Security Boosted at Churches in Indonesia Over Christmas

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Tens of thousands of police officers will guard churches across the world's most populous Muslim country over the Christmas period, amid concerns that Al Qaeda-linked militants could carry out attacks, police said Monday.

The regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah has been blamed for annual strikes in Indonesia since 2000, when a series of coordinated bombings killed 19 people on Christmas Eve. An attack on a Christian market last New Year's Eve killed seven.

More than 18,000 police will be posted at thousands of churches and religious sites in the capital, Jakarta, said police spokesman Col. Ketut Untung Yoga.

For Full Story go here:

O, Muslim Town Of Bethlehem

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (ANS) -- "All is quiet in Bethlehem. On Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity stands in the pale gloom of dusk, its doors open to passing pilgrims.

"But inside, the nave is empty of visitors and the collection boxes depleted of coins.

"In the candlelit grotto downstairs, a silver star marks the spot where Jesus is supposed to have been born.

"It is one of the most sacred sites in Christendom, but there are no tourists queuing to see it."

This is the start of a story carried on the UK website,

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/home/

It goes on to say that just 500 yards down the road, Joseph Canawati is not looking forward to Christmas.
The expansive lobby of his 77-room Hotel Alexander is empty and he says: "There is no hope for the future of the Christian community.

"We don't think things are going to get better. For us, it is finished."
Read more :
www.assistnews.net/

CHURCH OPENING BLOCKED BY AUTHORITIES IN EGYPT.

Pakistan Christian Post

Local authorities in Sheikh Zied City, 15 km north of Cairo are opposed to a newly built church and have gone to extreme lengths to disrupt the official opening.

Prayers of dedication for the church were due to be held in early July at an official celebration of the church's opening; however on that very day the authorities cut off the electricity and water to the building and even barricaded all the roads leading to the church. Each road had a deep trench dug across it with a correspondingly high bank alongside.

The congregation had decided to construct a building which looked like an office on the outside, though like a church on the inside. This decision had been reached because they were aware that it would be extremely difficult for them to get official authorisation through the correct channels.

In addition to the normal permission, Egyptian law requires presidential approval to build a new church. This comes from a nineteenth century Ottoman regulation, and is known as the Hamayouni Decree. It is a slow bureaucratic process, which can take many years, and does not always result in success. To repair or renovate a church permission must be sought from local governors.

Whilst this is less bureaucratic local governors are more prone to prejudice against Christians.

The Church in Egypt is often faced with the dilemma of either not applying for official permission, or having no building at all.

PRAY

Pray that the local authorities will have a change of heart and allow the building to function as a church.

Pray for a change in the restrictive law governing church buildings to enable Christians to erect the churches they need.

First communion in Mosul, where shots became “fireworks”

The Chaldean parish priest of the Church of the Holy Spirit talks about the celebration of the first Holy Communion of 80 children while the city was struck by car bombs and shooting. “United, we pray for peace in Iraq and also in Lebanon and the rest of the world.”

IRAQ,Mosul (AsiaNews) – Joy and terror sometimes coexist in Iraq where the population is now resigned to daily life amid mortar shots and suicide bombs. This is how the Christians of Mosul, the city’s third largest country, will remember 4 August: as a day of “immense joy” and “terrible panic”. Violent clashes marked the Friday when 80 children of the Chaldean parish of the Holy Spirit received their first Holy Communion. The young parish priest, Fr Ragheed Ganni, told AsiaNews how he turned gunshots into fireworks not to spoil this special day of celebration.

“We started our celebration at 7.30am,” he said. “The church was packed and everybody was so happy. Suddenly we heard explosions and shots close to the church. Although people are used to it and remained reasonably calm, they started to wonder whether they were going to make it back to their homes or not. I was aware of the immense joy of the 80 children receiving their first Communion so I turned the subject into a joke and said to them: ‘Do not panic, these are fire works. The city is celebrating with us.’ And at the same time I gave them instructions to leave the church quietly and quickly.”

More...

Pakistan: bulldozers demolish church

The Christian community of Multan has protested against the demolition of a church by a fertilizer industry that wants to “expand”. A nearby mosque was spared.

Multan (AsiaNews) – The Christian community of Multan in the central province of Punjab has protested against the allegedly illegal demolition of a church. According to local media, on 4 August, around 150 Christians protested against the Pak-Arab Fertilizers Limited factory that razed a Protestant church to the ground. The protesters blocked the Multan-Lahore road for a couple of hours after burning used tyres. They were demanding the opening of a judicial inquiry against the ‘culprits’.

Shahbaz Bhatti, chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), condemned the “brutal” demolition of the church and demanded stern legal action against those responsible. Bhatti said the court was on the point of issuing an order not to go ahead with the demolition but the management of the factory went ahead: “They were not authorized to raze the church.”

The APMA chairman said a mosque standing close by the church was not even touched. “Only the church, a symbol of the vulnerability of the Christian minority, fell victim to the intolerance of these industrialists.”

More...

Christian Stone Mason Beaten For Drinking Water From Public Facility

By Sheraz Khurram Khan

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A Christian stone mason received critical injuries, including dislocation of his shoulder after he was seen drinking water from a public facility, by a Muslim man on June 6 (Tuesday) just outside the eastern city of Lahore, the Pakistan Christian Post (PCP) has reported.

Nasir Ashraf, the Christian mason was working at the construction site of a school. The trouble for him began while he was returning to the site. Confronting him with anger the Muslim man asked him as to why he drank water from the public facility by using a glass that was placed at the water tank.

“Why did you drink water from this glass since you are a Christian?” the PCP quoted the Muslim man as asking Nasir.

“The man accused the mason of polluting the glass and proceeded to destroy it. The Muslim man then summoned a crowd by shouting, “This Christian polluted our glass,” and encouraged them to beat him up”, the PCP report said.

“The crowd began beating Nasir, eventually pushing him off a ledge. The fall dislocated his shoulder, broke his collarbone in two places and knocked him unconscious,” it said.

A Growing Number of Iranian Women Are Being Prepared to Be Executed by Public Stoning

A 37 year old woman by the name of Ashraf Kalhori is scheduled to be publicly stoned in two weeks.

More here:
www.news.faithfreedom.org

Lawyers and human rights organizations are pleading for the life of Asharf Kalhori, accused of adultery and condemned to be stoned. The regime aggravates cruel death penalties to create more tension with the west.

More here:
www.asianews.it

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE ASHRAF'S LIFE

“Heart full of sorrow”, pope urges prayer and effective action in Middle East

At a special audience for ministrants, Benedict XVI condemned the massacre in Qana and the “spilling of innocent blood from whichever part it comes”. He called on 35,000 altar servers to be “witnesses” of nearness to Jesus, and to heed calls to the priesthood.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – With “a heart full of sorrow” and the “chilling images of mangled bodies of so many people, especially children,” before his eyes, Benedict XVI appealed once again for prayers “for the dear, martyred region of the Middle East”, for more effective commitment from the international community for an “immediate cessation of all hostilities” and for “conditions for a definitive political solution to the crisis”.

Recalling in particular the massacre in Qana in Lebanon, the pope said: “I wish to repeat that nothing can justify the spilling of innocent blood, no matter from which part it comes!”

Benedict XVI emphasized that only a “definitive political solution to the crisis” will be capable of “delivering a more serene and safe future for generations to come”.

For the full article go to : www.asianews.it

Korean evangelicals defy bans to march for peace in Kabul

Despite objections from Seoul and the Afghan government, the march is set to take place from 5 to 8 August. The South Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry has dispatched an emergency team to Afghanistan.

Kabul (AsiaNews) – Around 1,000 South Korean evangelical Christians are currently in Afghanistan to take part in a “peace march” scheduled to be held from 5 to 8 August in Kabul. The event has been organized despite advice to the contrary and concern expressed by the Afghan and Korean governments.

The rally is being organized by the Institute of Asian Culture and Development (IACD), a religious-cultural umbrella organization of 900 Protestant denominations. This is the same group that held the “Jerusalem 2004” march in the holy city to call for “peace through prayer between Israelis and Palestinians”.

The Foreign Affairs Minister of Seoul has sought “in all ways” to convince the organizers to drop the rally. His Afghan counterpart even forbade visas to South Koreans asking to enter the country. An official of the Kabul government said: “This is a Muslim nation and the presence of Christian activists could offend many people. We have told the organizers but they are not listening to us.”

For the full article go to: www.asianews.it

Bangalore: Christians pray against religious persecution

by Nirmala Carvalho

This meeting is the first of its kind in the country. Participants include seven widows whose lost their husbands to violent persecution and over 150 pastors who are victims of it now.

Bangalore (AsiaNews) – India’s “persecuted” Christians are meeting today in Bangalore for the first ecumenical meeting “of prayer and testimony” in the nation’s history. The participants include seven widows whose husbands were killed for their faith and over 150 pastors who have been, or still are, persecuted for their faith in Christianity. The theme of the meeting is: "Thorns…and a crown".

For the full article go to: www.asianews.it

A new regional conflict brews in the Horn of Africa.

By Ed Beavan

AS THE crisis in the Middle East dominates the headlines it is easy to forget there are other regions in the world where tensions are close to boiling point that could easily escalate into full-blown war.

With daily updates on the conflict between Israel and Lebanon on our TV screens, you could be forgiven for not knowing that Somalia, a country situated in the Horn of Africa with a long history of internal strife and instability, is on the brink of war with its neighbour Ethiopia.

The route from independence
Somalia, which borders Ethiopia and Kenya, has a population of around 10 million people and has been blighted by years of civil war, famine and drought leading to the death of a million of its inhabitants.

Somalia became independent from British rule in 1960, but has been without an effective government for almost 15 years after the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991. Lawlessness has been rife during that period with rival clans waging war against one another, while in the early 1990s the north-west of the country declared itself the self-proclaimed the state of Somaliland, and has since enjoyed a period of relative stability.
Somalia is almost 99.9 per cent Muslim and the small number of Christians in Somalia have been heavily persecuted with many being killed.

Dr Khataza Gondwe, Advocacy Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa for the Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) Group, is keeping a close eye on the situation in Somalia, and said: “I don’t think Somalia has been forgotten about as there is still the al-Qaeda angle which means it is always on the agenda, but it’s a place people don’t want to get involved in because there is so much lawlessness, and after the failure of the previous American intervention.
“At the moment is it extremely worrying, things are bubbling up and it’s hard to see a solution, as the Islamic Courts have such momentum and object to an EU or UN peace force, while the transitional government is so weak.”

Persecution widespread
Dr Gondwe also explained the horrific situation for Somalian Christians, many of whom have fled to Kenya because of the high levels of persecution. She said: “The situation for Christians is awful, the one thing Somalians agree on is ‘let’s kill Christians’.

“Any Somalian who claims to be a Christian is an apostate, and Christians face serious persecution or death. “ Only recently we heard about three Christians who were shot dead as they came back from an international prayer meeting in Mogadishu. “Meanwhile a Christian family had their house set on fire, with the mother and daughter who survived suffering serious burns.

For full article go to : www.churchnewspaper.com

Prayer Request for Persecuted Christians

Mrs. Ratna, Mrs. Eti and Dr. Rebekka
Indonesia
Arrested: May 2005
Days Imprisoned: 443

"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisners,and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." ---Hebrews 13:3,NIV

Hundreds of men and women are in prison serving sentences that range from a few months to life. They are not criminals who have robbed or murdered other citizens but Christians who were put on trial for their faith in Christ and found guilty.

Through extreme pressure and threats against witnesses, the accused, the judges and the courts to ensure favorable verdicts, such as in the case against three ladies, Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun, running a Sunday School called “Happy Sunday” where on September 1, 2005 , they were found guilty in the Indramayu Court, West Java, of “deceitful conduct, a series of lies and enticements to seduce children to change their religion against their wills”. Their crime was to run a Sunday School in an area infested with prostitution. The Sunday School began as part of the local church program for the Christian children.

One elderly Muslim women, a former prostitute whose daughter was also a prostitute, did not want her grandchildren to go down the same path, asked the three ladies to accept her grandchildren in their program. They accepted. These children told other children what a great time they were having. More Muslim children came. The three ladies told them they had to have family permission which they obtained.

Once the radical Islamic Council (MUI) heard about it they had the ladies put in prison.

Each court session they trucked in hundreds of young radicals, many who carried weapons into the court, even took over the court threatened witnesses, the accused and the judges. They even brought a coffin to the court and said that if they did not get a satisfactory verdict then they would take over, dispense Islamic justice and bury the women. They were duly convicted and have now begun a three year term of imprisonment. This is terrorism of the judicial process and a perversion of justice.
The irony of this case is that the women launched the “Happy Sunday” children’s program in September of 2003, in response to a request by a local elementary school for assistance to meet legal requirements to comply with the National Education System Bill.

TRIAL -VIDEO

Please pray for protection and spiritual strength for Mrs. Ratna, Mrs. Eti and Dr. Rebekka while they are in prison.

Over the last several years there have been over 150 churches destroyed or closed down in Jakarta and throughout the island of Java. From May to July ,2005 , there have been 60 churches closed down, mainly in West Java. This escalation is part of the process to implement Islamic Shariah Law. In this recent escalation, samurai wielding Islamic radicals, accompanied by Government officials and Police, and with letters of authority from the Mayor and Chief of Police have broken into churches in the middle of services, demanded the pastor stop preaching and ordering him and the congregation out of the church and forcing the pastor to sign a statement that the building would no longer be used for Church services.

Indonesian Province Embraces Islamic Law

BANDA ACEH,(Indonesia) — Across this most religious of Indonesia’s provinces, brown uniformed policemen in black wagons enforce Shariah, or Islamic law. They haul unmarried couples into precincts and arrest people for drinking or gambling. Increasingly, many of the cases are pushed to the ultimate conclusion, public canings at mosques in front of pumped-up crowds.

In mid-July, a 27-year-old man sentenced to 40 lashes fainted on the seventh stroke of a rattan cane from a hooded man in the yard of a mosque here in the provincial capital.

The caning was televised nationally, with an announcer reporting that the man, who had been arrested for drinking at a beachside stall, would receive the remainder of his punishment once he had recovered.

Battered by the Asian tsunami 19 months ago, Aceh is undergoing a profound transformation that is likely to have considerable impact on the nature of Islam in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country.
For full article go to: www.nytimes.com

Appeal for Mideast Peace

"So That They Immediately Put Down Their Weapons"

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, (Zenit.org.) - Here is a translation of the prepared text of the address Benedict XVI gave today before reciting the midday Angelus with the people who gathered at the summer papal residence in Castel Gandolfo.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Two days ago, my stay in the Aosta Valley finished, I came directly here to Castel Gandolfo, where I intend to remain until the end of the summer, with a brief interruption in September for the apostolic visit to Bavaria. I wish, first of all, to address my affectionate greetings to the ecclesial and civil community of this beautiful town, where I am always happy to come to.

I cordially thank the bishop of Albano, the parish and the priests, as well as the mayor and municipal administration and the other civil authorities. A special thought goes to the directorate and personnel of the pontifical villa, as well as to the police, whom I thank for their valuable service.

Moreover, I greet the many pilgrims who, with their warm presence, contribute to making evident, also in the homier atmosphere of this summer residence, the universal ecclesial dimension of this, our appointment for the Marian prayer.

In this moment I cannot help think of the situation, ever more grave and more tragic, that the Middle East is going through: hundreds of dead, many wounded, a huge number of the homeless and refugees; houses, towns and infrastructure destroyed; meanwhile, hatred and the desire for revenge grow in the hearts of many.

These facts demonstrate clearly that you cannot re-establish justice, establish a new order and build authentic peace when you resort to instruments of violence.

For full article go to ZENIT.ORG

Bombs Silence Catholic Radio in Lebanon

BEIRUT, Lebanon, (Zenit.org.) - Radio MNS, an Arabic Catholic radio station, was one of the many means of communication recently silenced by Israeli bombs in Lebanon.

"The station functioned without interruption since its creation 12 years ago," said the radio's founder, Marie Sylvie Buisson, in statements to ZENIT.

Radio MNS was partially destroyed by bombs Sunday of last week, as were numerous Lebanese means of communication.

Buisson explained that the radio had broadcast prayer and the Mass in Arabic 14 hours a day, and "covered Lebanon, Syria, southern Turkey, eastern Iraq, northern Palestine and Jordan."

She said that she hopes that, after the current crisis in Lebanon ends, the radio will find financial support "to begin again its apostolate, which makes the Word of Christ present in this delicate region of the world."

The radio station, whose president is Melkite-Greek Archbishop Joseph Kallas of Beirut and Jbeil, has the approval of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon.

IRAN: ANOTHER BELIEVER ARRESTED

By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
Special to ASSIST News Service

AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- On 24 July, an Iranian Christian named Issa Motamadi was imprisoned on account of his faith. French internet news site VoxDei reports that Issa Motamadi, a resident of the north-western town of Resht, the capital of Gilan Province, will soon stand trial before a Revolutionary Tribunal. (Link 1)

Sources with knowledge of the situation request prayer for Issa, his wife Parvah – both converts to Christianity – and their young son. They also appeal to human rights and religious liberty organisations, and request that they intercede for Issa Motamadi to their Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

While Issa Motamadi has been accused of apostasy, it is likely that a non-religious charge will eventually be leveled against him in order to prevent accusations of religious persecution. Article 23 of Iran's Constitution states: "The investigation of individuals' beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief." (Link 2)

Allegedly, Issa and Parvah came to the attention of the authorities around seven months ago when they decided to give their newborn son a Biblical, Christian name. Sources explain that this is interpreted as a sign of irrevocable rupture with Islam as it demonstrates that the child is born to Christian parents, to be identified as Christian from birth – he is one who cannot be accused of apostasy.

According to reports, Mr Baghani, a secret service official with responsibilities for minorities, advised that Issa should renounce his faith and return to Islam, for only then will he be free. He said the judge will not accept any other solution. He also intimated that it may take several executions before Iranians actually comprehend the reality of the consequences of apostasy.

There have been rumors that the authorities may also move to arrest Parvah and falsely accuse her of drug trafficking. Issa's mother, who is not a Christian, is deeply traumatised by these events. The family is in desperate need of a lawyer courageous enough to advocate with conviction for Issa and Parvah's constitutional religious rights.

There is great concern that President Ahmadinejad may escalate persecution of Christians, especially converts, while the conflict in the Levant absorbs the world's attention.

Those appealing for advocacy for the Motamadis would like Iran's leaders to be reminded that 14 centuries ago a group of fugitive Muslims fled persecution from the Quraysh in Mecca to seek refuge in Christian Abyssinia (Ethiopia). In Abyssinia the Muslim refugees appealed to the Negus (Emperor) for asylum and religious liberty on the grounds of what they said were the affinities between Islam and the Abrahamic religions. Their cause was heard and the Negus refused to hand the Muslims over to the Quraysh, even though the Quraysh offered prolific bribes and gifts. So the Muslims lived in Christian Abyssinia under the protection of the Christian Negus, in peace and with full religious liberty.

The Abyssinian experience is repeated widely around the world today. For example, multitudes of Shiite Muslims who fled persecution in Iraq during the rule of Saddam Hussein have found both refuge and religious liberty in the "Christian" West.

Yet today, Issa Motamadi is holed up in an Islamic prison in Rasht, wrongfully accused and separated from his family and loved ones simply on account of his devotion to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Creator of the world.

www.assistnews.net

Christians in Nigeria plan a 50 million people march

JESUS DAY, instead of boxing day. This is how it should be!!! :)

By By Paul Okwuobi – Corresponding Assistant to Dr. Herbert Eze
Special for ASSIST News Service

LAGOS, NIGERIA (ANS) -- December 26, is known as boxing day all over the world. But that date may no longer be known by Christians in Nigeria as boxing day, rather it will be regarded as JESUS DAY, if the plan for a JESUS 50 Million People March every December 26 succeeds. This march is being organized by World Rescue Ministries International (WORMINT). It is hoped that every church that calls the name Jesus will participate in the nation wide marching.

This kind of event has some similarities in the past though not exactly in the form of marching. Another difference is that this time the anticipated number of participants has swelled, making the planning more elaborate and painstaking. Pictured: a cross- section of some Christians in Lagos during a special event.

In 1984, the visioner of WORMINT, Prince Ben Ukadike received a revelation from the Lord as to the power in the name JESUS. In response, he produced stickers inscribed with the name JESUS and also made several billboards bearing the name JESUS. Those were sited at strategic locations all over Lagos.

Speaking during a recent press briefing at the International Press Center, Lagos, Nigeria Ukadike enthusiastically revealed that he shared the vision with the late Rev. Dr. Odunaike, former General Overseer of Four Square Gospel Church in Nigeria. That led to the kick-starting of a project known as UNITED JESUS EASTER RALLY (UJER). The rally brought Christians of various chosen centers all over Nigeria. There were ten such centers in Lagos alone.

Christian bodies such as Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and prominent Christian leaders including the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa were involved with the rallies. It held on Easter Mondays, and culminated in the shouting of the name JESUS into the air at the various rally centers throughout the country at exactly 12 noon.

Christians in Nigeria are imagining and discussing what it would look like if 50 million people wear JESUS T-Shirts, JESUS caps and carry JESUS flag. The name JESUS would be inscribed in red color against a white background. In Lagos, former capital city of Nigeria, for example, cars and buses with the sticker – JESUS is fast becoming a common sight. To compliment these are the JESUS banners, JESUS vehicles, JESUS T.V. slots, JESUS radio shouts, JESUS newspaper slots and JESUS Internet pop ups. And this looks like evangelism strategy unprecedented, besides the unity that this development would definitely foster amongst the various church denominations in Nigeria.

Great Idea!!! :)

For full article go to:
www.assistnews.net

US ark builder hopes to visit Christchurch's ark

By John McNeil of Challenge Weekly, New Zealand
Special to ASSIST News Service

CHRISTCHURCH, NZ (ANS) -- An American pastor who is building a full-scale Noah’s Ark at his church hopes to visit the Christchurch couple who have completed theirs.

Richard Greene began his project in 1976 in the small town of Frostburg, Maryland, after a series of dreams in which he saw a large ark located on a hillside and people coming from all over the world to visit it.

The ark is being built to the specifications of Noah’s original – 137m long, 23m wide, and 13m high. Once completed, it will house a Christian school, Bible college, 1500-seat auditorium, conference facilities, a Noah’s Ark historical room, counselling centre, and facilities for radio and television.

Two things Pastor Greene has in common with the original Noah is the length of time the project is occupying, and the mocking of passers-by.

More here: www.assistnews.net

One Ethiopian Man Found the Lord Through Music

Mohamed* (26), his whole family and every member of his tribe used to belong to the Islamic religion. At the age of fifteen, Mohamed* was able to recite the Qur’an - that meant that he was not allowed to change to another religion.

Everyone he knew was proud of him, yet he could not rid himself of an empty feeling that he carried around within himself.

True to the Ethiopian culture, Mohamed* had great appreciation for all kinds of music and singing, but he found that the Islamic music bored him. Somehow Mohamed* came in contact with Christian music and his heart was touched by it. He secretly sneaked away on Sundays to attend Christian celebration services. The fellowship that accompanied the music moved Mohamed*.

None of the Christians who attended these celebration services paid much attention to Mohamed*, therefore none of them shared the Gospel with him. God merely touched Mohamed’s* heart through music.

During one of these services, the Holy Spirit moved him, an altar call was made and he got up to make the ultimate decision.

Mohamed* was one of seven children and the eldest son.

His family and friends noticed some changes in Mohamed’s* life and they confronted him. Once they learned that Mohamed* converted to Christ, they tried to kill him and he had to flee.

For the full article go to:
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/

Survey: Indonesians for religious violence

An Indonesian survey indicates more than 40 percent of people in the country are ready to use violence against those seen as threatening Islam.
The results of the survey by the Center for Islamic and Social Studies, or PPIM, showed 0.1 percent of respondents admitted participating in attacking Christian churches operating without official license, while 1.3 percent had used "intimidation" against those they believed blasphemed Islam.
"The percentage looks very small, but it is very high in its real figure when you note that 85 percent, or 200 million, of the country's 230 million population are Muslims," The Jakarta Post Friday quoted PPIM researcher Jajat Burhanudin as saying.

The study involved 1,200 subjects in 30 of Indonesia's 33 provinces, and was conducted between 2001 and 2006.
According to the results, 43.5 percent were ready to wage war against threatening non-Muslims, 40 percent would use violence against blasphemers, while 14.7 percent said they would tear down churches without permits.
"This condition has helped terrorists easily recruit new comrades and makes the country a fertile ground for sectarian radiclism," Burhanudin said.
He said a study on the reasons for the attitudes found that Islamic teachings and Islamicism contributed significantly to domestic and public violence in Indonesia, something which other scholars denied.
"The more Muslims give their support for certain Islamic teachings legitimizing the use of violence, the more violence will happen," he said.
Burhanudin said that between 30 percent and 59 percent of respondents approved of the amputation of a hand as penalty for thievery, death by stoning for rapists and other features of traditional Islamic law, the newspaper reported.

http://washingtontimes.com

'United 93' and the religion of the sword

July 23, 2006
Guy Adams
RenewAmerica Deputy Grassroots Director

Qur'an 9:73: "...make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate."

Recently, I saw the movie United 93, and I will never view Islam the same. I also will never be the same.

n this article, I want to treat Islam with all due respect. But I'm troubled by disturbing words from the Qur'an like the verse above. Isn't Islamic terrorism — as we witnessed on 9/11 and as we've seen around the world — inspired by such verses from the Qur'an?

If Islam is committed to hostile verses like that above, wouldn't a reasonable person conclude that Islam poses a threat to our nation?

A look at Islamic intent

What follows is not a viewpoint you're going to hear in the mainstream media — but you should. I've heard all sorts of Muslim scholars try to dilute or dismiss the verses in the Qur'an that explicitly incite violence against all non-Muslims, but these verses are what they are, and I've listed some of them throughout this article.

Islam is, was, and always will be the "Religion of the Sword." If it's not, then Muslims around the world need to prove it to the rest of us by their peaceful actions. But for our part, we need to understand that just as appeasement did not work in 1939 with the Nazis, it won't work now with an even more determined threat.

By the Qur'an's own words, Islam is determined to be the antithesis of the West! I would frame the heart of the controversy this way: Islam asks its sons to die for Allah — while the Christian God sent His Son to die for all mankind. This fundamental theological difference leads to two virtually polar world views.

Let me say at the outset that there are many Muslims who might not wish us ill. Although many Islamic fundamentalists in places like Iran and Syria clearly see themselves as our foe, Islamic "secularists" in parts of Iraq and elsewhere do not feel this way. So, I agree that not all of Islam is intent on doing us in. The problem is the doctrine of hostility toward "unbelievers" found in the Qur'an, itself.

It's therefore vital that we wake up and realize that we are in a war with Islam — by virtue of Islam's own declarations — and that if we fail to realize this inevitable fact, we will lose this war.

Only Muslim extremists?

How can anyone say — as some do — that it's only "Muslim extremists" who are killing Americans? The truth is, the peaceful Muslim who ignores the verses in the Qur'an that instruct "all Muslims to kill non-Muslims" is violating his religion — just as surely as a Christian who refuses to treat others with Christ-like love, kindness, and respect is violating his. You can't simply throw out portions of the Bible that you don't like. Likewise, for a Muslim to disregard the "kill the infidel" verses in the Qur'an is to betray his god.

At least portions of the Qur'an would seem to confirm this comparison. A Muslim must either be a terrorist or a hypocrite — a terrorist if he believes all that is in the Qur'an, or a hypocrite if he doesn't. Make no mistake: Islam, according to the Qur'an, is a religion of the sword, and it seeks our demise by intimidation, coercion, and murder.

Our professed enemy

In order to effectively win this unconventional and inconvenient war, of course, we must definitively discern who the enemy is. Because Islam is the avowed "religion of the sword" — or more recently, of the bomb — we must be wary of those who would lull us into ignoring this reality.

Clearly, by its own militant rhetoric, Islam is the professed enemy of the West. Jeff King, Director of www.persecution.org and International Christian Concern, told me that:

"Western leaders are afraid to say we are at war with Islam for fear of inflaming the Islamic world. The truth is we are at war. In fact, Islam has been at war intermittently with the world since its founding. People need to wake up and realize that we have an enemy and that they are deadly-serious about bringing death and destruction to [our] doorstep."

Indeed. He also said that 75% of all references to Jihad have to do with war, political control, the violent expansion of the Islamic religion, and the forced subjugation of the conquered. Take these two verses, for example:

Qur'an 8:12: "I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels: Strike off their heads. Strike off the very tips of their fingers."

Qur'an 8:39: "Make war on them until idolatry shall cease and Allah's religion shall reign supreme everywhere."

That doesn't sound peaceful to me. Does it sound peaceful to you? How can Islam be deemed "peaceful" with verses that say "strike off the heads" of all infidels'?

Correct diagnosis

And recently, just what group was it that rioted and burned over 9,000 cars in France? Were they all just Muslim "extremists"? No, they weren't. By and large, they were average, everyday Muslims who have harbored a deep and long-held anger and hatred of the West and of Christianity and Judaism, even though France and much of Europe have long since departed — to their shame — from Christian and Judeo-Christian precepts.

The long-held idea that "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" is unfortunately true. We in the West must therefore unite, all other differences aside, against our apparent common enemy — Islam.

Go To Full Article :
www.renewamerica.us/

Australia: Accused cleric hoped to 'kill 1000'

SUBURBAN Islamic cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika wanted to kill 1000 Australians to "please Allah" and had the support of a blond recruit who had pledged violent jihad during a meeting with Osama bin Laden.

A Melbourne court heard yesterday that a witness would reveal that Shane Kent, 29, received weapons and explosives training at the Taliban-run al-Faruq training camp for foreign jihadis in Afghanistan.

And at a meeting with bin Laden in that country, Mr Kent, from Meadow Heights in Melbourne's north, allegedly committed himself to violent jihad. The alleged Melbourne terror cell's spiritual leader, Mr Benbrika embraced Mr Kent as part of his clique, the court heard, saying: "He's good, and he doesn't talk too much."

Mr Benbrika encouraged his devotees to plan a large-scale terrorist attack, which police foiled during its "developmental stages", the court heard during the opening day of the committal hearing of 13 suspects yesterday.

"If you kill, we kill here 1000," Mr Benbrika allegedly said in a conversation covertly taped by police. "Because if you get large numbers here, the government will listen."

Full article:
www.acage.org/

Broadcasting Love in a War Zone

From Inside Lebanon, Christian Satellite Network SAT-7 Broadcasts Stories of Christians Responding to War
By Jeremy Reynalds
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

EATON, MD (ANS) -- As explosions rattle their building, staff in a Beirut-based Christian are working to show the world how Christians are responding to the crisis in Lebanon.

In their first newscast, Christian-satellite network SAT-7’s staff are reporting some stories of hope in the midst of the horrors of violent conflict.

During a recent broadcast, SAT-7 reported on the situation, starting with an overview of the destruction followed by stories of how the Christian community in Lebanon is reaching out to help those in need.

In a news release, SAT-7 said the first report came from within the Beirut Baptist School that has opened its doors to strangers and is providing shelter and relief to 500 homeless refugees fleeing the fighting in southern Lebanon.

One woman sleeping on a classroom floor told SAT-7, “We fled with nothing, only the clothes we had on; we couldn’t even bring pots to cook in."
According to Sat-7 a young boy said, "I came because of the shooting. I was afraid. We left everything.”

”These positive messages stand in stark contrast to televised rage and political anger being shown on most channels in the Arab world,” said Terence Ascott, SAT-7 International CEO, in a news release. “This unique perspective helps the SAT-7 broadcasts stand out and bring hope to people in this troubled region.”

While the fear is very real, hope remains. SAT-7 interviewed its own Lebanese staff who spoke of their concerns. One director in a mobile video truck said, "Everything is in danger, even Christian organizations. Even the van I'm sitting in now is in danger because trucks have been targeted and destroyed. But we're relying on God to take care of us."

”This program, while made under duress in difficult circumstances, demonstrates what SAT-7 is all about; local Arab Christians making programs about how the local Arab Christian community is demonstrating Christ's love,” said Ascot in the news release. “It was difficult to get these stories out of Lebanon. I would ask you to continue to pray for our staff in Lebanon, for their protection, and that they will be able to continue to make programs that vividly demonstrate how Christ is with people who call upon him, even in the midst of the hardest trials.”

SAT-7 can be viewed via satellite in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and much of Central Asia. Programming can also be watched worldwide at www.SAT7.org.

TERRORISM THREATENS RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND SECURITY

By Elizabeth Kendal

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- Islamists are striving to 'liberate' and 'reclaim' 'Islamic lands' previously under Islamic rule, such as the former Ottoman Empire. Furthermore they are campaigning both politically and militarily to expand Islamic territory to bring the world ultimately under Islamic domination. Their strategy involves ideological indoctrination, dawa (Islamic proselytism), jihad (Islamic holy war) and international as well as domestic Islamic terrorism.

Islamic terrorism is one of the greatest threats to openness and religious liberty in the world today. Needless to say, not all Muslims are militant or Islamist. Whilst multitudes of Muslims do support the Islamist agenda, it is often only because the totalitarian Islamic regimes they live under secure their allegiance by removing their rights and liberties and imprisoning them in fear and ignorance. Moreover liberal and 'reformist' Muslims who genuinely promote secularism, peaceful co-existence, openness and religious liberty are regarded by fundamentalist Islamists as apostates and infidels, deserving of death.

Terrorism is a form of unconventional warfare using or threatening violence to generate fear, terror and hardship. Its ultimate aim is to achieve compliance with specific political, religious, ideological or personal demands. Its real target is not the victim of the terrorist act but the state or group to which that person belongs. Islamists employ terrorism when they know they cannot win politically or militarily, although sometimes it is purely for publicity or popularity. Through terrorism they aim to make resistance to Islamic demands politically or personally unsustainable. The act of terror triggers a battle of wills. There will be a winner and a loser – there can never be a tied result. Capitulating to terrorist demands may give temporary respite from terror but it actually delivers victory to the terrorists. Believing they have the group or state hostage or retreating, they are emboldened to simply move on to the next item on their agenda.

Islamic terrorism could not occur without ideological indoctrination (primarily through madrassahs and mosques), recruitment, military training, and logistics including funding and arming. Since the 1970s Saudi Arabia has been disseminating Wahhabist Islamic material through the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the West. This material is fundamentally Islamist: pro-Sharia, pro-jihad, and virulently anti-Semitic and anti-Christian. This has been a primary source worldwide of Wahhabist ideology and Islamic radicalisation. The Islamic Revolution in Iran (1979) further radicalised and militarised the Shiites, whilst the Afghan jihad against the Russians (ended 1992) did the same with the Sunnis. Altogether this has led to the weakening of Arab and Persian nationalism (which was largely secular and progressive in nature) and the global resurgence of militant Islamism.

All Christians who believe in the principle of religious liberty - that all people should be free to believe, practise their faith, and even change their religion (Universal Declaration of Human Rights article 18) – should pray that the ideology of militant Islamism will fail and that the path to jihad and terror will be disrupted at every level. May God frustrate the ways of the wicked (Psalm 146:9b).

Malaysia Islamists protest religious-freedom forum

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian forum on freedom of religion drew an angry protest by Muslims on Saturday, revealing a sharp divide in this mainly Muslim nation over the issue of renouncing Islam.

Malaysia's constitution enshrines freedom of religion but Muslims cannot officially renounce Islam. Those who convert to another faith can be jailed by a local Islamic court.

About 300 protesters, including members of opposition Islamist party PAS, rallied in the southern city of Johor Baru, local news Web site Malaysiakini said.

Surrounded by riot police, they gathered outside a hotel where a group known as Article 11, named after the constitutional provision on freedom of religion, held the latest in a series of forums on the issue, Malaysiakini said.

"Cancel it! Cancel it! Allahu akhbar! (God is great)," protesters chanted. "Down with the infidels! Don't meddle with Islam!"

The forum went ahead, Malaysiakini said, but in May a similar forum had been disrupted in the northwest state of Penang after a noisy protest by Islamists.

Full story
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Pope calls for 'day of prayer'

POPE Benedict XVI has called for a day of prayer for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East conflict on Sunday, the Vatican said today.

A statement from the Vatican said the pontiff had expressed "great concern" over the continuing violence. The pope earmarked this Sunday as "a special day of prayer and penitence" to "implore God for the precious gift of peace", the statement said.

The pope called on the faithful of "all Churches" to offer prayers "for the immediate ceasfire between the parties, the immediate installation of humanitarian corridors to allow aid to be brought to the suffering populations and to then initiate reasonable and responsible negotiations."

"The Lebanese people have the right to see the integrity and sovereignty of their country respected, the Israelis have the right to live in peace in their state and the Palestinians have the right to have their own free and sovereign state," the statement said.

Pope Benedict XVI , also called on humanitarian and charitable organisations "to help all the populations hit by this pitiless conflict."