Graham Correct – CAIR Wrong

John R. Houk
© April 23, 2010

Unindicted co-conspirator Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) influences Pentagon to rescind Franklin Graham’s invitation as lead speaker for National Day of Prayer military event.

CAIR’s national Executive Director Niwad Awad said this:

“Promoting one's own religious beliefs is something to be defended and encouraged, but other faiths should not be attacked or misrepresented in the process.”

Awad also is quoted as saying Graham’s invitation by the Pentagon would have sent “entirely the wrong message” at a time troops are in Muslim nations.

I wonder what message the Pentagon is sending troops in Muslim nations fighting Islamic terrorists when they find out CAIR has connections to the virulent terrorist organization Hamas? Do you think the troops might be upset a Christian minister was uninvited because he believes Islam is evil and that CAIR was cause of the rescension?

What message is the Pentagon sending to American citizens of whom a huge majority consider themselves Christians (ranging from devout to nominal) think when an Islamic terrorist supporting organization like CAIR nefariously supports the Hamas cause to kill all Jews and obliterate Israel’s existence?

From an Islamic perspective is Christianity evil?

O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ' (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliyâ' to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliyâ', then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allâh guides not those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong¬doers and unjust). (Al-Mâ'idah 5:51)

The Summary portion to the PDF Paper “The Islamic View of Christians: Qur’an and Hadith”:

Quran and Islamic Tradition present a multi-faceted picture of Christians, Christianity and the Christian revelation. Initially, at the start of Muhammad’s mission in AD 610, acceptance rather then rejection characterised Muslim attitudes towards Christianity. Christians are viewed as “People of the Book” (ahl al-kitab), commended for their religious devotion (Sura 5:82), and approved of for their faith in one God and creator. This apparent acceptance is closely linked with the hope which Muhammad cherished earlier, that Jews and Christians would believe in his divine mission. Only after he learned that both Jews and Christians rejected his claim to prophethood, with Christians holding on to the Trinity of God, Jesus’ sonship and his crucifixion, did Muhammad withdraw his earlier support. Thereafter he reasoned that they had deviated from their original revelation and fallen into grave error (2:116; 5:72-73; 4:157-158). This subsequent period is marked by an increase of Quranic utterances, which clearly distance and separate Islam from Christianity, warn Muslims against having close links with Christians, and even condemn them for their disbelief (98:6).

…

In spite of the sympathies Muslims have for the ‘People of the Book’ and their faith, the dominant voices of Islamic scholarship suggest distancing, disapproval and denial. This is even more fuelled by cultural and moral issues. Devout Muslims who may be members of a Muslim organisation or even be politically active may have more negative feelings towards Christians and distance themselves from Christians or even tell them openly their dislike. …

The answer to the question on the Islamic perspective of the evilness of Christianity is yes. To Islam (I guess not necessarily Muslims) Christianity is evil.

Does Christianity consider Islam evil?

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7 NKJV)

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20: 30-31 NKJV)

18 For[a] I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add[b] to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away[c] his part from the Book[d] of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev. 22:18-19 NKJV)

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the[a] Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.[b] 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:18-23 NKJV)

Biblically, Islam is an evil abomination infested with an anti-Christ spirit.

Actual violent and abominable acts in Church history have been perpetrated on Muslims and perceived Christian heretics by those believing they were acting in the name of Christianity. Regardless of the historical facts, was the violence in line with Jesus Christ and the New Testament Scripture? NO!

The only violence condoned in Scriptures is the wars of defense and law enforcement for the sake of living a peaceable life.

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, (1 Tim. 2:1-6 NKJV)

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Pet. 2:11-17 NKJV)

The central tenet of Christian Scripture ergo True Christianity:

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:36-40 NKJV)

Acts of violence perpetrated in the name of Christianity were committed contrary to the spirit of Christianity. The two Apostles John and James sons of Zebedee asked Jesus if they should call for fire from the Heavens to strike some Samaritans who insulted Jesus.

51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”[a]
55 But He turned and rebuked them,[b] and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”[c] And they went to another village. (Luke 9:51-56 NKJV)

Now contrast this true spirit of Christianity and the true spirit of Islam and one can only the draw the conclusion that Franklin Graham’s position that “Islam is evil” is more accurate than not. The contrast also demonstrates that the rescinding of Franklin Graham as the primary speaker at an event for the military on the National Day of Prayer is an insult to the majority of Christians residing in America.

JRH 4/23/10 (Hat Tip: Newsmax)