ALLAH OR JESUS?

DOES ALLAH BLESS OR CONDEMN THOSE WHO HAVE CALLED A HOLY JIHAD AGAINST AMERICA AND ISRAEL?

 

Clearly, not all Muslims are called to kill all infidels
but I challenge those who are not, to speak up and denounce those who are.

This article was written to the radical Muslims who consider America the Great Satan.

by Rick Mathes

Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for maintaining my state prison security clearance.   During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of their belief systems.

I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say.   The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a video.   After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers.

When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked: "Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the world.   And, that by killing an infidel, which is a command to all Muslims, they are assured of a place in heaven.   If that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?"

There was no disagreement with my statements and, without hesitation, he replied, "Non-believers!"

I responded, "So, let me make sure I have this straight.   All followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your faith so they can go to Heaven.   Is that correct?"

The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to that of a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.   He sheepishly replied, "Yes."

I then stated, "Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope John Paul commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or Dr. Stanley ordering Protestants to do the same in order to go to Heaven!"   The Imam was speechless.

I continued, "I also have problem with being your friend when you and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me.   Let me ask you a question.   Would you rather have your Allah who tells you to kill me in order to go to Heaven or my Jesus who tells me to love you because I am going to Heaven and He wants you to be with me?"

You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame.   Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of the 'Diversification' training seminar were not happy with Rick's way of dealing with the Islamic Imam and exposing the truth about the Muslim's beliefs.

Chuck Colson once told me something that has sustained me these 20 years of prison ministry. He said to me, "Rick, remember that the truth will prevail."

And it will!

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TruthOrFiction.com 

Prison Minister ... During a Prison Training Session...
Summary of the eRumor A story said to be written by prison minister Rick Mathes describes a confrontation between him and a Moslem during a prison training session for those who have clearance to visit the prison. He challenged the Moslem about whether Islam teaches the killing of infidels...
The Truth We [TruthOrFiction.com] contacted Rick Mathes, founder of Mission Gate Prison Ministries in Chesterfield, Missouri, and he stands by his story. There have been some published reports from critics of Mathes' article who say the confrontation did not take place the way he describes and that the Moslem who spoke at the conference was not an Imam, but a prisoner who volunteered to speak as a Moslem. Rick Mathes says that the man was introduced at the meeting as an Imam and that the story happened as he describes it. (see his full response below)

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And from Urban Legends:

Origins:   The piece quoted above ("Allah or Jesus?") is an editorial penned by Rick Mathes, Executive Director of the Mission Gate Prison Ministry.

We asked Mr. Mathes if he could provide some information about the origins of the piece, and he responded:

This article is an exact recording of a real event that I participated in. My only commentary was, "the truth will prevail." I think this meeting was in May 2003 and I will not give out more details for fear of retribution. The purpose of the class was to increase "religious sensitivity", that is, tolerance for each others beliefs and I really blew that. The director was purple with rage however the Imam and I exchanged signs and said "Salaam" which means "peace" in Arabic (I hope). I questioned him (Imam) really to get a clear refutation of what is commonly thought of this Jihad nonsense. But apparently he wasn't educated enough to rebut my remarks or by his silence on this matter (I think) concurred with my implied conclusions. In either case I was surprised. And when I said I found it hard to be his friend, everyone laughed out loud. So the mood was an amazing mix of those who were interested like me and others that were just amused by the whole thing. I left the matter open on purpose (the truth will prevail) so that either side could speak up and claim the truth as their own.

Reporter Greg Kearney, writing for the Lee News Service, traced the story to a correctional facility in Fulton, Missouri, and came away with a decidedly different version of events from Missouri state officials.

According to Tim Kniest, Public Information Officer for the Missouri Department of Corrections, the event described was a training program for prison volunteers, for which ministers from several faiths were invited to give presentations in order to acquaint prison volunteers with the varied religious beliefs of the inmate population. The man who gave the presentation about Islam was not a Muslim minister; he was an inmate pressed into service to present a short film on Islam and answer some questions when the prison's Volunteer Coordinator was "unable to find an Imam to speak."

Moreover, reported Mr. Kniest, the prison's Volunteer Coordinator said that "The inmate did a good job," adding, "He was asked a few questions that were beyond his ability to answer. But he was not asked anything like that question [in the editorial]":

. . . the Volunteer Coordinator at the prison said that no such exchange as the editorial reported ever took place. "He certainly did not 'Hang his head in shame'," according to Kniest. In fact, the inmate was thanked by the assembly before being escorted back to his quarters. Furthermore, the coordinator does not recall any questions dealing with jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the world as reported in the editorial.

In the editorial the inmate is presented as an Imam, or Islamic minister, which he clearly was not.

... Islam is not a monolithic religion in which unanimity of belief and action is coordinated from a central authority. Islam has an estimated two billion adherents in countries all over the world who belong to any one of a number of different sects with varying beliefs, traditions, and interpretations of scripture. (As well, some religious groups identify themselves as Islamic but are not recognized as such by the vast majority of Muslims.) No one Muslim (especially one who wasn't even a cleric) could speak to what all of Islam believes, any more than a single member of a Methodist congregation could speak for every denomination and follower of Christianity. Many, many Muslims reject the idea that "all followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of their faith," ...

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SNOPES REBUTTAL
from Rick Mathes

Greetings in the Spirit of our Lord!

This article is an exact reporting of a real event I participated in.

Regarding the snopes "false" report:

1. Mr. Kniest was not at the training session to know what did or did not occur. And what would you expect him to say for fear of Muslim retribution.

2. The official that said this conversation did not happen remains "unnamed" and why doesn't someone ask the dozen or so volunteers about it. They heard every word.

3. The inmate was introduced as the Muslim Imam that was chosen by the fellow Muslims to lead them and chosen by the Department of Corrections to teach us. We had no reason to question it because there are Priests and Ministers in prison that do the same.

4. I prefaced my remarks with, "Please correct me if I am wrong," and he didn't.

5. When I said, "It is real hard to be your friend," everyone burst out laughing.

6. We felt sorry for him and I gave him a hand sign and said, "Salaam" and he did the same back to me with a smile.

I asked questions and recorded the answers or lack thereof. Socrates did the same but I am not into drinking hemlock. The false report issued by snopes does not question my reporting. They base their "false" designation on the premise that I am saying that all Muslims are to kill all infidels which was not the case and was not the subject of this article. The real issue was my question:

"Would you rather have an Allah who says to kill me to go to heaven or a Jesus who says for me to love you because I am going to heaven and He would like you to be with me? "

Isn't it interesting that NO ONE has commented on the issue. They would rather discredit the messenger (me) and ignore the message.

NOTE: The prisoner Imam was either ignorant of his faith, intimidated by my directness or agreed with my asking if all Muslims were called to kill infidels. I clearly was refering to the jihadists when I asked. He didn't reply and so I went to the issue of what I had intended. I wanted to give at least this Muslim a chance to choose Jesus. This is the biggest "I love you" I can any extend to any Muslim that may read or hear about this article. AMEN!

UPDATE 9-11-06

Dear Faithful Readers,

 

I would like to take this time to bring you up to date on the response of this article and the criticisms I have been receiving.

Virtually all the critics are attacking the statement the "all Muslims are called to kill infidels." This is not true of course and I didn't make that statement, I invited the Imam to correct it which he didn't for whatever reasons you might suspect. I asked real questions that millions of us "infidels" would like to have asked a Muslim Imam.

 

It is not unusual for a Priest, Minister or Imam to be a prisoner and in charge of an inmate service. The Muslims of this prison selected this inmate to be their Imam and the Department of Corrections chose him to be the Imam that explained their faith to us. We had no reason to question his credentials. Nor do I now.

 

Almost every critic attacks the messenger "me" and does't touch the message. The message is:

 

"Would you rather have an Allah who says to kill me to go to heaven or a Jesus who says for me to love you because I am going to heaven and He would like you to be with me? "

 

This is the biggest I LOVE YOU I am capable of extending to my Muslims cousins. This is not a hate article. It is one extended in love with the sword of the Word rather that the sword of cresent. 

 

Please email me your comments.

 

Press On!

Rick Mathes

 

PS My real problem is with the "Silent American Muslims." Where are they? When will the Muslim Tabernacle Choir sing "God Bless America" and say the "Pledge of Allegiance (under God)" like any red-blooded American would be proud to sing and say? I call it a "Simmering Volcano."

A Simmering Volcano

By Rick Mathes

America is in an epidemic of crime that is sweeping the inner-cities and plying on the young minorities to “join the family.” In St. Louis as well as in other major cities the majority of children are born to fatherless homes and ironically most black men killed are murdered by black men. And our prisons are disproportionately populated by a black population. And now the nation of Islam is sweeping up those that our educational system and racial prejudices have left behind. How can anyone be surprised that minority retribution is cloaking itself within the blessings of Allah? Dumbing-down is backfiring!

 

Financed by the white suburban addicts buying up all the “white” heroin and meth anyone can produce, these home grown terrorists are raping and pillaging their own neighborhoods as gang after gang hook up with radical Muslims that will not denounce their evil intentions. The silence of the American Muslim community is deafening. Is anyone awake? The volcano is about to explode.

 

Prisons are a breeding ground for those who have found violence, crime and drug dealing as a way out of the ghetto. When an inmate is released to society he returns to those “who will take care of him” and stands proudly as a parole that has “earned his stripes.” The young gangsters look up to him and all that he has learned while incarcerated by the “Department of Education.” (Or was that Department of Corrections?) The system doesn’t work and more of what doesn’t work, won’t work!

 

It has been estimated that at the rate of “black flight” from St. Louis, by the year 2037 the last porch light will go out. The city will be desolate and the suburbs will be the new battle ground. That won’t happen but we can’t ignore those that are left behind and the fractured families that are at the mercy of the militant Muslims that make “Osama bin Laden” look like “Mr. Rogers.”

 

American terrorists are finding their way into the Muslim community and masking their violence and crime with the blessings of Allah. The Koran points the way to a “better society” that excludes those who don’t believe (infidels). So all those unbelievers are the enemy and the victory must go to Allah no matter what it takes or who it harms in the process.

 

The fatal attraction is not in some far distant country, it is within the very soul of our major cities.