Hamburg, Germany: Over 150 Muslims Attack Policemen, Shouting 'Allahu Akbar'

"Muslim young people’s Ramadan parties have become a real threat to public order in all European countries..."

Pravoslavie.ru - July 18, 2013

In Hamburg, on the night of July 12, after fasting, a group of young Muslims gathered in Holstenstraße street for a night meal after the Muslim fast. Soon after that the police received complaints from the drivers who were driving by: some people were blinding drivers in the street with laser pointers. A squad arrived in response to a call and tried to check the documents of sixteen gathered young men, however they began to behave aggressively, reports Bild.de. The youths started to yell threats at the policemen, beat the police car, and some of them attempted to attack the police officers. When the police tried to arrest the trouble-makers, one of them made a phone call and after some time, around 150 other Muslims assembled from the neighboring streets to the scene, and blocked the police officers. According to police evidence, those gathered were behaving extremely aggressively, making threats of reprisal and yelling, "Allah Akbar". Only after the arrival of 100 more policemen as reinforcement did it became possible to calm down the mob. As a result, sixteen people were arrested, and two trouble-makers were sent to the hospital. Muslim young people’s Ramadan parties (which have turned into a tradition) have become a real threat to public order in all European countries. News sources report merely report “nighttime disorder” in which "unidentified youths" participated, while the names and religious affiliation of the trouble-makers, as well as the reason for such gatherings, are not mentioned. However, the same phrase coming from the shouting crowd, "Allah Akbar", can be clearly heard in the video materials taken at the sites of these events.

Genocide against Christians in Syria seeks 'to finish off what has survived after the Ottoman Turks'.

"I believe that what is happening should only be called a genocide." —Joseph Hakim, President, International Christian Union (ICU)

Jihadista Performing Ethnic Cleansing of Christians in Syria Pravoslavie.ru - July 22, 2013 The president of the International Christian Union (ICU) Joseph Hakim believes that radical groups in the Syrian opposition are using the civil war to perform the ethnic cleansing of Christians, reports FRONTPAGEMAG.COM. The native Christians who are a minority in Syria at the present time "have to flee from their towns and villages" and seek refuge in less dangerous regions of the country and abroad. The ongoing bloodshed in Syria gives islamists an opportunity "to finish off what has survived after the Ottoman Turks", said the expert, referring to the genocide of Armenian Christians during the First world war. "I believe that what is happening should only be called a genocide," said Hakim. Hakim is complaining about the passiveness of the European community which is a witness of killing of Christians, beheading of priests, destroying of churches and kidnapping of bishops in Syria. In the expert’s view, it is a matter of coordinated efforts aimed at eradicating the Christian populations of Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East.

Russian Orthodox Leader Condemns Gay Marriages, Warns of Apocalypse

What His Holiness warns about same-sex marriage is equally applicable to the frightening global resurgence of orthodox Islam.  Both of these deviant abnormalities are signs "of the approaching end of the world," and are "dangerous and apocalyptic symptoms."

Pravmir - July 21, 2013

MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) – Head of the Russian Orthodox Church warned Western governments on Sunday against legalization of same-sex marriages what he called a sign of approaching end of the world.

Patriarch Kirill said during a service at Moscow’s major cathedral that the recent initiatives in a range of countries to legalize same-sex marriages “is a dangerous and apocalyptic symptom” that should not spread over to Russia, according to Russian media reports.

While those who “fight the laws imposed by the minority are subject to repressions,” Kirill, who leads the Church known for its conservative views, was quoted as saying during his speech at Kazan Cathedral near Red Square on Sunday.

Russian authorities have been repeatedly criticized by human rights groups and Western officials over a recently passed law introducing punishment for “the promotion of nontraditional sexual relationships” among minors.

Orthodox Convent in Bethany being intimidated by criminals and Islamists

Related to this article and interview.

Pravoslavie.ru - Bethany, July 18, 2013

Nuns of the Greek Orthodox Convent of Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany have sent a letter to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas with the call to take appropriate measures against an escalation of attacks by criminals and Islamists, reports Sedmitza.ru. The Convent is currently experiencing a time of troubles. Attacks, damage to property, thefts and robberies have become more frequent over recent months. According to Fides, residents of Bethany—both Christians and Muslims—have visited the Convent as a sign of solidarity, to show that aggression is alien to the local populace. "Someone wants us to go away,” writes Mother Abbess Eupraxia. “But we will not go anywhere". The building of the separating wall between Israel and the Palestinian territories has considerably worsened the security situation in the region. Moreover, over recent months there has been a sharp rise in land prices in this region. A part of the convent's lands earlier belonged to a local Muslim family, which is now illegally trying to lay claim to them.

Islam's Hatred of Holy Icons — and what that means for Persecuted Eastern Christians

Orthodox Church Iconostasis in the West Bank desecrated by Muslims

Introduction

One of the great sorrows — after the church attacks, murders, abductions, rapes and forced conversions — caused by Islamic persecution of Christians, whether in our own day or in centuries past, must be the defilement of holy icons by Muslims. Indeed, it is highly probable that the iconoclast heresy which rocked Christianity in the seventh and eighth centuries was triggered or accelerated by the brutal and sudden rise of Islam after the death of Muhammad in 632A.D.

Islam and Iconoclasm

Islamic 'icon' of Muhammad
and archangel Gabriel.

Islam is strongly set against images of any kind, although one may encounter in rare Islamic books depictions of Muhammad and his earliest companions, or Muhammad being visited by the spirit-being supposed to be the archangel Gabriel. But when it comes to Christian images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, or the saints, Islam is the "icon smasher" extraordinaire. ("Icon smasher" is a literal translation of "iconoclast.")

In all the Christian lands conquered by Muslims from the seventh century onwards, when churches were not completely destroyed, they were converted into mosques and the holy images painted over, or, if they were panel icons, simply hacked into pieces and/or burned.

Islam's innate hatred of Christianity's holy images helps account for the recent push to re-convert all the Hagia Sophia churches of Turkey into mosques, including and especially the great Hagia Sophia of Constantinople (Istanbul) built by Justinian in 537A.D. In converting the Great Church into a museum, the original frescoes and mosaics began to be restored, revealing once again the holy images of Christ, His Most Pure Mother, and the Saints. This is a serious affront to the Islamic mind, thus with the re-Islamicization of Turkey, we see special emphasis on once again covering (or perhaps destroying) all Christian images, most perfectly accomplished in converting all the Hagia Sophia churches into mosques.

Protestantism and Iconoclasm

There is no small irony in the fact that Protestant Christians also tend to be iconoclastic, rejecting the holy images which the Christian Church had created, embraced and sanctified from the first century onwards. Though perhaps a justifiable reaction against Roman Catholic use of statues, the Protestant rejection of holy icons is in fact a theological error which limits and impoverishes Protestant theology and its grasp of the Incarnation, as well as its actual worship. 

(Orthodoxy does not accept the use of statues in its churches as they are too realistic, too much of this world. Icons, in contrast, are deliberately "other-worldly," and are often called "windows into heaven." Even when they depict historical events in the life of the Savior or the Saints, these events are "transfigured" with the uncreated light beyond this world.)

Venerating an Icon

Orthodox converts from Protestantism are familiar with this issue, and are quick in grasping the essentials of proper icon use. “Worship is due to God alone,” the Church Fathers consistently affirm, whereas our veneration of an icon is imputed not to the wood and paint, but to the prototype in heaven. 

The Eastern Christian practice of making the sign of the Cross and bowing to kiss (venerate) icons is an essential physical aspect of Christian worship. Orthodox and Coptic Christians preserve intact the timeless certainty that worship to God must be performed by the entire person. Not with the mind alone, but with the body also do we show our love, adoration and worship of the Holy Trinity. 

Thus not only icons (which are visual and tactile), but incense (smell), prostrations and bows, and theologically rich hymnography (aural) according to the ancient rule of “Lex orandi, lex credendi” (St Vincent of Lerins) characterize traditional Christian worship.  

The pinnacle of Orthodox Christian worship is of course the receiving of the Holy Eucharist, the very Body and Blood of Christ, which sanctifies our entire being through the apparently mundane sense of taste. Thus the psalmist exclaims,

Taste and see that the Lord is good! —(Psalm 33:8, LXX)

And the Lord Jesus Christ teaches us,

Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. —(John 6:53-57)

The Greek word used for "eat" in these verses means literally to "gnaw" or "chew." No mere memorial or symbol here! Christ means that we are to literally eat His flesh and drink His blood. )

Thus all the senses, “All one’s strength,” as well as the mind and heart are to be fully engaged in worshipping the God of All. This is the first and greatest commandment:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” —(Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37)

It was St John of Damascus in the eighth century who not merely defended the use of icons, but convincingly showed their necessity for Christian praxis, piety and worship. Because God the Word became Man and took on human form (literally becoming "enfleshed," which is what "incarnation" means), therefore He may be depicted in human form, as may His Most Holy Mother, the saints, and events in the life of Christ and His Church. The veneration of holy icons is thus a necessary and true aspect of authentic, timeless Christian worship.

This is so pure and simple a truth, that a child can grasp it. "Unless ye turn and become as little children..."  And children in the Orthodox Church naturally love and venerate the holy icons.

Just as the average home typically has many family photographs, so the Christian home should have holy images of the Family of God, the Church. Just as images are used in the secular world to teach, instruct, and depict historical events and heroes, so in the Church the holy icons present the Mystery of Faith in visual manner, yet, as stated above, in an other-worldly perspective, shining with an inner, transfigured light.

Tragically, by rejecting and denigrating Orthodox Christian iconography, Protestants are unwittingly siding with Islam, and implicitly denying the full meaning of the Incarnation.

The Islamification of the Bible

Protestantism commits a similar error in what Fr Stephen Freeman terms its "Islamification of Christianity." Protestantism has morphed the Bible into a sort of Christian Koran, as if God sent down the literal words of the Bible in direct revelation.

It is not the words of God which have been revealed to us. Rather it is Jesus Christ Himself, the Incarnate Logos, the Living Word of God, who is the most full and perfect revelation of God, "the image" — literally, "icon" — "of the invisible God," as the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:15.

All of sacred scripture testifies to Him, and was written by numerous different people, the Old Testament over a couple of thousand years, the New Testament over only a few decades after the Crucified, Risen and Glorified Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father.

NEWS FLASH: The Bible did not come down out of heaven fully formed.

In the same way, the Gospel is not properly a "book," nor is it even "four books." St Paul speaks of the gospel in his letters, which were written well before the four gospels were written or known to the Church at large. (It is thought likely that Mark wrote his gospel — generally accepted to be the first of the four — around 70AD, nearly twenty years after 1 Thessalonians, the earliest of Paul's letters, written ca. 50-51AD. However, some scholars suggest that when Paul writes of "my gospel" in Romans 2:16, that he may be referring to the Gospel according to Luke, who traveled with Paul on his later missionary journeys, likely compiling and composing his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles during this time.)

The Gospel is the saving good news of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, in the flesh, bringing salvation and new life to mankind, enabling us to become "children of God" through Him (1 John 3:1), even to the point of becoming "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).  In the theological language of the Church, this is termed theosis, or divinization. As St Athanasius of Alexandria boldly put it: "God became man so that man might become god."

The four gospels are thus the God-inspired accounts embraced by the Church within her Canon of Faith which properly testify to the Truth of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Living Word brings us the words of eternal life (John 6:68, 17:8), and it is the Word made flesh Himself  Who brings everything to us. Nothing is sent through an intermediary. Furthermore, by uniting us to Himself, he transforms us in an ontological manner. If we abide in Him, we are no longer of this world, just as He is not of this world (John 17:6, 14-18).

Jesus Christ is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6).  He is "the Light that was to come into the world" (John 1:9, 8:12), not the Bible. The Logos did not become incarnate to bring us a book — although we certainly rely on this Holy Book for the record of His life-giving words. And truly, all scripture is inspired by God and "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). However, we must recall that when St Paul speaks of "the scriptures," he is referring to what we call the Old Testament. The New Testament did not yet exist.

The Scriptures are indeed God-inspired, and the Scriptures come from out of the womb of the Church. It is the Church which formed the New Testament, led and inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is part of the great synergia between God and Man. Thus we are not merely "People of the Book" (as Islam condescendingly calls Christians and Jews), but rather members of the Church, members of the theanthropic Body of Christ. And the Church is the Bride of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul even calls the Church "the Pillar and Ground of the Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

The Logos became incarnate to bring Himself  to us, to unite us to Himself, and to usher us into Eternal Life in unending communion with the Holy Trinity, as Jesus prayed to His Father:

...That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. —(John 17:21-23)

Islam distorts the meaning of the word "Gospel," positing that Jesus delivered the Injil (the Koranic term for the Gospel) as a book of God's words to his disciples (in a manner similar to how Muhammad supposedly delivered the Koran).

(Interestingly, Islam teaches that Jesus' disciples subsequently distorted his message in the Injil, which is why Allah sent Muhammad to correct everything, which is eerily similar to what Protestants teach happened between 100A.D. and the Reformation, that true Christianity disappeared, only to be recovered by the Protestant Reformation.  This is an alarming parallel indeed...)

Therefore, muddled Protestant theology, cut off from the sources of traditional Christianity, can be seen to be Islamified both in its distorted view of the Bible and the Gospel, as well as in its rejection of the holy icons.

Eastern Christians are 'True' Christians

The sad result is that Western Protestant Christians, though well-intentioned and sincere in so any ways in their faith, tend to have a very difficult time seeing Eastern Christians as "true" Christians. (I am deliberately leaving aside here any discussion of Chalcedonian vs. non-Chalcedonian communions...)

I remember ten years ago or so, being very saddened at meeting a young woman who was zealous to do missionary work in Russia because, as she put it, "All they have over there is the Orthodox Church."

Another young woman returning from a mission trip to Romania expressed her confusion to me as to why the impoverished Romanians she had met were so zealous to donate what little resources they had for the building and beautification of Orthodox churches there. She wanted desperately to liberate them from what she saw as false piety, and help them "know Jesus." I know she meant well, and is very faithful in her own way, but the Lord's lesson of the Widow's Mites was lost on her, and the Jesus she wanted to introduce the Romanians to was the American Jesus, the one who hates the holy icons, beauty, "high church" services, and everything Orthodox.

This unfortunate ignorance is a persistent affliction blinding American Protestants to the fullness of the Christian Faith and to their own destiny and calling in Christ. The Lord loves His Bride, the Orthodox Church, which is why He calls her to suffer for His sake, and why He is blessing the Russian Church to flourish in our own time, in accordance with the mysterious prophecy of St Seraphim of Sarov.

The Effect of Iconoclasm on Eastern Christians

With this background, I would like to express my concern that the innate rejection of Holy Orthodoxy and Eastern Christianity by Protestants may be a major factor in suppressing outcry in the United States against Muslim persecution of Christians in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Tunisia, Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and throughout the Islamic world.

In extreme cases, Protestants even condemn Eastern Christians (and Roman Catholics) as idolators because of their use of holy images, and therefore may secretly consider them as deserving of the "scourge of Islam" being visited upon them.  (As an historical aside, from the time of St Sophronius of Jerusalem in 637A.D., who called Christians to repent over their sins which had brought the Muslim attackers upon them, Eastern Christians have retained this sense of the rise of Islam as being allowed by God as a chastisement.)

With a double irony, the false "Prosperity Gospel" so popular in the United States actually fosters a sense within Evangelical circles that material prosperity (and lack of being persecuted) is proof of validation by God. This too is an Islamification of Christianity, being analogous to how the early Muslims interpreted Muhammad's battlefield successes, and after his death their own rapid expansion, as proof of God's favor and the truth of their religion. The Prosperity Gospel can ultimately lead to a condescending attitude towards Eastern Christians, and as with Protestant iconoclasm, suppresses U.S. support for Christians suffering under Muslim persecution.  In any case, Jesus clearly told us we would be persecuted if we follow Him, and he never promised earthly prosperity or glory.

We are seeing signs now that this unintentional suppression of concern and intervention for Eastern Christians suffering under Muslim persecution is beginning to change, as excellent organizations like International Christian Concern, Morning Star News, and others, offer broad reporting and support inclusive of Orthodox, Coptic, Assyrian, Chaldean and Catholic Christians. Important texts like Raymond Ibrahim's new book, Crucified Again - Exposing Islam's New War On Christians,  Mark Durie's The Third Choice, and others, help convey the causes, breadth and continuity of Islamic persecution of all Christians, and foster an informed concern especially for Eastern Christians in their fourteen-century long endurance of Islamic jihad and domination.

We may even hope that God may work through this wave of Islamic persecution of Eastern Christians to awaken and draw many souls into the fold of the timeless, unchanging Orthodox Christian Faith.

Dissatisfied with his apology, Islamic groups demand Vatican envoy leave Malaysia

From Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch:

Last Tuesday, Archbishop Marino issued a statement conveying "apologies for any misunderstandings and inconveniences" that his earlier defense of the rights of the Christians may have caused. He also reiterated that he "firmly believes that inter-religious dialogue is the means to promote good relations among peoples of different faiths, who can discover the beauty of each others' belief."

Not satisfied with that, Islamic groups are today demanding that he be expelled from Malaysia.

Appeasement never works. Neither does "dialogue." I explain why the latter is doomed to failure in my book Not Peace But A Sword.

"Islamic groups demand Vatican envoy leave Malaysia," from AFP, July 19:

Several Islamic groups today demanded the recall of the Vatican's first envoy to Malaysia, describing him as an "enemy of the state" after he supported the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims. 

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Vatican's mission in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Muslim-majority Malaysia, after prayers on Friday, urging the government to expel Archbishop Joseph Marino. 

Marino, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur less than six months ago, recently elicited a rebuke from the government after he waded into a religious row over the right to translate "God" to "Allah" in Malay-language Bibles and other literature. 

He had described arguments supporting the move put forward by the Catholic Church in an ongoing court battle with the government over the issue, as "logical and acceptable".
He was on Tuesday summoned to the foreign ministry over his remarks, and has since apologised. 

It was not enough for some Muslim organisations in the country, however. 

"Joseph Marino is an enemy of the state. His actions have strained race relations in the country," said Ibrahim Ali, president of right-wing group Perkasa. 

Ibrahim has previously drawn controversy by calling for the burning of the Bible.
"Marino must leave Malaysia," said Hasan Ali, the head of Islamic group JATI, who urged the government to close the mission and not to accept any envoy from the Vatican. 

The government has argued that the word "Allah" should only be used by Muslims, as it fears using the word in Malay-language Bibles is an attempt to confuse and proselytise. 

Yesterday, a Malaysian couple known for publishing a sexually explicit blog were charged with sedition and denied bail after they caused outrage with a prank Ramadan greeting on Facebook that showed them eating pork -- which is forbidden in Islam. 

Malaysia has more than 2.5 million Christians in a population of 28 million, of which about 60 percent are Muslim.

Indonesia: Muslims Force Closure of 17 Churches

AsiaNews — h/t Jihad Watch and The Religion of Peace

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The Islamist pressures against Christian communities in Aceh "have become intolerable. Within a year, with non-existent legal pretexts, 17 house churches have been closed: these also include Catholic chapels. The islamization of the province continues , just as promised by the governor Abdullah. " It is the sense of the Annual Report published by IndonesianChristian.org, Protestant organization which monitors the situation of the Christian community in Indonesia.

The forced closure of places of worship and threats against Protestant congregations, says the text, "increase unabated. But this will only create tensions manipulated from the outside between the Christian and Islamic communities. The government must guarantee religious plurality and respect: or risk clashes and violence". Favor Bancin, of the Synod of the churches in Indonesia is of the same opinion, adding: "The behavior of local authorities is a potential threat to the tolerant atmosphere we see deteriorating over time."

Indonesia is the most populous Muslim nation in the world and, while guaranteeing the constitutional principles of religious freedom, it is more and more often the scene of attacks and violence against minorities, whether they are Christians, Ahmadi Muslims or of other faiths. In the province of Aceh - the only one in the Archipelago - the Islamic law (sharia) applies and in many other areas the influence of the Muslim religion in the lives of citizens is becoming more radical and extreme. In addition, certain rules such as the building permit - the infamous IMB - are exploited to prevent the building or close Christian places of worship, as is the case for some time in Bogor regency, West Java, for the faithful of the Yasmin Church.

Behind this upsurge is the current governor of Aceh, Zaini Abdullah, who has spent years in exile in Sweden for his activities within the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). During his election campaign, the Islamic politician stated several times that "he would not hesitate to apply the Koranic laws in the province." And a few months after his election his words have become reality.

For its part, the central government is seeking to curb this trend. Interior Minister Gamawan Fauzi has repeatedly warned that these activities "are not acceptable. Indonesia exercises a spirit of pluralism and must continue to do so. Tolerance must be guaranteed and the majority can not crush the minority violating their civil rights ".

VIDEO: Coptic Church Destroyed by Muslim Extremists

Harrowing footage, as the BBC news crew has to flee for their lives from Muslim extremists.

BBC News, h/t OCP Media

There has been a string of attacks on Christians in different provinces in Egypt since Mohammed Morsi was forced from office, with Coptic Christians saying they have been singled out for campaigning against him.

In the village of Dalga, near the central Egyptian city of Minya, a church was looted and destroyed and the priest, Father Ayoub Youssef, had to flee for his life.

He said Muslim neighbours helped his escape from the roof of his house.

''Had it not been for them, I would have been lynched," he said.

Ahmed Maher reports from Egypt.

Syria's Graphic Beheading Videos

with links to videos being discussed...

by Raymond Ibrahim

Based on a widely circulated video and statements from the Vatican, it was believed that Fr. Francois Murad, a Catholic Syrian priest, was recently beheaded in Syria.  It was not long before others “vigorously denied” the story, saying that the Christian priest was actually shot dead.  And now that’s fast become the “big” news.  For example, according to the Telegraph, “The footage, said to show Father Francois Murad, 49, as the victim in a brutal summary execution by foreign jihadists is likely to be an older video that bares no relation to the death of the Catholic priest. Father Murad ‘died when he was shot inside his church’ in the northern Syrian Christian village of Ghassaniyeh on June 23, three separate local sources, who did not wish to be named, told the Telegraph.”

Fr. Francois Murad, left; Still from video on right,

man in red circle, was beheaded and believed to be the priest

So apparently that makes it better?  That seems to be the Telegraph’s take, for it continues: “Claims that Father Murad was one of two men to be decapitated by a foreign jihadist group went viral, with outrage expressed in blogs and articles worldwide.”

So now that he wasn’t beheaded, only shot dead inside his church, there’s no longer any call for “outrage”?

At any rate, welcome to the “distraction” tactic being exploited by the many elements trying to minimize the atrocities being committed by the jihadis—also known as the “Free Syrian Army” (FSA)—in Syria.  Supporters of these jihadis exploit the fact that, in a time of war, as currently in Syria, news is not always reliable.  They also claim that any news that portrays the Syrian government as the “good guys”—such as nonstop videos of the FSA committing atrocities—is just pro-Assad propaganda, that cannot be trusted (they never seem to see the flipside to this logic, that Western media can be disseminating false anti-Assad propaganda).

Thus, let’s not focus too much on the exact particulars—for indeed, exact information is not always clear—and rather acknowledge the big picture: namely that beheadings have become very common in Syria, even if we don’t always know the identities of those beheaded.  But we do know who are doing the beheadings: al-Qaeda linked jihadis who are trying to transform Syria into a Sharia-ruling emirate.

Consider the video which some are now saying was not Fr. Murad—who was only shot (whew!)  Whoever the men being beheaded are, what you are witnessing is the true face of the Syria “rebellion”—jihadis, most of them obviously foreigners.  The ring leader appears perhaps Chechnyan, and can hardly speak proper Arabic (but one of the few phrases that he utters that is understandable is “we are enforcing the rules of Allah”).  The bound men are then beheaded to wild cries of “Allahu Akbar!”

To appreciate the frequency of such beheadings, do a quick YouTube search with words like “Syria” and “beheadings,” and you will see any number of graphic videos of Syrians being beheaded by U.S.-backed jihadis.  These are the videos that have still not been identified and removed by YouTube, but which likely soon will.  Before them, there were many others that are now gone.

Among some of the ones currently up, are:

• A video of reportedly a Syrian policeman, having his head sliced off, to screams of Allahu Akbar; his head is then picked up and chucked to the ground.
• A video of reportedly a Muslim apostate to Christianity, either in Tunisia or Syria, also having his head sheared off to screams of Allahu Akbar.
• A video of a child, prodded by the Free Syrian Army, cutting the heads off of Syrian men for apparently being loyal to the Assad government.
• A video of the FSA making another child hack a man’s head off—again, to cries of Allahu Akbar.
• A video of the FSA tormenting and humiliating an obviously mentally-handicapped man, torturing another man, and at the very end beheading a third man—to cries of Allahu Akbar.

While strictly not a beheading video, let’s also not forget the video of an FSA fighter cutting out and biting into the heart of a dead soldier—the same video Russian president Putin rightly shamed the pr0-FSA West with.   Before biting into the organs of his foe, the cannibalistic jihadi declares, “I swear to Allah, soldiers of Bashar, you dogs—we will eat your heart and livers! Allahu Akbar!”

So what’s to be learned by all this savage carnage, beheadings, cannibalism and what not?  Those who wish to distract will insist that we cannot be sure of all the facts and circumstances—the identity of the executioners, the identity of the victims, the exact context, etc.  They will nitpick and lose sight of the big picture.  Hence the debate on whether Fr. Murad was beheaded or shot  (incidentally, here’s a video of a man executed by jihadis in Syria by gunfire—again, to screams of “Allahu Akbar”; it’s not a whole lot better than the beheadings).

Even so, there is one thing we can be absolutely sure about—and it’s perhaps the most significant and existentialist point of these barbaric beheadings: they are all done in the name of the god of Islam; they are all accompanied by cries of distinctly Islamic slogans, most prominently, Allahu Akbar.

This speaks volumes, or at least it should. Even Muslims raping Coptic Christian girls, as in this video, shout this most distinctive of Islamic cries, first uttered by Islam’s prophet himself when attacking non-Muslims.

To understand the significance of all this, consider if Christian groups around the world started beheading people while screaming things like “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”  What would that say about Christianity?

What does it say about Islam?

Hence the true lesson of Syria’s beheading videos.

Pro-Morsi demonstration at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem: U.S., France, Britain to be destroyed, Rome to be conquered

The 'Religion of Peace' holding a rally in the City of Peace.  Lord have mercy...

Do scroll all the way to the bottom for the final punch line...

from MEMRI via Jihad Watch

There were also calls for the restoration of the caliphate. The caliphate is supposed to be the unitary state in which every Muslim is a citizen. In Sunni theology, only the caliph is authorized to wage offensive jihad -- which is one reason (but not the only reason) why in the current absence of a caliph all jihads are justified by endless grievance-mongering. All jihad is currently defensive, so the grievances have to be retailed.

This crowd also repeated the genocidal and anti-Semitic "Khaybar" war chant.

“Pro-Morsi Demonstration at Al-Aqsa Mosque: U.S., France, Britain to Be Destroyed, Rome to Be Conquered” 
from MEMRI, July 12:

Following are excerpts from a pro-Morsi demonstration held outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which was posted on the Internet on July 12, 2013:

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May America be destroyed.

Crowd: Allah Akbar.

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May America be destroyed.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. May America be destroyed.

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. May France be destroyed.

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May Britain be destroyed.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. May Britain be destroyed.

Palestinian cleric: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. May Rome be conquered.

[...]

Palestinian cleric: We warn you, oh America: Take your hands off the Muslims. Take your hands off the Muslims. You have wrecked havoc in Syria, and before that, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, and now in Egypt. Who do you think we are, America? We are the nation of Islam - a giant and mighty nation, which extends from east to west. Soon, we will teach you a political and military lesson, Allah willing. Allah Akbar. All glory to Allah.

Crowd: Allah Akbar. All glory to Allah.

[...]

Palestinian cleric: Oh Obama, listen up...

Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...

Palestinian cleric: The Caliphate shall return.

Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.

Palestinian cleric: Oh Obama, listen up...

Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...

Palestinian cleric: The Caliphate shall return.

Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.

Demonstrator: Say: "Allah Akbar."

Crowd: Allah Akbar.

Demonstrator: Say: "Allah Akbar."

Crowd: Allah Akbar.

[...]

Demonstrator: Oh Obama, listen up...

Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...

Demonstrator: Our nation will never kneel in submission.

Crowd: Our nation will never kneel in submission.

Demonstrator: The Caliphate shall return.

Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.

Demonstrator: Oh Obama, listen up...

Crowd: Oh Obama, listen up...

Demonstrator: The Caliphate shall return.

Crowd: The Caliphate shall return.

Demonstrator: Our nation will never be humiliated.

Crowd: Our nation will never be humiliated.

Demonstrator: The Caliphate is the solution.

Crowd: The Caliphate is the solution.

Demonstrator: We are the nation of the best men.

Crowd: We are the nation of the best men.

Demonstrator: We are the nation of the best men.

Crowd: We are the nation of the best men.

"You are the best nation produced for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah." -- Qur'an 3:110

Demonstrator: We want to cleanse it of the impure.

Crowd: We want to cleanse it of the impure. [...]

"O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean..." -- Qur'an 9:28

Demonstrator: Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews...

Crowd: Khaybar, khaybar, oh Jews....

Demonstrator: The army of Muhammad will return.

Crowd: The army of Muhammad will return.

Demonstrator: Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews...

Crowd: Khaybar, khaybar, oh Jews....

Demonstrator: The army of Muhammad will return.

Crowd: The army of Muhammad will return.

According to Islamic tradition, at the Khaybar oasis in Arabia Muhammad carried out a surprise attack against the Jews who lived there, massacring many and exiling the survivors.

Demonstrator: Down with America and with all its dogs.

Crowd: Down with America and will all its dogs.

Demonstrator: Down with America and with all its dogs.

Crowd: Down with America and will all its dogs.

Demonstrator: Whoever negotiates with America...

Crowd: Whoever negotiates with America...

Demonstrator: ... is a collaborator and a coward.

Crowd: ... is a collaborator and a coward.

Demonstrator: Whoever negotiates with America...

Crowd: Whoever negotiates with America...

Demonstrator: Down with peaceful solutions.

Crowd: Down with peaceful solutions.

Demonstrator: Down with peaceful solutions.

Crowd: Down with peaceful solutions.

Christians Flee Villages in Egypt’s North Sinai after Terrifying Murders

Killings top months of kidnappings, attacks by Islamic extremist militants.

Detail of the corpse

of Magdy Lamei.

(Morning Star News

photo from Facebook)

CAIRO, Egypt (Morning Star News) – Christians in two villages in North Sinai, Egypt have fled for their lives after a priest was gunned down and a Christian businessman was abducted and killed, his decapitated body dumped onto a street.

On Thursday (July 11) the body of Christian businessman Magdy Lamei was found in the town of Sheikh Zuwayed. Suspected members of an unidentified Islamic extremist militant group had kidnapped him on July 6, and he was thought to have been killed on the first day of Ramadan, which in Egypt began on Wednesday (July 10).

At first glance, the abduction seemed to be just another of the kidnappings that have unsettled the area. But Yousef Soubhy, a Coptic Orthodox priest formerly in Rafah, said investigations indicated that wasn’t the case. The suspected militants purposely targeted a Christian leader, he said.

“He was a committed Christian, and he used to serve in the church, and he was active in his prayers and his ministry – he used to open his home for prayers,” Soubhy told Morning Star News. “It was obvious they didn’t kill him for the money.”

Soubhy said that when Lamei was killed, negotiations with the militants were still underway, and the ransom demand of 300,000 Egyptian pounds (US$42,545) was close to being collected.

“They didn’t wait for the money, they just killed him,” Soubhy said. “They killed him to terrorize the Christians.”

The grisly killing of Lamei and the lethal shooting of the Rev. Mina Aboud Sharubim, a Coptic priest, in Arish on July 6, were the final factors depleting three villages of Christians who have suffered months of attacks, threats and harassment. All Christians in Rafah and Sheikh Zuwayed have left, as have most of the Christians of Arish, sources said.

Some of those who left the three towns took only what they could carry and abandoned everything else; others said they hope to return once things cool down.

Fadiya Abdel Sayed, her husband and their three children left Rafah on Tuesday (July 9) to move back to their hometown of Assuit. They left with 13 other Christian families, broken and fearful over the killing of Sharubim in Arish.

“A lot of our neighbors had some of their family members that got kidnapped, and others were shot at,” Sayed told Morning Star News. “I left my work and property, and my husband left his trade and everything to come to our hometown until things calm down.”

There were about 130 Christian families that were living in Arish, but most of them have left, Sayed said.

Approximately 5,000 Egyptian Christians reside in Sinai, but the exact number of Copts that were living in Rafah and Sheikh Zuwayed is difficult to determine. In a recent statement, the Egyptian Institute for Personal Rights confirmed that all the Christians had left the two villages.

For years, North Sinai has been a hotbed of Islamic militancy, with one set of brazen attacks following another. Members of militant, Islamic extremist groups – some from the Palestinian Territories and elsewhere, most of them Egyptian – have attacked the North Sinai’s natural gas pipeline to Israel, captured or killed numerous policemen, raided security checkpoints and raided an international peacekeeping base and the regional headquarters of an Egyptian military security unit, among other targets.

The Egyptian Army is engaged in daily fighting with the militants. On Monday (July 15), militants attacked a busload full of factory workers with rocket-propelled grenades, killing one and wounding 17. The army has publicly speculated the attacking forces assumed the bus was full of police.

The militants have also run a campaign of intimidation against Christians in North Sinai. In January and February 2011, the Church of the Holy Family and St. George in Rafah was set on fire, with graffiti on the charred walls declaring the area “…a land of Islam. There is no room for Christians here.” In September 2012, after weeks of receiving threats to leave the area or be killed, several Coptic families fled when a group of militants raked a Christian business in Rafah with gunfire.

“The situation is horrible. It is insecure and unstable,” said Soubhy, now stationed in Arish. “There is a lot of fighting between the army and terrorist groups. We have been receiving a lot of threats, and after the killing of Father Mina and the murder of brother Lamei, who had his head cut off and left on top of his body, the feeling of fear has increased and things have gotten worse for Christians.”

Soubhy said he is unable to return to Rafah because the militants threatened to kill him. Because of Soubhy’s absence and the destruction of the church building there, for two years those wishing to attend services in Rafah have had to travel 45 kilometers (27 miles) to Arish.

On Sunday (July 14), leaders of the North Sinai parish announced that all the churches in the parish, including Arish, would be closed except for a very brief time in the morning.

Why Do Muslims Eat More During Ramadan?

Orthodox Christians can relate to this article, as fasting is one of our "pillars" too, if you will. We typically abstain from meat, dairy, fish, alcohol and olive oil on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and we have four fasting seasons of various duration.

Great Lent is the most rigorous by far, and encompasses the forty days leading up to the Lord's Passion Week. During this we abstain from meat, dairy, fish, alcohol and olive oil, and strive to eat less. We also fast during Holy Week leading up to Easter (Pascha), with a strict fast on Friday (nothing to eat or drink until after Vespers). Great Lent is preceded by a week-long partial fast, where we abstain from meat only. So the entire Lenten fasting cycle leading up to Pascha is some 53 days.

The Nativity Fast is the forty days leading up to Christmas, and is a little less rigorous than Great Lent.

In August we fast for the first two weeks, which lead up to the Feast of the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Mother of God, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, on August 15. On August 6 we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration, and on August 9 we commemorate St Herman of Alaska, and may have fish and wine on both those feast days.

Then there is the Apostles Fast, which varies in length depending on the date of Easter/Pascha. It begins on the Sunday of All Saints, and ends on June 29, with the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. This year, due to the lateness of the date of Pascha (for the "New Calendar") we didn't have an Apostles Fast.

In addition, there are a number of Strict Fast Days during the Church year. These are for Feasts of the Cross, and St John the Baptist. On these days, we try not to eat or drink until after Vespers.

Fasting rules are not meant to kill us. They are a discipline, and we are encouraged to enter into the spirit of the fasts through consulting with our priest or spiritual father or mother. Children don't fast until they reach a certain age. Depending on one's health, one may need to ameliorate the fast or choose different things to sacrifice. One can fast also from entertainment, music, movies, sweets, etc. One should especially watch one's speech, fasting from gossip, criticism, cursing and foul language.

We try not to be legalistic about our fasting. One temptation in our age, where dairy products and oil are used in so many foods, and where one finds chicken or beef broth in "vegetable" soup, is to become a "label reader," and get more worried about the letter of the law rather than the spirit. Of course, if one can fast rigorously, go for it! But at the same time, one might need be prepared to relax his fasting a bit if he has company, or visits his non-Orthodox family or friends.

Love is more important than fasting. In the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, there are numerous stories of how renowned hermits would welcome visitors, and generously not only feed them, but eat with them, even if they were breaking their normal fasting regimen. This is Christian consideration and care for one's neighbor, who is seen to be Christ Himself, Who teaches us, "As you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to Me."

The mysterious and wonderful thing about the fasts of the Orthodox Christian calendar, is that they are arranged to help us stay in "good shape," spiritually speaking. By observing these fasting seasons, and the regular Wednesday-Friday fast days, we practice obedience and discipline, and stay "toned up," to use an athletic term. Also, fasting is never meant to be an end in itself, nor is it the only discipline in our spiritual life. We strive to increase our prayers and almsgiving during fasting seasons, and we work on ourselves, confessing our sins, seeking to grow into the stature of Christ.

But for those who do try to seriously keep the fasts, who not only abstain from the proscribed foods but eat less, report feeling lighter, more alert, and somehow liberated from lesser habits like snacking and fast foods, which, while not sinful in themselves, can come to dominate us.

Of course, as any Orthodox will tell you, we love to Feast also. If you've ever experienced the Agape Meal after the Pascha Liturgy, and feasted on fleshmeats, cheeses, good wine, and all the special recipes different cultures and families have handed down sometimes for centuries, you know what I mean.

Yet the goal is not to gorge ourselves to the point of losing the spiritual sobriety and grace we hopefully gained during the Fast. Still, the Church does give us balance. The Fasts are followed by Fast Free periods. The weeks following Pascha and Pentecost are Fast Free, and the longest stretch without fasting is between Christmas and Theophany (January 6), almost two full weeks! Thus there is a healthy dynamic, times of trial and rigor, followed by a relaxing of the rule.

So, this gives us some background and perspective as we consider this article by David Wood of Acts 17 Apologetics and the Answering Muslims blog.

Why Do Muslims Eat More During Ramadan?

by David Wood - Answering Muslims Blog

About a decade ago, when I was an undergraduate taking an Islam course, my professor (who was a Muslim) told me that Muslims consume far more food during Ramadan than during other months. To outsiders, this is profoundly odd, since one of the goals of fasting is to deliberately deprive oneself of basic physical needs (typically in order to focus on spiritual matters). Gorging oneself before dawn and after sunset hardly seems like a spiritual pursuit. 

Consider some data on Ramadan food consumption in Tunisia: 

Tunisian consumption in food products skyrockets during the holy month, Ahmed Methlouthi director of the communication unit at the National Consumer Institute (INC) told TAP news agency.

This increase involves: 

- Milk, rising to 2 liters of monthly consumption during the month of Ramadan against 0. 9 liters per person throughout the year 

- Yoghurt pots went up to 12.9 per person, against 5.4 pots monthly during the rest of the year. 

- Eggs are consumed at 26 per person, against 12.8 eggs per month in normal times 

- Roll (baguette) 1.4 kg against 0.6 kg per month in normal times 

- Oil, 1.2 liter, against 1.14 liters per month in normal times 

- Meat: 1.1 kg of mutton, against 0.75 kg outside Ramadan, 0.5 kg of beef per month against 0.22 kg and 1.8 kg of poultry against 1.28 kg per month.

Regarding supply points of Tunisian consumer, 57.8% of Tunisians prefer to buy from hypermarkets and supermarkets, while 42.2% remain faithful to the traditional distribution channels (local grocery), the source said. (Source)

Why do Muslims eat more when they're fasting than when they're not fasting? Why put a mask of piety on gluttony? 

The answer, I think, lies at the very heart of Islam. Islam does not make people more holy or spiritual. Rather, it gives them a religious framework for carrying their desires to perverse extremes. 

If a non-Muslim man hits a few clubs and somehow manages to have sex with ten women in one day, Islam will condemn him as a fornicator. But if this same man converts to Islam, marries four women, and takes six sex-slaves as his captives after a battle, he can be perfectly righteous before Allah, even if he has sex with ten women in one day. 

Likewise, if a man hires a prostitute and sleeps with her, he has sinned, according to Islam. But if the same man sets up a "temporary marriage" (a practice called "Muta"), he can hire the same prostitute, for the same amount of time, have sex with her in the exact same way, and bear no shame whatsoever in the Muslim community. 

If a psychopath goes on a killing spree, brutally murdering men, women, and children, he is surely going to hell, according to Islam—unless, of course, he is killing men, women, and children in a terrorist attack for the sake of Allah, in which case his violent massacre will earn him a one-way ticket to Paradise. 

Even according to Muslim sources, the tribes of Mecca were violent, lascivious, and gluttonous. Muhammad didn't change their behavior by forcing them to convert to Islam. He simply made their violence, lasciviousness, and gluttony pleasing to Allah. Should we be surprised that Ramadan is a month-long feast that Muslims call "fasting"?

Danish immigration spokesperson to unhappy Muslims: “Find somewhere else to live”

This is very sound policy suggestion. I call it the "Sandbox Rule."  So simple a child can understand it. If you want to play in our sandbox, you play by our rules. If you break the rules, you're put on "timeout." If you break the rules again, you're ejected from the sandbox and sent home, wherever that is.

This should apply to supremacist mosques (80% of the mosques in the U.S. preach/teach jihad, hatred of America, and Islamic supremacism), and supremacist Muslims. Mosques with proven links to terrorist activities or which have imams who have supported terrorism, should be permanently closed.

Why? Because Islam is not like any other religion. It is religion + political ideology with a goal of taking over its host country, wherever it spreads.

Danish immigration spokesperson to unhappy Muslims: “Find somewhere else to live”

from The Copenhagen Post, via Creeping Sharia

Venstre’s immigration spokesperson argues that it is a misguided attempt at tolerance to condone Islamic practices that contradict Danish values.

Muslims who show no interest in adopting Danish values ought to think about why they settled in Denmark in the first place, the immigration spokesperson for leading opposition party Venstre argued in an opinion piece published in Politiken newspaper today.

In her piece, Inger Støjberg criticises Danish Muslims who actively try to shield themselves from Danish values and norms and who think that their religious beliefs should not be allowed to be mocked.

Støjberg pointed to a study of Danish Muslims in which 55 percent responded that criticising religion should be banned and 64 percent thought that free speech should be limited in particular circumstances.

“Denmark is the land of the Danes and you are more than welcome to become a Dane and take part in the work and community,” Støjberg wrote. “But to those Muslims who constantly work against us, constantly question us, are unsatisfied, encourage going to holy war in Syria, commit honour killings, belittle our values, flag or way of living – to all of you: Go and find somewhere else to live. No one is forcing you to stay. We accepted you and now it’s up to you to show the necessary respect for our society and the values it is built upon.”

Spotting an opportunity, Martin Henriksen, integration spokesperson for Dansk Folkeparti, proposed that Venstre should use this opportunity to follow up with strict policies aimed at curbing migration from Muslim countries.

“I think that Venstre and Dansk Folkeparti should join together for the next election with a goal of reducing Muslim immigration to somewhere close to zero. It is the most effective solution to ensure that Denmark will remain socially and culturally united in the decades ahead,” Henriksen said.

Elder Porphyrios on Facing Islam

This is essential spiritual counsel especially for all of us who confront Islam. Another way to think of it is to consider that we are treating a poison, and we must not become infected with it ourselves.

May the Holy Trinity bless us in this work . . .

Correcting, Not Condemning, Evil

MYSTAGOGY

By Elder Porphyrios of Kapsokalyva

Our purpose is not to condemn evil, but to correct it. With condemnation people can get lost, with understanding and assistance they will be saved.

Evil begins from bad thoughts.

When you are bitter and indignant, even just with your thoughts, you spoil a spiritual atmosphere. You prevent the Holy Spirit from acting and allow the devil to increase the evil.

You should always pray, love and forgive, driving out of yourself every evil thought.

Malaysia 'Galloping' towards Islamization, says Prominent Bishop

Threats to close Vatican office as nation takes sharp pro-Islamic turn

UCA News via ICC/Persecution.org

In Malaysia, the tone of the anti-Christian campaign has become shriller. One of the new government’s first moves was to amend the Administration of Islamic Law so that consent from only one parent or guardian was required for a child to be converted to Islam. It drew flak from an array of rights groups, lawyers and politicians, and surprised by the fierce reaction, the bill was withdrawn earlier this month.

Yet it is not over yet. Some see it as an attempt by the government to shore up its conservative Muslim voter base, while others say it is a sign of the continuing Islamization of Malaysia. Other examples abound: the barely veiled threats against the papal nuncio Archbishop Joseph Marino, who has defended the rights of Malaysian Christians to use Allah as the word for God in the Malay language, are cause for concern.

"If he does not retract his statement in seven days, we will have….to ask the prime minister…to close the Vatican office and ask that the ambassador be sent back to the Vatican," said the radical Malay-Muslim supremacy organizations, Peraksa and Jati. Their accusations of an attempted ‘Christianisation’ of Malaysia signals rising tensions between the country’s disparate religious groups.

Around 60 percent of Malaysia’s population considers themselves to be Muslim; just over nine percent are Christian. Conflict between the two groups has been on the rise for several years, since the government in 2009 lifted a ban on the use of “Allah” as a translation for “God” in Malay-language Bibles. The ruling was followed by a series of attacks on Christian worship sites.

And last year, as the country prepared for elections, the government was forced to ditch the name of a seminar on "the threat of Christianity" after it was accused of attempting to stoke anti-Christian sentiment in a bid to win the Muslim vote.

While the debacle over the use of “Allah” can be seen as an issue of dissent between Muslims and Christians, the attempted conversion ruling would have affected all religious minorities in Malaysia. The big question is: what religion should children adhere to if ones parent leaves his or her religion to convert to Islam? There have been several cases in the past few years, where a father – in most cases a Hindu – converted to Islam and subsequently converted the children without having sought the mother’s consent.

The government claims the sole purpose of the bill was to rectify the lack of a legal provision for child conversions at the federal level. However, by attempting to legalize the right of the converted parent to convert the kids to his or her new religion, the government abandoned a cabinet decision made in April 2009. Back then the government agreed that minors were to be bound by the common religion of their parents while they were married, even if one parent later becomes a Muslim.

The prominent Bishop Tan had called the bill “morally and ethically wrong,” unconstitutional, and proof of the “galloping Islamization” underway in Malaysia. Many protested the ruling, from Chinese and Indian component parties of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, to the Malaysian Bar, to cabinet members and various rights groups.

 “It is not fair to say that one parent can determine a child’s religion if the parent decides to convert to Islam.... As a lawyer and a Muslim, I am not comfortable with the situation,” Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had told the Malaysian daily, The Star.

The government has withdrawn the bill, yet more recently made Islamic and Asian Civilisation Studies compulsory for local students in private universities. With Chinese Buddhist organizations condemning the move as an “attempt at indoctrination,” it appears this conflict will continue well into the future. 

The First Week of Ramadan

as posted over at Answering Muslims:

Terrorist attacks increase dramatically during Ramadan. The Religion of Peace Website has been comparing terrorist attacks committed in the name of Allah with terrorist attacks committed in the name of all other religions combined (as well as attacks committed by Islamophobes). The results will only be surprising if you're convinced that there's no difference between Islam and other ideologies. Here are the stats for the first week of Ramadan: