Christians in Southeast Asia Fear Islamic State Making Inroads in Region

August 19, 2014 – JULIA A. SEYMOUR – WORLD Magazine

Muslims mark the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Associated Press/Photo by Tatan Syuflana)

Indonesia and Malaysia are no strangers to radical Islam, but ISIS recruiting in southeast Asia has caused a growing concern about the threat of terrorism in the region.

ISIS currently is fighting for an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria but has plans for “global domination,” according to the  Daily Mail. At the beginning of Ramadan, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, called for Muslims everywhere to support the group’s plan to impose Shariah law in all the territory it controls. In July, Christians were forced to flee Mosul, Iraq, after ISIS gave them 24 hours to leave or be killed. Fleeing Christians said ISIS fighters seized all their money and possessions at checkpoints.

Sooyoung Kim of International Christian Concern (ICC) said there has been an increased fervor for ISIS among Indonesian and Malaysian Islamic extremists in recent months. ISIS has had influence within the region at least since 2013.

In Indonesia, it is not illegal to fund or join jihads in other countries, so ISIS is recruiting openly there, Kim said. The group’s propaganda was widely available and could be found in mosques, but more moderate imams and the Indonesian government have tried to discourage people from joining ISIS because they consider the group too extreme, Kim said.

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Syrian Christian asks, “Why aren’t the moderate Muslims doing more to stop the extremists in their midst?”

Robert Spencer Aug 19, 2014 – Jihad Watch

“Why aren’t the moderate Muslims doing more to stop the extremists in their midst? Do they agree with their ideology and extremism? We saw hundreds of thousands of protesters on the streets against the abuses of the regime, so why are we not now seeing those thousands of protesters against what IS is doing?”

Fair questions. But no answers will be forthcoming from Muslim leaders in Syria or anywhere else. In the U.S., Hamas-linked CAIR can point to its condemnation of the Islamic State as if that settled the matter — yet neither CAIR nor any other Muslim group is doing anything to teach Muslims to reject the Islamic State’s understanding of Islam.

“Aleppo’s forgotten Christians,” by Edward Dark, Al-Monitor, August 11, 2014 (thanks to Paul):

ALEPPO, Syria — Walking through the largely Christian neighborhoods of Aleppo city — Azizieh, Siryan, Sulaimaniyah and Midan — you can still see the posters of the two bishops kidnapped by Islamist militants last year hanging on shop windows, walls and even cars. The people here haven’t forgotten them; the event is still as painful and fresh as if it had happened just yesterday. The bishops’ kidnapping was a symbolic event, indicative of the larger collapse of interfaith communal relations in a country under the strain of a sectarian civil war, and marked the end of a long era of relative peace and safety for the Christians of Syria.

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From being tortured in an Egyptian Prison to launching ‘The Way TV’ in California

June 14, 2014 – By Dan Wooding – Founder of ASSIST Ministries

BEVERLY HILLS, CA (ANS) — When Joseph Nasrallah was locked up in prison cell in Egypt, he could never have dreamed that one day, he would move to America, and launch “The Way TV,” an Arabic Christian satellite network that is reaching the Middle East, and his homeland of Egypt, with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I met up with Nasrallah at the Beverly Hills Hilton on June 1, 2014, where he was attending Pat Boone’s 80th Birthday “Celebrity Roast,” and he was certainly a most unlikely guest with many Hollywood stars attending like Larry King, Jon Voight, Billy Davis Jr., and his wife, Marilyn McCoo, Susan Stafford, Wink Martindale, and many others.

The sparkling gathering was to benefit Ryan’s Reach, a charity set up in honor of Pat and Shirley Boone’s grandson, Ryan Corbin, who was making an amazing recovery and even attended the event. His mother, Lindy Boone Michaelis, helped to set up the group to help others with similar Traumatic Brain Injuries to Ryan. For more information, please go to www.ryansreach.com.

As the camera light bulbs popped on the nearby Red Carpet, I found a quiet spot and asked Joseph about the time he was imprisoned in a stark Egyptian cell, and also about his early life.

“I started as a singer and composer in Egypt,” he began. “I have cut ten albums up to now, and then the ‘media dream’ came to me when I was in jail in Egypt.” (more…)

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Why Is Obama Really Downplaying Muslim Attacks on Christians?

7/15/2014 Raymond Ibrahim – Charisma News

Why is the U.S. downplaying or denying attacks against Christians?

“What about the churches which were desecrated? Is this not blasphemy? Where is justice?” asked Fr. James Channan OP, director of The Peace Center, Lahore, Pakistan.

Members of the Islamic group al-Shabaab publicly beheaded the mother of two girls, ages 8 and 15, and her cousin after discovering they were Christians. The girls “were witnesses to the slaughter.” — Somalia.

“Christian teaching is extremely harmful to the mental health of the people.” —Kazakhstan.

Five years’ imprisonment and up to $20,000 in fines for educators if they…speak to a Muslim child of religions other than Islam. — Brunei

Along with an especially jarring list of atrocities committed against Christian minorities throughout the Islamic world, March also saw some callous indifference or worse from the U.S. government.

President Barack Obama was criticized by human rights activists for not addressing the plight of Christians and other minorities during his talks with leaders in Saudi Arabia, where Christianity is actively banned.

According to the Washington-based International Christian Concern advocacy group, Obama did not “publicly broach the subject of religious freedom” when he spoke on March 28 with Saudi King Abdullah, despite a letter from 70 members of Congress urging him to “address specific human rights reforms” both in public and in direct meetings with the king and other officials. (more…)

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The Plight of the Muslim: the Great Cost of Following Christ

 7/11/2014 Rob Hoskins

It’s amazing to me how the Internet is heightening our awareness of what is going on in the world to a whole new level. Things all around the globe that have been cloaked in obscurity for hundreds of years are now coming to light, many of them taking center stage in mainstream media. Take for instance the case of Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman who had been sentenced to death for her Christian faith widely covered in media, like the May 16 CNN news report below. The struggle between Islam and Christianity has been going on for a very long time. Both faiths are “exclusive and expansionary”, often causing them to clash.

Little do we, as Westerners, know that to be Muslim and choose Christianity in some nations and contexts means giving up everything. There is a vast difference of interpretation between how I read this verse and the meaning it holds for a born Muslim who has chosen to follow Christ and is counting the cost of that decision: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

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NHS worker who ‘bullied’ Muslim by praying for her

By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent – 28 Jun 2014

A Christian health worker has begun a legal challenge after being disciplined by the NHS for praying with a Muslim colleague.

Victoria Wasteney, a senior occupational therapist in one of the country’s most racially diverse areas, was also accused of bullying the colleague after giving her a book about a Muslim woman who converts to Christianity.

In addition, senior managers told Miss Wasteney that it was inappropriate to invite the woman to a community sports day organised by her church.

The complaints led to Miss Wasteney being suspended on full pay for nine months.

Three charges were upheld against the 37-year-old Christian at an internal disciplinary hearing in February and five charges were found to be unsubstantiated. She had to accept a final written warning at work which will remain on her records for 12 months, as well as accept a range of other requirements designed to stop her discussing her faith and beliefs with colleagues.

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Opinion: Was Jesus a Jewish Settler or an Occupier?

Jesus—perhaps the most significant and influential person in history ever—was a settler. Indeed, Jesus was a Jewish settler who lived in the town of Bethlehem in Judea (which is referred to by some today as “occupied territory” in the West Bank.)

How can millions worldwide accept the story of Jesus, claim that a Jewish family raised this Jewish boy in this city—yet, somehow claim the Jews do not have history and the right to this land? There is nearly a Christian alive who disputes that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea—the same city where King David had been born a thousand years earlier. And if that is the case, how can anyone in the same breath claim to be a Christian—and say that there is any occupied territory in Israel?

Jordan created the term “West Bank” only 60 years ago. Is that more important than Jesus?

The Jewish people—from the time of Jesus—have a biblical, legal and moral link and connection to these areas that are part of the State of Israel. All of the land of Israel is rich with stories from the Bible—and Judea and Samaria belong to Israel.

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Message to President Obama from a former Muslim / Geert Wilders: “War Has Been Declared against Us” – A Speech in the Netherlands Parliament

Dear friends & family in Christ,

1) You may click the following video link (8 minutes) to understand what the Koran says about the barbaric activities of the Islamic State (ISIS) murderers, directed to President Obama by a former Muslim, now a Christian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=QxzOVSMUrGM&app=desktop

2) We’re forwarding you the following outstanding speech made by Dutch MP Geert Wilders in the Netherlands Parliament in regard to Islamic fundamentalism spreading throughout Europe, the West and the entire World.

Geert Wilders: “War Has Been Declared against Us” – A Speech in the Netherlands Parliament

“During the past ten years and two days, the ostrich cabinets did nothing. Every warning was ignored. They lied to the people.

Do not prevent jihadists from leaving our country. Let them leave. I am prepared to go to Schiphol [airport] to wave them goodbye. But let them never come back.

Madam Speaker, war has been declared against us.

Madam Speaker, actually I was expecting flowers from you. I am celebrating an anniversary these days. Exactly ten years and two days ago, I left a party whose name I cannot immediately remember. During these ten years and two days. I have been much criticized. Most importantly for always saying the same thing.
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French Foreign Minister to President Obama: ‘When People Are Dying, You Must Come Back from Vacation’

August 13, 2014 –  DailyMail – David Martosko

French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (C) visited Iraqi refugees in Nineveh province on Sunday, saying upon his return to France that vacations for certain world leaders should cease while people are dying there

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has a message about Iraq for Barack Obama: Get back to the White House and do something.

‘I know it is the holiday period in our Western countries,’ Fabius told a radio interviewer Tuesday in France,’ but when people are dying, you must come back from vacation.’

Full-time workers in France are guaranteed a whopping five weeks of paid vacation every year, making his plea all the more urgent.

Obama is on a family and golfing holiday in a ritzy neighborhood of Martha’s Vineyard but says he will come back to Washington briefly on Tuesday before returning to fun, sun, and more golf.

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More media reports from the World Congress of Families Conference organised by Endeavour Forum and held at CTFM in Melbourne

Dear friends & family in Christ, Further to the report we sent over the weekend about The World Congress of Families organised by Endeavour Forum and held at Catch The…

Continue ReadingMore media reports from the World Congress of Families Conference organised by Endeavour Forum and held at CTFM in Melbourne

DIE HARDS ..AND KILL HARDS…..TRY TO SPOIL WORLD CONGRESS MAJOR POLLIES ABSTAIN… SAVE…. RISE UP AUSTRALIA PARTY’s DANIEL NALLIAH, and FRED NILE

Dear friends & family in Christ,

You may click the following links to read various media reports about The World Congress of Families organised by Endeavour Forum and held at Catch The Fire Ministries Centre in Hallam (Melbourne) on Saturday 30th August.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/24855189/world-congress-of-families-controversial-conference-begins-at-catch-the-fire-ministries-amid-protests-in-melbourne/

http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/protesters-target-world-congress-of-families-conference-in-melbourne/story-fnj4aog3-1227042214800

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/30/protesters-block-entry-world-congress-families-starts-chaos

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/protester-storms-stage-at-controversial-world-congress-of-families-conference-20140830-10actf.html

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/protesters-target-world-congress-of-families-conference-in-melbourne/story-fni0fit3-1227042157115

All of the major TV media outlets should also broadcast on this evening’s news as there were also present and personally interviewed Pr Daniel.

We’ll send you a more detailed report early next week with more media reports and photos.

Following is a report from Rise Up Australia Party.

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Hobby Lobby and False Charges of Hypocrisy

By John Stonestreet , Christian Post Guest Columnist – June 26, 2014|

Oral arguments before the Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby case ended earlier this year, and a decision is expected within days. And in the meantime, this Christian-owned business has had to make its case to critics of corporate religious freedom outside the courtroom too—even to some inside the Church.

Last Tuesday writing in “The Week,” Christian author and columnist Jonathan Merritt argued that we should stop calling Hobby Lobby a “Christian business.” Because in Hobby Lobby’s case, he says, he smells a strong whiff of hypocrisy.

The H.H.S. mandate, part of the Affordable Care act, requires employers to provide abortion-inducing drugs in their insurance policies. Hobby Lobby president, Steve Green, along with leaders of other Christian businesses, not-for-profits, and institutions have been fighting it in court for almost as long.

“We’re Christians,” Green told me, “and we run our business on Christian principles.”

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Great turn out at Israel Peace rally in Melbourne

Dear family & friends in Christ, Last Sunday afternoon 10th August at 12 midday, hundreds of Jewish people and pro-Israel supporters gathered outside the Victorian Parliament steps to call for…

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Pro-Islam Anti-Israel bias exposed on Bolt Report on Australia TV / Pr Daniel on live webcast this Sunday 10th August

Dear friends & family in Christ, 1) Click the following link for a must watch 5 minute video of Andrew Bolt exposing the Pro-Islam Anti-Israel bias around the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8GkE1EY_QA&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop…

Continue ReadingPro-Islam Anti-Israel bias exposed on Bolt Report on Australia TV / Pr Daniel on live webcast this Sunday 10th August

Chinese Christians Fight Back Against Government’s Anti-Christian Campaign

Chinese Christians vowed to guard their church to the end while facing the growing anti-church campaign in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province.Chinese Christians vowed to “guard their church to the end” while facing the growing anti-church campaign in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

Local pastors and church members from various churches published a public letter the Wenzhou City government which included a list of eight ways the government had been illegally demolishing their church buildings and crosses. The government ignored their pleas, and within a week local authorities had forcibly removed the cross from the roof of Yahui Church in Pingyang County, Wenzhou City, and threatened church members harm if they talked to the media or petitioned Beijing. The Chinese government has since blocked the content of the public letter on websites within mainland China.

It is reported that over 360 churches in Zhejiang Province have been completely or partially demolished under the guise of “removing or modifying illegal constructions.” The government of Zhejiang Province says it is removing or modifying illegal buildings for urban development. However, in a news release, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported, and later the New York Times corroborated, that the target has been religious buildings at the exclusion of all others.

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