An interview with a Muslim follower of Isa - Worshiping Jesus in the Mosque

Can people from other religious traditions genuinely follow Jesus without becoming "Christians"? 

The following is the synthesis of two interviews:

 

Describe your conversion to Christ?

One night the only food my wife and I had was a small portion of macaroni. My wife prepared it very nicely. Then one of her friends knocked on the door. I told myself, The macaroni is not sufficient for even the two of us, so how will it be enough for three of us?But because we have no other custom, we opened the door, and she came in to eat with us.

While we were eating, the macaroni started to multiply; it became full in the bowl. I suspected that something was wrong with my eyes, so I started rubbing them. I thought maybe my wife hid some macaroni under the small table, so I checked, but there was nothing. My wife and I looked at each other, but because the guest was there we said nothing.

Afterward I lay down on the bed, and as I slept, Isa came to me and asked me, "Do you know who multiplied the macaroni?" I said, "I don't know." He said, "I am Isa al Masih. If you follow me, not only the macaroni but your life will be multiplied."

He didn't tell me that he was God; he didn't tell me that he died on behalf of me; he didn't say, "I am the Son of God." He didn't talk to me about any complicated theological issues. He only told me that if I followed him, he would multiply my life. At that time, I was very happy if he only multiplied the macaroni like he did that day. I didn't understand what he meant when he said that my life would be multiplied. Now I understand what that means. But at that time, I accepted him simply as the "lord of macaroni."

Much like the crowds in the Gospels who accepted him as "lord of bread."

Yes, I just accepted him as one who satisfied my needs. That day I understood that because Allah loved me, Isa came to my home.

When I think back now, the kingdom of God came to my home. Jesus said, "[I]f I cast out demons … the kingdom … has come upon you" (Luke 11:20, NASB). Any miracle that takes place by Isa al Masih speaks of the kingdom of God. It was not because I was poor that Isa came to my home; there are many poor. It is not because he wanted to multiply my macaroni. Maybe there might be other people who can multiply macaroni, like magic. So what is the purpose? Isa al Masih came to my home with the kingdom of God. He didn't completely explain theological issues, he only said, "If you will follow."

But what about Muhammad?

Before [they believe in Isa], Muslims acknowledge Muhammad as the final prophet of God. Then we tell them about Isa al Masih. They already know that Isa al Masih was a prophet that raised people from the dead. They know that Isa al Masih did miracles and that he will come as the sign of the Day of Judgment.

Even though they know all this, they are not intentionally thinking about Isa; they are thinking about Muhammad. But when we tell them the gospel, they begin to think about Isa intentionally as the one who will save them from the Day of Judgment, from Satan, from antichrist, from death.

At that point, they mix Muhammad with Isa al Masih. Before, Isa was not the issue. Muhammad was the issue. But when they hear about Isa, they start to bring Isa up to the level of Muhammad. Before, Muhammad was the one who controlled their life.But when they hear the Good News of the kingdom of God, they start to think about Isa. Now syncretism has started; before there was no syncretism. If missionaries don't ever want problems with syncretism, then just leave them with Muhammad [grins].

But syncretism did not start with us. It started even in Paul's time. That was the reason Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians. It is not [an] issue because we are Muslims; syncretism starts because people normally start with their own religious background. When people start to think about Isa intentionally, the Holy Spirit has room to lead them into all truth, even if they first mix Isa and Muhammad. The Holy Spirit through time will glorify Isa al Masih in their lives.

Humor: No no Ahmet, why don't you listen...I said Je....

Tunisia: Muslim cleric calls for "sterilizing the wombs of Jewish women"

The "Arab Spring" in full flower. "Tunisian imam sued for call to ‘sterilize the wombs of Jewish women." The Tunisian Association to Support Minorities is suing a prominent Tunisian imam for hateful incitement against Jews.

During a Friday sermon broadcast live on November 30 on Hannibal TV, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Suhayli of Rades, a suburb of Tunis, told his followers at the Khatib mosque that “God wants to destroy this sprinkling of Jews… and is for sterilizing the wombs of Jewish women,” the liberal Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported.

Qais El-Beltagi, a lawyer representing the association, alleges in the lawsuit that Al-Suhayli’s comments violated Tunisia’s 2011 Decree 115, which criminalizes “calls to hatred between races and religions, and the population.” He said that article 52 of the decree calls for “a prison term of between one and three years and a fine ranging from 500 to 1,000 euros” for hate-filled speeches....

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Turkey Censors The Simpsons

Earlier this month, I highlighted that the Turkish broadcasting board had fined CNBC-E, a Turkish television station which broadcasts financial reports during the day and subtitled sitcoms in the evening, because it had aired a “Simpsons” episode which Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Islamist government deemed insulting to religion. To paraphrase the Washington Free Beacon’s Adam Kredo, Bart had become a blasphemer. Anyone who doubts that parody and humor have deep roots in the Middle East need only read Bernard Lewis’s primary source book, Islam, From the Prophet Muhammad to the Capture of Constantinople, Vol. II: Religion and Society. Political Islamism—especially the variety which arises out of Saudi Arabia and which the Turkish government increasingly embraces—is largely unable to handle satire.

It now seems that the Simpsons were only the first victim of Erdoğan’s broadcasting bureau. Now it’s going after talk shows which say the wrong thing or advocate too strongly for the primacy of free speech. From the Hürriyet Daily News:

RTÜK ruled that the Prophet Muhammad was insulted during the show broadcast on Oct. 15, during which journalist Sevan Nişanyan was a guest. Aysever and Nişanyan were discussing the controversial film, “The Innocence of Muslims,” which caused harsh reactions in across the Muslim world a few months ago. The ruling declared that Nişanyan’s statements “exceeded the boundaries of freedom of expression” and found them “insulting and injurious” to society.

So first it’s “The Simpsons,” then it the tweeters, now it’s the talk shows. On top of which, Turkey now ranks No. 1 in the arrest of journalists. It’s seems like parody, but even Egemen Bağış, Turkey’s chief negotiator for European Union accession, goes around suing critics: A while ago, he and the Turkish Embassy in Washington tried to serve me with papers after I wrote a critical article about Turkey’s European Union accession.

 

The question for American congressmen is, with Turkey going from bad to worse, do they truly stand for what Turkey now represents? Do they endorse the silencing of free speech? Do they embrace not only Hamas but also its most radical factions? Do they support Iran’s drive to a nuclear weapon and seek to poke holes in Iran sanctions? If yes, they belong in the Congressional Turkey Caucus. But, if not, perhaps it’s time they leave a body whose numbers Ambassador Namik Tan uses to suggest American officials support Turkey’s policies.

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Innocence of Muslims 2? Belgium alarmed as another controversial film to be released

 

Belgium has heightened its terror alert level ahead of the release of another highly provocative film exploring Islam, reportedly made in cooperation with the notorious Koran-burning US pastor Terry Jones.

The film's creator is Pakistan national Imran Firasat, a former Muslim who now lives in Spain. Firasat said he aims to expose the truth of the life of the Prophet Muhammad with 'The Innocent Prophet: Life of Muhammad from the Point of View of an Ex-Muslim.'

"If we want to know the truth of Islam, we must go deep into the life of Muhammad to find out whether he was a genuine profit sent by God or was he simply a child molester, assassin and a self-proclaimed prophet," he said in the film's trailer. 

Firasat also hailed pastor Terry Jones as his inspiration. Jones wrote on his website, "It is our hope and desire that we can present a picture of Muhammad that has possibly not been revealed in the past, that will help people in the Western world, and even Muslims, to better understand this person called Muhammad, his life and teachings.” 

Jones is infamous for his incendiary anti-Islam speeches, and for staging a 'Koran-burning day' on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

 

'The Innocent Prophet' is expected to be a highly provocative film; Belgian police have raised the country's 'terrorism alarm' level from 2 to 3, the second-highest, ahead of the film's online release on December 14.

The Belgian Interior Ministry said it was increasing the level to 'serious threat' as a precautionary measure, Flanders News reported.

Police units in areas with large numbers of Middle Eastern and North African immigrants are reportedly on alert. Technical divisions of the Belgian police force have also been ordered to closely monitor Islamist websites and mass text messages. 

In response to Belgium's heightened terror allert, Firasat said he might postpone the release of the film so it could be previewed by authorities to ensure “there is nothing in this movie which doesn't fall under the right of freedom of expression and that my movie will not cause any kind of loss to humanity.”

“The necessary modification will be also made if requested by the authorities,” he wrote on trailer's YouTube page. Still, Firasat insisted he is not afraid of “Islamic violence,” and that postponing the release is a token of respect “towards Europe, which is my family.”

Earlier this year, riots broke out in Belgium after the notorious American-made video 'Innocence of Muslims' went viral on the web, sparking violent anti-US protests throughout the Arab world.

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