Sunday, January 23, 2011

Aldersgate United Methodist Church Opens Its Doors for Muslim Prayers

I'm willing to bet there's not a single member or leader of the church who knows that Muslim prayers include curses upon Christians and Jews.

Members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church and the Islamic Center on Route 1 held a dialogue amid criticism of Christians allowing Muslims to use their churches as a place of worship.

In 2010, the Rev. Dr. Dennis Perry, lead pastor at Aldersgate, and church leaders agreed to allow members of the Islamic Center, which is under construction, to worship at Aldersgate. That drew criticism from inside and outside the church concerning the appropriateness of the decision.

Criticism from outside the church began when the magazine Christianity Today ran an article concerning the church’s decision. The magazine learned about the decision from a post on the Jesus Creed blog. The blog post included a sermon by Jason Micheli, a pastor at Aldersgate, which helped explain the reasoning behind allowing Muslims to worship in the church. Jason B. Hood, the author of the Christianity Today article, argued that Aldersgate appealed “to the love required of Christians as an authoritative guide for their decision-making.” Hood questioned, “Does the facilitation of false worship violate the love command?”

According to Perry, criticism from inside the church dealt with two primary concerns. The first concern questioned whether the church was surrendering the faith in an effort to be popular or politically correct. The second concern questioned whether Islam condones abuse towards women, and if so, wouldn’t that make the church complicit in the behavior. Perry did say that although some members have voiced concerns, many members do agree with the decision.

Sheik Yusuf Estes may have alleviated some of the concerns of those in attendance when he explained the Koran does not condone abuse towards women. Estes explained the Koran teaches that men are required to protect women and those who find a license for abuse in the Koran are misguided and do not understand it. (Read more.)

"Those who find a license for abuse in the Koran" would include Muhammad himself, Abu Bakr, Umar, and many other Muslims down through the ages. Surah 4:34 is quite clear:

Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.

I suppose that any church gullible enough to let Taqiyya-Extraordinaire Yusuf Estes explain Islam was asking to be deceived. This sounds like the same nonsense ABC News has been feeding Americans.



(Click here for a careful treatment of women in Islam.)

3 comments:

PerfectPeacePlan said...

On a parallel front:

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
DEFIES ITS FOUNDER JOHN WESLEY
ON ISLAM

June 29, 2011

Dear Members of Heartsong Church in Cordova,

The Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church has profiled Heartsong Church’s collaboration with the Memphis Islamic Center in their article entitled:

“Heartsong Church in Cordova has ‘open doors’ for Muslim neighbors.”

Local and national news stories have shown the welcome sign on the front lawn of Heartsong Church:

“Heartsong Church welcomes the Islamic Cultural Center.”

In light of what is certainly confusion regarding the teachings in Islam about Jesus, we invite and appeal to you to view the
"Islamic Jesus vs. Biblical Jesus" video comparison now posted at:

http://www.theperfectpeaceplan.com/peacemedia.html

Since Heartsong Church is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, you ought to be aware of founder John Wesley’s published position on Islam:

JOHN WESLEY ON ISLAM:
“Ever since the religion of Islam appeared in the world, the espousers of it…have been as wolves and tigers to all other nations, rending and tearing all that fell into their merciless paws, and grinding them with their iron teeth; that numberless cities are raised from the foundation, and only their name remaining; that many countries, which were once as the garden of God, are now a desolate wilderness; and that so many once numerous and powerful nations are vanished from the earth! Such was, and is at this day, the rage, the fury, the revenge, of these destroyers of human kind.”
The Doctrine of Original Sin, Works (1841), ix. 205.

In this regard, I invite you to view our video:

ISLAMIC JESUS VS. BIBLICAL JESUS
http://www.perfectpeaceplan.com/peacemedia/html

Sincerely in Christ,

James Sundquist
Director
Rock Salt Publishing
http://www.theperfectpeaceplan.com

DISCLAIMER: Rock Salt Publishing was founded by author James Sundquist as a volunteer discernment ministry to assist those who have been affected by the abuse of ecclesiastical power or false doctrine. The contents of all of the emails, articles, blogs, books and broadcasts have been researched very thoroughly and carefully. Where applicable, both documentation and supportive Scripture references are provided. It is a very serious matter to bring charges against any organization or individual, and therefore if anyone reading these charges is able to substantiate that they are false, please bring this to our attention.

Rosey said...

I understand that the Methodist are more accepting. I was raised Southern Baptist and found my place at the Methodist church in town. A true product of my 80's youth, I've been searching for my own personal "line" to God and Jesus Christ the Savior and Holy Spirit. I've been to many churches yet the Methodist church made me feel most at home. This article is disheartening to me as I can understand their point to give respect to others but allowing the church to be used for Muslim worship is completely against our faith in my opinion. It goes completely against the grain of what I was taught to believe as a youngster. Pragmatism doesn't belong in the Methodist church or any other in my humble opinion. It is for our Lord Jesus Christ and what He taught us, not the ramblings of a man with a vision who tells of virgins at death and as many women as you see fit in life, with women having few rights or respects. Did not Christ love women and see them as equal in His eyes and heart? Of course more young men convert now than ever, why wouldn't they? its driven towards the two things men desire most..sexual indulgence and power. and the young men of today don't have the same influences over them that they had 50 years ago. Things are becoming too radical too quickly for our global community to handle much longer. Al Qaeda is brainwashing our college students and soon we will all be yesterday's news. I'm living like today could be my last..no regrets. Peace to all.

Anonymous said...

I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it ,Matt 16:18.
Holy holy holy is the Lord God almighty.😊