Outrage over ‘fatwa’ forces mosque to pull down website post

December 24th 2012 – Rachel Olding, Natalie O’Brien

AUSTRALIA’S biggest mosque has backed away from its fatwa against Christmas after harsh criticism from the Muslim community and a tirade of racial abuse.

The Lakemba Mosque posted the religious ruling on its Facebook site on Saturday morning, warning followers it was a ”sin” even to wish people a Merry Christmas.

It followed a lecture during Friday prayers in which the head imam, Sheikh Yahya Safi, told the congregation they should not take part in anything to do with Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

Samier Dandan, the head of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which oversees the mosque, said the fatwa was unsanctioned and did not reflect the views of the association or the mosque. It is understood the association’s youth co-ordinator, Bilal el-Hayek, copied the text from another site and posted it after receiving messages from members asking for guidance on celebrating Christmas.

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Seven Egyptian Christians sentenced to death for anti-Islam video

Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by Deacon Benjamin – Times of India

CAIRO: A Cairo court on Wednesday sentenced to death seven Egyptian Christians tried in absentia for participating in an anti-Islam video that was released on the Internet in September and prompted violent protests in Muslim countries.

“The seven accused persons were convicted of insulting the Islamic religion through participating in producing and offering a movie that insults Islam and its prophet,” Judge Saif al-Nasr Soliman said.

The low-budget video, produced privately in California, denigrated the Prophet Mohammad and triggered anti-US protests and attacks on Western embassies around the Muslim world.

The convicted persons included Egyptian-American Nakoula Bassely Nakoula, who is currently serving a one-year-jail term in Los Angeles after an American court convicted him of probation violations that stemmed from his role in the movie.

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Exciting update with photos from Christmas & New Year at CTFM / Pr Daniel ministering in Canberra this Sunday 6th Jan

Dear family & friends in Christ

1) What an amazing Christmas season it has been with Christmas carols being played in shopping malls around the country, people catching up with each other, lots of food, parties, etc. and I know that many of you would have taken the opportunity to share with someone, ‘Jesus is the Reason for Season!”

If you had an opportunity to do so, please send us a brief email of your testimony as we would like to share your story with our network around the world.

We at Catch The Fire had a fantastic Christmas Carol’s service, singing many Christmas carols, with special items & yummy food. Then we had a great Christmas Eve service, and dawned Christmas at church. It was just so wonderful.

On Christmas Day, Pastor Daniel and his family joined together with people who do not have family in Australia and had a special lunch at church. This was so wonderful. Two things in particular caught the eyes of everyone present. One young man called Barry, was suddenly spotted crying in a corner by Pr Daniel and others.

Pr Daniel put his arms around him and asked him why he was crying. He responded, “I am the only child in the family. Mum & Dad are no more, as they died a few years ago. I am feeling very lonely.” Then others too came around him and told him that we were now his family and that we love him very much. Minutes later Barry was smiling and telling people, “I found a new family. Glory to God.”

Another gentlemen called Jeff came for the Christmas lunch, and that was his very first time in church. He too had no family. He was living alone all by himself. Many people from church welcomed him and showed much love. Pr Daniel spent some time talking to him, and then led him to Jesus. Glory to God, on Sunday Jeff came to church and shared a brief testimony. He said, “I feel I have found a new family, as I didn’t have a family”.

We thank God for every opportunity He gives us to love and share the Good News of the Gospel to another precious soul!

New Year’s Eve was also great night as the church was packed out, buzzing with great excitement. People worshipped, praised God and thanked Him for all His wonderful blessings in 2012.

As 2013 dawned, the people shouted out with joy and then declared ‘AUSTRALIA FOR JESUS’ in 2013 three times!

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Continue ReadingExciting update with photos from Christmas & New Year at CTFM / Pr Daniel ministering in Canberra this Sunday 6th Jan

Why Christian Persecution Is Islam’s Achilles’ Heel

November 30, 2012 By Raymond Ibrahim Comments 

Which of the following three headlines is most difficult for the media—including the usual array of liberal pundits, apologists, academics, and politicians—to whitewash or rationalize away?  Which most exposes Islam’s inherent intolerance?

A)   “Allahu Akbar” screaming Muslims fire rockets into Israel

B)   “Allahu Akbar” screaming Muslims riot and commit acts of violence in Europe

C)   “Allahu Akbar” screaming Muslims torch a Christian church in a Muslim country

The answer is C—Christian persecution.

Why?

Because in both scenarios A and B, Muslims will always be portrayed and seen as the “underdogs”—and hence always exonerated for their behavior.  No matter how violent or ugly, no matter how many Islamic slogans are shrieked—thus placing their behavior in a purely Islamic context—Muslim violence against the West and Israel will always be dismissed as a product of the weak and outnumbered status of Muslims—their status as underdogs, which the West tends to romanticize.  And so they will always get a free pass, without further ado.

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Over 100 Million Bibles Have Been Printed in China

By Jeff Schapiro , Christian Post Reporter – November 9, 2012

The only printing company authorized to print the Bible in China announced Thursday that the nation has now printed over 100 million copies of the Christian scriptures.

Qiu Zhonghui, chairman of the board of Amity Printing Co. Ltd., said the 100 millionth copy was printed back in July, Xinhuanet reports. His company has printed 60 million Bibles (including nine separate ethnic minority language editions) and provided 40 million copies in more than 90 languages to about 70 different countries and regions around the world.

Amity Printing has been publishing the Holy Bible since 1988, when the company was started as a joint venture between the United Bible Societies (UBS) and the Amity Foundation.

On Tuesday, UBS leaders and a number of Bible Societies donors joined government officials from the State of Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) and the Chinese Christian Council/Three-Self Patriotic Movement (CCC/TSPM) for a ceremony celebrating the over 60 million Bibles that have been distributed throughout China alone.

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Two more great media interviews for Rise Up Australia Party & Pr Daniel

Dear friends & family in Christ, You may click the following link to watch 33 seconds of Rise Up Australia Party footage of Pr Daniel’s recent visit to Mildura on…

Continue ReadingTwo more great media interviews for Rise Up Australia Party & Pr Daniel

Israel has a right to exist and defend itself Dublin rally told

By PATRICK COUNIHAN – Irish Central Staff Writer   Monday, November 26, 2012

People turned out to express their views supporting Israel’s right to defend itself against the rocket attacks on its citizens launched by Hamas in Gaza.  Labour Party Councilor for the Stillorgan Ward Richard Humphreys said there needs to be a wider recognition of the right of Israel to exist.  “This is a day when we stand in solidarity, friendship and dialogue with Israel.  Israel’s right to exist must be acknowledged, as the only Jewish state in the world and the only liberal secular democracy in the Middle East,” Mr Humphreys said.

Israel has a fundamental right to exist and defend itself, a speaker at a pro-Israeli demonstration in Dublin has proclaimed.  Cllr Richard Humphreys, the Labour Party Councillor for the Stillorgan Ward, has said that there needs to be a wider recognition of the right of Israel to exist, and its consequential right to defend itself against the rocket attacks on its citizens launched by Hamas’s terrorist regime in Gaza.

Humphreys was speaking at the historic first major rally in solidarity with Israel, held at the GPO on Sunday 25 November.  “This is a day when we stand in solidarity, friendship and dialogue with Israel. Israel’s right to exist must be acknowledged, as the only Jewish state in the world and the only liberal secular democracy in the Middle East.” Humphreys said.

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Jesus Is the Reason for the Season

12/17/2012 – Steve Strang

 As our society becomes increasingly secular, it seems that celebrations of the birth of our Savior are less and less popular. At one time, it was common for cities and towns to have a Christmas tree and Christmas display. Then, due to “separation of church and state,” the displays had to be secular somehow and involve various other celebrations.

While I’ve decried that trend editorially, I don’t really expect the secular government to display Christmas symbols. I think churches and private individuals should do it. A few churches do, but most don’t. In fact, several years ago I wrote an editorial on this topic saying we should take the initiative to display Christian symbols at this wonderful happy time of year.

I decided I should practice what we preach. So we replaced the small, lighted nativity scene that we used for years in front of our home with some large commercial-grade figures we found online. Because they are pretty costly, we bought only Mary, Joseph and the Christ child to start. Each year, we’d add one or two.

As you can see above and below, we now have quite a display, complete with a star that we hang on the house. Several of our Jewish neighbors have commented how they know that Christmas is around the corner when we put up our display after Thanksgiving. Last week, one of our Jewish neighbors emailed me saying she enjoyed our Christmas lights.

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Live Nativity Scene Staged in Front of US Supreme Court

Charisma News  – Ann Carroll – 12/5/2012 

“The Nativity Project” is a nationwide campaign to share the message of Christmas and also to confront the erosion and hostility toward public expressions of faith especially during the Christmas season.

The Christian Defense Coalition gathered with live actors and animals in front of the Supreme Court and past the U.S. Capitol Building in order to demonstrate that displays such as these are protected by the First Amendment.

The Nativity Scene, sponsored by Faith and Action and The Christian Defense Coalition, was held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in Washington, D.C. in response to other courts banning nativity scenes in some parts of the country.

“Sadly, we are seeing an erosion and hostility toward public expressions of faith in the public square. This is especially true during the Christmas season., the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said.

“’The Nativity Project’ is a reminder that our Constitution provides freedom of religion not freedom from religion. By encouraging people of good will to publicly display nativity scenes all across America, we are not only supporting religious liberty and First Amendment freedoms but we are loudly proclaiming the powerful message of Christmas. That timeless message needs to be heard now more than ever: ‘Peace on earth and goodwill toward man.’

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Plan for mosque draws anti-Islam sentiment

ANGER at plans for a mosque and evangelical church to be built side-by-side in Melbourne’s east has spilled over amid claims Islam ”directly contravenes our freedom values”.

It was standing room only at the City of Casey chambers in Narre Warren on Tuesday night at one of the last meetings before the council debates a proposal to build a mosque and community centre on a vacant industrial lot in Green Street, Doveton.

The mosque would be next to the church and headquarters of Catch the Fire Ministries, run by controversial anti-Islam Pastor Danny Nalliah who was acquitted of a racial vilification charge brought by the Islamic Council of Victoria in 2006. The church has already been approved by council and construction is expected to begin within weeks.

Residents at the meeting cited traffic concerns, noise pollution, and fears the mosque would be used to preach hate speech.

Mayor Amanda Stapledon repeatedly asked the gallery of about 50 people to be quiet amid booing, cheering and heckling.

”This is not Afghanistan, have some guts for a change!” one man yelled at councillors. Another carried a sign that read: ”We love the Moslems but do not accept the teachings of the Koran”.

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Council erupts over proposed Mosque next to Catch The Fire

Dear family & friends in Christ,

We at CTFM are so thankful to everyone who signed the petition against the building of a large Mosque right next to our newly planned CTFM church in Doveton, Victoria. We received more than 1000 signatures and very successfully submitted them to the City of Casey Council yesterday at the Council meeting.

The Casey Council was packed out with more than 100 people, including some holding placards calling on the Mosque project to be rejected by the Council and not to give the building permit. This included CTFM church members, local residents & factory owners.

In total there were more than 1600 signatures against the Mosque submitted by 4-5 different petitions by local residents, factory owners and CTFM supporters, of which many made their voice known at question and answer time.

The Councillors seemed quite shocked at the community outrage against the Mosque, as many people shouted out from the gallery at the different Council members, asking them to vote against the Mosque application in February 2013, when it comes up for voting.

The Deputy Mayor Sam Aziz, originally from Egypt, who is a Coptic Christian, took a very bold stand with the support of another Councillor Rosalie Costani and challenged the Mayor and the other Councillors to take a good look at Islam and the Koran’s teachings, before voting for or against the Mosque.

Councillor Aziz wanted to do a presentation on Islam and the Koran’s teachings, with a power point and video presentation, but unfortunately the Mayor blocked it.  Nevertheless, he still was able to present his case very well, while speaking about the submitted petitions.

Councillor Costani also took a very bold stand and spoke out against the dangers of Islam. The people from the gallery clapped and cheered them on.  On numerous occasions, the Mayor aggressively called the gallery to silence, but then backed down and let them continue.

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Great weekend for CTFM & RUAP in Mildura / Christmas Carol Service (Live Webcast) / New Years Eve Service (Live Webcast)

Dear family & friends in Christ,

1) Praise God for a very good weekend of Kingdom impact for Catch the Fire Ministries and Rise Up Australia Party in Mildura where Pr Daniel and a team ministered to several hundred people last Saturday & Sunday.

On Saturday morning Pr Daniel spoke to a group of Pastors & Leaders at a breakfast at Mercure Hotel in Mildura where he shared the vision of Rise Up Australia Party and why we should stand up in this hour to protect and keep Australia Australian. The response was very encouraging, with many Pastors & Leaders taking hundreds of brochures and many membership application forms to give to their congregations.

Then Pr Daniel had the opportunity to speak on 2 local radio stations that also interviewed the RUA Party State President for Victoria and one of the youth leaders. We were so encouraged when WIN TV (Channel 9 in regional Victoria) advertised the meetings. They also filmed the Saturday night public meeting and Sunday morning service at River Edge AOG church. Tonight’s 6.30pm news broadcast on WIN TV is expected to broadcast some of this footage.

People gathered at all meetings were mightily blessed by the Word of God and hearing the vision to take Australia by 2020.  It was so encouraging to see many young people taking up membership and wanting to help RUA Party succeed across our nation. After Pr Daniel finished speaking on Sunday morning, the whole congregation were so impacted, that they got up off their seats and started clapping with great excitement.

We thank the Lord for the new thing He is doing in Australia through corporate united prayer and action of His people. We thank God that Rise Up Australia Party has been raised for an hour such as this to work with the Church to bring Australia back to Jesus and keep it Australian!

Visit http://riseupaustraliaparty.com/ for more info.

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Pr Daniel on 2CC Radio Canberra / RUAP on Channel 9 Win TV

Dear friends and family in Christ, 1) You may click the following link to listen to Pr Daniel’s recent radio interview (7 min) with Mike Welsh of 2CC Canberra, regarding…

Continue ReadingPr Daniel on 2CC Radio Canberra / RUAP on Channel 9 Win TV

‘God Belongs In My City’ Youth Prayer Walk Revisits NYC

By Nicola Menzie , Christian Post Reporter – October 26, 2012

A prayer walk initiative birthed in New York City three years ago will again gather thousands of young people from every borough of New York City this weekend to declare once more “God Belongs In My City”.

The prayer walk, started in 2009 by school principal Daniel Sanabria and his church youth group in response to an atheist ad, has been making its way across dozens of U.S. cities and abroad, with events held this year in Haiti, Switzerland and Canada.

This Saturday, however, will bring the tour full circle as local Christian churches, groups and individuals converge at various NYC locations to declare their faith and pray for the city this Saturday, Oct. 27.

“God Belongs In My City is our declaration of Faith. As Christ came and changed the world, we as Christians ought to impact our city now. There is a call to fearlessly rise up as one and not collapse under the waves of this world. We are commissioned to carry forth the Gospel of Salvation!” the organization explains on its website.

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Another Age newspaper article regarding mosque / Pr Daniel’s radio interview in America / Daily Telegraph – Sydney’s violent wild, wild west

Dear family & friends in Christ, 1) You may click the following link to read another Melbourne Age newspaper article in regard to our opposition (and much of the local…

Continue ReadingAnother Age newspaper article regarding mosque / Pr Daniel’s radio interview in America / Daily Telegraph – Sydney’s violent wild, wild west