Islam

The Council on American-Islamic Relations wants U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to stop utilizing an immigrations trainer that also works as a Christian missionary to Muslims in the Chicago area.

The Rev. Hicham Chehab says he was once a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but he now serves as both the head of the Chicagoland Lutheran Muslim Mission Association and as a trainer for government immigration officials, as reported by The Winchester Sun.

According to CAIR, Chehab previously taught an anti-terrorism course to the Army Reserve, and is supposed to speak to U.S. immigration officers at the end of this month. But CAIR thinks that Chehab's “bias” should disqualify him from these training sessions. more >>

A global petition drive to stop the execution of a Pakistani Christian woman who was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges was launched this week by a Christian persecution watchdog group.

Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) joined an existing petition drive that already collected more than 150,000 signatures from Christians in Pakistan to plead for the life and release of Asia Bibi, 45, a wife and mother of five.

If a current appeal of her case is rejected, Bibi would be the first woman to be executed under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Her death sentence was handed down nine months ago. She has been in prison for two years since the initial blasphamy charge. more >>

On Sunday, I record all the talk shows and watch them later in the day. One of the best interviewers (second only to Candy Crowley) is Chris Wallace. This week he asked Herman Cain an important question in light of Cain's early comments about Muslims in appointed office.

His comments concern me as I see other Christians with similar ideas. My concern is simple: what you "use" on Muslims now will probably be "used" on Christians later.

Fox News reported on the exchange: more >>

Southern Baptist leader Richard Land chided presidential candidate Herman Cain for disregarding the constitutional rights of U.S. Muslims during a Monday C-SPAN interview. He reminded Cain that as a Christian and an African American, he should have a special interest in the enforcement of the constitution in all communities, not just approving ones.

Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, addressed the businessman turned presidential candidate in a Monday broadcast saying, "Don't throw out the baby with the bath, Mr. Cain."

Last week, Cain told reporters that the plan to build the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro in Rutherford County, Tenn., is "an infringement and an abuse of our freedom of religion." He sided with community members who have protested the center saying the center is "another way to gradually sneak Sharia law into our laws." more >>

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain stands by communities that oppose the building of Mosques, deeming their plight constitutional.

Protests and counter protests struck The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro located outside of Nashville when a judge ruled that its planned construction did not harm local residents after they sued to prevent them from building.

“Our constitution guarantees separation of church and state. Islam combines church and state,” said Cain on Fox news Sunday. “They are using the Church part of our First Amendment to infuse their mosque in that community and the people in the community don’t like it, they disagree with it.” more >>

Herman Cain expressed his opposition to a proposed Tennessee mosque, rekindling the controversy surrounding its construction as well as sharia fears.

The presidential contender made it clear to reporters that he does not agree with the construction of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro.

"It is an infringement and an abuse of our freedom of religion," Cain said of the center's construction on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. more >>