Sharia Law and Christianity

What should Christians know in order to be able to witness to those of the Islam faith? Why should we be prepared?  Well, it seems that Muslims from all over the world are leaving their war torn countries and coming to the United States.  In the past missionaries were not allowed to enter the Muslim countries to spread the Gospel.  So God arranged for Muslims to come to our country where we have freedom of religion.  The opportunity is ripe.  How do we prepare?

I remember several years ago I was lost on the way going home from somebodies house and I drove by a mosque that I had never seen before.  As I recall it was on a Sunday afternoon.  A large number of people were milling around.  The women were dressed in long dresses with scarves over their hair.  I remember feeling alarmed, as I didn’t know if they were violent or not.  I decided I needed to do some research.

I read Ed Decker’s website called saintsalive.com.  He listed the 5 pillars of Islam.

Confession of Faith. “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is the prophet of God.”

• Pray. Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day: shortly before sunrise, mid‐morning, noon, mid‐afternoon, and after sunset.

• Give alms. Muslims are to give about 2.5 percent of their wealth. Zacat or Tacat.

• Fast during Ramadan. For one lunar month, from sunrise to sunset, Muslims are not to allow anything to pass down their throat. (Theoretically, a good Muslim would even spit out his or her saliva.) Then from sunset to sunrise, they are permitted to eat as little or as much as they want.

This is their way of developing discipline and relating to the poor. (Travelers, young children and pregnant or nursing mothers do not need to keep the fast.)

• Make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Every Muslim who is financially able is supposed to travel to the birthplace of Islam once in his or her lifetime.

Next I listened to YouTube videos of Nonie Darwish talking about her life in Egypt and then her life here.  She said that in 1920 the women threw off their headscarves and were liberated until the 1970’s when women in Egypt and in this country were radicalized and convinced to wear the burka again.  She said the American Muslim women are misguided and not helping women.  They are being set back to second-class citizens.  Consider these statistics from the book "Cruel and Usual Punishment" by Nonie Darwish:

"There are 35,213 Qur'an verses, hadiths, Sharia laws, and various Muslim scriptures commanding and encouraging killing, violence, war, annihilation, corporal punishment, hatred, boycott, humiliation and subjugation aimed mainly against non-Muslims. The majority population of non-Muslims in democratic nations must be concerned about such scriptures, and they must be protected from those who will act upon such commandments."

Then a book was given to me about women in the Muslim world called "Daughters of Hope."  It was written by Kay Strom and Michelle Rickett.  The book tells heart-wrenching stories of women being abused and treated worse than animals in Muslim countries. 

What I will do is to begin to pray that Christians will have wisdom and courage to lovingly witness, when given an opportunity, to Muslims.  Jesus is the only way to eternal life, and to living the abundant life.  Many will be lost if we don’t speak out.  Below is a 7-minute video of Nonie Darwish speaking in 2010.

Investing

This year we had two friends, (one in her 90's, and one in his 80's), and a family member in her 90's pass away.  When I look at their lives it is not for me to judge; but I can discern how they invested in this life.  I had many discussions with them about the Gospel.  In the end hearts were softened toward Jesus.  I thought the questions Joel Rosenberg, in a recent blog, asked his readers were interesting.  He writes,  “Please blog and Facebook and email and tweet about the importance of discipleship. Let’s share with each other our answers to these questions: 1) Who is investing in you? 2) Who are you investing in? 3) Are you living the invested life? 4) How are you living in the invested life? 5) What works and what doesn’t?”  

In other words are we storing up treasures in Heaven?

As I was meditating and thinking about discipleship I remembered a Sunday school paper given out in my parent’s Sunday school class, many years ago.  My mom mailed it to me.  It related the story of a woman who loved to study the Bible.  I told the Lord that I wanted to be like her and suddenly, without any effort on my part, I loved to study the Bible. I drank scripture in like cool, clear, refreshing water.  I have studied with Bible Study Fellowship, Community Bible study, various Bible studies at church, and now I’m studying with Precepts Ministries.  Every time I spend time in the Word I am instructed, convicted, comforted, and or encouraged.  It’s a joy to be reminded how much God loves us.

Because of my chronic illness I’ve had to limit my activities.  Years ago I was praying and asking God what I could do for His Kingdom.  He impressed on my heart that I could pray.  In the past I have never felt comfortable praying aloud.  But at a Sunday school teacher workshop, which I attended when I was in my 30’s, led by Evelyn Christianson, Evelyn tricked me in to praying out loud.  She had us gather in small groups and then each of us was to pray a one sentence prayer.  Because of the short prayers by each of us I was actually able to pray aloud.  I have always been succinct with my words and so now I could be succinct in prayer. This was doable for me.

As a result of learning how to pray simple prayers, and believing God wanted me to pray, I wanted to join a prayer group.  An article about Mom’s in Prayer (previously Moms in Touch) mistakenly, was placed in a PTA newsletter. (Mom’s in Prayer doesn’t want any advertisement in secular newsletters.  Information through churches, para church organizations, and word of mouth are desired.) The article told about Moms in Prayer and gave a contact name. I thought that I could at least pray one sentence so I called the contact and joined the group.  I learned that no one is expected to pray aloud in Moms in Prayer.  If we wish we can pray silently in our hearts.  I picture God saving our prayers up in a golden bowl, and showering us with every good and perfect gift.  What a comfort to have the support of other moms.

So what is the path to discipleship? I would say it centers on Bible study and prayer.  Through these activities God will lead us in spreading the Gospel and making disciples. We will be so full of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and His love, that it will flow over.  Investing in others will be interwoven into our lives.

Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll

It is that season of year again when it’s time to head back to school.  I’ve been thinking about the social life I had when I was in high school.  God protected me because He knew I couldn’t handle being one of the “cool” kids.  I sometimes looked with envy at the high school cheerleaders at my school as they were invited to parties and invited to join sororities.  My extra curricular activities took place at school, home, or church.  Once in awhile I was invited to a band party.  Most of the kids at these parties were nerds and didn’t drink, smoke, or have sex.  They chose to do what was right.

Now when my children were teens I noticed teens were hanging around in malls and that most parties involved at the least, drinking.  Our PTA at that time invited a parent to speak to us who had lost a child as a result of under age drinking and driving.  She beseeched us to have no tolerance for any teen being involved in any way with alcohol.  It did no good to let them drink at home and take away the car keys.  This had been done and someone found the car keys and drove under the influence and was killed as a result.  Now we have the same problem with drugs.

Because of this eye-opening meeting I instructed my children that they could participate in school activities and church activities.  If they attended any party where there were drugs, alcohol, smoking, or sex, even if they weren’t involved, they would be guilty by association. I also told them there was no reason to hang around in a mall.  If they wanted to shop they should go there, get what they were shopping for, and then leave.

They agreed with those who thought the community should build a teen center.  I wrote a letter to the newspaper saying that teens didn’t need a teen center.  If they wanted to hang out with their friends they should bring them home to play board games with their parents.    Surprisingly my letter embarrassed them but they did bring their friends home to play board games. 

One time when our daughter was in high school I went on a trip to visit my parents.  While I was gone our daughter was invited to attend one of “those” parties for the popular kids.  Her dad allowed her to go but he told her that if anything was going on that shouldn’t be, she was to call him, and he would pick her up, no questions asked.  She arrived at the party and after fifteen minutes she called him to come and get her.  He didn’t ask any questions.

Now today teens have to worry about drugs, date rape, driving while intoxicated, and other bad behavior like texting while driving.  When it comes to music I would listen to the music and then discuss with them why they liked certain styles.  Fortunately one liked classical music and the other jazz but not smooth jazz.  They were unusual teens by the grace of God!  I think it could be genetic as we were nerdy parents.

If asked I would give parents and teens this advice.  Stick to school, home and church for your social life.  It may not be very exciting but if teens would do this, one day they will be thankful.  Below is my high school graduation picture and one of me right before I started my freshman year in college.  I planned to be "popular" in college but that is another story!