This short story caught my eye as I read news articles today. Some brief thoughts to follow-
Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls Muslims To Prepare For ‘Savior’
Friday, August 28, 2009 (2:12 am)
By George Whitten, Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (Worthy News) – Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Muslims around the world to mobilize their troops alongside Iran against Israel and the United States to prepare for the coming of the "Mahdi" seen as "the savior of Islam". Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged all Islamic countries to unite in anticipation of al-Mahdi al-Montazar, Arabic for the “awaited one”, according to statements obtained by Worthy News Friday, August 28. “We still have a long way to go in order to achieve this. We have to train honest forces that can stop the obstacles that may hinder the coming of the Mahdi like the United States and Israel,” said Ali Saeedi, a spokesman for the Iranian leader in statements distributed by Arabic media. He described Iran's supreme leader as "a direct representative" of the Mahdi and said following his orders is like "obeying the guided one.”
ARMED FORCES "Since the armed forces are commanded by the Supreme Leader, they are thus obeying the orders of the awaited Mahdi," Saeedi explained. He said Iran's Revolutionary Guards and armed forces "hold religious authority to prepare for the appearance of the Mahdi.” The Mahdi is believed by Muslims to be arriving before Judgment Day to rid the world of injustice.
Mike- Isn't it amazing that all the world awaits a Savior? We all await someone to come to the rescue and put right all the wrongs of our sad, fallen world. That someone is coming, just as he promised, and he will make all things right. It's so interesting to me that those who are against the Savior and his people are the very ones who claim to await him. What's going on here? The enemy has done a great job of taking the stories of the bible and changing all the characters and message so that now those who are actually against the Savior are excited about his coming and anticipate his good pleasure at their deeds when he does arrive. Everything has been turned upside down and turned inside out. It almost makes your head spin, doesn't it? Well, I must admit, I agree with the president of Iran, the Savior is soon to come. I also agree that he will come before Judgment Day. How different his arrival will be for those who aren't ready for him. He is coming....His name is Jesus...He is coming a second time to claim his bride and judge the world. How strange to realize that those who do not trust him as savior await a savior who will lead them against the nation of Israel and set up a world under Islam. It's easy to see how everything is lining up for the arrival of what the bible calls the "anti-Christ". Many already have a name for him, Mahdi.
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8 comments:
Hey Mike I was reading an article that Obama was going to claim Sep. 25th as a day of prayre for the Muslums and has invited all Muslums to the capital to pray. I don't know how true that is but that's scary.
it is true. it's also true he cancelled the prayer breakfast presidents have always held for pastors and leaders of our country.
Mike,
Will you please write a follow up blog post apologizing to muslims, one that encourages poeple of different faiths to love one another? To see beyond their differences and view each other as equals?
This post of yours has a very negative message and it concerns me on many levels. You state, "It's easy to see how everything is lining up for the arrival of what the bible calls the "anti-Christ". Many already have a name for him, Mahdi."
You are basically saying that Muslims are paving the way for the anti-christ. This causes poeple to view Muslims as evil and instruments of the Devil. And people wonder why christians and Muslims are at odds with one another? Its because our spiritual leaders, pastors and Imans alike, encourage this kind of thinking.
Christ would not want us to do this, he would not want us to step beyond our boundaries and start acting as judge and jury of who belongs to God and who doesnt. This is left to the Lord!
Our job is to simply love him and one another, nothing more. He would want us to love and cherish one another, to see each other as children of God. If we continue to view one another as enemies, we will never have the fertile ground of love in our hearts.
I have heard christians say, "well, i love them so much, becasue they are going in the wrong direction i am trying to save them". Thats NOT love. It in no way conveys love nor fosters love.
Please help
To the anonymous and your comment. There is a real difference between Christians and Muslims. Christains pray to God and Muslims pray to Ahli. No were in the bible does it say to pray to other gods but God Himself.
Anonymous,
Let me address your comments briefly. Even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
But not everyone knows this...now, since we know that not everyone knows this how is it loving to not speak to them about the truth we believe? The ultimate hypocrisy is to "just love one another" and not tell them about what you believe is their impending doom without Christ. If you believe the bible is true, then the most loving thing we can do is tell others about Jesus and the eternal life he offers. How can it be love without truth? I dearly love the lost around me and so I must tell them about my Jesus. How could you do otherwise?
Carol,
Allah is just the general Arabic word for God. It is simply the difference in languages between English and Arabic, nothing more. Simlarly, Jesus, Jeshua, and Joshua are all variants of the same name but in different languages, Greek, Hebrew, and English.
Mike,
Carols comment is an example of the lack of understanding between Christians and Muslims. My point is that too often, Muslims are viewed as evil and instruments of the devil, as you indicate in your post about them ushering in the anti-christ.
This creates a negative and damaging image of Muslims in the minds of Christians. One that fosters fear and hostility towards one another instead of love and respect.
Muslims are human, they are poeple who have families and go to work and want peace, just like you and any other christian would. This is our common bond, we are all human and children of God. If we can see each other through that lens, love can grow, respect and admiration can grow, and fear and hostility can be done with.
When aproached like this, with this perspective, you will be able to share your faith becasue you started on equal footing in each others minds eye. You wont come across as trying to convince them or sell them, but just letting your love light shine and they will recognize it. Truth knows truth, but it must be allowed to grow, you cant push it on people from perceived higher ground.
I encourage all people to share their faith with one another, but it must be done in love and with humility, where the two of you are seen as equals. You have to listen and have real dialogue, not just talk at them like they are secondary living organisms compared to you.
Painting Muslims in this negative light just sabatoges any opportunity you have to share your faith. The negative seed has already been planted that will choke out love and truth trying to find its way.
In conclusion, unless Christians and Muslims change their negative images of one another there will never be the love or peace that God wants from us, we will do more harm than good and the divide will increase. Fear and hate will consume our hearts instead of love and compassion.
Final response to Annoymous, part 1,
Let me finish this discussion with some final words. If you don’t mind I will use your last post as a springboard for my comments. I’ll post your comment and then reply to it, ok? Now, do realize that I do not know you. You have posted these comments not knowing me either, but you have made some assumptions that I want to address. With these comments we will be done with this, ok? Here we go….
“My point is that too often, Muslims are viewed as evil and instruments of the devil, as you indicate in your post about them ushering in the anti-christ.”
Mike- I have NOT described Muslims as evil. You did not read that in this post. You may have read into it, but I did not say that. Nor did I say that THEY usher in the anti-Christ. THEY said they were awaiting their Savior and THEY describe what he will do. THEY have claimed the title the apostle John gave to this belief, not I.
“This creates a negative and damaging image of Muslims in the minds of Christians. One that fosters fear and hostility towards one another instead of love and respect.”
Mike- Are you serious? The Muslims have created those negatives on their own. We have not needed to help them. They have done a fine job without us or me specifically. How is it negative to talk about their views and what they have done or said?
“Muslims are human, they are poeple who have families and go to work and want peace, just like you and any other christian would. This is our common bond, we are all human and children of God. If we can see each other through that lens, love can grow, respect and admiration can grow, and fear and hostility can be done with.”
Mike- good paragraph. For the most part you are right, but as you read in the article (which I did not write) some Muslims seek to destroy us and Israel claiming that is the only road to peace. I did not create this fear, they did.
Final response to Annoymous, part 2 and final,
“When aproached like this, with this perspective, you will be able to share your faith becasue you started on equal footing in each others minds eye. You wont come across as trying to convince them or sell them, but just letting your love light shine and they will recognize it. Truth knows truth, but it must be allowed to grow, you cant push it on people from perceived higher ground.”
Mike- You are talking about something entirely different from the article I wrote, and reading into and past the post. How we relate to Muslims, one on one, was not the subject of my post. Your comments here, although good, assume something I did not address and your assumptions presume something I do not believe.
“I encourage all people to share their faith with one another, but it must be done in love and with humility, where the two of you are seen as equals. You have to listen and have real dialogue, not just talk at them like they are secondary living organisms compared to you.”
Mike- I agree. Now, here’s the place where we must come to truth. Are all truths equal? Are there true truths vs. other beliefs that are not true? If this is so, then caring for one another also means dealing with truths and caring enough to tell them about God’s plan, Jesus Christ.
“Painting Muslims in this negative light just sabatoges any opportunity you have to share your faith. The negative seed has already been planted that will choke out love and truth trying to find its way.”
Mike- I did not paint Muslims in a negative light. I challenge you on this statement and I believe you are wrong on this point. Reread the article. You will find that the negative light was not painted by me.
“In conclusion, unless Christians and Muslims change their negative images of one another there will never be the love or peace that God wants from us, we will do more harm than good and the divide will increase. Fear and hate will consume our hearts instead of love and compassion.”
Mike- There will be no peace until the King of Kings comes and establishes peace. The Quran declares there can be no peace until all infidels convert or die. One of these two things will happen. Peace in the meantime is a frail attempt by men to blend oil and water. These two religions have opposing views and theologies. That is undeniable. There will not be peace until the King of Peace comes. Yes, we are to love each other, yes we are to be kind, caring and try to be at peace, but you must know that there are people in this world who will not want peace until all is under the banner of their religion, and that religion is not Christianity. Now, let me close this post with these simple words- It is our task to love and care for one another, but don’t expect everyone to respond in kind, it will not happen. My post here was not harsh, mean, and didn’t paint Muslims negatively, the president of Iran did that. My comments were focused on the times we live in. I will not recant my belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and only through him will we find salvation. That is the message of the Bible. I believe it is true. There are some of other faiths that would seek my death for that. I will love them, but I promise you they will not play nice with me simply because I am loving and peaceful.
Now, with that we are done with this series. Thank you all for the comments, but this will be the last comment on this post.
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