Oh dear, what a mess this thread has become!
I thought that having a thread specifically on Islam could have been a blessing to us all. We could have learned more about Islam, I certainly did, and I apologize for my mistake on the post I did on page 1. Thanks to Dino for correcting me.
I purposely ended my last post, with how Jesus himself is taking the good news to Muslims, and how we are needed to share the gospel, when these dreams and visions open up the door. The gospel must be preached for them to be truly saved. They must know what they are saved from (sin!) and who saves them (Jesus, through the Holy Spirit) who Jesus is - God and man, and that they need to repent of their sins.
Instead of being helpful, this thread degenerated into a lot of attacks on Muslims, and a major attack on Hao, who is actually in Britain, living in a community with many Muslim immigrants. I do appreciate his insights.
As for whether what he said is true or not, because he is not a Christian - ALL TRUTH is God's truth! So if a pagan or unbeliever says something true about God, or about immigrants, it does not become untrue just because the author is not a Christian. Christians do not have the only truth, where the world is concern. But we do have the only truth where God and salvation is concerned, which is not what this thread was about!
I thought it interesting to note, that the Europeans, with the exception of Hao, seem much more terrified of Islam, than the North Americans, with maybe the exception of Magenta and a few others.
But God has not given us a spirit of fear! Paul was in jail when he wrote this, being persecuted for his faith by the mighty Roman Empire! He instructed Timothy not to live in fear, when he was going to be put to death, soon!
"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God," 2 Tim. 1:7-8
So why all the fear tactics?? I just don't get it! Here we have an opportunity to discuss Islam and what it is about, in order to reach these people with the gospel. I don't see how fear plays any part in that. When I was in Edmonton, we lived in a neighbourhood full of Muslims, while we were building our house. They were the main shoppers in a large grocery store. How did this affect me? Well, that store brought in the best and freshest pistachios you could imagine! I guess I gained some weight eating them, but that was the prednisone that made me crave salt, and probably my own fault!
Not to discount that people do have fears about these issues. I have met many Muslims, and never feared for my life. As for the rapes and things that are happening, is that Islam or is that culture? They do this to their own people in their own countries. So, they really have no education or understanding of what post-Christian cultural expectations are. Many of those people probably don't care about Islam or Allah, until they are actually radicalized, which sadly, can happen to anyone. Look at the guy driving the truck into the people on London Bridge. He was a lone wolf Muslim, but basically he was a disaffected Briton, who changed his name, and in his obvious mental illness, decided to win Allah's approval and maybe get some of those virgins he couldn't get in real life? (Yes, a very dangerous teaching!)
I have to wonder if there was a revival and many Britons turning to Christ if that man might have become a Christian, instead! I am sure that the UK is no different from North America, where most of us are not doing our job to reach the lost. I include myself in this.
We need to focus on God and his will, which is and has always been reaching the lost for Christ. That is the problem! God is on the move, and we are posturing and sitting back and judging Muslims, instead of being the vessels God uses to reach these people in our western nations.
I have a FB friend who was a missionary in the field for 20 years. She and her husband retired and moved back to Texas and immediately became workers among various expats and students living in their community. She comes onto FB and asks for prayers because they are showing the Jesus film, in Arabic, to Muslim couples who are coming to their home for dinner.
Are we part of the solution, or part of the problem? There really is no room for anger and malice, because every Muslim is an individual that Christ died for! Why can we not discuss the ways that Islam is the problem, and how Christ is always the answer?
