Post by Paddy by Grace on Sept 4, 2008 18:56:47 GMT -7
Evangelical Leaders Come Under Fire For Pledge Of Common Cause with Islam
I need to interupt and respond in this one
www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000006202.cfm
An attempt by leaders of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) to win friends and influence Muslims is alienating another group; evangelical Christians.
Reactions have been negative and strong. Islam expert Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo has called it a "betrayal" and a "sellout." Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary (Southern Baptist), termed it "naivet" that borders on dishonesty.
Others are just beginning to hear of it. In November, NAE President Leith Anderson and NAE Vice President Richard Cizik signed onto a Christian response to an invitation to dialogue from 138 Muslim leaders around the world.
Their response, initiated by Yale Divinity School and endorsed by other liberal Christian leaders. apologized for the sins of Christians during the Crusades, Here's where I gotta interupt. I am getting so sick of having some "moron" who thinks he's a leader speaking for all of Christianity, apologise to the muslims for our "sins during the Crusades." First of all, none of us were around during the Crusades, so you'll get NO apology from me. If you Muslims want an apology for the Crusades so bad, go dig up the "crusaders" and demand one, (lot's of luck on that one). Second, the Crusades began in response to muslim agression in Europe and it was Pope Urban II that called for the war. There were atrocities that happened during the crusades, yes, as there is in every war. This was ultimately a Catholic war, so go after the Catholics and leave us Christians alone, (Yeah, remember the "reformation"?) I know that there are some Catholics that read this forum and I am probably going to make you angry, and if I do, too bad. Catholics are not Christians in my book! They have perverted everything about Christianity. You people want to apologise for the Catholics and what they did, go ahead but leave me out of it. I have never been a Catholic and WILL NEVER be one thank you very much. and for "excesses" of the global war on terror, without mentioning Muslim atrocities. It appeared to leave the fundamentals of Christianity, especially the deity of Christ, open for discussion. Excesses??? I can think of 1400 years of excesses from muslims, how about apologising for all of those???
It even seemed to acknowledge Allah as the God of the Bible. "Before we shake your hand, in responding to your letter," it stated, "we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world."
The very name of the Muslim communiqu� A Common Word between Us and You, is from a verse in the Quran that condemns "people of the Scripture" (Christians) for alleged polytheism (the doctrine of the Trinity).
Mohler said the agreement "sends the wrong signal" and contains basic theological problems, especially in "marginalizing" Jesus Christ. He also condemned the apology for the Crusades.
"I just have to wonder how intellectually honest this is," he said. "Are these people suggesting that they wish the military conflict with Islam had ended differently, that Islam had conquered Europe?"
Neither Anderson nor Cizik could be reached for comment. On the NAE Web site, Anderson asserts he signed the letter as a private individual, although he is identified as NAE president. He also seems to acknowledge problems with the statement.
"Sometimes we all sign onto things that are not all that we would like them to be," Anderson wrote. "Even after we write and say our own words, we discover that we wish we had done better."
Gary Bauer, president of the Campaign for Working Families, told CitizenLink the NAE leaders "have left the (card) table without their pants, that is, they've been taken and may not even realize they've been taken."
Bauer said he already was dismayed by the NAE�s recent controversial excursions into questionable areas such as global warming.
"Many of us have been concerned about the NAE getting into all sorts of areas where it has had no previous expertise," Bauer said. "And now, I'm afraid, I see signs that they're going down the same road that the National Council of Churches is going."
The National Council of Churches has embraced liberal causes and is affiliated with ultra-liberal groups, such as MoveOn.org and People For the American Way.
Sookhdeo called for Christian leaders who signed the letter to withdraw their names, saying the confession of guilt puts Christian communities in Muslim areas of the world at risk.
"I find it difficult to understand how senior evangelical leaders in the West can join hands with other Christians who actually are betraying the Christian faith (and) their Christian brothers and sisters in the Muslim world," he said.
I need to interupt and respond in this one
www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000006202.cfm
An attempt by leaders of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) to win friends and influence Muslims is alienating another group; evangelical Christians.
Reactions have been negative and strong. Islam expert Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo has called it a "betrayal" and a "sellout." Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary (Southern Baptist), termed it "naivet" that borders on dishonesty.
Others are just beginning to hear of it. In November, NAE President Leith Anderson and NAE Vice President Richard Cizik signed onto a Christian response to an invitation to dialogue from 138 Muslim leaders around the world.
Their response, initiated by Yale Divinity School and endorsed by other liberal Christian leaders. apologized for the sins of Christians during the Crusades, Here's where I gotta interupt. I am getting so sick of having some "moron" who thinks he's a leader speaking for all of Christianity, apologise to the muslims for our "sins during the Crusades." First of all, none of us were around during the Crusades, so you'll get NO apology from me. If you Muslims want an apology for the Crusades so bad, go dig up the "crusaders" and demand one, (lot's of luck on that one). Second, the Crusades began in response to muslim agression in Europe and it was Pope Urban II that called for the war. There were atrocities that happened during the crusades, yes, as there is in every war. This was ultimately a Catholic war, so go after the Catholics and leave us Christians alone, (Yeah, remember the "reformation"?) I know that there are some Catholics that read this forum and I am probably going to make you angry, and if I do, too bad. Catholics are not Christians in my book! They have perverted everything about Christianity. You people want to apologise for the Catholics and what they did, go ahead but leave me out of it. I have never been a Catholic and WILL NEVER be one thank you very much. and for "excesses" of the global war on terror, without mentioning Muslim atrocities. It appeared to leave the fundamentals of Christianity, especially the deity of Christ, open for discussion. Excesses??? I can think of 1400 years of excesses from muslims, how about apologising for all of those???
It even seemed to acknowledge Allah as the God of the Bible. "Before we shake your hand, in responding to your letter," it stated, "we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world."
The very name of the Muslim communiqu� A Common Word between Us and You, is from a verse in the Quran that condemns "people of the Scripture" (Christians) for alleged polytheism (the doctrine of the Trinity).
Mohler said the agreement "sends the wrong signal" and contains basic theological problems, especially in "marginalizing" Jesus Christ. He also condemned the apology for the Crusades.
"I just have to wonder how intellectually honest this is," he said. "Are these people suggesting that they wish the military conflict with Islam had ended differently, that Islam had conquered Europe?"
Neither Anderson nor Cizik could be reached for comment. On the NAE Web site, Anderson asserts he signed the letter as a private individual, although he is identified as NAE president. He also seems to acknowledge problems with the statement.
"Sometimes we all sign onto things that are not all that we would like them to be," Anderson wrote. "Even after we write and say our own words, we discover that we wish we had done better."
Gary Bauer, president of the Campaign for Working Families, told CitizenLink the NAE leaders "have left the (card) table without their pants, that is, they've been taken and may not even realize they've been taken."
Bauer said he already was dismayed by the NAE�s recent controversial excursions into questionable areas such as global warming.
"Many of us have been concerned about the NAE getting into all sorts of areas where it has had no previous expertise," Bauer said. "And now, I'm afraid, I see signs that they're going down the same road that the National Council of Churches is going."
The National Council of Churches has embraced liberal causes and is affiliated with ultra-liberal groups, such as MoveOn.org and People For the American Way.
Sookhdeo called for Christian leaders who signed the letter to withdraw their names, saying the confession of guilt puts Christian communities in Muslim areas of the world at risk.
"I find it difficult to understand how senior evangelical leaders in the West can join hands with other Christians who actually are betraying the Christian faith (and) their Christian brothers and sisters in the Muslim world," he said.