Our
work of evangelization and Christian renewal
also impacts on the influence of radical
Islam. If Christianity is strong and vibrant,
radical Islam would not make as much advances
against Western societies. Unfortunately,
Western Christianity has been very much
weakened by its adoption of non-Christian
and even diabolical practices and lifestyles.
It is a big question whether Islam is
a religion of love or of hate, of tolerance
or intolerance, of peace or of violence.
There would be Muslims on either end
of the spectrum. Islam can be Christianity's
friend or enemy.
We must continue to strengthen our Christian
faith through re-evangelization, renewal
of the family and the defense of life.
The salvation of souls depends on this,
as well as the well-being of societies
of the world.
Militant
Islam Versus the West
Commentary
By Steve Jalsevac
August
24, 2010, (LifeSiteNews.com)
- Militant Islam's rapidly growing influence
within Western democratic nations has
become a serious concern. Most Westerners
have a very poor understanding of Islam
as we already stated in one 2008
article. In another
we reported on Bill Federer's views
on how multiculturism has fed Muslim
radicalism in the West. Most
Westerners do not realize Islam is not
only a religious belief system, but
also one that to many Imams demands
an all-encompassing Islamic form of
government and, in some Islamic societies,
harshly enforced rules for daily living
and thought. Because of the concerning
developments on this issue, we present
today a variety of news briefs and links
for readers to consider.
LifeSiteNews
does not necessarily endorse all of
these information items, but we hope
they will spark readers to consider
the implications of the likely large
future role of Islamism in their lives.
These links and excerpts are mostly
alternative to what is presented in
the mainstream media. That media,
because of its often intense hostility
to traditional Christian culture, tends
to overlook many of the excesses of
Islamists, which should actually worry
it far more.
Modern
fundamamentalist Islamism,
a religious ideology that rules Iran
and to varying degrees other Muslim
nations or areas, such as the Taliban
controlled regions of Afghanistan and
Pakistan, is frighteningly
toStalitarian in practice. Saudi
Arabia and a few other nations represent
other, different types of oppressive
Islam. Thankfully, not all Muslims ascribe
to these extreme interpretations of
Islam, but those forms of Islam are
now becoming increasingly dominant.
Read When
Islam Abandoned Reason
for a view of how much of today's Islam
developed into the current threatening
belief system.
There
is growing pressure from the Islamists
to convince, threaten or brainwash all
Muslims to adopt or to at least cooperate
with their campaign of violent hatred
against all non-Muslims and uncooperative
Muslims. They are also becoming adept
at exploiting the freedoms of western
democratic political and legal systems
to gradually impose Sharia law within
non-Islamic regions of the world. They
are skilled at using television, radio,
Internet and any other media and especially
an internationally expanding network
of radicalized mosques to propagandize
and incite the Islamic masses.
The
implications of this struggle regarding
the issues that LifeSiteNews covers
are substantial and worrisome.
Judeo/Christian civilization has been
by far the strongest advocate for the
dignity of every human person. The associated
right to life and other basic human
rights emanate from our understanding
that every person, regardless of race
or creed -although still merely human
- is made in the image and likeness
of God, who Christians believe is a
God of perfect love. Not so with much
of today's Islam, a radically different
religion, with a radically different
concept of God, of which most
in the West have not the slightest comprehension.
However,
the expansion
of militant Islam, and other dangers
to the democratic West, is actually
a story of the near total rebellion
in the West against its Judeo/Christian
foundation and its consequent self-inflicted
decline in almost every respect. The
West is weak, corrupted, in catastophic
demographic and consequent economic
decline and therefore very vulnerable.
It is naturally a target for forces
that have long wished to dominate it.
The rise of militant Islam seems to
be occuring in direct proportion to
the corruption and collapse of the Christian
West. We are bringing possible Islamic
domination and other trials upon ourselves.
Militant
Islamists, Communist China and Russia,
the depopulationist, world government
secularists - all observe our self inflicted
decline and are seizing the opportunity
- as should naturally be expected. Our
abandonment of the strengths of character
and social unity that our religion gave,
our grossly immoral behaviours and media
and crumbling family life, all spur
on those seeking conquest. These things
give fanatical outlooks a veneer of
credibility. They
need only point to our violent killing
of millions of our own unborn babies,
rampant porn, indecent dress and other
destructive behaviours that we indulge
in or tolerate and say, "see the
infidels."
Some
pro-life lobbyists at UN conferences
have in the past reported to LifeSiteNews
Muslim delegates indicating that, although
Muslims are forbidden abortion, homosexuality
and other immorality, they really don't
care if we engage in these practices
since that behaviour will make the international
spread of Islam much easier.
However,
by no means are most Muslims or all
forms of Islam violent or a danger to
what little is left of Judeo/Christian
civilization. Human nature being what
it naturally is, there are many Muslims
of good will who are not prone to hate
those of different beliefs.
Muslims
have a high regard for family, for children,
the elderly and share many basic moral
tenets with Christianity.
Many who emigrated to the West are happy
to be in free and prosperous nations
unlike the oppressive and very backward
Islamic regimes that they left. At the
United Nations, Muslims have often allied
with pro-life and pro-family delegates
and without their cooperation, major
victories would not have happened.
Pope
Benedict's Regensberg address on the
necessity of dialogue between Islam
and Christianity resulted in a firestorm
of reactions. In the end, despite the
orchestrated violence and media
hostility in response
to the Pope's statements, much good
resulted in that some serious dialogue
was finally begun between the two religions.
LifeSiteNews reported in depth on that
2006 controversy and the often
thoughtful responses
to it.
Benedict
did not grovel in the face of Islamic
intimidation as so many have been doing.
While being respectful of Muslims and
their beliefs he also publicly affirmed
his belief
in the truth of Christianity.
We
encourage you to review the above linked
items, as well as today's Newsbytes
pages, and to do your own additional
research on this issue. Then consider
what you can personally do to play a
part in the renewal of the best traditions
of Western culture and its religious
heritage which are meant to benefit
all persons, without discrimination.
It
would also be good to pray for radical
Muslim leaders and terrorists. Pray
that their hearts will be softened,
and that they will come to see that
extreme violence and hatred cannot possibly
bring about any lasting, true good -
in this life or in the next. Really,
have you ever thought about praying
for them, while still standing publicly
firm on Christian principles and living
those principles, just like Benedict
XVI?
NewsBytes
for Aug. 24 - Militant Islam Today
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/aug/10082402.html
NewsBytes
for Aug. 24 - Obama and Islam
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/aug/10082404.html
NewsBytes
for Aug. 24 - Ground Zero Mosque
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/aug/10082403.html
"For
to me to live is Christ, and to die is
gain." (Phil 1:21)