Latest News: Michael Jackson Becomes a Muslim

From Big Network News

Troubled pop star Michael Jackson has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mikaeel.

The Sun.co.uk reports that Jackson, 50, was dressed in the Islamic garb as he pledged his allegiance to the Koran at a friend's house in Los Angeles. He sat on the floor as an Imam was called to officiate the ceremony.Jackson, who was raised a Jehovah's Witness, decided to convert after discussing religion with a music producer and songwriter on his new album -- both of them converts to Islam.

'They began talking to him about their beliefs and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea. An Imam was summoned, and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief,' a source was quoted as saying.

Mikaeel is the name of one of Allah's angels.

Religious News: Nigerian Preacher has 86 Wives

From BBC News: Africa

A Nigerian man with 86 wives, Mohammadu Bello Abubakar, has been arrested by an Islamic court for refusing to divorce all but four of them.

He was picked up in a pre-dawn raid on his house in Bida, Niger state and charged with "insulting religious creed" and "unlawful marriages".

A Sharia court judge denied him bail until another hearing on October 6.

Last week he won a court injunction preventing authorities banishing him if he refused to divorce his wives.

Mr Bello Abubakar, an Islamic preacher, has more than 170 children.

Read the rest of this story here…

Mickey Mouse under threat of Fatwa

Islamic theologian says Mickey Mouse must die

Sunday, 14th September 2008. 7:47pm By: George Conger.

Mickey Mouse must die for the good of Islam, a leading Saudi cleric said last month in a broadcast on al-Majd TV.

On Aug 27 Sheikh Muhammad Al-Munajid told viewers of a religious affairs programme that mice were agents of Satan and that Sharia law called for the extermination of all mice: from the common house mouse (Mus musculus) to cartoon mouse (Mickey Mouse).

A former diplomat attached to the Islamic Affairs Department at the Saudi embassy Washington, al-Munajid appears regularly on Saudi television to discuss religious and ethical topics. On Aug 10 he denounced the Beijing Olympics as the “bikini Olympics,” saying the immodest dress of women athletes was “satanic” and earlier issued a fatwa, or religious edict, against women’s participation in the Olympics as the games were also “satanic”.

Al-Munajid’s aversion to sports is not new. In 2005 he denounced soccer, saying the short pants worn by players “reveal nakedness.” He called for a ban on women’s sports and public exercise as to do so would require them to don “tight fitting, short” tunics that were offensive to Muslim decorum.

Read the rest of this article here....

Only in Saudi Arabia: Young Woman arrested for...driving.

JEDDAH, (Arab News) : Police arrested a woman in her twenties while driving her family’s car in the Aziziah district, a security source said Thursday.

The source said that police took the woman to the police station where she was released after her parents paid bail.

She will have to be brought to the station for further investigations, according to police spokesman Col. Misfar Al-Joaed. “Police stopped the woman after noticing her driving in the Aziziah district and took her for questioning,” he told Al-Madinah newspaper.

4 Minute Devotions: In God's Name

Religious fanaticism needs to be confronted and denounced no matter where it originates or operates. Christ is the Prince of Peace and we, as Christians, have a holy calling and distinct obligation to seek reconciliation and promote His peaceable Kingdom throughout the world.

Podcast version here

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Yesterday, I read an article about a Muslim cleric in Britain who is calling for Sharia laws to be upheld by British courts. He preaches vehemently and insists that thieves, male or female, should have their hands cut off, and that unmarried couples who have sex should be publicly flogged.

Meanwhile, over here in Oklahoma, a Baptist Church is giving away a semi-automatic assault rifle as a door prize at a YOUTH Conference.

What on earth is going on? And why isn’t God doing something about these fanatics?

We live in troubled times. I know that I can be ornery and stubborn when it comes to faith matters, but I would never dream of calling for punishing amputations or giving teenagers a machine gun. These people, pastors, and clerics are crazy and no matter how zealous they are for Allah or the Second Amendment, this is not faith as Jesus would have described it; this is religious fanaticism at its worst and we should all denounce it as an evil under the sun.

No wonder so many people get turned off by religion these days. If worshipping God turns us into limb-hacking, gun-toting devotees, then we should avoid it at all costs. Human history is littered with enough corpses attributed to religious fanaticism. We don’t need another Holy War, genocidal jihad, or holocaustic crusade to glorify God. I’m sure He’s just as sick as we are with those who use His Name to maim or murder infidels and sinners. After all, the world painfully tortured and unjustly killed His Son on a cross – no more blood needs to be shed to reconcile, redeem, and restore humanity to God’s holiness.

The challenge for us today is to stand up to these belligerent bullies and misguided maniacs by promoting the peace of Christ in our lives. After all, if the world does not see the Jesus within us through our outward acts of mercy and grace, then fanaticism will contaminate our communities and put this planet in peril for generations to come.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to find the high ground and empower us to effectively confront religious fanaticism without ourselves becoming vitriolic vigilantes or malicious messengers. Keep us on Your path to peace and reconciliation, without becoming appeasers or enablers to those who would forcefully oppress us with their fanaticisms. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Religious News: two American Preachers Accused of Hate Crime in Britain

Ministers Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham were handing out Gospel leaflets in a Muslim area in the city of Birmingham, UK, when they were stopped by a passing Community Police Officer. He allegedly became aggressive and told the preachers to stop talking to local youth. The two preachers were accused of trying to convert Muslims and, because they were Americans, the community police officer ranted to them about the Iraq war. He also allegedly warned them that they would be “beaten up” if they returned to evangelize in the area.

The two preachers have complained to West Midlands Police and are seeking an apology. The Police Force, however, have stated that the officer merely intervened to defuse a row between the preachers and the youths.

Article source from the Sun

Muslim Extremist Jailed in Britain

Home grown Islamic activist jailed for four years for threatening British and US forces, and inciting fellow Muslims to form terrorism cells in UK.

As reported by The Independent

By Cahal Milmo
A Muslim activist who became known for his publicly expressed extremist views was jailed for four and a half years yesterday for terrorism-related offences committed during a series of inflammatory speeches at a London mosque.

Judge Nicholas Price said that Abu Izzadeen, 33, a British-born convert to Islam, was a "leading light" in a group of men who used a gathering at the Regent's Park mosque in November 2004 to call for volunteers to fight British troops in Iraq and appeal for funds to finance insurgents abroad.

The former BT electrician, who is a father of three, achieved notoriety after refusing to condemn the 7 July suicide bombers. He also heckled the then Home Secretary John Reid as he gave a speech in east London in 2006. He was one of six men from the al-Muhajiroun group convicted of taking part in the speeches, which coincided with US forces besieging Fallujah in one of the bloodiest battles of the Iraq war.

Read the rest of the story here…

Daily Devotions: Tom and Jerry

Do you remember the old Tom and Jerry cartoons? Long before they were deemed politically incorrect because of the comic violence in them, I used to love watching them every night on TV. They made me really laugh, but I especially liked the cartoons when Tom the Cat or Jerry the Mouse struggled with temptation. When this occurred, there would usually be a small haloed angel on the right shoulder and a miniature red-faced devil on the left side of the cartooned characters. It was funny to watch and usually ended with Tom or Jerry giving in to temptation.

Bible Verse of the Day

Job 33:23, 24 "Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, to be gracious to him and say, 'Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him'-“

It would be handy to have such angels & devils on each of our shoulders. I guess they would keep us away from temptation. The Muslims believe in this, and live their lives in the fear that the divine scales of justice will lean against them because of succumbing to the angel of temptation too many times. Sadly, that’s why some of them strap explosives to themselves and commit suicidal murder. They wrongly believe that their sins are wiped out in the process of killing innocent people.

As Christians, we depend upon Christ to mediate on our behalf. He intercedes for us, asking God to forgive our sins and restore us to His Favor. That’s infinitely much better than having an angel on each shoulder, or blowing yourself up. This is why our faith is missionary – the good news of Christ’s forgiveness is what every person needs in this world, no matter what their faith system is. Christ alone has the power and authority to forgive sin, and Lord knows, we all are in great need of a Champion and Savior.

If you’re feeling guilty about something in your past, or perhaps you’re struggling against temptation, then please allow Christ to come into your heart to influence your life. Believe me, you’ll find that Christ has a lot more peace, love, and satisfaction to offer to you than you are presently experiencing. Just give Him the opportunity and He will help you turn your life around, by putting you on the true path to everlasting love and eternal life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we struggle with temptation every single day of our lives. We say and do things that we later regret. We make stupid mistakes and disappoint other people. Forgive our foolish ways and enable us to pull down the barriers of pride that keep getting in the way of allowing us to freely give our hearts and lives to You. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Religious News: Turkish Theologians Reinterpret Sacred Islamic Texts

Turkey is preparing to publish a document that represents a revolutionary reinterpretation of Islam - and a controversial and radical modernization of the religion.

The country's powerful Department of Religious Affairs has commissioned a team of theologians at Ankara University to carry out a fundamental revision of the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam after the Koran.

The Hadith is a collection of thousands of sayings reputed to come from the Prophet Muhammad. As such, it is the principal guide for Muslims in interpreting the Koran and the source of the vast majority of Islamic law, or Sharia.

But the Turkish state has come to see the Hadith as having an often negative influence on a society it is in a hurry to modernize, and believes it responsible for obscuring the original values of Islam.

It says that a significant number of the sayings were never uttered by Muhammad, and even some that were need now to be reinterpreted.

Read the rest of the story here…

Terrorism is un-Islamic say Muslim scholars in India

The Darul-Uloom Deoband in India, considered the most influential school for Islamic law in Asia, on Monday denounced terrorism as being against the teachings of Islam and said it was likely to impose a fatwa against it during a conference of clerics from India and abroad, media reports said. The head of the powerful seminary, Maulana Marghoobur Rahman, said terrorism was completely wrong and thoughtless, and contradicted Islam's concept of peace, the NDTV network reported, quoting from his address to 10,000 clerics from religious schools - known as madrassas - and foreign delegates.

Speaking at the institution, some 150 kilometers north of New Delhi, Rahman also criticized the Indian government, saying that policing of madrassas and students was unjustified and went against the secular character of the country. Meanwhile, scholars said the conference was likely to decide on a fatwa against terrorism and adopt a declaration denouncing terrorism.

Read the rest of the report here…

Saudis Nix Valentines Picks

Valentine’s gifts, cards, and red roses were banned today by religious police in Saudi Arabia. Store owners and workers were ordered to remove all red items and wrapping paper from their shelves.

Valentine’s Day is considered as being un-Islamic, along with a few other annual celebrations, so the authorities prohibit its commemoration. The religious police also state that Valentine’s Day encourages forbidden relationships between men and women outside of marriage, which is punishable by law.

Some Saudis, however, surreptitiously celebrate the event by ordering flowers and gifts weeks in advance of the ban. The store owners make deliveries in the middle of the night or early morning to avoid suspicion.

Some Islamic mullahs have also written prohibitive statements concerning Valentine’s Day. The following example comes from Pakistan:

Muslims should avoid celebrating this occasion by:

1- Not expressing joy and happiness on this occasion.

2- Not exchanging red roses, which represent the ‘spiritual love’ of the pagans or the ‘love’ of the Christians. Hence it is known to them as the Feast of Lovers.

3- Not sending greeting cards as some of their cards have pictures of “Cupid” (a child with two wings carrying bows and arrows). This was the god of love of the pagan Romans.

4- Not exchanging words of love and desire in the cards or verbally. Some of the cards contain the words ‘be my Valentine’. This is the Christian concept of this festival after they adopted from the pagan Romans.

5- Not attending dance parties with mixed gatherings.

I guess they don’t know how much fun they are missing…

Religious news: Over There...Soon to be Over Here??

London, Feb.4 : Muslim women training in several hospitals in England have objected to removing their arm coverings in theatre and to rolling up their sleeves when washing their hands, because it is regarded as immodest in Islam.

Universities and NHS trusts fear many more will refuse to co-operate with new Department of Health guidance, introduced this month, which stipulates that all doctors must be "bare below the elbow".

According to a report in The Telegraph, the measure has been deemed necessary to stop the spread of infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile, which have killed hundreds.

Minutes of a clinical academics' meeting at Liverpool University revealed that female Muslim students at Alder Hey children's hospital had objected to rolling up their sleeves to wear gowns. Similar concerns have been raised at Leicester University. Sheffield University also reported a case of a Muslim medic who refused to "scrub" as this left her forearms exposed.

Documents from Birmingham University reveal that some students would prefer to quit the course rather than expose their arms, and warn that it could leave trusts open to legal action.

Hygiene experts said last night that no exceptions should be made on religious grounds.

"Perhaps these women should not be choosing medicine as a career if they feel unable to abide by the guidelines that everyone else has to follow," they said.

But the Islamic Medical Association insisted that covering all the body in public, except the face and hands, was a basic tenet of Islam.

Dr Majid Katme, the association spokesman, said: "Exposed arms can pick up germs and there is a lot of evidence to suggest skin is safer to the patient if covered. One idea might be to produce long, sterile, disposable gloves which go up to the elbows."

Botox Banned by Muslim Cleric

Muslims in Malaysia have been advised not to undergo Botox treatments as it is forbidden in Islam, a cleric has said.

Selangor Mufti Mohamad Tamyes Abdul Wahad said the National Fatwa Council had decided to list the beauty treatment as 'haram' (forbidden) as it had more adverse effects than good, The Star newspaper reported Thursday.

He said those providing Botox treatments should stop offering such services.

The observations came after Fatimah Wan Chik, the wife of Malaysian lawmaker Suhaili Abdul Rahman, fell seriously ill last week after undergoing the beauty treatment.

'People like to do things that they shouldn't. Do not go against religion for the sake of vanity. There are other ways and products that can make us look beautiful and we need not go against the fatwa,' Mufti Wahad said.

Erin Church devotions: Daniel - An imprisoned pastor in Indonesia

Audio version here

1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (NIV)

This morning, I’ve been busy hand writing a card to a pastor in Indonesia. His name is Daniel and he is an evangelist in a country that is predominantly Muslim. Daniel was videotaped earlier this year praying for the local madrassa (Islamic school) and its teachers. His prayer was as follows:

“Father, we pray for the leaders of the madrassa, so their hearts would be open to the Gospel.”

What was the outcome of that prayer? Pastor Daniel and forty other pastors were arrested. Whilst we were all celebrating Easter over here, Daniel was sentenced to five years in prison. I was writing to him this morning to let Daniel and his family know that he is in my heart and prayers. I was writing to tell him that God will bless him for his commitment to Christ and the Gospel.

This is one of the reasons why I have been so hard recently on Progressive Christians in America. They want to dilute the Gospel, and diminish Christ’s message throughout the world. Their desire is harmony and peace between all religions, but at a cost that I am not willing to pay. They denigrate Christ and His ministry by casting aside their loyalty to Him and His Kingdom, worshipping instead their own god. They do this from the comfort of their academic beds and theological ivory towers, whereas pastors like Daniel are languishing in prison for preaching, teaching, and praying the true Gospel.

That’s why it is crucial for Christians in America to firmly hold on to our faith, and not be sidetracked into universalism. We may not be persecuted for our faith in our lifetime, but there are millions of Christians throughout the rest of the world who are enduring unjust punishment and unfair prison sentences just for preaching the Gospel and praying for their persecutors.

(If you would like more information about Daniel, please visit the following website: www.prisoneralert.com)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, protect Daniel and his family and keep them safe each day. Let their faith be strong and enable them to persevere. Release him from this unfair captivity and grant him the courage to continue preaching the Gospel amongst those who guard him, and those who are imprisoned with him. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Blogachute 7 - Middle East Heaven

It’s Friday and the Sabbath is almost here. I’m geared up and ready for my weekly blogachute.

This week, I’m jumping into the Kosher-sphere. There’s a whole fascinating world of Jewish faith blogs, filled with interesting comments, articles, and links. So here goes.

Goyimino!

8000 feet Radical Torah - I love this site! The Rabbi who writes it, Brant Rosen, interprets the scriptures with his caustic comments on relevant issues. This blog lives up to its subtitle: “Sources for the Jewish Social Action Community.”

There’s also some great artwork by his wife for a comic series on the Torah. Together, they both radically interpret some of the most controversial passages of the Pentateuch. Scroll down, read a few entries, and soak in some really creative stuff!

7000 feet The Velveteen Rabbi - I must admit, the name of the site drew me in. This is a great source for Jewish wisdom, sayings, stories and practice. It’s also stock full of some great quotes:
e.g. “…the opposite of a simple truth is falsehood, but the opposite of a profound truth is another profound truth.”

Wow! And this is just in the opening entry where our blogger is studying Middot. There’s also another worthwhile entry all about Theodicy - Is God Just? Some great material for future Bible studies and Sunday School series here. Would you believe that the Velveteen Rabbi also provides a link to the beautiful Madonna Retreat and Conference center in New Mexico?

Finally, there are some wonderful Jewish prayers to be found all over the site and in the archives.

6000 feet Hasidic Rebel - aren’t these titles something else? And what about the subtitle? “Writings, musings, and ramblings from a Chasid on the edge…”

This blogger is a great story teller. I guiltily laughed all the way through his accidental experimentation about smoking pot and how he explained it to his wife the next day.

This is a place of humorous reflection in an off-beat Chasidic way. I haven’t a clue what all the Jewish and Yiddish terms mean, but I get the flavor of their meaning in the context of the blogger's remarks. A great escapist blog. Woody Allen would be nauseatingly proud.

P.S Don’t forget to read the Bibical Redactors piece. It’s hilarious!

5000 feet The Big Pharaoh - whoa, Cleo! I seem to have been blown a bit off course!

This link amazed me. Here I was falling through the Jewish Hasidic blogosphere and all of a sudden I end up on an Islamic Egyptian’s website! Talk about connectionalism!

The Big Pharaoh is one of the bravest Muslims I have run across on the internet. He diligently reports on what’s happening to peace-loving Muslims in Egypt and expresses what’s wrong with Islamic fundamentalism. This guy is sticking his neck out - talk about profound truth!

His site is a welcome addition to any peacemaking bookmarks you may have on your computer. In just one visit, I learned a lot of new information about real Muslims - those who actually want to revere and practice the Quran in peaceful, loving, and faithful ways.

If you want non-propaganda commentary on what’s happening in the Middle East, here’s a welcome place to find it.

4000 feet The Moor Next Door - I might as well go with the flow.

Nouri from Algeria writes this blog. It is mainly about the issues facing North African Muslims. Nouri is definitely not afraid to criticize things that are wrong with his culture, as well as ripping into with what’s wrong across Africa & Western society. There are also some unique political cartoons which reflect his thoughts.

I also enjoyed reading about his family. Some of his stories are very moving and intensely personal.

At the moment Nouri is covering Algeria’s successes in the All Africa Games which are going on. Whilst the rest of the world gets caught up in the British Open, Nouri’s pride in his country’s great athletes is a breath of fresh air. Watch out for Algerian medal winners in next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing.

3000 feet Ecce Libano - Louis Noel Harfouche is an American of Lebanese origins. He writes truthfully and painfully about the current events and turmoil in Lebanon. His purpose is to inform us about what’s really going on amidst the violence; what it means to be Lebanese and to eradicate a few of the media myths concerning Lebanon.

His descriptions of his people, their plight, and his reflections upon the media coverage of the hostilities are fascinating. Louis writes about a proud, noble, and unique people who are true Middle Easterners and should not be characterized as being Arabic.

This would be a well informed site to visit when reading media articles about Hezbollah. Louis’ perspective cuts right through the propaganda on both sides.

2000 feet Across the Bay - I seem to be drifting through Lebanese links at the moment - who would have thought it when I started off in the Jewish Social Action world?

Anton Effendi is another expert commentator about the current Lebanese situation. Anton is academically into Ancient Near Eastern history and the languages of the region. This has given him a perfect background and insight into making penetrating comments about the origins and reasons behind the conflicts across the region.

Currently, he’s writing about the political debates in Congress and how the US is seeking to support the people and government in Lebanon.

1000 feet The Perpetual Refugee - some blogs are very hard to write about. This is one of them. The content is heart-wrenching and very personal. Whoever the writer is, she/ he is enduring and carrying a lot of pain. Maya Angelou with a Lebanese heart is how I would describe this place.

There is a beautiful entry about the blogger’s mother or grandmother. It is a wonderful piece about human nobility in the midst of trying circumstances. This blogger writes lyrically and effectively. She/ he caused me to reflect upon my own family's faith journey.

Zero feet - back on the ground, quiet and pensive. What a meaningful journey into the heart and soul of humanity.