William Franklin Graham famously called Islam a wicked and evil religion, but I don't think he called for its extinction through violence, as in war. Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo, a wild politician, did call for the bombing of Mecca to shatter the Muslim center. Now, Parsley—as in Rod Parsley—is the flavor of the month among the controversial clergy being spotlighted in the camps of the three presidential campaigners. Parsley, pastor of Ohio's mega-est megachurch, twelve-thousand-member World Harvest Church in Columbus, calls for "destroying" Islam.
Parsley is most explicit in his well-selling Silent No More and in broadcasts to large and presumably assenting audiences. While Americans know that some who claim Allah would like to destroy Christian civilization, citizens often overlook the tit-for-tat or tat-for-tit (that is, "who started it?") calls for war from militants on both sides. As reported in Mother Jones (March 12), Parsley says there is a war and he wants bigger war, as America can only "fulfill its divine purpose" by seeing to it that Islam, "this false religion, is destroyed." Though he spells out no specific strategy, he writes things like, "We find now we have no choice. The time has come" to destroy "this anti-Christ religion," inspired by demons who spoke to Allah.
Shall some Muslims be spared—the moderates down the street or anywhere else, for example? No: "mainstream believers" in the "1,209 mosques" in America drink from the same well as do the extremists whom all citizens condemn. Screaming that he does not want to be "another screaming voice moving people to extremes," Parsley has plunged into presidential politics in the hope that he will find policies that will help "destroy" or lead to the "destruction" of Islam, the goal of his war.
Islam has no central authority. It is a family religion, a village religion, with millions of bases for a billion believers. Islam is not an institution or a dogma. When one calls for the destruction of Islam one has to mean the killing of all Muslims. Rather than accuse Parsley of calling for genocide, it is in place to ask him to spell out alternatives. Does "destroy" Islam mean winning a debate until every last targeted Muslim cries uncle and says, "I give up, you win"? He may mean that. Does the "destruction of Islam" mean the deconversion of a billion people and, preferably, conversion to Parsley's "Christian civilization"? Try converting as many as one in your town, and then take on the millions more in Indonesia. Does "destroy" mean bombing the 1,209 mosques in America, which number includes only a few of the world-wide total? As of now, Parsley simply calls for "war." By most definitions, doesn't "war" mean "killing"?
The United Nations document on the Prevention of Genocide condemns attempts to exterminate others through "acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial, ethnical, or religious group, as such." Ben Kiernan's Blood and Soil, a new "world history of genocide," finds genocide to be identified by "philosophical outlooks and obsessions, often harmless in themselves yet invidiously related," that supply "lethal ideological ammunition" for violence, and that these include "racial and religious hatreds." Reviewer William H. McNeill in the New York Review of Books (April 17) traces such in "our" culture back to Deuteronomy 20:17, where the Lord demanded that his people "utterly destroy" the other peoples. Most Jews and Christians, we thought, have buried that language. Brother Parlsey and followers have raised it up.
Is it time to scream, "Brother, there is still time" for you to spell out how your "war" to "destroy" Islam does not mean killing all Muslims, the way a genocidist would?
References:
Ben Kiernan, Blood and Soil: A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur. Yale University Press, 2007.
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Comments
So I take it that you support or at least tolerate "Word of Faith - Prosperity Gospel" hucksters, er um, televangelists?
Eze 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
Quecat-
Oh boy....I knew that by being too general, was going to be rebuffed by someone, ha!
Of course, I agree if someone is teaching unbiblical things etc, they should be confronted, but in a biblical way, with a gentle and meek attitude, as set out in scripture.
My point was that's not our job PERSONALLY to hang him out to dry:
a) because that would be the job of the elders of the church or who his leadership is.
b) because none of us are involved personally.....we just don't know all the facts.
Who hasn't been acused of something that they didn't say or do, or that was taken out of context....I think we all have, or will. All I'm saying is be careful when you judge some else when you only hear one side. That doesn't mean we shouldn't judge, or discern, and it doesn't mean we shouldn't pass the verdict, but that it's done responsibly,and in a Christ-like manner.
P.S. Praying for someone isn't "sitting around."
Constantine,
I also agree that any kind of secular effort will not suffice as well. I meant that from a secular point of view, a war might be the only thing to do. And I also agree that idleness will be our death, and is even now proving to be our death.
"If God called Mr.Parsley to Pastor, then it's God's job to deal with him if He needs to."
FALSE!
1Jo 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
We're not to sit around waiting to see if God "deals" with a false teacher. WE are to try the spirits whether they are of God.
Does the teacher teach unbiblical principles? Is he exploiting you for money - "making merchandise of you"? I think the conclusion is clear.
Jesus Himself, says that in that day not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter in.
Pauls writes:
2Cr 11:3-7 "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super‑apostles.”
I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
2Cr 11:12-15 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."
2Cr 11:19-20 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!
In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face."
No, my post was directed at people like the author of this article who refuse to properly investigate the true nature of Islam, by your comments you seem to be aware of how evil Islam is, and i myself am not promoting any type of new crusade, though it would be better than idleness, because Islam will eventually bring complete war to our civilization. I do disagree that any sort of secular effort has any chance.
Constantine,
Were you referring to me? I fully realize the inherent evil in the Quran and Islam. But that does not mean "Kill them all", and for a Christian cause it does not mean "kill any". Let us rise above their standard. Granted, something must be done to stop Islam, and perhaps from a secular point of view, a war of some kind is necessary.
I found this article....strange to say the least. It tended to be more about the writers personal obvious opinions, than presenting just the facts, which is what journalism is SUPPOSED to be. If it is done ethically and properly, it should allow the reader to come to his/her's own conclusion without "helpful comments" or certain "selected" facts by the writer.
Be careful not to jump to a conclusion/judgement before you consider the source, who or whatever. Personally, I see and hear so many false things, that I now weigh everything I hear/see from the media and take it with a grain of salt. Unfortuntely, most media is unreliable and journalism is not what it once was....sigh.
I SERIOUSLY doubt that Mr.Parsley advocates harming individuals....let's get a grip here people. Though, from the selected details provided by the article I can see how that conclusion could very much be percieved.
On a side note: I get so sick and tired of Christians slagging others in the body. They kick them when they're down, and then ask questions later. First and foremost our job is to pray for the person, not kick them in the teeth. If God called Mr.Parsley to Pastor, then it's God's job to deal with him if He needs to.... and in the meantime, I'm pretty sure He doesn't appreciate disparaging remarks by or towards of any member of His body.
Had to answer my own question - who is Rod Parsely?
"Exactly how Parsley purports to “help” the poor, both black and white, is evident in his practice of Word of Faith theology, also known as the “prosperity gospel.” Word of Faith is a nondenominational religious movement with no official church hierarchy or ordination procedures, which emphasizes the absolute prophetic authority of pastors, the imperative to make tithes and offerings to the church, and the power of an individual’s spoken word to lay claim to their spiritual and material desires. Purveyors of Word of Faith, like Parsley, teach their flock to “sow a seed” by donating money to the church, promising a “hundredfold” return. Word of Faith has been popularized, in large part, by the immense growth of TBN -- a nonprofit entity with a 24-7 lineup of regular evangelists and faith healers, including Parsley, assets of more than $600 million, and annual revenues approaching $200 million, making it the closest competitor to Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network"
tbn - Well that explains everything. next subject?
Who is Rod Parsley and what's more - who cares?
There are kooks everywhere that lay claim to the same creed that rational people do.
A perfect example is Al Sharpton and his cronies.
These morons may get media time - but don't make the mistake of believing that these self-proclaimed leaders are actually leading anyone.
They're only an embarassment to those they purport to represent.
As for the root of Mr. Parsley's problem? Bad theology. Another dominionist rears his ugly head and vies to play the pied piper to those who would be deceived.
If you've actually read the koran, researched the history of islam, and even absorbed the daily suicide massacres reported. Then perhaps you would also be as concerned about the evil and inhumane religion of Islam as Parsley. It is easy to remain oblivious about Islam's true nature which hides in, and behind a so called "moderate majority" which in reality strongly sympathises with and moderatly enables islam's militants to destroy culture after culture, village after villiage, without Islam's priciples ever being blames or held in account. Watch as Europe fades away under the very sharia law that they themselves ignorantly invited. And watch people like marty do nothing about it.
John 14:6
You forget though, Jesus said, "Those who live by the sword, will die by the sword" I do not know if Jesus advocated "pacifism" however it is clear that He is against using violence to protect or spread the faith. If we are called to follow Christ completely, then it should be obvious that Christ never attacked a single person in defense of Himself or the Faith. Though He did drive the merchants out of the Temple.
SweetBeloved,
Agreed, however Parsley did not make this clear. He should have made it clear, lest some weak in faith should be confused and strap a bomb to themselves in an attempt to destroy the "evil infidels" of Islam. I am 100% against Islam (believing it an evil perversion), and I desire that all of Islam should perish, but I am concerned about the lives and souls of Muslims.
msnchris,
I agree with everything you wrote, with one question, and a remark.
Question: In following the 10 commandments do you mean observing the Sabbath? Because most Christians don't. Sunday is not the Sabbath, it is the Lord's Day.
Remark: "Stop Contracepting in your marriages and be fruitful, so we can outnumber them through family discipleship." Interesting... and a good point. Muslims will soon overcome Europe because they have lots of babies and Christians don't.
msnchris 70,
Excellent plan. I affirm your witness. Keep up the good work. The most powerful force in the universe is love and prayer. I really believe that as Christians we need to start looking at the solutions to problems from God's perspective rather than our own. I remember a time in my own life that I thought all Christians were fools. As I look back now I can see how terribly deceived and confused I was. It was through the power of God's love and people that I did not even know who loved me and prayed for me that led me to the truth found only in Jesus Christ that led to my conversion. Thanks for posts I appreciate them.
Rod Parsley really makes me laugh. I thought we all wanted our Christian leaders to be Holy? Now, all we get is a bunch of egomaniacle motivational speakers who are richer than any Pope every was.
All Christians of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant background must not attack or hurt any Muslim. We must be a window to Christ with our love. If we must defend ourselves that is one thing, but enough with this pre-emptive garbage.
Here is a ten point plan to defeat Islam with the Joy of Christ:
1. If we are a Christian, then start acting like it which means living the Beatitudes and seek the Virtuous and Holy life.
2. Follow the 10 Commandments. (These are commandments not the 10 suggestions)
3. Pray for their conversion.
4. Pray for our conversion daily so that we are totally sold out for Christ.
5. Be Obediant to your Church leaders.
6. Stop Contracepting in your marriages and be fruitful, so we can outnumber them through family discipleship.
7. TITHE and Fast
8. Never miss Church and read the Bible EVERYDAY and Memorize it!
9. Seek UNITY in the entire Christian Church, so they will know that Jesus truly came by our unified witness.
10. Make disciples of all men by Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This will Crush Islam without slaying a person, and instead saving a soul.
Thank you for another interesting article Mr. Marty. God bless and keep you, dear Sir.
I believe the same question should be given to the other side.
What is the meaning of the worldwide caliphate and the large sword with green background?
Does it also include genocide of anybody refusing to convert to Islam?
The answer is a definite YES, and it is supported by verses in their Quran, Hadith and Sunnah.
And how would we Christian respond to that. With love and compassion the way Jesus told us.
We Christian in Indonesia are not pacifist, we fight our crusade but not in the way you might think. See that 9% is growing and we are converting Muslims to Christianity
Dear Martin Marty,
I am sad you had to sink to this!