CAIR is an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas terror funding case — so named by the Justice Department. CAIR officials have repeatedly refused to denounce Hamas and Hizballah as terrorist groups. Several former CAIR officials have been convicted of various crimes related to jihad terror. CAIR’s cofounder and longtime Board chairman (Omar Ahmad), as well as its chief spokesman (Ibrahim Hooper), have made Islamic supremacist statements about how Islamic law should be imposed in the U.S. (Ahmad denies this, but the original reporter stands by her story.) CAIR chapters frequently distribute pamphlets telling Muslims not to cooperate with law enforcement. CAIR has opposed virtually every anti-terror measure that has been proposed or implemented and has been declared a terror organization by the United Arab Emirates. A CAIR operative recently called for the overthrow of the U.S. government.
Would Bethany Lutheran Church, blithely indifferent to all that as it is, offer office space to a group that had, say, been defamed by the hard-Left Southern Poverty Law Center? Not on your life! But Hamas? Fine!
“Muslim group CAIR finds new home at Bethany Lutheran Church in Mpls.,” by Faiza Mahamud, Star Tribune, January 28, 2017 (thanks to Creeping Sharia):
Jaylani Hussein knew the cramped Minneapolis office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations wasn’t big enough to hold the growing staff much longer.
But it was the threats, hate-filled letters and menacing phone calls directed at the organization that sent him in search of something more than extra square footage.
CAIR held an open house last week to celebrate its new office in Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis’ Seward neighborhood, a location that offers more space, is closer to clients and, CAIR staff members hope, serves as a sanctuary.
The alliance comes amid heightened fear and uncertainty for local Muslims, as hate crimes against them rise. On Friday, President Donald Trump issued an order temporarily barring refugees from entering the country. Officials with the civil rights organization and the church hope they can work together to undercut discrimination.
“These are our allies,” said Hussein, CAIR’s local executive director. “These are the people that stood with us when we were challenging Islamophobia.”
The Rev. Mike Matson, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, said the congregation has parishioners from across the political spectrum and strives to be open and “willing to come to the middle … where it’s messy, but safely and with integrity.” He said it’s unfortunate there is such anger and division in the country.
“We wanted to be a model of how people can come together so that we can stop all that rhetoric of hate, name-calling or labeling,” Matson said.
He acknowledged that CAIR has dealt with threats of violence. At least three of the threats in 2015 were serious enough that CAIR reported them to police. Records show they included threats of physical harm and a taunting letter.
But Matson said the congregation is undeterred, because of its history of supporting advocacy organizations and its stances in support of minorities and the gay community. He said Bethany received threats when the church ordained an openly gay pastor and opened its doors to other faith groups. The church has leased space to the Latino worker advocacy group Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha. It has invited an African small business to make bread in the kitchen and partnered with a Tunisian chef to provide a free hot soup meal to the surrounding community.
Dianne Holte, president of the Bethany Lutheran Church Council said the group voted unanimously in support of leasing the space to CAIR and building an interfaith partnership. Discussion about partnering with CAIR started last spring, with the Augsburg College Campus Ministry helping make the connection.
“We are honored to have them house their offices within our walls,” Holte said….
mortimer says
MESSAGE TO Bethany Lutheran Church:
1) When Mohammed came to the town of YATHRIB, he came as a pitiful REFUGEE. After setting up homes for his followers, 2) HE ORGANIZED both POLITICALLY and MILITARILY. 3) After Mohammed became the POLITICAL LEADER of Yathrib, 4) he made a FORMAL PACT with the Jews of this PREDOMINANTLY JEWISH town. 5) Mohammed then broke the treaty with the Jews on a flimsy pretext and 6) EXTERMINATED ALL THE COMBAT-AGED JEWISH MALES and 6) Mohammed ENSLAVED all the Jewish women and children.
Bethany Lutheran Church can expect the same pattern in their community, because MOHAMMEDANS must IMITATE Mohammed.
Frank Anderson says
Honored Mortimer, setting aside the few issues we have that I do not understand, we agree on this one.
+1
How can “stupid” and “evil” be deprogrammed? I don’t know either!
“Deliberate ignorance constitutes knowledge of the truth.”
mortimer says
Mr. Anderson, it takes TEN YEARS to learn about Islam… it is taqiyya hidden inside tawriyya, all buried in successive layers of kitman, taysir, darura and muruna.
Mohammedans imitate Mohammed who frequently flipflopped and strategically deceived ‘others’. Allah is the ‘greatest of deceivers’.
Bethany Lutheran has NO IDEA the kind of FIRE they are playing with.
mortimer says
Mr. Anderson, complacency comes from the DESIRE to VIRTUE-SIGNAL and be admired for having the ‘CORRECT’ opinions… to go along with the CURRENT FASHION.
With VIRTUE-SIGNALLING come COMPLACENCY and LAZINESS, because if you follow the CURRENT FASHION in thought, you never need to THINK THINGS THROUGH for yourself.
WE CAN DEPROGRAM MOST PEOPLE WITH FACTS … if ONLY they will take the time and make the effort to hear those facts and ponder them.
I am thoroughly convinced that the truth actually does set people free. These LAZY church leaders HAVE NOT read the READING LIST, they HAVE NOT done their homework, and yet, preposterously, they wish to be regarded as ‘A’ students.
An absurd insult to our intelligence and a dangerous one. Bethany Church is PLAYING WITH THE FIRE OF ISLAM.
CRUSADER says
Mortimer, how is it that it takes 10 years to learn about Islam?
Some of us on this JW site have been able to scope it out in just a few days….
Or are you saying that when one attempts to join into Islam, it takes 10 years to unravel it enough to want to leave it ? Some converts have left it within 2 to 3 years….
Frank Anderson says
Crusader, and others, Mortimer and I have frequently “argued” concerning the possibility of “deprogramming”. At least I know that I do not know enough to say “deprogramming” is impossible; but with all that I do know about child abuse from the practice of law and life, I just don’t believe it can. Mortimer believes, as I see him writing from time to time, that deprogramming is possible. He sincerely and passionately believes it. His knowledge of islam and his ability to cite passage after passage in support of his arguments far exceeds any of mine after my reading approximately 20 books from various authors and viewpoints. I respect Mortimer, without understanding or necessarily agreeing with everything he writes. I am satisfied it is possible that he knows some things I do not. That is my reason for referring to him as Honored Mortimer, to remind myself that he could be teaching me something,
I had a professor in law school that was politically at the other end from me of any spectrum that could be applied. By the time I sat through 3 semesters of his classes, I saw many things that I had not seen before. He treated me honestly and with more than fairness at all times. When it came time to take the bar examination in a state other than my “home” state, I was amazed at how well he prepared me to pass all the subjects he taught. I predict Mortimer may be from the same mold.
The story goes that a doctor told a person that it takes about 15 minutes to teach someone how to remove an appendix, but years of medical school, internship and residency to learn what to do when something goes wrong. Mortimer may be correct. It should take about 15 minutes, if that long, to learn that islam is synonymous with evil, but a whole lot longer, maybe even 10 years to understand *why* sufficiently to stand off any lying s.o.b. trying to test one’s knowledge and understanding. My opinion that others are welcome to disagree.
StellaSaidSo says
‘It takes ten years to learn about Islam’
Nonsense. One can learn in a matter of minutes enough about Islam to firmly oppose it.
gravenimage says
Mortimer, I don’t believe it takes ten years to learn about Islam.
While my own knowledge has certainly deepened and become more refined, I learned the basic truth about Islam within a couple of months after 9/11, when I decided to read the Qur’an, then found the Hadith and Sira.
As for “deprogramming” Muslims with facts, this assues that most Muslims know nothing about their creed and would be horrified if they learned.
But this is clearly *not* the case–all too many Muslims know all too much about Islam–that is why we have Jihad terror and attempts to impose Shari’ah law.
gravenimage says
assumes
Frank Anderson says
GI, I hope obvious typos are forgiven. . .(Do for others that which you wish to be done to you!)
gravenimage says
Of course, Frank. I ignore most typos–they happen, and seldom affect the clear meaning of comments. 🙂
Until recently, words that were suspected misspelled showed up underlined in red while composing–now for whatever reason that is no longer the case. I have to remind myself to proofread more closely–not something I always do when posting quickly.
Has anyone else had this same issue?
Frank Anderson says
GI, sometime autocorrect makes corrections on my composing, and sometime it underlines in red. I hope it helps catch most of my errors; but also hope those that pass through are minor enough to communicate my thought. If I had my wish autocorrect would let me decide what words deserve to be capitalized. Always best wishes to a most knowledgeable writer. Frank aka Still Learning.
Mac-101 says
So are the Lutherans and other major Protestant faiths along with the Catholics part of the Synagogue of Satan?
dhans says
Unfortunately it is getting to be that way. There are still holdouts however.
gravenimage says
No, Mac–this isn’t the “Synagog of Satan”.
All too many idiots just consider CAIR a civil rights group.
Here’s how the mainstream sees this sinister organization. This is a story from today:
“Muslim civil rights group opens Catonsville office”
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/catonsville/ph-ca-cair-0214-story.html
They’ve swallowed the Taqiyya hook, line, and sinker.
Bazooka Joe says
Wyldeirishman is absolutely correct. The major American Lutheran denominations are the Missouri and Wisconsin Synods, and they would not be involved in this stupidity. ELCA is not Bible based, word of God based and is a modern politically correct congregation. They seems to accept everything and are not based on the word of God. They either twist or ignore the word of God to suit their politically correct doctrine. Even though they are fools, we’ll still have to pray for them. That Pastor has no clue how he may be endangering his congregation. LeftisruiningCanada is also 100% correct you would NEVER see an LCMS Church do something as asinine as what these ELCA folks are doing. ELCA gives Lutheranism a very bad name……
John Stefan Obeda says
Thank you for your thoughts Mr. Bazooka. I agree. You know: there are Lutherans and there are Lutherans, as I suppose is the case in all denominations and from his politics I would say that Trump is a good Presbyterian. (very funny)
Emilie Green says
Pergamum in Minneapolis,
“But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
CRUSADER says
Are you saying Minneapolis is going the way of Pergamon?
Pergamon, in Anatolia, in antiquity — a town of much learning
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pergamon#Notable_people
Anatolia was invaded by the Persian Sassanid Empire in c.620 and after the Persians were driven out by Byzantine forces, Pergamon was rebuilt on a much smaller scale by Emperor Constans II.
Not long after, Pergamon was sacked by the armies of Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik on their way to the siege of Constantinople in 717.
With the defeat of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, the Seljuk Turks were effectively in control of all of Anatolia, but they withdrew to central and eastern Anatolia to consolidate their gains as the Sultanate of Rum and Pergamon returned to Byzantine control. The decline of the Sultanate of Rum in the late 12th century saw the rise of the Anatolian beyliksand with the continuing weakness in the Byzantine Empire, and the expansion of the beyliks, Pergamon was absorbed into the baylik of Karasids/Karası by 1336. Competition among the bayliks resulted in the takeover of the baylik of Karasids/Karası by the Ottoman Emirate – the forerunner of the Ottoman Empire – in 1357.
The Ottoman Sultan Murad III had two large alabaster urns transported from the ruins of Pergamon and placed on two sides of the nave in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
—————————————————————
(Of course, I still prefer to refer to it as Constantinople)
Nate says
Bethany is ELCA. ELCA gave up being Lutheran – as well as being Christian – a long time ago. Please don’t hang all we Lutherans on the same tree as they.
boakai ngombu says
+1 the allah god of islam (unknowable; the best of all deceivers) must be very gay at this. the congregation no longer honors the Cross of Christ; pity the faithful who no longer have a voice.
Linde Barrera says
To Nate- Thank you for your comment. I am a member of a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in Brooklyn, NY and I am very upset that any church would get cozy with CAIR. ? I predict that Islam will be crammed down the throats of anyone who goes to any church, under the guise of the white-washed doublespeak “Islam does not sanction any violence unless it is done in self-defence.” Furthermore, I do not hate any Muslims at all, they are human beings as I am, but I do hate the evil ideology of Islam. Call me “Islamophobic” and proud.
John Stefan Obeda says
Linde, meet a fellow Lutheran Islamophobe whose background is LCMS. I agree with your comments. And we must often pray for our nation and church too, of course, and family and enemies.
Wyldeirishman says
Thumbs up, brotha! 🙂
jewdog says
After they finish singing Kumbaya, they can read excerpts from Martin Luther’s “The Jews and Their Lies”.
Linde Barrera says
To jewdog- I cannot offer any explanation as to why Martin Luther expelled the Jews from Wittenburg or why he hated Jews. It is mind boggling and baffling. But Germany paid reparations to Jewish people in an effort to “get it right” with the evils inflicted upon Jews that had been done in the past, the Holocaust in particular. And this begs the question: Should a generation who was not responsible for the Holocaust feel personal guilt about it? This is not the same as acknowledging historical facts and striving to be as law-abiding and civilized as possible to all people. This also touches on the idea that Martin Luther, in spite of his hateful anti-semitism, (among his many theological statements) said “Grace alone, scripture alone, faith alone”. I hold these words in high esteem because it covers all the spiritual bases for me.+ I bid you peace.
mortimer says
JD, let us all turn our attention towards the GREATEST SOURCE of anti-Semitism, the IDEOLOGY of political Islam.
You would not believe how much I am battling to defend Israel from uninformed idiots and they come in all forms. I fight anti-Semitism every day.
gravenimage says
+1
Wyldeirishman says
Yep…right after they read that bit in the Talmud about Christ burning in His own feces in hell.
Maybe they could touch also upon what Luther said positively regarding the Jewish people shortly before his death, and not make excuses for something that he clearly wrote in anger and frustration.
I love you, jewdog; don’t troll so hard. Against the filth that is Islam, we’re on the same side. 🙂
CRUSADER says
JayBoo,
You referencing Blacture ad? (Had the impression of CAIR’s logo on the stage)
Or the myriad other commercials promoting Muzzies?
CRUSADER says
Minnesota, according to the Dayton family, is promoting itself not as the MidWest,
but as “THE NORTH”….
Minnesota is becoming akin to Sweden !!!! (Many more ills to come to Somaliland-North….)
gravenimage says
CRUSADER, I have at least periodically seen Minnesota describes as “the North” since at least the ’60s. Much of this is alarming–this specific thing not so much.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Hamas and Hesbullah should be applauded as freedom Fighter groups by all people with good conscience. fascist evil Zionist is a terrorist state the murderer of children according to obnoxious talmud.
mgoldberg says
weasel man ibrahim: hamas and hezballah are homicidal serial murderers in the name of Allah. They have no conscience. As are you…. weasel man.
CRUSADER says
Mr Irritates is at it again…..
How he must feast on foulness.
LeftisruiningCanada says
Is that the Talmud you mention often but never quote for fear of having your lies exposed again?
gravenimage says
As I have noted, Ibrahim itace muhammed has said how much he looks forward to taking part in the genocide of the Jews.
Chplraj says
The current Pastor is Mark Hendricksen at Bethany Lutheran? The guy mentioned is not there anymore
Their website states partners with CAIR. They have taken “blood money” and endangered their own people……
Tjhawk says
How wonderfully virtuous of you to be willing to come to the middle…. where it’s messy
Hey Rev. Mike! Bend on over! I’m sure there are plenty of closeted jihadis who would love to show you what “come to the middle….where it’s messy” really means.
Hey Rev. Mike! You got a son? They’d like to show him too.
Westman says
It appears that the chickens have invited a flock of fighting cocks, disguised as hens, into the hen house. Perhaps they will become aware, after some gay chickens have suffered fowl deeds, that the fighting cocks within the coop are spies for the razor-spurred fighting cocks, without.
CRUSADER says
Better alert Chicken George on that!
gloria mcmillian says
Same thought. I barfedvat the commercial.
CRUSADER says
Did you notice the 8 other Muslim-promoted tv commercials during the Game?
(Not just counting the myriad of commercials about identities and personal choices)
Carlos Danger says
Chumps like these Methodists are one of the reasons why the pews in mainline American Protestant churches are increasingly empty.
They have do-gooder social justice agendas that are neither doing good nor increasing justice in the land.
Carlos Danger says
Whoops, I’ve misidentified these dhimmis as Methodists when they are Lutherans, but in my neck of the woods the Wesleyans are likely to embrace this arse-up attitude toward their Islamic betters as well.
gravenimage says
Minneapolis: Bethany Lutheran Church provides new home for Hamas-linked CAIR chapter
………………………
dhimmi idiots.
gravenimage says
I saw at least two–the Toyota ad and the one for Coke.
This is nothing but fantasy–meanwhile, back in the real world, pious Muslis were plotting to blow up the stadium.
PRCS says
Has anyone else noticed?
That article is a year old.
StellaSaidSo says
Yes, it dates from Jan 2017, but it is no less relevant for that, given the number of churches which have fallen over themselves in an excess of virtue-signalling. What a PR coup for CAIR, leasing space from dhimmi Christians.
gravenimage says
I have no problem with Jihad Watch posting an older story if we have not seen it before. I don’t imagine this church’s policies have changed.
MFritz says
Christianity “light” panders to Islamic terrorist supporters. Don’t worry, Bethanists, once THESE people take over your religion will be a goner. You’ll be turning the other cheek until you run out of cheeks.
Michael Copeland says
Memo for the Bethany Lutheran Church:
“Christianity should be destroyed and wiped from the face of the earth.”
“Islamic Power has returned … to… rid the world of Christianity and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Sheik Farook al-Mohammedi,
https://libertygb.org.uk/news/islams-vision-destruction-muslims-speak
gravenimage says
Here’s contace information for the chuch:
http://www.bethanyinseward.org/contact
Let them know just what they have invited in. Be polite, but educate them.
gravenimage says
contact
Baucent says
I’m sure the CAIR people will be leaving useful reading material at the Bethany Lutheran church where the good people can learn the truth about Islam. What a happy accommodation.
Screeminmeeme says
Bethany Lutheran Church leaders should ask themselves the question: Would Jesus have permitted satanists to set up shop in a synagogue where they could proselytize and influence people coming and going?
There is NO agreement…..NO harmony…..NO unity between Christianity and Islam. They are incompatible and polar opposites. And…..one seeks dominance over the other. If it were up to Quran-compliant Muslims, every Christian would either be dead, converted, or living as a dhimmi.
Banning this damnable ideology is the only solution, IMO.
Mac-101 says
I remember something about Jesus Christ, Money Changers and whips!
Frank Anderson says
Mac. . ., My view may be a little different, with those differences minor to me, and hopefully tolerable to you: The Temple in Jesus’ time was totally corrupt. The priests, high and otherwise, were puppets of the Romans, allowed to keep their luxurious lifestyle only so long as they kept the ordinary people under control. As I understand, “money changers” were there because it was impractical to carry live animals long distances for sacrifices. So, people brought money and bought the animals, which were then killed, and guess who ate well? Start with the priests. The Romans were pleased and allowed this continue until the movement to replace sacrifices with prayer gained strength and enough Jews rebelled.
I cannot prove that Jesus lived. I take it on faith that he did and that he taught major changes (and improvements) to the official line of the time, making him dangerously unpopular. There are a number of inaccuracies in the New Testament and current teaching that to me are intended to confuse followers of Jesus and to make Jews take the blame for something that was done by the Romans. It is my understanding that Jewish congregations since the destruction of the Temple (70 C.E./A.D.) have not had a sacrificial altar anywhere in the world. I do not believe there is any changing of hands of money, by offering plate or subscription, within the sanctuary or during services. How long that has been the rule or custom needs to be addressed by someone who knows more than I. Whether Jesus caused the change or not, I propose that the money-changers and high-living collaborators masquerading as priests have been gone from Judaism for about 2,000 years.
Whatever Jesus was and is today, he fought corruption of any form. Islam is synonymous with corruption. Anyone to me who claims to follow Jesus, whether as Christ the Son of God, or as brother, to all the sons and daughters of God, should have a hard time finding any reason to agree with the teachings of evil. My opinion. You might wish to read Jews, God and History for a far better account.
Mac-101 says
Basically I was tryin to simply state that Jesus was against the corruption/defilement of the Temple and foretold that the Church would be corrupted in the End Times.
Frank Anderson says
Mac. .., I think we totally agree on that. Whatever explanation gets there, corruption violates the stewardship of God’s gift in trust of our lives and all that goes with that gift. Unlike al lah, God loves us and wants us to *live* in freedom of all forms of slavery or “submission”. I think He is even willing to accept our rebellion from Him when it is necessary for us to learn things we need to know. How about a God who wants us to come to Him freely? From what I have seen in my life, He is with us even when we are not with Him. Took me 7 really hard years of struggle to figure that out!
Mac-101 says
Well said Frank!
John Stefan Obeda says
Screemen, the apostle Paul has something to say here: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. . . . etc. 2 Corinthians 6:14f