"Barack Hussein Obama's religious identity, Islamism, CAIR and third-world Christian fundamentalism"

Submitted by Lactantius Jr (United Kingdom), Oct 14, 2008 at 18:16

To Faqi

I appreciate your introductory remarks about wanting to differ, whilst respecting my integrity and honesty, thank you for saying that, and thank you for the links you send which I shall carefully read.

My original posting referred to Dr Pipes' well researched and documented publications, and based on the evidence he adduced, I repeat and accept his entirely reasonable comment that "In sum, Obama was an irregularly practising Muslim, who rarely, or occasionally, prayed with his stepfather in a mosque," which, I agree with you, doesn't say categorically he was or is a Muslim, and whether he ever said the shahada in the presence of witnesses, is something he and they know.

Barack's present standing with, and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, is something known to them, and I have nothing to say about that.

You are absolutely correct in saying children "sometimes do go with their elders to places of worship, that does not necessarily prove they are of that particular faith," and as far as following the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned, personal commitment is of key importance, because He doesn't have any grandsons, only sons, and when a person has made a personal commitment to accept Him as friend and Saviour, and to worship Him as Sovereign Lord of their lives, they are given a new identity, conferring on them the status of saint, citizen, adopted child and son.

The title son of God emphasizes the new legal status of the follower of Jesus Christ, regardless of gender, and also stresses the dignity and exalted character of their position in God's family. It speaks of intimate relationship, privileges, responsibilities, and inheritance. Again, justification ("rightstanding with God through Jesus Christ"), provides the basic relationship upon which God confers sonship, as He indwells us with His Spirit. Romans 8:14-21; Galatians 4:4-7

All of these identities are conferred on the follower of Jesus Christ by grace (God's Riches At Christ's Expense). They are gifts given on the basis of justification, and God enriches the relationship through regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is all done on the basis of Christ's merit, not our own. These are conferred because of our position in Christ, not because of anything special in us. These are all facets of what it means to be "in Christ"- our true position in God's eyes once we have received His gift of righteousness in Christ in salvation.

I will say little about how an individual becomes a Muslim, asking you to correct me if I am mistaken in thinking that being born into a Muslim family automatically makes the newborn child a Muslim, but will say that Islam is the easiest religion in the world for an adult to get into (by saying the shahada in presence of witnesses), and the hardest religion to get out of alive!! With Sahi Bukhari recording,

"Ibn Abbaas said : The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Whoever changes his (Islamic) religion, kill him.'

Al-Bukhari #6922

How a world-wide Islamic umma is to be brought about is encapsulated in Muhammad's words recorded in both Sahi Bukhari and Muslim as follows,

"The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah...' "

Muslim 1:33

"Allah's Apostle said: ‘I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform that, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah.'"

Bukhari 2:24

And these can easily be supplemented with other similar hadith and Qur'anic quotations.

Examination of the New Testament descriptions of making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, demonstrates a marked comparison/contrast with the use of/threat of violence to bring about discipleship, violence being nowhere commanded, and your reference to "third world Christian fundamentalists," equating them with CAIR, puzzles me.

Please elaborate on this, and be aware that the FBI regard CAIR as an Islamist front group, with well-documented ties to Islamic terrorist groups such as Hamas,

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/fbi-cair-is-a-front-group-and.html

and searching Dr Pipes site for ‘CAIR and Hamas' produces 8 pages of stuff, the first article by Dr Pipes himself being titled CAIR: ‘Moderate' friends of terror http://www.danielpipes.org/article/394 and saying in just the third paragraph, "For starters, it's on the wrong side in the war on terrorism," which, if true, puts them worlds apart from "third world Christian fundamentalists."

With kind regards and best wishes

Lactantius Jr

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