~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTES FROM THE VALLEY - Special Edition "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." Psalm 23. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Friends and Family, What follows are the new inputs I've received for Thursday, October 18th. The fourth article of the Charles Colson series on understanding Islam, A heart toucher from Linda Taylor, A final opinion from a sister and my response. I'm going to scale back Notes from the Valley next week. I felt there was a need to share some of the things many of you submitted to us recently, so we've been doing editions daily. Though I couldn't possibly share everything we received, please know that I'm grateful for each one. I will complete the BreakPoint series on Islam and then we'll get back to one or two editions a week. Thanks for your patience with the increased e-mail we've been generating. I pray it was of value to you. Stay strong in spirit, bold in praise, and humble in prayer. I am as always - your brother in Christ, Steve Hall ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BreakPoint with Charles Colson Commentary #011018 - 10/18/2001 Understanding Islam and Tolerance: Islam Series 4 In nearly every discussion about Islam we're told that Islam is, among other things, a "tolerant" religion. Is Islam really a tolerant faith? According to some historians, the historical record is far from clear on this score. One example of Islam's tolerance that is often cited is the treatment of Jews and Christians living in Islamic societies. We are told that Jews and Christians were freer to practice their faith in places like medieval Baghdad and Southern Spain than Jews were in Christian Europe. Now there's no denying Christians weren't as tolerant as they should have been. But this characterization of Islam's treatment of Jews and Christians, is, according to historian Bat Ye'or, "a radical distortion of what happened." In her book "The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam," the Egyptian-born Ye'or says that Islam's regard for its Christian subjects could best be described as one of contempt. How could be it otherwise? As she reminds us, Islam's spread was the product of a "military conquest," not peaceable conversions. The degree of massacre, enslavement, and other brutality exceeded any thing being done in Christian Europe. For those Christians who survived the initial conquest, life wasn't that much better. There were pockets of relatively good treatment. But on the whole, "tolerance" is hardly the word to describe the treatment. Hundreds of thousands of Christians and Jews were traded as slaves; they were required to wear distinctive clothing; and they were denied the protection of Islamic law. And the closer we get to our time, the worse things seem to get. In 1916, 1.5 million Christian Armenians died at the hands of their Turkish Muslim rulers. Many more went into exile in Western Europe and America. No less lethal is the treatment Sudanese Christians have received from the Islamic government since that government tried to impose Islamic law, or Shari'a, on them. At least 2 million have died, and thousands have been sold into slavery. Another place where Muslims are trying to impose their faith on their Christian neighbors is Northern Nigeria. There, three northern states, all of whom have a sizable Christian population, have followed Sudan's example and adopted Shari'a, the Muslim law. If you're looking for a place where Christians are doing the same thing to Muslims, you won't find one. In fact, the last time a non-Christian society volunteered to convert en masse -- Japan after World War II -- we opted to send Bibles and missionaries to encourage spiritual rather than cultural conversions. What accounts for the difference? Historian Richard Connerney recently wrote that in Islam, "the themes of religion, politics, and law are inseparable . . ." According to Connerney, conquest and jihad are woven into the fiber of the religion. Thus, belligerence towards people of other faiths and cultures is, arguably, inherent to Islam. In contrast, while Christians have mistreated non-Christians, a fair examination of Christian history and doctrine shows this conduct is in violation of Christian beliefs, not in their furtherance. I'm not saying Christians should regard Islam or Muslims as their enemy. We should respect and love Muslims in our midst. But we should insist on an accurate telling of the story. To do otherwise would be to fail to learn from history. And, we know what happens to those who do that. For further reading: Richard D. Connerny, "Islam: Religion of the Sword?," Salon Magazine. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2001/10/11/sword/index_np.html Bat Ye'or, The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam: From Jihad to Dhimmitude, Seventh-Twelfth Century. Trans Miriam Kochan and David Littman (Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 1996). --------------------------------- Copyright notice: BreakPoint may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and individual copies of a particular BreakPoint e-mail transcript may be printed, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of BreakPoint must set forth the following credit line, in full, at the conclusion of the portion of BreakPoint that is used: Copyright (c) 2001 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries. Prison Fellowship Ministries(R) may withdraw or modify this grant of permission at any time. http://www.breakpoint.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Linda Taylor sent this one to Bluegrass who sent it on to share with us: You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news, Sept. 11, 2001. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say "Good-Bye." I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, "Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK...I am ready to go." I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night. I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to me for help. "I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!" I said. "Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now." I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered. I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there. Comforting and assuring them that their Faith in Me has saved them. I was in Texas, Kansas, London. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me? I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though they did NOT all know Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 100th floor. Some sought Me out in their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames, "Come to Me... this way...take My hand." Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there. I did not place you in the Tower that day - you may not know why, but I DO. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me? September 11, 2001 was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are "ready to go." I will be in the stairwell of your final moments. Love, Jesus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ O P I N I O N S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: "Lucy Mutie" Subject: Re: Do we avenge Terrorism I have been keenly following the various views that have been flowing through. I am lost with your comments on the war against terrorism. Are you saying that IT IS ALRIGHT WE FIGHT (GO TO WAR ) against AFGANISTAN and any other country that harbours terrorists? We could use the parts of scripture to support our case of going to war, just like you quoted the war against the Amalakites, but this does not justify us to declare war. We have a new convenant (Jer 31:31) and no where in the New Testament do I see God telling us to avenge the evil done to us. What did Jesus do to the soldier whom Peter slashed his ear? Jesus then tells Peter Matt. 26: 52, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. What happened to the armour of God. Eph. 6. We are clearly told to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. God does not need anyone to fight for him. He is all powerful, and if we christians are not constantly on guard, we shall be overcome by the enemy. We do not fight against flesh and blood but against powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness..... Satan is the prince of this world, it is satan who instigates all the evil that exists in the our world today. Satan and his agencies cannot be repulsed by human wisdom or power alone. Let us remember that Satan's aim is to reproduce his own character in human beings. Though this is the case, christians should never feel hopeless or discouraged. We must make every preparation in our power in order to resist the enemy of souls. Everything in God's plan has been arranged so that man is not left to his own impluses , his own finite powers to carry out the warfare against the powers of darkness, because he would certainly fail if he were left to himself. This leads us to the armor of God. Truth, Righteousness, Gospel of peace, Sheild of faith, Hope of our salvation, and for our sword, the word of God. It is my prayer that we christians should tell our leaders that the war should be stopped and instead of using bombs, should use the word of God (Bible) . The Lord has honored us by choosing us as His soldiers. If we have the armor of God, we shall find that the assaults of the enemy will not have power over us, and that Angels of God will be round about us to protect. Let us take Daniel's example in Dan. 9, and pray for our sins and those of our neighbours. Could God have allowed evil to ruin because we have wondered away from Him? God allowed the Isrealites to be taken captives for 70 years for they had forgotten their God. As soon as we begin confessign our sin as Daniel did, great revival and refreshing of the Holy Spirit will sweep through God's people. In verse 23, of Daniel 9, at the beginning of Daniel's supplication, an angel was sent to help him. Likewise, at the beginning of a heart broken prayer of humble confession, help we be sent to us. As we pray, let us pray for our muslim brothers and sisters, and that the great commision of Matt. 28, may be send to all non-christian religions in the world, then Jesus would come back to take us home. Steve, take up the place of Daniel. Tell everyone in the address list that we should pray that a stop is put to the war, and the need to go on our knees instead. ------------ Response Dear Lucy, Over the last month, I've posted the scriptures and foundation of my belief that we are being called to stand against the evil that is terrorism and bring those who practice this evil to justice. God gave us authority (dominion) over this earth and all that dwells within it. We are His instruments in this world. He uses us for good, to bless His children. He also uses us for justice, to stand against that which serves Satan's evil purposes. He uses us to impose His justice upon them. We are God's agents here. His hands, His feet, His spokespersons. Yes - we should pray, fervently, humbly, continuously. But you want those prayers to dictate the answer to God rather than seek His wisdom and guidance for what we should do in response to this consuming evil. Daniel sought God, but he didn't dictate to God. He trusted God for the right response. He had faith. I pray I will do the same. Beyond that, all I can offer you is to go back and reread all that I've posted. We have not declared war against Afganistan, we have declared war against terrorism that kills innocent men, women, and children. We don't seek revenge - we seek justice. Jesus came as the Lamb of God and did not resist when they came to seize Him. It was necessary so He could be sacrificed for our sin. When He comes back, He will come as the Lion of Judah to destroy the works of the devil and those who chose to serve his dark purposes. Until Christ comes, however, He has charged us to watch over His flock. On September 11th the wolves killed over 6,000 of that flock. It is the time for the Shepard to pick up the staff. It is time to protect the flock from the wolves or they will destroy it. The scriptures in Romans that I've cited before speak of the role of authorities appointed over us by God as the sword bearers against evildoers for OUR good. The leaders of this country and others (not all) are seeking God and, I believe, exercising that authority with great care in response to His leading. Our disagreement does not, however, mean we should love each other any less. Pray for us all to know God's will and be obedient to it, now and always. You and I will ALWAYS be in agreement on that. I remain your brother in Christ, Steve ________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998-2001 by Stephen J. Hall - Weekly letters of encouragement to Christians written by Stephen J. Hall unless otherwise indicated. Notes from the Valley and Humor from the Valley are meant to brighten your day and encourage you along the way. Most of "Notes" and "Humor" are a collection of items provided to me by subscribers and friends. Credit is given to both the contributor and to the true author, where known. If you are blessed by them, please feel free to make copies and pass them along to others. If you have something you'd like to contribute to a future edition or would like to ask us a question or make a comment, please contact us at: sossteve@... ________________________________________________ Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love - how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world. (Psalm 89:1-3 The Message)