Apologetics that makes a real difference

[Dominus Fidelis]

Interesting article...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0204/p01s04-wome.html

Islamic cleric challenges extremist Muslims to theological duels using the Koran. The terrorist must show with Scripture that they are justified in killing civilians. If he wins, they must renounce violence. If they win, he will join them in their terrorist jihad.

So far about 300 hundered former extremists have renounced violence and have been released to live in peace in Yemen.

Wow.

 

[seebs]

What stuns me is the number of people who have incredulously asked me if I think we should talk to terrorists. It is a crying shame that so many Christians don't have the kind of faith that extends to trusting their faith to be persuasive.

I find this story really, really, amazing. It's as though the things we believe are true.

The Onion reported on something related. (Link is not to the Onion, it's an old article.)

edit: p.s.: Great minds think alike.

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

What are we supposed to do with terrorists, anyway? Talk to them?

Silly seebs...don't you know that they are smelly infidels with horns and tails sticking out of their backsides? We aren't supposed to love them, let alone talk to them!

What next? Feeding the hungry, to make them less hungry?

Nope! Let them die so as to decrease the surplus population!

 

[krstlros]

Interesting article...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0204/p01s04-wome.html

Islamic cleric challenges extremist Muslims to theological duels using the Koran. The terrorist must show with Scripture that they are justified in killing civilians. If he wins, they must renounce violence. If they win, he will join them in their terrorist jihad.

So far about 300 hundered former extremists have renounced violence and have been released to live in peace in Yemen.

Wow.

Interesting.

 

[Rising_Suns]

What stuns me is the number of people who have incredulously asked me if I think we should talk to terrorists. It is a crying shame that so many Christians don't have the kind of faith that extends to trusting their faith to be persuasive

All too many Christians today would rather point the finger rather than focus on building muslims up in faith in Christ and love. That's why I had to take a break from posting on Christianity.com, which is a Protestant-only forum. It's this elitist exclusionary mindset, and not even Catholics are totally exempt from it.

Remember when Paul visited Athens and saw all the idols that the people were worshipping? What did he say after they mocked him? Did he go around telling them that their religion is evil and that they are condemned to hell?

"While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the Godfearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. " [Acts 17:22]


Paul's approach is exactly in line with the Church's approach today; he saw that every religion--even those with false idols--are in search of truth and contain some element of truth within them, and he focussed on this and what united them, and built his speech from this persepctive to bring the good new to them.

 

[faerieevaH]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Rising_Suns again.

 

[seebs]

There was an absolutely terrifying thread a while back in one of the politics forums on whether or not people would talk to a terrorist, given the chance.

It was, quite simply, probably the most horrifying thing I've seen in my entire life.

 

[krstlros]

We tend to forget that terrorists come in all shapes, sizes and religions. Fanaticism is not restricted to one religion.

 

[D'Ann]

Wow, that was an interesting article... Maybe Hitar should go to Iraq and Iran and other Middle Eastern Countries and convey his message to them too.

God's Peace,

D'Ann

 

[krstlros]

If only we could all talk to each other in such a way, maybe there wouldn't be so much war and violence around the world.

Isn't anyone else tired of trying to make God on their side when God doesn't take sides? I sure am.

People using God to justify their sinful actions is sinful in itself.

 

[seebs]

People using God to justify their sinful actions is sinful in itself.

... but God TOLD me to justify my sinful actions by misquoting Him!

 

[D'Ann]

... but God TOLD me to justify my sinful actions by misquoting Him!

LOL That's really funny.

D'Ann

 

[boughtwithaprice]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Rising_Suns again.

don't worry, I got him RS made a great post. Even we Catholics are not immune from elitism. Start a thread on ecumenism and see what happens

then again, you might not see it, cause the thread would get deleted or closed again



Keep praying We need great apologists to challenge us to live the truth of christianity, just as much as we want to challenge others

 

[D'Ann]

If only we could all talk to each other in such a way, maybe there wouldn't be so much war and violence around the world.

Isn't anyone else tired of trying to make God on their side when God doesn't take sides? I sure am.

People using God to justify their sinful actions is sinful in itself.

Amen and Amen.

D'Ann