for Islam because he was outcasted due to his non-monotheistic credentials.
The Muslim Association of Britain, has accused him of ignorance of the subtleties of Islamic theology and of cherry picking verses from the Qur’an to make his points.
Some Christian church leaders in Britain have criticised him for speaking about the discrimination that Christians face in Muslim countries, because they think it hinders inter-faith relations within Britain.
Sookhedeo has been criticised by Church of England figures on the grounds of ecumenicalism both for his call to ban a particular translation of the Koran and for his criticism of the Channel 4 documentary on Jesus in Islam.
To me Patrick Sookhdeo should be allowed to talk - let the target speak of the truth.
Maranatha, Quecat, and Amen..........
What started out as a great opportunity to warn against watering down the gospel,is instead used as a reason to bash people on a political level.We are supposed to be citizens of a heavenly nation,Gods ambassadors,and we waste so much time pitting one worldly form of political thinking against another.Maybe what intensifies radical Islam is the basic hypocracy of people who claim to be christians leading the most worldly of lives.
Almost without exception what you see in faulty (and un-biblical) date setting is well meaning folks who really want to win souls for Christ and think that preaching the "end is tomorrow" instead of "Jesus IS coming back someday, but we can't tell you precisely when" is a more effective way of encouraging fence-sitters to make a move.
Again, ill advised, and always a cause for eventual embarrassment.
Yes, there are some who "date set" for their own personal gain of some kind, but there again, the calendar eventually betrays and exposes them for the charlatans that they are.
In every case of faulty date-setting that I've studied you see the same thing over and over again: deliberate discarding of passages that cannot be understood in light of the current events of the time. God's word is true and what prophecies were to occur in the past, happened precisely on time and in the manner indicated. It didn't matter that at the time folks read a part of scripture and said "that doesn't make sense, I don't see how that could happen."
It didn't matter. It happened anyway and once it did, folks looked back and thought "gee, the very thing we thought couldn't happen, did. I didn't understand what was meant by this passage, but now - now it's as plain as day! Why didn't I understand this before?"
And so it is with prophecy to this very day. As we get closer and closer to the "end of the book" it becomes much more obvious what scriptures are referring to and once something does happen, beyond all reason, we marvel and say "it's just as the bible said it would be."
Now isn't it cool to know how the story ends? Praise the Lord!
re: typo
"re: 1000 ce = due to complete ignorance of biblical, among many other things."
biblical eschatology, that is.
The general populace didn't even have their own copy of the scriptures and depended on their "priests" to teach them. Bad idea all the way around, but we won't go there. That's a whole other discussion. Let's just say the middle ages were what they were.
To Citizen:
...and it's very easy to strike down each and every one of these bad examples one by one.
re: 1000 ce = due to complete ignorance of biblical, among many other things.
re: Seventh Day Adventist = classic ill-informed "date-setting" in direct disobedience to Scripture.
re: Heaven's Gate = (are you kidding? this group wasn't even Christian-related)
Crazy new-agers with a self-proclaimed messiah figure who had convinced them that the comet Hale-Bopp was bringing with it space ships that were to pick them up, and (roughly) dying was how to "get on board" !!!
On the other hand, scholarly opinions of classical Christian comprehensive biblical eschatology have been around for quite some time and while it had never been popular with the masses or the "next big thing", to those who take the time to study and understand it, it's clear as day what the implications are. There are certain events that must take place, and a certain order in which they must occur, there are even time limits within which some events must occur in relation to the previous or subsequent event.
...Israel 1948, anyone? The manpower of China's standing army? Check. Iran and Russia? Utterly fascinating to watch the seemingly improbable come to fruition before your very eyes.
The examples are many and far too complex to address in this humble forum.
I'd suggest you look into the matter for yourself.
Iit is not without reason that Daniel was instructed by God to not worry that he didn't understand what he was instructed to write - that "these things are sealed up until the end", meaning that they would be understood one day when it was readily apparent what was meant by them.
Maranatha!