The pastor justifies the sign by saying that "he loves Muslims and would like to see many of them accept Christ, but the sign's purpose is to warn people of 'false teachers' and 'untruth from theologically unsound doctrine.'" If one believes Christianity is the truth, and thus Islam is false, surely one would want to expose the latter in a show of altruism. Again, a question of priorities -- whether to assert the truth for the salvation of souls or ignore faith and doctrine in order to be "politically correct." Muslims often take this route as well -- insist in one's face that theirs is the one and only true religion. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is when religious people try to spread their views by the edge of the sword -- something this Baptist church is not doing but that permeates the whole of Islamic history and doctrine.
"Baptist church in Florida again offends Muslims with message," by Bob Allen for the Associated Baptist Press, November 3:
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) -- A Baptist church in Florida is once again creating tension with its Muslim neighbors over a marquee message.A sign posted outside First Conservative Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., reads, "God loves you, Allah hates."
A local television station interviewed a Muslim woman who said she took offense. "What have I done?" asked the woman, who is not identified. "What have I done to deserve that kind of hatred in my neighborhood?"[...]
It isn't the first time the independent Baptist church has grabbed attention with its marquee, which is updated regularly to confront passersby with messages about doctrinal, social or world-religion issues.
"We find it an integral part of communicating the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ," Pastor Gene Youngblood says on a website, Truthsthatfree.com.
In 2005 the church made news by posting a sign that read "Islam is evil and believes in murder, Surah 9-29" contrasted with, "Jesus teaches peace, Matt. 5-9."
In 2003 local Muslims were upset when the church sign read "Jesus forbade murder Matthew 26-52 Muhammad approved murder Surah 8-65."
Youngblood says on his website that he loves Muslims and would like to see many of them accept Christ, but the sign's purpose is to warn people of "false teachers" and "untruth from theologically unsound doctrine."
Since displaying the sign, he said, the church has received threats and vandalism but added, "We stand firmly on our First Amendment right: The freedom of speech is fundamental to American liberty."...
Freedom of speech will mean nothing to Obama and his "Cultural Marxism".
Sometime in the next 4 years, this will qualify as a "hate-crime".
And the truth will set you free.
You go Rev. Youngblood.
I'm not even Baptist, but I approve the message!
Saith the brother: "And the truth will set you free.
You go Rev. Youngblood."
I pray the waving scimitars of Perpetual Offense and Outrage don't set Revrum Youngblood's head free from his neck, and the parishioners will have to rename their church the John The Baptist Church.
My parish has a sign in front that says "Understanding Islam,Open Forum-Nov. 17"
Given the number of Obama bumper stickers on the lot, I think our pastor should acquaint his parishioners with Catholicism.
This Rev. sounds like a Baptist Robert Spencer. What can he be charged with- repeating Koranic verses?
Screw the scimitars. This man is right. He has a God given right to freedom of speech and if we bow down every time one of these screeching whiners wields a sword, we'll get exactly what we deserve.
Rev. Youngblood has the power of the true God and for the time being, the law on his side. A gun in his pocket would not be out of the question though. God helps those who help themselves.
Never bring Allah to a gunfight.
God bless and protect Pastor Gene Youngblood!
Finally a church that isn't infested with PC Christians and is willing to take a stand.
Why should this be a problem for either side? It's not like it's someone's personal opinion. It is simply the teachings of each religion.
Anyone can pick up a Bible and see that the statement about God is supported in its teachings.
Conversely, anyone can pick up a Koran and see that the statement about Allah is supported in its teachings.
(The hatred of Allah toward unbelievers was one of the first things that struck me when I read the Koran. It's CONSTANT. And Allah doesn't seem particularly kind to believers either.)
I say cheers to that pastor and to that church for having the guts to do this. Muslims have nothing to cry about. It's their own miserable teachings reflected back to them and contrasted with the God of the Bible.
And what a contrast it is!
Any jihadwatchers down Florida way? An ACT for America chapter?
It might be a good idea to email or write to Pastor Youngblood and his congregation to express sincere support and encouragement.
Ask him if he's read, for example, Bat Yeor, Andrew Bostom and Robert Spencer, Trifkovic's 'Sword of the Prophet', and Mark Durie's 'Revelation? Do We Worship the Same God?'. Ask if his church has a library, and if so, whether those authors are in it. (Patrick Sookhdeo's 'Global Jihad' and 'Power, Faith, and Territory' would also be suitable - yes, Sookhdeo is an Anglican canon rather than a Baptist, but he converted from Islam to Christianity, and those who do that, do not go in for milk-and-water Christianity, they *love* the Lord).
If the good pastor and his church do not yet have such a library, Florida jihadwatcher might put together a special Christmas gift for him and his parishioners.
I wish people would avoid using the term "Allah" negatively and use instead something like "the god of Islam"
Arabic speaking Christians and Jews have been using the term "Allah" for at least a thousand years if not longer to mean "God" or "the god".
I wrote this comment on an article by Robert and asked whether or not Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians used Allah before Islam. This was Robert's reply:
Interesting approach. The Christians' Jesus got verbally tough and direct on people now and then -- but it was only the Pharisee priests and Temple merchants. In other words, the educated, wealthy, and powerful, who were more than prepared to handle such an approach.
For others, the people he said he came for, he was a healer, a defender, a teacher for those who specifically came to him, and a gentle example for all others.
What the pastor wrote, within the limitations of a church message board, is true. But does it accomplish what he intends?
I welcome any anti-Islamic statement anywhere, but I'm not sure where I stand on this one, unless the mission of this church is targeted only at Muslims, in which case I fully support it. Instead of Allah, had there been a negetive statement said Buddha/Krishna/Confucious/Zoroaster/Lao Tzu, would that have been AOK (aside from being a false statement)? It's one thing for any religious institution to want to entice its adherents to it, but when it comes to doing that by poaching other religions, isn't that where a line is to be drawn?
Conversely, look at it this way. Let's say a mosque had been set up, and on its lawn, had statements like 'Jesus was a prophet of Allah, Mohammed was the last prophet, Islam is true, Christianity if false,...', most people would be rightly outraged.
If people support this just in this case in the context of being anti-Islamic, I agree. But if they support it as a general rule, they are setting precedents that are potentially disturbing.
Joe Isaac, the OT is crystal clear about it. God has one name, 'Yahweh.' The Koran never calls God 'Yahweh' and says 'slay those who believe not in Allah and the last day,' meaning Christians and Jews. It's not the same God. It is doubtful whether Christians and Jews used the term 'Allah' before they were dhimmis. Most Arab Jews worshipped in Classical Hebrew, which is pretty similar to Arabic, and most Arab Christians, even if they did use the term 'Allah,' were by and large the same heretics like Khadiya's sister who informed Mo that Christianity was polytheistic and that Mary was part of the Trinity, so putting any weight in what a bunch of illiterate morons said 1400 years ago in the parts of the world which remained untouched by civilization and Antiquity is ridiculous anyway.
Why is it that everything that offends Islam seems worthwhile and comforting to me?
"What have I done?"
Let's just start with "praying" for my subjugation, plunder, torture, rape, murder, and exile five times a day, and add to that being here for the express purpose of destroying my country and openly practicing Nazism and indoctrinating your 45 children in it for now, you parasite. Get used to it. We're not shutting up. God bless this pastor for getting the word out. I love that he cites the Koran so that people go home and check it out.
Islam says that in the end times Jesus will return to earth to deny "the lies" he was crucified, or the son of God.
Islam says that in the end times, Jesus (Isa) - who is a devout Muslim - will return to fight and kill all the Jews and Christians on earth until the religion of Allah is the only religion left.
ALL Muslims believe in end times (unlike many Christians), so all of them believe the above.
Christians who involve themselves in interfaith dialogue are negotiating with the religion of Satan. This reverend has shown his bravery by standing up to Islam. He should also point out that Islam preaches, and approves of, the killing of Jews and Christians in the end times.
If you are a Muslim who does not believe this perhaps you should take the Reverends advice and switch to a religion which preaches peace - even when provoked.
"allah" is Satan and muhammad was his demon messenger.
A local television station interviewed a Muslim woman who said she took offense. "What have I done?" asked the woman, who is not identified. "What have I done to deserve that kind of hatred in my neighborhood?"[...]
Read the Qur'an and perhaps the history of Jihad.
See, that should make it crystal clear.
From down Florida way... I see it as protected speech, but it's not going to fill the church with converts. "God loves you" should be enough.
Allah does hate, but saying so only places Muslims on the defensive, and runs contrary to the supposed goal. In other words, it's useless to be tactless.
I say, More power to the Baptist minister!! He has the courage of
his convictions and the rest of us Americans who see the
handwriting on the wall can and must confidently do it too!!
When Muslims start saying this is a 'hate crime', point out to them that just two weeks ago muslims in America were protesting and holding signs saying the 'Jesus is the slave of Allah'.
'If you can dish it out then you better be able to take'.
Abscedere:
I disagree. It's long past time we started shouting the evil of islam from the rooftops to counteract the decades moral relativism which have been inflicted upon us by our cowardly, treacherous politicians and media.
Pastor Youngblood, please accept the thanks of this Canadian Catholic - I wish my church had your courage.
jdamn, I have to disagree with you here. The OT God's name was the intentionally unpronouncable YHWH, which is transliterated as either Yahweh or Jehovah (because of the lack of distinction between "W" and "V" sounds in Latin, and the Germans used the J instead of Y, plus an extra vowel). This is where we get Yahweh, Jehovah, and the Rastafarian "Jah" (as in HalleluJAH). As for Allah, that is a little more controversial. One could possibly see them being from the same root, though some say that it was the name of the main god in Arab paganism. Either way, in Arabic, Allah is both the name of God and the word for god in general, as illustrated by the Shahada "La ilaha illa Allah", literally there is no god but God. I have to say that Allah is the same God in Judaism and Christianity. His nature seems quite different, and one could argue that, when dealing with an omnipotent monotheistic God, one can not argue over his identity, only his nature. You may not see him as the same god, but for me, for example, when I read the writings of, say, Johnathan Edwards or even some of today's hardcore fundamentalist Christians, I don't feel like we believe in the same God. But we do, we just believe in a very different nature of that god.