Non-Muslim's View of Quran vs Bible

Since I have become interested in knowing more about Islam, I decided to read the Quran. And, since the Quran is probably not on the top of your Best-Loved-Books list (unless you are Muslim), I've decided to share some of what I've learned with you. It will broaden your knowledge base without taking too much of your time!

First off, I read the Kindle Koran and it was written in Old English (King James style) which made it rather more tedious than was necessary, but it's what I had, so I made do.

The Quran, meaning "the recitation" is the best known portion of written doctrines for Muslims. Westerners think of it as the bible of Islam. Muslims believe it is a verbatim word from Allah (Arabic for God). It was compiled by the leaders of the followers of Muhammad, the Prophet  of Allah, from statements made by the prophet over a period of 23 years. He said he received the teachings in the Quran in revelations from Allah through the angel Gabriel. He experienced his first vision when he was 40 years old, around 611 A.D.

Being an avid Bible scholar for many years, I was interested to see how reading the Quran would compare with reading the Bible and I was quite surprised. I did not expect it to feel inspired when I read it because I believe only the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God, but I expected it to be something more than it was, simply because so many Muslims accept it as their sacred book.

My overall impression was not positive. It claims to be the final word from God given through His final Prophet, Muhammad. It claims superiority over The Old and The New Testaments because it claims they have been corrupted through time. It uses the sacred books of the Holy Bible to bolster its claims of inspiration even as it disparages them. It claims that Allah, the one and only God, is the God of Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Lot, etc., even though Allah is not YEHOVAH. Allah seeks to replace YEHOVAH and demote Jesus to the status of a man who is a lower order of a prophet than Muhammad. And, for all that, in quality, the Quran seems like a candle next to the Bible which is a SUN by comparison.

The Quran lacks a chronological historical flow. It proclaims that Allah is the Creator and mentions the creation of mankind, sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, and Jinns (good or evil spirits), in various places; but there is no coherent creation story which puts it all together in perspective. There is no good reason given for creation. There is no development of a loving relationship between Allah and his creation or his creatures. Allah is a distant god who maintains a transcendent relationship with his creation.

There are no lengthy, well-developed stories about main characters with family lines that can be related to in a coherent fashion like one finds in the Bible. There are oft-repeated short stories about Noah, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, Lot, Joseph, Mary and Jesus, Adam and Eve, and a few others; but the stories are inaccurate and totally disjointed. If I had no biblical knowledge I would have been totally confused about their true place or purpose in history.

Mohammad was rejected by the Arabs when he first started sharing his Quranic messages from Allah. So, it seems he used Abraham, Lot, Noah, Moses, and a few other non-Biblical characters, as examples of prophets who were sent to warn people about coming judgement and were also rejected. In that context, he was able to threaten those who rejected him with the same types of destruction which had befallen those who had rejected the previous prophets.

The Quran is full of threats of Hell, fire and punishments for Kafirs (those who do not believe in Allah and His Prophet). There are nearly 500 verses on punishments. After reading all that, I realized, by comparison, the Bible hardly mentions Hell at all. (The Quran, a book with 114 chapters, has 172 punishment with fire verses, and 97 Hell verses, besides other punishments. The New Testament has only 27 verses about Hell and Hades, and the Old Testament has 37 verses about Hell and Sheol. That's less than 1 verse per book in the Bible and many of them are non-threatening references like "You will not leave my soul in Sheol" and "If I make my bed in Hell, You are there."

Quran samples:
[17:8]  "We have made hell a prison for the unbelievers."   
[32:13 ] "I will certainly fill hell with the jinn and men together."
[98:6] "Surely those who disbelieve (in Islam) from among the followers of the Book (Bible) and the polytheists (believers in the Trinity) shall be in the fire of hell, abiding therein; they are the worst of men."

And that reminds me of a joke: There was a church who was happy to have a pastor leave because they thought he preached too much about hell. After they had their new pastor for awhile, someone asked what they liked about him and they said they liked his preaching on hell. What was the difference? They said the first pastor preached about hell like he wanted them to go there! The second pastor wanted to save them from it!

That is the difference one can feel between the Quran and the Bible. The Quran seems to delight in describing the tortures non-believers and the wicked will be forced to endure. It makes it clear that Allah has created those who go to hell for that purpose and nothing will change their destiny. Whereas The Bible says Hell was "created for the devil and his angels" and God delights in providing a way to help us avoid going there! Jesus, the God-Man-Savior, is the heart of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation!

The Quran is also loaded with promises of rewards for believers in Allah who perform enough good works to make up for whatever bad they have done. Allah says everyone must bear their own load. No one else can provide help for them. They must profess a belief in Allah and His Prophet, be diligent in daily prayers, practice charity, practice fasting, travel to Mecca once in their life, if possible, and follow Quranic teachings.

The rewards for believers are gardens with rivers flowing under them, an endless supply of fruit, milk, wine, honey, meat, etc. Green silk clothing, green silk couches, green carpets and pearls, silver and gold for adornment. There are youths to serve refreshments. There are also mansions and other gardens with beautiful young virgins for those whose deeds (killing Kafirs) merit extra benefits.

For believers who make it, the afterlife is a place of leisure, pleasure and abundance. Whatever the heart desires will be provided. The problem is, since it is based on works, no one knows if they will make it until the day of judgement when the books are opened and all deeds are reviewed and Allah decides who is deserving. The Quran says Allah is just and fair. Your deeds decide your fate.

At first I was surprised at the many similarities between Allah and Our Heavenly Father. Allah claims many of the familiar attributes of God that we understand; such as, Everywhere Present, All-Knowing, All-Good, and All-Powerful. He also claims to be the only God, the Creator of the heavens and earth and all that fills them, the First and the Last, Sovereign, Infinite, Almighty, Just, Exalted, Wise, Holy, King, etc.  

However, it is obvious that Allah revealed himself as far less relational than Our Father in Heaven. The Quran says repeatedly that Allah is one and cannot be more than one! It repeatedly says Allah has no son! Nothing is equal-to or like Him. He has revealed no physical form and stays aloof from His creation. He presents himself as unknowable by mere humans.

Consider these statements carefully. Allah has no loving communion revealed in a Godhead relationship like the Trinity shares (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). He claims to be an absolute loner. He has no divine son like Jesus and He has no sons and daughters like us. He never claims a close, loving relationship with His creatures like Our Father in Heaven does.

[4.171] Allah is only one God; far be it from His glory that He should have a son,
[5.18] And the Jews and the Christians say: We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones.
Say: Why does He then chastise you for your faults? Nay, you are mortals from among those whom He has created...
[9.30] And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths... may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!
[18.4] And warn those who say: Allah has taken a son.
[23.91] Never did Allah take to Himself a son, and never was there with him any (other) god--

Anyone who takes the Bible seriously would have to reject the authority and authenticity of the Quran. Our Heavenly Father proclaims His love for all mankind throughout both the Old and the New Testament. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be with us in a human form so we could know Him personally. And because He loved us "while we were still sinners" He allowed His Son to die on the cross for our sins so we can have eternal life--and know it before we face the judgement.

Allah is not like our God. Allah loves "the doers of good, those who guard (against his brand of evil), the patient, those who trust, those who judge equitably, those who are careful (of their duty), the doers of justice, and those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall." Allah does not love "the unjust, the proud, the treacherous, the sinful, the extravagant, the unfaithful, the ungrateful, the exultant, the self-conceited, the boastful, any ungrateful sinner and unbelievers (those who disobey Allah or his Apostle)."

Allah does not identify himself with his creation. Allah does not provide a sacrifice or any means to help save sinners from his judgement wrath to come. He requires submission to His will and good works to earn one's own salvation--if possible. No guarantees.

Let's close with some scriptures that assure us of Our Heavenly Father's love and provision for us. If you are not a child of God by faith in Jesus, I encourage you to believe His word and invite Him into your heart even as you read these passages.

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." 1 John 3:1


"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32


"In this is love, not that we love God but that He loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation of our sins." 1 John 4:10


"We are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ."
Rom 8:17


"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16


"God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Romans 5:8


"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world that we might live through him." 1 John 4:9


"But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying 'Abba! Father!'" Gal 4:4-6


"When we cry, 'Abba! Father!', it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God." Romans 8:15-26.  


"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

"I have loved you with an everlasting love". Jeremiah 31:3

I haven't covered everything of interest in the Quran so I may continue this in another blog. I hope this has been enlightening, encouraging and a blessing to you whether you are Christian, Muslim or otherwise.

You are loved!

Should Christians Love Muslims?

The majority of the books I’ve read through the years have been Christian books. They’ve been based on the Bible worldview and were often scripture laden. The most challenging aspect of such a reading habit is making sure the message being shared lines up with God’s Word–rightly divided.

 

I did read history books and strayed into some self-help books on a variety of topics and some science books and magazines to keep abreast of current thought in those fields. And I’d read about the odd topic or a novel here and there, but really my life is Bible based and everything is filtered through that reliable lens.

The last few years I have broadened my subject matter into the political realm and have begun to study current issues trying to understand how we got into the mess we are in and where we are headed in the natural as well as the spiritual realm.

Writing my blog has exposed me to other blogs and I’ve gotten into some “heavy” conversations about current events and even the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. I’ve found the exchanges challenging at times because I love to get along with everyone. I would much rather be agreeable than contrarian, but the defense of truth is like a fire in my bones.  However, I do realize we are to speak the truth in love and I try.

All of that brings me to what’s been on my mind lately. I’ve read lots of material about Islam and that information can have an inflammatory effect if one does not guard the heart with great diligence as Proverbs instructs us to.

As a lover of God and His Chosen People, the Israelites, it’s easy to lean toward siding with Israel against the Arabs. In fact, it seems to be the natural response. But, as Christians, our response isn’t supposed to be the natural one!

Jesus told us to love our enemies. He said to pray for our enemies. He said to feed our enemies and to give them a cup of cool water in His name. We are certainly to share the good news with our enemies as we have opportunity.

Does this mean we can’t support the Jews? Not at all! We are to love all our “neighbors” and do good to all of them, regardless of their ethnicity, color, language or creed! We can actually love Jews and Arabs at the same time. And we don't have to put our minds in neutral when dealing with current and historical facts.

Even though we see Muslims going on murderous rampages in the streets, and even when we hear of the bombings and destruction caused by their misguided Jihad activities, we are to love them for Christ’s sake. Their eternal souls are at stake!

Islam is a tyrannical and expansionistic political/religious regime. Most Muslims were born under its teachings and control. Many others live in lands that were conquered and forced into submission to the laws of Islam. For most Muslims, their religious affiliation is not by choice. The majority of Muslims are illiterate and have never even read the Quran. They are taught to hate non-Muslims and engage in Jihad by extremist Imams.

Why am I going here? I’m going here because so many things seek to divide us. It’s so easy to distrust, misunderstand and reject those who look, act and speak differently than we do. This behavior leads to hatred. I’m reminding myself and I’m reminding you that we haven’t “walked a mile” in the other man’s shoes and we should not judge. We are called to share God’s love with everyone we come into contact with.

The media seeks to distract us away from the truth and to distort reality. Our human nature tends toward blaming the nearest scapegoat for our troubles. Only the Bible instucts us with the uncompromised truth. Paul tells us who the real enemy is.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.   Eph 6:12 NIV

There has never been a time when recognizing the truth about our enemy is more critical to our spirirtual well-being. We must be alert and aware to survive these perilous times.

Jesus is coming soon. The signs of the times are becoming clearer by the day. It is high time for the church to “Repent and do the first works.” It’s time to return to our first love when it was easy to love everybody! And, because of our hope in soon becoming like Him, it’s time to “purify” ourselves as “He is pure.” 1 John 3:3

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matt 7:21 NIV

                        The Judge is at the door! That which we do, we must do quickly.

                                        JESUS LOVES YOU and MUSLIMS TOO!

A Right End From A Right Means

So says [Yahweh], Keep judgment and do justice; for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.  Isaiah 56:1  NKJV

 

Do justice. In order to do justice one must know what justice means. Justice can be defined as ”ensuring that persons receive earned rewards and punishments fairly and squarely based on their behavior–with no favoritism.”

You will notice that justice has no room for compassion. The pragmatic liberal concoction known as “Social Justice” is based on a false definition of justice distorted by a faux compassion which robs justice of its just-ness (righteousness).  God forbids this!

Note: For compassion to be enacted, Justice & Mercy must Kiss and find a way to cover for the wrong done. If this was not the case, Jesus would not have died on the cross. His flesh pleaded for another way to satisfy the Justice of God, but there was no other way, so He yielded to only way and died for us because He loves us.

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.  Proverbs 21:3  NKJV

We’ll look at a few more “justice and righteousness” scriptures later in this blog, but it seems clear that Yahweh demands righteous justice. So how does God’s demand for righteous justice fit in current thought and practice among liberals and conservatives? 

The left pragmatically demands just outcomes.  Liberals promote unequal, even unfair, treatment enforced by government to get what they see as “fair” results. Liberals believe it is acceptable to unjustly take wealth (jobs, property, benefits) from some and give it to others.

The right stresses just laws and procedures. Conservatives insist that individuals be allowed to own, use, and dispose of personal property as they see fit. Their property  should be safe from seizure by neighbors or by government. Conservatives allow for  unequal, and possibly unfair results if they are based on just treatment.

Scripture reveals God’s view of justice and that view is promoted by Conservatives who believe the Bible reveals God’s will to man for our good. The Conservative view has been the foundation of Western civilization for millennia but it is being undermined today by Liberals who distort and/or dismiss God’s Word.

Deuteronomy 16:20 says, “Justice, justice, shall you pursue.” 

When a word is repeated in scripture, there is a reason. Let’s look at it. The Hebrew word repeated in this passage is “Tzedek.” It translates as ”justice” and “righteousness.”

One could therefore have translated the verse as “Righteous justice shall you pursue.”  Or “Just righteousness shall you pursue.”

Either way, the command is given by God that justice must be accomplished in the right way or it is not, in fact,  justice.  A pragmatic person or governmental policy is without a moral foundation when attempting to accomplish a “right thing” in a “wrong way.” If a desired outcome is obtained through illegitimate means, the outcome as well as the means is illegitimate. Someone was robbed of justice to help someone else receive an unjust benefit. Two wrongs– not right!

To be more precise, the Bible condemns the social engineering methods used by the Liberals and Progressives today. The Bible forbids meeting the needs of the poor by confiscating the wealth of those who inherited, created or earned it. To achieve a righteous end you must employ only righteous means.

The Deuteronomy passage is not isolated. Leviticus 19:15 says, ”You shall not commit a perversion of justice; you shall not favor the poor and you shall not honor the great; with righteousness (Tzedek) shall you judge your fellow.”

This passage covers both our natural temptation to favor the underdog, which feels like compassion, and our temptation to kowtow to the wealthy. Both are strictly forbidden as perversions of justice!

While the Bible in both Testaments demands that compassionate acts are required in dealing with widows, orphans and the poor; those acts are to be freely carried out by individuals and are never to be the result of coercion. Charity is to be freely given. Just justice is to be enforced by the courts. The courts may not enforce charity and deny justice to satisfy anyone’s faux compassion. The compassionate should show compassion from their own personal possessions and/or by their own personal labors. 

Since this is the clear teaching of scripture, why are so many divinity schools and pulpits filled with dogmatic liberal clergy who twist and contradict the Bible? This state of affairs is based on the anti-literalist interpretation of scripture in these institutions. They think that much of scripture is outdated and irrelevant and therefore does not speak to issues today; so, they alter, misinterpret or dismiss its teachings altogether.

This anti-literalism has led to pragmatism among liberals. And this pragmatism makes ”unjust justice” (legal favoritism) perfectly acceptable to them. In fact, they demand it and accuse conservatives of lacking compassion because conservatives believe in and practice ”just justice” and individual charity based on a literal interpretation of God’s Word.

In this era of Liberal Political Correctness, such topics are rarely discussed with openness and clarity. I trust this article will shed some light on the subject and God will open eyes to the truth that is clearly revealed in His Word for those whose eyes can see.

Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24 NKJV

…for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.  Isaiah 56:1  NKJV

Obama’s Audacious Peace Speech: The Land of Israel or of Arab Refugees?

I don’t often engage in discussing current political events but President Obama’s anti-Israel stance in his recent speech requires Israel’s supporters to speak out. I hope there are many blogs on this topic and Americans strongly express their outrage at Obama attemptimg to force the State of Israel to give up more land for their dream of peace.

The speech was too lengthy to respond to every remark so I’ve noted specific excerpts that concern me and responded to them.

Obama Speech: “For decades, the conflict between Israelis and Arabs has cast a shadow over the region.”

A more truthful statement would be, “For decades the assault on Israel by the Arab nations and Arab refugees within or near Israel’s borders has cast a shadow over the region.

Obama speech: “For Palestinians, it has meant suffering the humiliation of occupation, and never living in a nation of their own.”

For the Arab refugees in Israel, it has meant suffering the humiliation of being used as a pawn by the Arab nations to keep a thorn in Israel’s side and deny them the peace they should have been afforded when returning to their ancient homeland in 1948 with the consent of the world community after suffering the atrocities of the Holocaust in Europe.

Obama Speech: “Israeli settlement activity continues. Palestinians have walked away from talks.”

Attempting to reprove both sides in the conflict, Obama chides Israel for building homes in her own homeland, which effectively justifies the poor Arab refugees who have merely waked away from the talks.

Obama Speech: “Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist.”

Now, that is a true statement (other than the misnomer); however, it will not stop the Arabs from hating Israel and plotting her complete destruction.

Obama Speech: “Israel too must act boldly to advance a lasting peace.”

Israel acts boldly everyday of her life in hopes of advancing a lasting peace. Everyday of her existence as a modern state surrounded by hostile Arab nations has required utmost courage and strength. To call upon her to surrender land (won in an unprovoked war in 1967) which has greatly enhanced her ability to survive as a nation, is not asking her to act boldly, but foolishly. It would be assisting one’s would be assassins. Land will not buy peace when given to a sworn enemy who has no change of heart.

Obama speech: “The international community is tired of an endless process that never produces an outcome.”

This is a shameful statement made by someone who has not felt the heat of the fire of living daily in the midst of mortal enemies.

No one could be more weary of this endless process than Israel. She has put up with endless insults and assaults from Arabs, trying to avoid contention and conflict.

One cannot visit Israel and endure the daily calls for prayer from Muslim minarets in Jerusalem which blare out into all public spaces and hinder normal conversations for people of other faiths– just to appease Muslims– without beholding the patience of Israel.

Consider that Muslims, who have their Holy Sites in Mecca and Medina and elsewhere, have control over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel’s only Holy Site. It’s the only legimate site for them to rebuild God’s Holy Temple. Behold the patience of Israel.    

Jews can’t visit Bethlehem or Jericho or Hebron. Muslims have possession of Abraham’s burial cave and Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem– which they have looted and defaced. Muslim authorities deny Israel the right to excavate in the Temple Mount area and deliberately conceal or destroy evidence of Israel’s past on theTemple Mount when they find it.

I could go on. It’s disturbing and indefensible. But, the media doesn’t even want to tell you about it.

Obama speech: “The dream of a Jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation.”

This statement is so twisted, it defies logic. The Jews don’t have to dream of having their own democratic Jewish State, it’s been a reality since 1948!

They are not occupying someone else’s homeland, they are denied peace in their own homeland because of bogus claims about the Arab refugees. According to Joan Peters in her detailed and highly documented book called From Time Immemorial,  “68% of the Arab refugees left (Israel) on their own (during the 1948 Arab war against the newly created State of Israel). They were not expelled.”

The Arab refugees left Israel because “Arabs in neighboring countries encouraged” them  "to leave ‘Palestine’ until the Jews were purged from the land.” Then when Israel won the war against the Arabs the “refugees” status became confused. Some Arab leaders demanded that Israel let the so-called “expelled” refugees return to their homes. While Arab leaders sought to prevent their ”return” because they did not want to recognize Israel’s existence.

Since Israel became a modern nation in 1948, Jewish refugees have poured into Israel from throughout the Middle Eastern Arab countries (as well as from around the world).

“more than half of the people in Israel today are Jews or offspring of Jews who lived in Arab countries and have fled Arab brutality; Israel’s present population consists mainly of refugees and their descendants from two oppressions, European-Nazi and Arab.”  pg 79 of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters

Israel welcomes all Jewish refugees. And many of those Jewish refugees were forced to abandon lands, homes and possessions in Arab countries.

“The Jews who fled Arab countries (Morroco, Yemen, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt) left assets behind in the Arab world greater than those the Arabs left in Israel.”  pg 25 of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters

With Israel’s abandoned assets, those Arab countries could easily have absorbed and blessed the Arab refugees displaced by their unprovoked wars against Israel, if the Arab nations loved their own people more than they hate Israel. But, unfortunately, that is not the case. It is the Arab nations who have treated the Arab refugees shamefully, not Israel, as was admitted by King Hussein of Jordan in 1960.

“Since 1948 Arab leaders have approached the Palestinian problem in an irresponsible manner…They have used the Palestinian people for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and, I could say, even criminal.” pg 23 of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters

If the world really wants to solve the Arab refugee problem they should put pressure on the Arab nations to welcome their brethren to settle in Arab nations. Their actual roots are there, not in Israel. Jordan is the true Palestinian state. It, by law, allows any Palestinian to immigrate and obtain Jordanian citizenship if they  surrender their Palestinian citizenship. Approximately half of Jordan's population claims Palestinian roots.

Obama’s chide against Israel in this remark is despicable and deceptive.

Obama speech: “But what America and the international community can do is state frankly what everyone knows: a lasting peace will involve two states for two peoples. Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people; each state enjoying self-determination, mutual recognition, and peace.”

This is not the belief of America or the international community. It’s the opinion of an Arab-biased speech writer which the president of the United States had the audacity to articulate. It is stated as if two new states are soon to be created from land that both parties have a co-equal claim to. It assumes that this division of land will bring peace to the Middle East! Land is not the problem or the solution. As long as the Arabs want to annihilate Israel, there will be no peace. So, this claim is a deception, no matter whose silver pen or tongue it flows from.

The land of Israel is the Jewish homeland from time immemorial. God gave them their land and it's already small. Reducing the size of their homeland is not a legitimate goal or option!

Obama speech: “The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.”

Again, a speech writer’s opinion expressed as accepted wisdom when the outcome of such a move would be disastrous for Israel. Israel would have to give up Judea, Samaria, the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, and East Jerusalem, which includes the Temple Mount itself.  This land loss would make her remaining territory essentially indefensible. And over 300,000 Israelis now living in those areas would become refugees.

Also, if a Palestinian State is created, no one would want Israel to expel the 1.2 million Arabs currently peacefully integrated into the Jewish State of Israel. Some of them serve in the Knesset (Jewish Parliament). Can you imagine Jews being allowed such liberties in a Palestinian State?

Obama speech: “Israel must be able to defend itself – by itself – against any threat.”

In other portions of the speech, Obama expressed commitment to the security of Israel. This statement is enigmatic. Why must Israel be able to defend herself– by herself– if we truly stand with her? Is this a veiled threat of some kind? 

Obama speech: “…how can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognize your right to exist. In the weeks and months to come, Palestinian leaders will have to provide a credible answer to that question.”

This is a good question and there is no good answer. Arab leaders consistently refuse to accept Israel’s right to exist and support her annihilation. Just because a speech writer says Arab leaders “will have to provide a credible answer,” it doesn’t ensure they will. And, are their words reliable? Obama’s aren’t. During the campaign he said he would stand by Israel and Jerusalem would never be divided. So much for campaign promises. Can he change? Yes, he can.

I was thrilled to see Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, stand up to Obama in the Oval Office meeting Friday. He clearly rejected a return to pre-1967 borders and explained why that is an impossible prelude to a peace agreement.  Hopefully, Obama gained a little better understanding of history through the exchange.

If you want a better understanding of the so called “Palestinian refugee” problem, I would recommend you read From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters. It is an excellent expose’ of the facts about the birth of the modern nation of Israel and their relationship with their Arab population and the surrounding nations.

By siding with the "Arab refugees" in the Gaza Strip, the Obama Administration shows it is out of step with the American people.  I stand with Israel and hope you will show you do too by helping this administration out the door during our next election.

Is Tolerance A Virtue?

Father Dominique Pire
Let us not speak of tolerance. This negative word implies grudging concessions by smug consciences. Rather, let us speak of mutual understanding and mutual respect. I have engaged in making comments on some blogs recently. The activity has possibly taken me further into liberal territory than I have ever been before. I am still naïve enough to be shocked by reasonable people losing the ability to think rationally when discussing their perspective of political and religious issues. Perhaps I just don't understand why they can't understand my point of view. Lol

One of the most grating habits liberals engage in is constantly harping about their "tolerance and compassion," while denying those perceived virtues in conservatives. So, that's what I want to address in this blog.

First of all, as you can see in Father Pire's quote above, tolerance is not a virtue and this is why many conservatives lack that trait. Conservatives, who base their lives on the Bible, or at least on solid moral values gained from their Christian heritage in this nation, believe in the integrity of the foundation they live on and, are therefore, not willing to sacrifice their moral standards to please people who lack those standards. And, contrary to what liberals would have you believe, standing up for what you believe is a virtue! Exercising that virtue is how our country gained its freedom from Great Britain to begin with.     
As Father Pire says, tolerance is a negative word. Tolerance doesn't embrace the beliefs or even the intrinsic value of other human beings, it merely--yes, even grudgingly--allows room for the beliefs of others when it has not the power to forbid or extinguish them. And, this allowance is only given out of a superior attitude which Father Pire calls a "smug conscience." Yes, the liberal "knows" his ideas are right, but he will allow you to hold to your ideas (in the short term) as long as they in no way hinder, block or alter his ultimate agenda, which is to deny your freedoms altogether.

If. however, you hold to any ideas that hinder, block or alter the progressive agenda's implementation, you must be stopped at all costs (by votes or by physical or emotional means). Wait a minute, you may say. What happened to tolerance? You must have misunderstood. Progressives always define tolerance as behavior which furthers their agenda and stops yours! Rules and the definitions of words are changed arbitrarily to confuse, mislead, and deceive non-progressives and aid leftist causes. The left will only use new rules and new definitions as long as they can gain advantage with them. If the advantage fails, those rules and words are abandoned. In other words, the "tolerant" are never ultimately tolerant. 

First, you will be called intolerant and any other names deemed appropriate or effective to stop you from hindering a liberal's progress toward his goals. He will not openly and honestly discuss his goals because he would be hard pressed to defend them in a rational way since they are irrational. So, he will block the opposition mercilessly. Histrionics, labeling and name calling will be used consistently to draw attention away from the real issues--again, because they are indefensible.

They will bypass legislative bodies and use liberal judges in the courts to force their will on others. (This reveals what they will do if gain absolute control.) They will attempt to be the loudest voice. It doesn't matter if the message being pushed is true or the methods being used are moral. The message and the agenda are supreme. Pragmatism rules!

Next, let's talk about compassion. Does this use of tolerance sound compassionate? No, because it's not. Compassion is another red herring for liberals. Their compassion primarily resides in their "smug consciences" alongside their bogus tolerance.

They revel in talking about the needs of the "poor" and the "disadvantaged" and how those needs can be met by the government. They call that compassion! They are thrilled to spend someone else's money on ineffective programs and think that means they ooze with compassion. They sidestep personal sacrifice or actual involvement with the needy? By their definition, that has nothing to do with compassion.

How little wealthy liberals give to charitable causes has been consistently documented. The social and financial damage their programs have inflicted on our country is incalculable.

Facts are facts and it's time to break free of the liberal political correctness that silences the truth as it blares the propaganda of "liberal tolerance and compassion" and "conservative intolerance and lack of compassion" throughout our society.

It would help if we could discuss the dire issues facing our country today with "mutual understanding and mutual respect." But that can only happen when the censure ceases and both sides are open and honest.

Edmund Burke (1729-1797) British political writer
There is a limit at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue.

Your thoughts are welcome-- even if you disagree. We should use our freedom of speech while we still have it.

Response to "Message In The Movie" Comment

I received a comment concerning my blog called Message in the Movie. It was dealing with the Shyamalan movie, The Sixth Sense. The commenter's concerns are listed below and my response follows.

A Christian shouldn't watch such movies.
It sounds demonic.
God doesn't speak to us through movies.
God speaks through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

"Thank you for your comment. I understand where you are coming from. This movie has been out for many years and I had never seen it until recently because I had no desire to. But, as I said, I watched it with someone who wanted to see it and was surprised by the message I found in it. 

I’m glad you have high standards for your viewing. I’m very particular myself. I’m not attracted to the dark side for entertainment because I don’t find it entertaining. However, in this case, I didn’t think a Shyamalan movie would be extreme. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I did find a spiritual message in the movie. I stand by that. There are spiritually dead people all around us who do not recognize that they are spiritually dead and do not, therefore, see the spiritually dead people all around them. This is sad. It’s even sadder that Christians often fail to see the spiritually dead people all around them and miss opportunities to minister to them.

Movies are messages. A movie was never made that didn’t attempt to convey “something” to the audience who viewed it. But, what we get out of a movie depends on what we bring to it. I’m sure most of the people who watched The Sixth Sense did so for entertainment purposes only and didn’t analyze what they got out of it. I, however, never watch or read anything without thinking about the message being conveyed. That’s why I am not attracted to the dark side. I don’t like their messages. I’m also not attracted to most of what passes for entertainment today because, again, the messages aren’t usually godly. The “angel of light” movies probably have a more insidious affect on people because they are affected unawares. Their morals are eroded in a subtle way view after view.

The Holy Spirit is engaged in our lives and speaks to us about all the activities we engage in. If we are listening, He leads us into all truth. Some of that instruction tells us what to avoid! I’m glad you are sensitive to that guidance in your life. I try to be as well.

Thank you again for your comment."

I decided to turn my response into a post because these concerns are legitimate and deserved an answer. I think this is a healthy dialogue and this may help shed further light on this topic for others who may have comments or questions but didn't share them.

Please feel free to express your interests, concerns or questions about any of my blogs. I would appreciate the feedback.

Thank you and God Bless!

Hell's Inmates

They will thirst but have no water.
They will hunger without relief.
They will have eternity to wonder
What hindered their belief.

They'll cry until they have no tears.
They'll scream until their voice is gone.
They'll moan alone in darkness,
Knowing no comforter will come.

They'll long for friends and family.
They'll yearn for love but experience hate.
They'll strain to find some kind of light
Against the weight of endless night.

Weary they'll be but find no rest.
Their searing pain will not abate.
Their minds though ever racked with pain
Cannot forget that it's too late.

The many chances (memories now)
Remain to plague and aggravate:
"What was I thinking? Why so stubborn?
No help, no hope, no way of escape!"

Always aware that no one cares,
A lost soul is forever doomed.
It knows no life, yet cannot die,
But dwells in everlasting gloom.

No form of light, nothing in sight.
No kind of relief, pure arrant belief.
No more chance, nothing to enhance
Hell's perpetual grievous plight.

No help, No hope, No God.
No life, No love, No good.
No name, No fame, No claims.

Just fear, just shame, just pain.
Just lonely, just needy, just gloomed.
Just lost, just damned, just doomed.

Hungry, thirsty, lonely, fearful,
Hopeless, regretful, weary, tearful
Hurting, yearning, longing, plagued,
Fully aware, alive but dead.

Everlasting punishment! Unending shame!
Infinite guilt! Eternal blame!
Forever tormented! Endlessly mistaken!
Receiving justice! Of mercy forsaken!

When will it end? Never, not ever!
How long must one endure! Forever and ever!

Only doom and gloom!

Seeking relief but finding it not.
The temperature never changes:
It's excruciatingly hot!

Cherel Justice

Copyright © 2009

Grace And Truth Came Through Jesus Christ

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' " And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1:14-18

1. THE WORD BECAME FLESH:  Jesus Became Like Us to Live Among Us. What Grace!

Jesus ate with sinners. He spent time with the lowly, the hurting, the diseased, the demon possessed and the homeless. And, in response to His grace, we should be willing to live among our own kind, no matter where they fit on the social scale.

2.  WE BEHELD HIS GLORY: We Saw the Glory (magnificence, excellence, majesty) of Jesus and His Father as it Was Revealed Through Grace and Truth.

He cared about needy people whenever and wherever he found them and never left them unchanged. Are you revealing God’s excellence by allowing God’s grace (good will, loving-kindness, favor, merciful-kindness) and truth to flow through you to those around you?

A. Are You a Grace-Giver? Do you love, accept, encourage, uplift, edify and bless others?

"Grace-providers simply never cease to love you. They see beneath the surface; they see the darkness as well as the goodness in your heart. But when they see the darkness they do not pull away. They are not repulsed. They move toward you." John Ortlund, Love Beyond Reason

B. Or Are You Grace-challenged? Do you judge, criticize, condemn and tear down others?

"Spirituality wrongly understood is death: ... it produces people who mistake their lack of love for righteous superiority... It produces people who are smug, self-righteous, unable to love, unable to feel. It produces cold hearts, plastic masks, sad faces, inauthentic lives, and shriveled souls... The world is tired of Christians who proclaim that they know the right beliefs and are committed to the right values but in whom there is no grace. Without grace, life is a clumsy, awkward business. Without grace, people get hurt." John Ortlund, Love Beyond Reason

3. FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH: Which comes first, grace or truth?

Let’s see what Romans 2:1-4 says: Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Why Does Grace Come First?  Because grace, if anything will, leads to repentance! Since it’s God’s heart to draw men to Him, not to drive them away, He expects us to extend grace to others, not judgement. When we judge others, we feel justified in withholding goodness from them. However, when we extend grace to others, we act like our heavenly Father. We offer others what we have freely received. In grace, we mourn with those who mourn and we identify with them in our common human frailties. This identification or empathy opens the door for sharing the truth in love.

Note: Truth can only bring freedom when she’s embraced. For Truth to be received, Grace must precede her, and Love must go with her. Only Grace and Love can make Truth acceptable.
A demand for righteousness without grace KILLS! That’s why Jesus told the Pharisees who criticized Him for eating with tax collectors and sinners: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Matt 9:12-13

4.  OF HIS FULLNESS WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED: Jesus Came to Share His Fullness (Abundance, Completeness) with Us. He Gives Us Grace for Grace!

He was full of grace! We have received of that fullness. He wants us to share the grace we have received with others so we can receive more to share more. That’s grace for grace.

5. GRACE AND TRUTH CAME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST: The Law Was Given Through The Man, Moses, but Grace and Truth Were Given Through the God-Man, Jesus.

Why? Because a man may understand something of the duties required to serve a holy God and be able to tell you about them, but only Jesus as God Himself could live them out for you. Only Jesus could reveal God’s nature to us through His actions, as well as, His teachings.

6. NO ONE HAS SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME. THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON... HAS DECLARED HIM.

Jesus, through His gracious actions and true teachings, declared God’s Wondrous Being by rehearsing for us the glories of His kindness, by recounting for us the stories of His love, by unfolding for us the mysteries of His relationship with us, and by teaching us the goodness of His never changing ways. Only Jesus, the God-man, could reveal the ultimate truth about God's love and grace by dying for us. His death was God’s ultimate gift.

 . 　
　                        Grace And Truth Came Through Jesus Christ.

                          'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far,
                            and grace shall lead me home. John Newton

　
　

Sandhill Cranes

Where have I been? In all the years we’ve lived here I haven’t noticed the migrating birds. I mean, I’ve seen some birds flying around from time to time but never realized we live right across the Tennessee River from the 6000 acre Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge which hosts thousands of migrating birds from November thru February each year. We’re talking about Sandhill Cranes, Whooping Cranes, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Heron, Bonaparte and Ringbilled Seagulls, Mallards, American Black Ducks, Canadian Geese, Swans, etc. If 5000 ducks, geese and swans aren't enough to catch one’s attention, you might think 10 to 14 thousand Sandhill Cranes would be. These are large grey birds with red foreheads and white cheeks. They stand around 4 feet in height and watching them walk around is an interesting sight– if you're paying attention. I did casually think, "Where are these birds coming from?" But I never checked into it.

For some reason this year was different. Maybe it’s because the window view from my desk includes Hiwassee Island Wildlife Refuge and it was rather impossible to ignore the thousands of birds in my line of sight. And also, because the birds made such a delightful racket as groups of them flew past the house on their way out of town for the last several mornings.

Ishah and I drove down to Blythe Ferry crossing last Sunday and saw a large number of birds along the river but I didn’t think much about it. A friend mentioned they were migrating and I noted the information but still wasn’t too curious. I mean, birds migrate. Then Ishah and I drove to the water’s edge in the lower subdivision here and saw photographers with huge, expensive cameras taking pictures of the congregating cranes and I realized this must be an important event to somebody. And finally, Judi mentioned people travel here from distant places, such as Alaska, to photograph this event and so I decided I should pay more attention.

So, yesterday, when I heard the racket again, I decided to watch them. The Sandhill Cranes were indeed leaving in groups of about 25 each. I started counting as group after group took flight– sometimes 6 or 8 groups were airborne together. I estimated about 40 groups left out while I was watching. They came straight up from the river and flew past the end of our house. How cool is that?

Not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy such a bountiful glimpse of God’s providence on their doorstep. I’m thankful and plan to pay more attention now that I know Dayton is known for more than the Scopes Trial, strawberries and meth. We are a major migratory rest area for the Sandhill Cranes flying south from Lake Michigan and Lake Superior in the Fall and going back home to Canada in the Spring. What a blessing.