In his history of World War II, Winston Churchill tells the story of a pre-war meeting between French premier Laval and Josef Stalin. When Laval asked Stalin if he could not “do something to encourage religion and the Catholics in Russia,” Stalin replied, “The Pope! How many divisions has he got?”
The joke was ultimately on Stalin. Fifty years later a Pope helped bring down communism without firing a single shot. Now another Pope is preparing to do the same to another intractable foe of the West.
At the most recent Easter Vigil, Pope Benedict XVI baptized Italian journalist Magdi Cristiano Allam. Throughout his career, Allam, who was born in Egypt, had been associated with “progressive” causes. He wrote for leftist newspapers, championed the rights of North African immigrants, and supported the Palestinian cause.
A leftist journalist asking to be baptized as an adult would be noteworthy enough, but the story does not end there. As you probably inferred from his last name and place of birth, Allam was a Muslim.
That, as they said in the Wizard of Oz, is a horse of a different color. Islam does not take kindly to Muslims, even non-practicing ones like Allam, converting to other religions, especially Christianity.
Then there is the historical context of Allam’s conversion. Some European leaders advocate creating exceptions to their laws and customs to accommodate Europe’s growing Muslim population.
Allam will have none of this. Even before his conversion, he concluded that the “moderate” Islam these leaders talk about, and which he supposedly represented, was a figment of their imagination. The “Islamic Reformation” they longed for could be found in convincing Muslims, Allam believed, to “cease being Muslims.”
As if to prove his point, Allam lives “confined to a life under guard.” His forthrightness and conversion have made him a marked man.
Yet, he accepts it because “the miracle of the Resurrection of Christ has reverberated through [his] soul,” so he writes. And he has discovered “the true and only God, which is the God of Faith and Reason.”
The Asia Times columnist “Spengler” has summarized Benedict’s approach to the issues of our day as this: “I have a mustard seed, and I’m not afraid to use it.” Benedict’s willingness to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, regardless of how inconvenient it might be and whom it might offend, is the West’s best defense against the threat of radical Islam.
Osama bin Laden certainly agrees. When he recently accused the Pope of playing a “large and lengthy role” in a “new crusade against Islam,” he was acknowledging that Christian ideas and beliefs pose the biggest threat to his vision of Islam. The estimated six million Muslim converts to Christianity I recently told you about on “BreakPoint” should worry bin Laden and company far more than any Western army.
Benedict knows this, which is why he has insisted on the right of Christians in Islamic countries to practice their faith openly. As “Spengler” puts it, the “sandals on the ground” in the conflict with Islam will come from the ranks of converted Muslims— and that is the kind of yield Christians ought to expect from a mustard seed.
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From BreakPoint®, April 9, 2008, Copyright 2008, Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with the permission of Prison Fellowship Ministries. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without the express written permission of Prison Fellowship Ministries. “BreakPoint®” and “Prison Fellowship Ministries®” are registered trademarks of Prison Fellowship
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*The Christian's Qibla is the Cross (Heb 12:2)
*The Christian's Hajj is to gain Heaven (Phil 1:21)
*His Zakat is himself (2 Cor 8:5)
*His Hadith is the martyrs gone before (Eph 4:14)
*His Shariah is the law of love (1Cor 9:21)
*His Talaq is a separation from the world (Gal 2:20)
*His Salat is to pray without ceasing (Phil 4:6)
*His Wujud is to remain unspotted from the world (Eph 5:26)
*His Halal is to do the will of the Father (Jn4:34)
*His Haram is to flee youthful lust (2Tim 2:22)
*His Umma is the body of Christ (Rom 5:15)
*His Shahada is Jesus the Lord (Rev 17:14)
*His Tijara is worthless (Phil 3:7,8)
*His Dawa is to be a witness (2 Cor 5:18-21)
Surah 4:171 "...Christ Jesus (Al-masih, Isa), the son of Mary, ...and His Word, (Kalimatuhuu)... and a Spirit proceeding from Him: (Ruhun Minhu)..."
Thank you, Chuck Colson!
the greatest evangelistic message i ever heard was on tbn. by cj paul to a 2 million meeting of africans.
he said be or stay of what ever religion you are. but ask christ to come into your heart to touch all the bitterness, pain, and hatred. because being in christ is having a relationship with him. its not about rules and regulations, its about relationship. he loves you, and he wants to live in your heart.
Wow, this is great. The Islamic Reformation they longed for could be found in convincing Muslims to cease being Muslims, because the more they read and practice Quran and Hadith the more violent they become.
This is another brilliant article Mr. Colson. Thank you very much.
When the Soviet was torn down, we all rejoiced with you guys. One thing I must tell you, when the Communist was defeated my mother tells me that another far more violent enemy shall come and far more vicious battle will arise but its not up front as in army versus army, instead it will be Muslim insurgency and global Islamic Jihad terrorism, that was in 1988 when most Afghani veterans (Mujahideen) came back home and started to apply the same Jihad here.
She also told me twenty years ago, if the Communist and Atheists care about their children and family, these Muslims terrorist would gladly tell their 10 year old son or their 90 year old granny to detonate a jacketed SEMTEX in a crowded mall to pursue their Islamic Caliphate.
That is the difference and thus I agree with you the estimated six million Muslim converts to Christianity should worry bin Laden and his goons far more than any Western army, because they would practice any means necessary in murdering any converts to Christianity they encountered. They do it because it is written in the Quran and Hadith.
The Pope says he has a mustard seed, and is not afraid to use it. That is a rare thing these days with leaders more worried about popularity, political correctness and especially presence of fear of Islam. This Pope seems to have no fear in Crusading against Radical Islam and that is a good example.
All secular and humanist Western leaders should learn and follow his example and believe in Jesus Christ the risen Lord and also proclaim the truth of the Gospel
Not tryin` to "beat up a subject",..but it still seems pretty important, Thankfully, alot of this hasn`t
washed up on the shores of America,....Yet.........
http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=5003.3285.0.0
Christianity went from an underground, persecuted, "cult" in the First Century to becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire in the Fourth Century. Osama bin Laden should be worried. All of Islam should tremble before that knowledge. Bombs and bullets will not conquer Islam, but Christianity will. I think a large part of the violent outbursts from Islamic nations and militant groups has to do with their fear of the ever encroaching values of the West and more specifically of Christianity. Freedom of religion and conscience are two ideas that are kryptonite to Islam. In the end, the darkness will not overcome the light.
The Bible: "You shall not murder" Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17
The Quran: "You Muslims must fight the Jews till some of them hide behind stones. The stones will betray them saying...There is a Jew hiding behind me; kill him" - Sahih Bukhari 4:5:176, 177
Any questions?
All I know is,...that Islam has been around even before the Christian Crusade,...Thomas Jefferson studied the Qur`an(in addition to other facits of religion) in an effort to get more of a "well rounded" point of view of G-d`s creation and everything therein in general...Winston Churchhill had a pretty direct warning of Islam during the WW1 era,...I don`t think anything has changed in human history,...Except a larger concentration of people that we have today in the World population with more of a dis-anfranchisement towards CHRIST-ianity and increasingly blurred opinion of the "Seven deadly sins" so what is obvious to bubble to the surface?
I`m quite sure G--d is just standing out there some whereshakin` his head thinkin`,....some things just never change,....And he actually gave Humanity a guideline book and 6,000 years to change it,......
Maybe I need a psyciatrist to follow me around,...I don`t know...........
Wow Excellent article. I'm glad that you are a regular writer here on CP because I've enjoyed many of your articles.