From Kingdom of Evil to Kingdom of God.

[inJESUS]

No, I don’t. There are a number of other traditions of “important things” which are not documented by other scripture, tradition, or historical evidence. For example, the birth of Mary. Or for that matter, the birth of Jesus which clearly differs from the accounts in Matthew and Luke.

the point is not about giving details about someone’s birth…if they exist, they must be born… but about no one ever mentioning that Abraham built the Kaaba, not one evidence is something very strange since he was already mentioned in details either in OT, NT, Jewish books and Christians traditions and building a house for God is not something that can go unnoticed.

The fact that there is no other evidence is to me not strange but proof of the Qur’an really.

 

[Reuben_J]

I agree, and I was wrong. I admitted I was wrong. I apologize for my mistake–my mistake being that I forgot I had said it.

If you can remember everything you’ve ever written, then bravo. I can’t, I’m sorry.

In our culture the condour to own up is always admired. I’m willing to forget that incident based on your open remorse.

I however do note that you’re quite an intelligent person. No, please do not feel flattered. Many of us do posses some amount of intelligent in some way. The issue nevertheless is: what do you personally think of America? You could say you forgot and made a mistake by saying it is vulgar. But what do you think about it personally? Are you saying now that you have changed your mind about it now that you deny having said it? I think this is where the crediblity lies - the principle behind your thought. You could have used incorrect or inappropriate word to express yourself but in all that, your principle should never change. If it changes just because you want to win an argument or whatever motive you may have to change it, then that is not honest. Honestly, I hope you don’t fall into that category.

In one of the recent threads here I do suspect your honesty when you implied that not all Christians believe that Jesus is both divine and human. I doubt you because you were a former Christian yourself. Another was that, you do not know whether Christians proselytizing in Saudi Arabia is allowed or not. You sidestep this by saying that you do not know the penalty for doing so in Saudi Arabia. Of course, practicing Christianity openly there is no allowed. The fact you did not admit that what make your addressing the issue suspect.

Being an intelligent person you are, your words and your memory would be remembered here. Please do not blame us for that.

 

[Sister_Amy]

The issue nevertheless is: what do you personally think of America? You could say you forgot and made a mistake by saying it is vulgar. But what do you think about it personally? Are you saying now that you have changed your mind about it now that you deny having said it?

I didn’t figure it was worthwhile to explain my thinking behind the original statement, when the focus was more on my denial of it. I didn’t mean to say that I think that America is vulgar–I think that some Americans are, I think that some of what the government does is, and I think that an argument can be made in that direction by people who would choose to leave the country for religious reasons. But what I meant to say doesn’t matter to anyone (except me) as much as what I actually said, which frankly implicates much worse. Even trying to explain it now, I have no doubt that people will assume that I’m trying to reconcile the two statements and thus further deceive them. I’m not. They can read what I wrote. It is upsetting (continually upsetting, and something I face often) to not be welcome in one’s home, one’s family, one’s country. It’s something that I have to face often for my religious choices. I guess I lashed out. On the other hand, I won’t take it back, because I don’t know of another word that can be used to describe “girls gone wild” and extraordinary rendition at the same time. Those do not represent the America that I love, but they do represent the America that would like to expel me.

In one of the recent threads here I do suspect your honesty when you implied that not all Christians believe that Jesus is both divine and human. I doubt you because you were a former Christian yourself.

I have been informed that there are groups who call themselves Christian who do not believe that Jesus is divine. Among them, Unitarians. There are also sects which have disappeared that have been called “heresies” because they reject it. So perhaps you wouldn’t consider them Christian, but perhaps I do.

Another was that, you do not know whether Christians proselytizing in Saudi Arabia is allowed or not. You sidestep this by saying that you do not know the penalty for doing so in Saudi Arabia. Of course, practicing Christianity openly there is no allowed. The fact you did not admit that what make your addressing the issue suspect.

I have heard about people who have had their Bibles taken, in customs. But I have never heard of punishment for having Bibles, even a large number of them. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear. I try not to say things that I don’t know about. So something that I didn’t say–I don’t see how that could be used against me.

Being an intelligent person you are, your words and your memory would be remembered here. Please do not blame us for that.

My memory would be remembered? I try very hard to remember everything I’ve said, and precisely for this reason–so I’m not caught in a trap. I do try. And I failed.

That reminds me of two things, really. Firstly, not to post when I’m emotionally riled up, because I tend to forget (or inaccurately remember) what I’ve said. Secondly, not to post when I’m emotionally riled up, because I say things that aren’t appropriate.



I’m not perfect. Perhaps I should be flattered that you expected me to be so.

 

[Sister_Amy]

the point is not about giving details about someone’s birth…if they exist, they must be born… but about no one ever mentioning that Abraham built the Kaaba, not one evidence is something very strange since he was already mentioned in details either in OT, NT, Jewish books and Christians traditions and building a house for God is not something that can go unnoticed.

 

[Sam_777]

I have heard about people who have had their Bibles taken, in customs. But I have never heard of punishment for having Bibles, even a large number of them. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear. I try not to say things that I don’t know about. .

Sister Amy,

Please read the following links:

Saudi jailed (and LASHED) for discussing the Bible.
Saudis Shred Bibles, Rights Campaigners Claim
English Airline Bans Bible on Saudi Arabia Flight
Saudi Arabia Bars Bible-Bearing Flight Attendant

May the Most High God opens your eyes…

 

[Sister_Amy]

Sister Amy,

May the Most High God opens your eyes…

Open my eyes to what exactly? Saudi intolerance?

 

[inJESUS]

no, details of how it was built is not the point. The point is that Abraham built a house of God, which is supposed to be a worship house, yet there is no mention of such an incident in any Jewish or Christian scriptures or traditions. Of course the Kaaba is there, but it does not mean Abraham built it.

There are historical references to it as a sanctuary from before the Christian era, so clearly it’s been there a while. And it wasn’t unnoticed.

fine, but did these people believe it was built by Abraham? there are references of images of Jesus and Mary in the Kaaba as well, but is there any reference for it being built by Abraham? it is supposed to be a historic thing, not ideological. So does Non-Islamic literature even mention it? if not, how come nobody knew about it? did Araham build it by his own hands without anyone noticing it? no one worsipped in it? it was never used? why didn’t God tell about it if it were His house?

Some people even believe that the Psalms refer to the pilgrimage to Mecca.

who Muslims?

But frankly, what proof do we have about Abraham, really? Why would the Jews be expected to keep a tradition that was not related to them? (I.e., about Ishmael?)

yet Jews kept a thousand tradition about Ishmael, not to add it includes Abraham as well.

And how do you know you can trust the OT anyway? Do you have proof that Moses parted the Red Sea? You’re already relying on a book that is pretty much anonymous, without any proof for what it contains.

the proof is that Jesus did not say it is a corrupt book not from God.

 

[desertdude]

MY FIRST POST .

I was just browsing this forum with absolutely no intention of joining,Until I came across this post by Sam_777

Dude I Live in dubai U.A.E literally less than a days drive from here to Saudi.And have been since the last 31 years.It is very very obvious to me.That sam_777 is not an Arab and most probally does not even live in SA.It was evident from the very first post in this thread when he refers to him self as an Arabic .Let me tell you no arab would refer to himself unless his grasp of the english language wanst that good .And from what I read his english is perfect.

I am not even a native of this Land ,heck I’m not even an arab .And I have not seen or heard or felt the discrimination based on race or religon what Sam goes on to describe.I have friends who have lived in saudi ,visit saudi reguarly,used to live there plus I my self have met many saudis myself .He goes on to say Not only has he felt this in saudi but also in other gulf states.I have been involved in the hospitality Industry and have met hundreds if not thousand of people from diffrent parts of the world mostlyfrom the west .And let me tell you from first hand experience most have been gobsmacked and how open and free this place is .Personally it is getting way too westernised and is in the process of losing its cultral identity .I remeber one Bristish Gentle Man remarking that this is the most wet dry country he has ever seen .

Dubai has many churches,Temples here and does not stop anyone from practising any religon ,Qatar just got its first church aswell.Yes Saudi does not allow any place of worship to be built but you are free to practise in the privacy of you own home.Saudi is an exception as it the holy place of Islam Allowing a church would be akin to having a Mosque in vatican city .

I doubt that Sam even is in Saudi in the first place.It is just pathectic that some is pretending to be a Muslims.I think it is quite sad that some has to stoop to such low level of moral behaviour just to discredit something .I could have just as easily done the same here .But I refuse to pull myself so down

Sorry If my post sounds harsh but there are so many aspects of the story just don’t seem to gel .I’m not saying it is impossible for a muslim to convert to a chirstian or some other faith .But somehow Sam’s account generaly has an air which smells suspicious.

P.S: A muslim ,or a non-muslim with some knowledge of Islam or even a real ex-muslim would never refer to the Kabah as a Blackstone .That just tells the other person how ignorant you are.

 

[Sam_777]

Dude I Live in dubai U.A.E literally less than a days drive from here to Saudi.And have been since the last 31 years.It is very very obvious to me.That sam_777 is not an Arab and most probally does not even live in SA.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=234181&page=2#24

It was evident from the very first post in this thread when he refers to him self as an Arabic .Let me tell you no arab would refer to himself unless his grasp of the english language wanst that good .And from what I read his english is perfect.

Since when the language determines someone’s identity!

I am not even a native of this Land ,heck I’m not even an arab .

That is why you have a special VIP treatment in UAE, even in Saudi Arabia westerns have special Airport entry gates.

And I have not seen or heard or felt the discrimination based on race or religon what Sam goes on to describe.

Can an expatriate owns a lifetime property, can an expatriate have VIP government post, or get 100% permanent resident status, or even get the UAE nationality after lots of years.
(Link#1), (Link#2), (Link#3), (Link#4), (Link#5), (Link#6).

Personally it is getting way too westernised and is in the process of losing its cultral identity .I remeber one Bristish Gentle Man remarking that this is the most wet dry country he has ever seen .

Without this westernisation, it would have been worst, thanks God for that.

Dubai has many churches,Temples here and does not stop anyone from practising any religon ,Qatar just got its first church aswell.

Are they 100% churches, do they allow the cross to be visible from outside.

Yes Saudi does not allow any place of worship to be built but you are free to practise in the privacy of you own home.Saudi is an exception as it the holy place of Islam Allowing a church would be akin to having a Mosque in vatican city .

Vatican city does not have half of its population expatriates with different religions, if I were you, I would compare Vatican city to Mecca city but not with KSA.

I doubt that Sam even is in Saudi in the first place.It is just pathectic that some is pretending to be a Muslims.I think it is quite sad that some has to stoop to such low level of moral behaviour just to discredit something .I could have just as easily done the same here .But I refuse to pull myself so down

Your profile says you are Muslim, of course you wouldn’t accept what I’m saying.

Sorry If my post sounds harsh but there are so many aspects of the story just don’t seem to gel .I’m not saying it is impossible for a muslim to convert to a chirstian or some other faith .But somehow Sam’s account generaly has an air which smells suspicious.

Harshness, humiliating, violence, I had lots of them in my life from my fellow Muslims, adding you to the list is not a problem at all.

P.S: A muslim ,or a non-muslim with some knowledge of Islam or even a real ex-muslim would never refer to the Kabah as a Blackstone .That just tells the other person how ignorant you are.

Link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Stone

 

[Muzhik]

Sam, Shalom! My apologies in not replying to you sooner. You wrote:

Respected “Muzhik”,

Thank you very much, I think you are a Jewish from the “God” writing, that means you are the first Jewish I talk to in my entire life, I hope you give me your insights about Isaac & Ishmael descendants.

I am not Jewish. I am Roman Catholic and have been from birth. In the last few years I have become a Christian Zionist, and have adopted the Jewish form of writing G_D out of respect.

As for the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, this will also be in reply to Sister Amy.

He will send His Holy Spirit to call for us to return to Him. But unless and until we CHOOSE to return to Him, we cannot be great with G_D. In this view, G_D did make Ishmael a great nation, strong and wealthy. However, Ishmael and the children of Ishmael have not chosen to be close to G_D, choosing instead to be “every man against his brother.” Isaac, on the other hand, chose to follow G_D, which is why Isaac and his descendants are both great with G_D and great in the eyes of men.

According to the Bible, G_D promised Abram that he would have children, and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Sarai lost faith, believing that Abram’s children would not come from her, and so gave her pagan slave (Hagar) to Abram (in the custom of the time) to have a son through her. Once Hagar became pregnant, Hagar began to lord her pregnancy over Sarai, believing that showed she was better than Sarai. It got so bad that Sarai forced Hagar to leave. It’s at this point that G_D tells Hagar to return to Sarai, that her descendants will be too many to count, and tells her that Ishmael will be a wild a** of a man (i.e., violent).

Thirteen years later, G_D created the Covenant of Circumcision with Abram, now called Abraham. He also promised Abraham that Sarai, now called Sarah, will bear him a son. Abraham laughed, and said, “Let but Ishmael live on by your favor!” In other words, Abraham asked that the promises of G_D, of the kingdoms and nations that will come from Abraham, be fulfilled through Ishmael. G_D said no. His covenant with Abraham would be maintained through the son born of Sarah, Isaac. And the next year, Sarah bore Isaac.

The jealousy between Sarah and Hagar had not diminished over the years, and despite the promises of G_D that Isaac would inherit the covenant between G_D and Abraham, she worried that Ishmael, as the first born, would get the inheritance of Abraham. She demanded that Abraham “Drive out that slave and her son!” But God said to Abraham: “Do not be distressed about the boy or about your slave woman. Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you; for it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, since he too is your offspring.” (Genesis 21:12-13) In the remainder of chapter 21, we learn two things: “G_D was with the boy as he grew up”; and “His mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.”

What we have is the recognition by G_D that while Abraham’s descendants through Hagar would be special, His covenant would continue through Isaac. Why? Because Ishmael was the son of a slave and a pagan. Isaac was freeborn and of Hebrew line, from the family of Shem son of Noah. It is from this line of free Hebrews that G_D would make and keep His covenant. We also know that Ishmael chose to NOT be close to G_D (even though G_D was with him while he grew up) because when it came time for Ishmael to choose a wife, instead of returning to his father Abraham for his help to chose a wife from the people of his father, he allowed his mother to chose a pagan wife for him.

We have the same situation with Esau and Jacob: Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew, and took wives among the Hittites. Jacob on the other hand, remained loyal to G_D and took a Hebrew woman for a wife. By choosing a wife from among the Chosen People, we see who is and who is not remaining faithful to G_D.

(This section of chapter 21 also shows that when Abraham was tested it was by preparing to sacrifice Isaac, not Ishmael, since by the time Abraham was tested [in chapter 22] Ishmael was no longer living with Abraham.)

Therefore, by choosing a pagan wife, Ishmael chose not to be close to G_D, even though G_D fulfilled His promise to Abraham that He would make a great nation of Ishmael also.

<><

 

[swariffin]

Nickname: Sam.
Gender: Male.
Occupation: IT Engineer.
Marriage status: Single (virgin).
Religion: Islam (so far).
Current resident country: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Dear Brother Sam,

As a Catholic, and I believe that you are my brother in humanity. I would like to say that racism is common throughout the world, and in any society, including the free country such as the US. But, the degree of such racism is different. Human is tend to be bias to their same race, anyway. The more educated the society, the less the racism will be.

I am deeply moved that you begin to give interest to our bible. I strongly encourage you to read more. But, before you are going any further into being a Christian yourself, I would like you to ask yourself two following questions. (a) Do you believe and realize that God loves you, and already be with you from the beginning of your life until now? and (b) How do you respond to such love given by God to you? Let me tell you brother, God’s love is to all the people regardless of race, religion, education, social status, whatever. I do believe that God’s love is also reflected in the Quran. Perhaps, you have not yet find a true Muslim in your life. Remember, in the eye of God, majority is not necessarily the righteousness. No wonder that the sermon you hear is nothing but hatred toward other human race, and I doubt that kind of sermon ever come out from a true Muslim, inspired by God.

You know brother, Love will never teach hatred. Love is giving. Love and Hatred are true opposites, like two magnets closed by their same pole. Love and hatred can’t exist side by side. So, a loving God cannot and will not expressed nor implied any hatred whatsoever. A true religion of God, will never condemn other human. If it does, then why God created human in so many different races, but later pick one race, and condemn the others? Do continue to search for God and it will be worth your time and effort. Perhaps in your search, you find that our bible reflect the love that is supposed to be. Do make comparisons and pray to God, in whatever way you currently believe. Before doing so, please empty whatever knowledge you already have regarding the holybooks you read. Let the truth of God come by itself to you without your existing knowledge pre-screened it. God will enlighten you with His true Love. May the Love of God be with you and your family.

 

[swariffin]

Hi “Sam”

Let me take your story at face value for now, for the benefit of the readers. The Catholics here should not be surprised by my response–and I don’t mean to offend anyone by it.

I am a convert from Christianity to Islam, that is I decided to embrace Islam after living as a Christian. And not because the Qur’an agreed with Christianity–it doesn’t. That’s rather the point, actually.

So I am going to give you an example. Suppose your boss gives you a memo on Monday, telling you how to do a project, and then he sends you another memo on Tuesday. And then on Thursday he sends you another memo, each time he slightly changes the way he wants you to do it.

Which memo should you follow, the first one he sends you? The second one? Or the last one?

The answer, quite naturally, is the last one.

Now, holy scriptures are not “memos” directly from God, so I don’t mean to offend anyone with the analogy.

Also, you should be careful about what you consider to be “holy scripture” “from the same God.” Because in fact, the Qur’an (let’s consider for the moment that it is the “last memo” as per the Muslim position) does not actually agree with the Bible, but it doesn’t even say that the Bible is holy scripture. It doesn’t say that the Bible is from God. And an informed Muslim would not tell you that the Bible is from God either.

So that is a mistake in your analysis.

In summary, if you believe in multiple scriptures from the same God, then be aware that the last version is the most final and complete version, which would overrule or correct anything before it. And secondly, if you do believe the Qur’an is holy scripture, from God, then you should accept only what it calls holy scripture and what it claims to be from God, so you cannot claim that the Bible is holy scripture because the Qur’an does not call it so, but rather only 4 other specific texts, which are named… and none of which are the Bible.

So, If Salman Rusdhie present you the very latest memo from your boss, why don’t you believe in him? If I declared that the Angel Jibril spoke to me and I present you a new verses of Quran, will you believe in me? Sorry sister, your analogy is incorrect.

 

[swariffin]

Now, in response to your most I wanted to say a few things–according to Islam, the devil is not, and never was an angel. Muslims believes that angels cannot and do not ever disobey God. So they believe that the devil (who you called Lucifer) was a character named “Iblees” who was a different kind of creature, neither human nor angel, called a jinn.

Dear Sister,

Where do you think that Iblees came from? Did Iblees exist by itself? Did God created Iblees? if so, why?

 

[swariffin]

Part 5/7:

My personal view about a possible scenario (I know my fellow Muslims will not like it at all, but please please please let us discus it together, I hope also our friends the Christians and Jewish give me their opinion here):

After linking and analyzing what is written in the Bible to the history of Arabian Peninsula mentioned in some historical Arabic books, that once the Most High God had thrown Satan out of paradise, Satan started creating all those pagan religions in earth, and one of those pagan religion targeted Mecca (the Muslims holy city in Saudi Arabia) where the 360 idols worshiping started prior to Islam, there was no better environment than to seduce Ishmael when Abraham sent him to the Arabian Peninsula, Satan tempted him on how God have abandoned him in the favor of Isaac, seducing Ishmael to worship him(Satan) by building the Kaaba (the black stone) in Mecca in exchange for the world’ treasures, and there where the 360 idols started their origin, I think Ishmael hated the Most High God because he favored Isaac over him, but Ishmael did not know that the Most High God had a plan to save this world, and simply Ishmael wasn’t part of that plan, in addition to that, Abraham have married Hagar (Ishmael’s mother) without God’s approval but by an earthy decision through his wife Sarah, actually the most high God did not abandon Ishmael but he promised that he would bless him and make him into a great nation (Genesis 17:17-22).

I think the real war started afterward when the Most High God sent his Son Jesus to save the human beings forever, Satan lost his mind completely and decided to fight Christianity in all his power, he couldn’t sustain to see the Most High God having a Son to rule over all other creations exactly like the Most High God, Satan was planning for that position himself (Isaiah 14:12-14), but Satan did not know that he cannot force his willing among the Most High God, so Satan decided to create a religion which has a violence within it, so he can enforce that religion by power, Satan knew that he cannot spread it just by words like his other pagan religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc) because it won’t stand a chance against the Bible words (that is why we prohibit the Bible in Saudi Arabia), and there where Satan decided to consolidate all those 360 idols worshiping into one god to make sense and logic for Islamic followers, and there was no better person than Muhammad to do the job, Satan pretended that he is angel Gabriel from heavens and taught Muhammad the Quran, of course Satan must put some good earthy stuff in his religion (like not to drink alcohol, not to gamble, etc), but on the expense of diverting people off their right path (by not believing in the Most High God, his son Jesus, and the true path of salvation).

Dear Brother Sam,

For this kind of thought, I hope you don’t just took it for granted from someone else. Please do pray to God without your pre-existing knowledge, and ask God to fill your mind with His truth.

 

[swariffin]

Jesus said to love GOD with all your heart and mind and soul.

If all your heart and mind and soul is loving God, what is left to love Jesus with? Or your parents or anyone else, really.

Dear Sister,

After I love God with all my heart, my mind, and my soul, I discover that Jesus is the word of God, and is God. I also discover that I cannot love God WITHOUT loving other human including and especially my mom and dad. Too bad, if you believe that you CAN LOVE GOD WITHOUT LOVING OTHER HUMAN. That would be contradictory.

 

[swariffin]

Something good in America something is bad also. I am in America i think Vulgurity is here in the top, no doubt. Where as Holy Spirit comes into the people which everyone suggest to Sam. Well i know some mentally case people they right letters to God and through it under their beds. Remember everyone is not a messenger from Allah/God. You guyz do not know who is Holy Spirit. Let me tell you few All prophets pbut, in women Mary(Murrium)(R.A), all angels and some ordnary people but they cannot have powered to right with there on point of view and add in holy books any thing except which is revealed on Messengers or Prophets. Trinity makes no sense thats all i wanna say. Where is Jesus pbuh original gospel which he has it with the help of 12 disciples. Answer me with your oath of jesus that what ever your bible is right now is exactly same which is in jesus hands. Anyone wanna take Oath of Jesus. I will take Oath of Allah/God that Quran is never changed it is exactly what comes from Allah/God by Angel Jibreel to Prophet Muhammad pbuh.

Dear Tom,

You are not learning history from Quran only right? I will, am and has taken an oath in my baptism and every year before I go fasting that I believe in the bible as the teaching of the love of God. I am glad that no one (at least in this current year) say “Halleluyah” and blast the bomb. But, more people shout “Allahuakbar” and detonate the bomb. I am not saying that those terrorist are Islam. But, how come a book inspired by God be so easily be manipulated? It is just does not make sense.

 

[GemmaRose]

,
Now, in response to your most I wanted to say a few things–according to Islam, the devil is not, and never was an angel. Muslims believes that angels cannot and do not ever disobey God. So they believe that the devil (who you called Lucifer) was a character named “Iblees” who was a different kind of creature, neither human nor angel, called a jinn.

With all due respect, Muslims can choose to believe the earth is flat… it would not make the earth any less round.

Another point I wanted to make was that you’re right to demand authority for any book coming later. For example, what authority did Moses have over the Jews? What authority did later Jewish prophets have?

Their authority came from God.

And what authority did Jesus have?

He needed no authority. He is God. HE IS THE AUTHORITY.

The answer is that the authority only comes from God. Muslims believe that miracles are a proof that a person is sent from God–miracles like those of Moses (plagues, parting red sea, staff becoming snake), and like those of Jesus (healing the blind, raising the dead). So the only reason that Muslims believe that the Qur’an is actual revelation from God is its miraculous nature, and the only reason they accept Muhammad as a prophet is through that miracle of the Qur’an, because it was revealed to him.

See my first objection above. Anyone who is either a liar, or an innocent man deceived by a liar, can claim something has a miraculous nature when in fact it does not.

Moreover, Muslims that live in America will not claim that they hate it. So saying that they choose to live here and they hate it–the groups of people here are mutually exclusive. People that hate America DON’T live here, precisely for that reason. People that move here, that immigrate here, often do so to obtain a better life than in their current oppressive third world country.

Take for example, my sheikh. He is Syrian, a real scholar of Islamic law, who had to come here because he was not allowed to preach Islam there in Syria, the religious people were being oppressed by the government. While here in the USA, religious freedom is allowed. Muslim Americans are Americans too. You might enjoy the video I have linked in my signature, which is sort of about American Muslims.

**You seem to live somewhere other than my neighborhood which seemingly has more Middle-Eastern Muslims than the Middle East. I have heard with my own ears these immigrants to a free America criticize it.

ON THE EVENING OF 9/11/2001, THEY DANCED IN FRONT OF THE MOSQUE WHICH IS ONE BLOCK FROM MY HOME.

Unfortunately, Sister Amy, you are woefully misinformed about many, many things.**

---

*“Dear God, do You know the greatest grief one of Your creatures can bear? It is the thought that she can never love You enough. ” *- St. Gemma Galgani

 

[jj2011]

Nickname: Sam.
Gender: Male.
Occupation: IT Engineer.
Marriage status: Single (virgin).
Religion: Islam (so far).
Current resident country: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Part 1/7:

I will begin by introducing myself, I’m an Arabic person (but not from Ishmael’s descendants) who has been living his entire life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so you can say I have studied and thrived throughout the Wahhabi Islamic culture, I have studied that from my early childhood till now, and I always read our Muslims religious book (Quran) and practicing all Islamic religious obligations on daily basis together with my parents and my relatives.

However, during my life here in Saudi Arabia, I have encountered many racial and religious discrimination against me, my family, and other people with different religions, and I always wondered why is that coming from an Islamic country such as Saudi Arabia, shouldn’t it be (a great) country since its the source of (a great) religion which is Islam!, and where the Kaaba (the black stone) is located, why we Muslims treat people according to their origins and tribes!, later on I have found out that the whole gulf area is similar to that, I have friends in other gulf countries, and they are also complaining about the same issues, personally throughout my life here in Saudi Arabia, I have found that the majority of Ishmael’s descendants have bad manners, they pretend the religious acts in front of the people while at the back they make all prohibited things, racialism is everywhere, everyone’s loyalty to his or her tribe only, I’m not exaggerating, ask any expatriate who lives in the Gulf region and has a daily contact with Ishmael’s descendants (HRW1, HRW2, HRW3), and I always wondered why Human Rights Watch website has the majority of the complains related to Islamic countries, and why the majority of the wars in the world would have Islam as part of it!. However, later on I have realized the meaning of Jesus’ words: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16).

At age 30 I had a business visit to one of the western countries, and during that visit I entered one Church to have some photos (that was my first encounter with the Christian world), after that when I traveled back to Saudi Arabia something happened to me, I don’t know what, but when the Mosque’s clerk used to curse Christians and Jewish during our weekly prayer and daily in our fasting month (Ramadan), I actually wasn’t saying “Amen” after each curse like the other prayers, I kept silent, actually I don’t know why I was doing that, but I think I was saying to myself, why I would curse someone just because of his or her religion!.

And the days have passed like that till I have reached 33, and once I’m visiting another western country, I entered one Church to explore it more (just to fulfill my curiosity), and that day wasn’t Sunday, so it was empty, after exploring the Church I said to myself let me see this Bible which is forbidden for us to read in Saudi Arabia, and I sat down and I started reading the first pages of the Bible which was the Genesis chapter, I really was amazed by the details that was given about the creation of the world, details which were not available in our Islamic book Quran, I kept reading till two hours have passed like two minutes for me, after that I left the Church and because of my tight schedule I said to myself I should continue reading this Bible back home.

When I have finished reading the Bible through the Internet, I was really stunt by the words of Jesus, I thought to myself that those words cannot come from a human being even if he was a prophet, while in our Quran the words are normal and any Arabic person can come with such verses, there is no big deal with that, we Arabs are well known with our beautiful Arabic poem.

However, nowadays in some of Christian TV stations (broadcasting to our region through satellites), when they run some short scenes of Jesus teaching and when I read the Bible online, I feel my heart inclined towards the Bible and I shed tears!, I haven’t shed any tears all my life when reading Quran or when praying, why its different now!, I asked myself this question: WHY I SHED TEARS WHEN I HEAR JESUS WORDS, WHAT MAKES MY SOUL SO ATTRACTED TO THOSE WORDS!. WHY WHY WHY !!!

Sam,

I am reading your posts with great interest and pray that the peoples of Islamic countries will take heed and embrace the kingdom of Jesus Christ in holy baptism.

I have a question as well. Is it true that Muslims who become Christians can face the death penalty? I will be praying for your well being.

 

[Sam_777]

Sam,

I am reading your posts with great interest and pray that the peoples of Islamic countries will take heed and embrace the kingdom of Jesus Christ in holy baptism.

Thank you.

I have a question as well. Is it true that Muslims who become Christians can face the death penalty?

Yes , (Link1), (Link2).

 

[Reuben_J]

Dear Sister,

Where do you think that Iblees came from? Did Iblees exist by itself? Did God created Iblees? if so, why?

Yes, this is interesting. Since Iblees is not an angel in the Islamic understanding, I am also curious - whether it exist by itself or created by Allah. And if Allah created an Iblees, I also would like to know why Allah did such a terrible and horrible thing. I mean, why did Allah created evil, if at all he created it.