Just a few items in the Islamic realm I wanted to take note of, but I will have to be brief. Polemics class looming, I’ll be at the Deep South Founder’s Conference the following week (even doing a debate there on the freedom or bondage of the will), and then off to the UK…much to do! So quickly….
Some may have seen the news coverage of this poster showing up in England. It is a tremendous example of the massive gulf of ignorance that exists between Christians and Muslims. Those who produced this item seriously think the degradation of Western Society is due to Christianity. How they cannot see that it is the abandonment of Christian values that leads to STDs, rape, etc., is truly beyond imagination. Such people are not thinking rationally, and it is often difficult to even attempt to reason with such people. But notice the conjunction of “claiming God has a Son” with “night clubs.” Truthful people do not think in such a muddled way, and one can hardly have much hope that the Muslims who produced this propaganda actually know what Christians believe about the sonship of Jesus Christ. But the muddled thinking represented in this kind of rhetoric should be of concern not only for Christians who have to endure such things, but it should likewise be a great concern to Muslim leaders who proclaim the need for honesty and accuracy in their own community’s preaching. To put it mildly, this is dawah that is repulsive rather than attractive.
So here is another image I was linked to that likewise focuses upon the ignorance of many Muslims about that which they so confidently abhor. The slanderous phrase “cross worshippers” is constant on the lips of many Muslims, but it is placed there in ignorance by their own religion, and again shows a horrific willingness to insult and degrade based upon arrogant ignorance.
While many of these people would continue to speak untruthfully even if corrected, I am still left to wonder how many have ever had any serious proclamation of the Lordship of Christ, our commitment to purity of worship, monotheism, etc.? Surely the idolatries of Rome lead to confusion that many evangelicals, hobbled by shallow theology and an unbiblical ecumenical spirit, struggle to dispel. Oh may the Lord raise up a mighty army of witnesses who will with clarity confess that we do not worship the cross, we worship the Lord who endured the wrath due to us on that cross, was buried, and rose again the third day, Lord of all, Lord of life, Lord of salvation!
Finally, one of the blogs I follow in my RSS feeds is called Muslim Matters. Today this article appeared: The Lives and Stories of Ergun “Mehmet” Caner. I have lost track of how many times I have pointed to the fact that Ergun Caner’s refusal to openly and honestly admit his lies and exaggerations (along with the willful assistance he has received in continuing to refuse such repentance, given by such men as Norman Geisler) is not only a blight upon Christian apologetics in general, but is well known in the Muslim community, and in particular in what is known as the “Dawah” community, those who seek to evangelize/refute Christians. This article makes that point rather plainly, written, as it is, from a Muslim perspective. I was even mentioned briefly, and have submitted a comment to correct the impression given in the article (relating to why I would be involved in calling for Caner’s confession and repentance). Clearly, Liberty University considers this a dead issue, as Caner is back to a full time teaching schedule in the Spring, even teaching a class on Eastern Religions! They are counting on the short attention span of evangelicals, and, they are probably right that “nobody cares” anymore. Well, nobody in their circle. Meanwhile, the Muslims laugh. Thanks, Ergun. You too, Norm.
