Although we should consider all parties innocent until proven guilty, the most likely culprit in the case of Rifqa Bary, the 17 year-old who ran away from her Ohio home in fear of her father, is the Xenos cult, a group that specifically emphasizes Biblical verses where Jesus tells the disciples to leave their family, disown their loved ones. Xenos tears families apart.
Anyone watching the blogosphere now knows Rifqa Bary. Born Muslim, she converted to Christianity and fled her home in New Albany, Ohio and went to Orlando, Florida to the home of a pastor she met on Facebook. This video surfaced on August 10th, Rifqa's 17th birthday, which began the the cacophony:
There were immediately two competing narratives. Rifqa's attorney John Stemberger asserts that Rifqa suffered a history of physical and sexual abuse, and she is now fighting for her life. Anti-Muslim bloggers like Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs and Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch immediately jumped into the fray. In this narrative, an extremely devout Muslim family from a radical Ohio mosque is trying to fly its apostate daughter back to Sri Lanka for an “honor killing.”
The Bary family insists that they've never made any such threats, that the girl is free to practice any religion, and they just want their family whole again. In this narrative, a cult of Evangelical Christians used the Internet to brainwash her into leaving her religion and her family and move to Florida.
On the Evangelical side, this is an opportunity to demonize Islam, and the girl is the frosting that makes the guano palatable. On the Muslim side, the focus is on defending Islam, and there's little regard for the details of the case. But I found serious problems with both narratives - and I've found something few others are talking about.
The first thing that was clear was that Rifqa learned about "honor killings" from Christians not from Muslims. Periodically in the video, when she's flustered, she looks over to someone off camera. This is a sign when someone has been coached. They seek visual confirmation by making eye contact. At the five minute mark she says, "It's in the Quran." Which it's not, but then she looks off camera and says, "You can, like, give them knowledge about it." She gestures, and a man answers unintelligibly. Then she says to the reporter, "He really will explain it and break it down. They have to do this!" Who ever that man is, he is the coach. And we know it's not the pastor because he's holding her, but I'm certain he had a hand in it. He's quoted as having said, "These are the last days, these are the end times, and this conflict between Islam and Christianity is going to grow greater. This conflict between good and evil is going to grow greater." But if this is her religion, her upbringing, her life, she would be fluent in its details. She wouldn't need someone else to explain it for her.
But that's not enough. Blake Lorenz had only had her for a few weeks in Florida. That's time for coaching, but not for brainwashing. So, I looked to her church activity in Ohio. Only a few articles briefly mention that she attended a church called the Xenos Christian Fellowship. A little Googling on this group immediately brings the whole picture into view. Message boards and articles about the Xenos Fellowship are filled with comments about the group's cultish tendencies, specifically its manipulative efforts to isolate people from their friends and family.
"Xenos" means "Alien", that is, the members of the Church, called "Xenoids," should be aliens in this world, seeking only their home in Heaven. Ex-Xenoids speak of years of rigid social control and peer pressure before they could get out and ostracism once they left. Stories emerge of "Leaders" running a "Ministry House" where groups of older members live together and host "Home Church" to "Cell Groups" of high school and junior high-aged members. The group takes 13 and 14 year old girls out on "Bible Study" camping retreats with college-aged boys.
Ex-leaders describe a community where adults and youth are discouraged from socializing outside the fold without bringing another Xenoid along. This is a community where leaders conspire to orchestrate the romantic relationships of members by pairing "workers" together and breaking off "fringe" members. Others describe losing loved ones to the Church, their siblings, or children or even spouses being so engrossed in the Church they abandon all other ties. They describe the Church as preying on confused teenagers, exploiting their weaknesses and then jumping in to "save" them. Even worse, they have on staff an on call psychologist to keep people in line.
Annemarie Smith, creator of Parents Against Xenos calls the Church the "Xenos Cult", and their leader, "The Devil Man." At her blog she describes her son's history with the Xenos Cult, which is not at all unlike Rifqa's story. Her son Tom, like Rifqa, was an honor roll student. A charismatic over-achiever. But like Rifqa he was relatively new to the area, and needed friends. Members seek out candidates with family problems, or who just don't fit in somehow. Just as Muhammad describes his daughter, Annemarie described Tom as "speaking as if reading from a script." Like Rifqa he was baptised in his new religion. He told his family that he did not feel as connected to them as to his new Church, and he could not have relationships that were not centered around God. So complete was the group's control over Tom that he called to threaten her into shutting down her website. But she continued in good faith, hoping that her son would come around. The leader then accused her of carrying on a "terror campaign" when she stood outside the Church's meetings with signs saying, "I want my son back." In her crusade against the Xenos Cult, Annemarie has pulled many from the flock, but not Tom.
Let me be clear. I subscribe to a principle which is as Islamic as it is American, that the accused be considered innocent until proven guilty. I consider the father innocent of the allegations of abuse until I see evidence. Similarly, I consider the pastor innocent of the allegations of brainwashing until I see evidence. I believe that this is most likely what happened to Rifqa. The flavor is different, but the results are the same.
Rifqa and her attorney, John Stemberger describe her family as "extremely devout" and try to connect the family with terrorism in the community. The Muslim response has been that Muhammad is not very devout. His daughter was a cheerleader, and his son drinks beer and parties.
This is a fundamentally problematic argument. This argument concedes that devout Muslims are violent and throws the Bary family under the bus to save Islam from controversy. If you want to jump to the defense of Islam, just link people to the hundreds of scholars who confirm that the death penalty for apostasy comes from a time in history when apostasy was synonymous with treason. It has no place in the modern world. There is no compulsion in religion. Islam is not on trial here. We are talking about a specific person. And specific people are capable of murder. We cannot allow this to be an argument about Islam, but instead should stand up for justice.
The family insists that they've never made any threats. Character witnesses from among the family's friends and neighbors confirm that they are not as they are being portrayed. Sergeant Jerry Cupp of the Columbus Police Department told the Associated Press that Bary "comes across to me as a loving, caring, worried father about the whereabouts and the health of his daughter," and police say they have found no evidense of abuse. But this does not support the allegation that Blake Lorenz brainwashed and kidnapped the girl into an Evangelical cult. Screenshots from Rifqa's Myspace show her proclaiming "JC" as her savior in 2007, long before she met Blake Lorenz. He may be a charlatan who is enjoying his moment in the spotlight.
I believe the most likely culprit here is the Xenos Cult, a group that specifically emphasizes Biblical verses where Jesus tells the disciples to leave their family, disown their loved ones. Xenos tears families apart.
As Muslims, we must suspend judgment, because if we deny the facts, and we bunker down in defense of Islam, and we're wrong, we will have lost all credibility. The Truth will out. A judge ordered the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the abuse allegations, while Rifqa is staying with a temporary guardian in Florida until the next hearing scheduled for September 3rd. If any of these allegations are true, the Facebook records will show it. We must stand in defense of the girl, because Rifqa is the victim in any scenario.
Davi Barker is a California-based writer. An unedited version of this article previously appeared at Examiner.com
We try to remove any comments that do not conform to our netiquette guidelines. If any comments remain that are in violation, please let us know. The presence of offending comments does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of altmuslimah.com
XENOS CULT IDEA IS A FUNNY ABERRATION
I believe we are missing a huge segment of Rifqa’s story.
As a result, questions remain unanswered.
I would like to answer those questions.
Why did Rifqa run away from home?
Rifqa states her life is in danger, and may continue to be in danger.
Why is Rifqa’s life in danger?
Rifqa’s life has been threatened because she made a decision to ask Jesus into her heart.
Why is Rifqa willing to publicly declare her faith in Jesus and possibly place her life in more jeopardy?
Rifqa did not want to let go of her faith in Jesus. As a result, Rifqa was willing to put her life on trial to prove how much Jesus means to her.
JESUS IS THE REASON WE ARE ALL BLOGGING ABOUT A GIRL NAMED RIFQA!!
I truly believe that Rifqa wants everyone reading this to know Jesus the way she knows Jesus. Many of you know Jesus (more than likely) but many may not.
To me, this beckons one final question:
WHO IS THIS JESUS RIFQA LOVES SO MUCH?
JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD!!!
JESUS WANTS TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND!!
JESUS LOVES YOU!!
Jesus loves everyone in the world!
Jesus loves Muslims. Jesus loves Christians. Jesus loves Hindus. Jesus loves Buddhists.
Jesus loves sinners. Jesus loves adulterers. Jesus loves selfish people. Jesus loves me!
Jesus loves Rifqa and Rifqa loves Jesus! ... Do you get it?
JESUS LOVES YOU!!
Jesus did not come into the world to create religion. Jesus came into the world to resolve religion.
Religion is something man made up. Jesus is truly the only Way!
All man-made religions of the world tell us: “WE MUST WORK AT SOMETHING TO GET TO HEAVEN.”
Jesus tells us: “INVITE ME INTO YOUR HEART, AND I WILL TAKE YOU TO HEAVEN WITH ME!”
Where does TRUE happiness come from? Happiness comes from Jesus! Do you want to be happy in this life? Seek Jesus and HE WILL GIVE YOU TRUE HAPPINESS IN YOUR HEART! I tell you this because Jesus is in my heart today, and today I can say: “I am truly happy!”
Are you truly happy? Do you want to truly know Jesus the way Rifqa knows Jesus?
Follow this link, and click on the Steps to Peace with God panel: http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp
HOW TO PRAY
If you are ready to accept Jesus into your heart, similar to how Rifqa accepted Jesus into her heart, pray this prayer sincerely from the bottom of your heart:
….. Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen ……
If you have just made a commitment to Christ, please let someone know! This is great news!
This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ. To deepen this relationship you should:
1. Read your Bible everyday to know Christ better.
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
3. Tell others about Christ.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
5. As Christ’s representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.
Some may dislike this post. Jesus tells me I should not hide my faith under a bushel but show my faith to as many as I can. Some will reject this message and will spend their eternal lives in hell as a result.
I know in my heart Rifqa prayed and invited Jesus into her heart.
As a result, she is willing to put her life on trial to let everyone know that JESUS IS REAL!
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY!!!!
What would it hurt to give Jesus a try and see what Jesus is truly about?
If you have not prayed the prayer listed above yet, just know this:
JESUS STILL LOVES YOU!!
JESUS STILL WANTS TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND!!
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
To God be the Glory!!! May God bless you. Praying for Rifqa. Praying for you! In Christ.
- Posted by johnsmithman on September 9, 2009 at 08:56 AM
Oh boy, the freaks and thumpers are coming out!
- Posted by OmarG on September 9, 2009 at 01:54 PM
Allah loves us all. Allah loves Jesus, Muhammed and all the Prophets. Allah is forgiving and merciful. Allah has told us to honor our parents, our mothers first and not abandon them. Our mothers have born us in the ultimate jihad and we must respect them.
Hatred of other faiths and divisions among humanity is not something Allah loves. It is not something any of our Prophets have preached. It is not something Prophet Jesus taught us. As Muslims we love Prophet Jesus and believe in him as well.
A Dua for Rifqa:
Allah swt please keep Rifqa safe, no matter where she ends up.
Allah swt please protect our children and all the children of all the mothers all over the world so no one will lose anymore of her children to cults and religous zealots of any kind, especially those preaching hatred and division among humanity.
Allah swt if there is a reason for everything, please let us understand what we need to do to keep our children close and safe.
May we all teach our children to trust in God, treat them with respect and love so they don’t stray far. May Allah swt protect them and us from people who may take them away and harm our families.
Thanks for sharing your view. Let me share mine as a Muslim.
No Muslim is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus (peace be upon him - pbuh). Quran mentions him as the Messiah, Word of God, who could bring dead back to life, cure lepers and blind. He was one of the mightiest messengers of God and so much respected in Islam - His name mentioned in Quran 25 times, 5 times more than Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
What we have different view is his divinity as God or the Son of God. Regarding that, let me ask you 3 questions:
1) Tell me where in Bible did Jesus say that “I am God” or “Worship me”?
2) Why did he called The Father as his God? (John 20:17)
3) Why did Jesus prayed the God (Matthew 26:39)?
thanks
- Posted by paxglobal on September 11, 2009 at 12:04 AM
paxglobal
Thank you for your response. I am excited to know Jesus is mentioned in the Quran so many times.
Your questions are great but difficult to answer. I will try to answer honestly.
As a Christian, we believe in the trinity (one in three) Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
* God is the Father of Jesus. Jesus is God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16).
* Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is Christ, Messiah, or Savior for all mankind (Matthew 26:63-64).
* The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ who lives inside all true followers of Jesus (John 14:26).
Today I know I am not alone. The Holy Spirit (who represents Jesus Christ) is living inside me today: inside my heart, inside my body, inside my mind, and inside my soul. I feel the presence of the living God living inside me as I write this to you.
When Jesus left the world, He rose to the heavens. Before witnesses, Jesus ascended into Heaven. Ten days after Jesus left the earth, the Holy Spirit came to earth and inhabited the heart, mind, body, and soul of every believer in Jesus as the Christ (Acts 2:4).
Father, Son and Holy Spirit make up the divine trinity of God. They are three persons in one, united divinely together, and related perfectly to each other. They are related perfectly together because they are of God, who is truly divine in nature.
Three persons united and yet perfectly and divinely the same. The Bible shows God is more than one person (God is three persons):
In Genesis 1:26 we hear God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit say:
“Let US make man in OUR image.”
God does not say “Let ME make man in MY own image.”
God the Father, God the Son [Jesus] and God the Holy Spirit say together:
“Let US make man in OUR image.”
One in three: three in One. Jesus is the Son of God, who is God. Jesus is perfectly the same as God which makes him as divine as God.
1) Tell me where in Bible did Jesus say that “I am God.”
Jesus does not say He is God, but He says He is the Christ (the Messiah or the Savior of the world), the Son of God in Matthew 26:63-64.
Jesus says, “I and My Father are one.” - John 10:30.
Because Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus Christ inherited all power and all authority from God (Matthew 28:18).
Because Jesus is divine in nature [the same as God] Jesus came to earth in the form of a man to pay the penalty for our sinful nature:
Through our earthly father Adam, in the Garden of Eden, Adam sinned and created separation from God (Genesis 3:17). Because Adam is the father of all man, we all inherit Adam’s sinful nature. We all are sinners not because we choose to be sinners (Romans 3:23). We all are sinners because we inherited sinful nature from Adam (I Corinthians 15:22).
Because Jesus has the power of God, he raised people from the dead. Because Jesus was the Christ, He had the power of God to raise Himself from the dead when He died on a cross. Jesus was crucified on a cross because the Jews thought Jesus committed blasphemy by claiming He was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 26:63-64).
When Jesus died, He came back to life after three days (Matthew 27:63 and Matthew 28:5-7) proving that He truly is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus Christ was seen alive by many witnesses after he came back to life from the dead (Acts 1:3).
1) Tell me where in Bible did Jesus say “Worship me”?
Jesus does not say “Worship me” but after He came back to life, proving He was the Christ, the disciples of Jesus worshipped Him (Matthew 28:9).
Because His disciples worshiped Jesus, today’s disciples of Jesus worship Jesus in like manner.
I worship Jesus and Jesus awakens the Holy Spirit who lives in me, and the Holy Spirit fills me with so much joy and peace and happiness! It is divine joy and divine peace and divine happiness, a feeling beyond words to describe.
2) Why did he called The Father as his God? (John 20:17)
In John 20:17, Jesus says, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”
In John 20:17, Jesus is speaking AFTER He came back to life from the dead. Jesus says His Father is God and His God is His Father because He is the Son of God, a divine reproduction of God who came to earth to pay for our sin, to pay for our eternal death penalty by dying on a cross and coming back to life.
Jesus says “to My Father and your Father” because we too can be called sons of God IF we choose to follow Jesus as our Lord and savior. IF we choose to follow Jesus as Lord of our lives, we become sons of the living God.
3) Why did Jesus prayed the God (Matthew 26:39)?
Matthew 26:39 He [Jesus] went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Jesus prayed to His Father (God) all the time. Jesus prayed to His Father every day. In Matthew 26:39 Jesus prays to His Father (to God) because Jesus knew He [Jesus] had to be executed on the cross to pay for our sins. Jesus knew He had to die and then resurrect Himself on the third day to prove He was the Christ. Jesus was in agony because He knew that dying on a cross was going to be so very painful, but He tells His Father, “not as I will, but as You will” because Jesus loves you and me. Jesus was willing to die for you and for me. This is love: laying down our lives for each other. Jesus showed us the way to truly love others.
Jesus prays to God because He is in perfect relationship with His Father (God).
Almost daily, I call my father to talk to my father. I have a relationship with my father.
Jesus talks to His Father, in prayer. Jesus has a relationship with His Father and Jesus wants us to have a relationship with His Father in the same way. Jesus wants us to be adopted into His family so we can be called sons of the Father (sons of God).
Several years’ ago, I prayed this prayer from the bottom of my heart:
….. Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen ……
After I prayed this prayer, the Holy Spirit of God came into my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul.
In John 14:26 Jesus says “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
I can tell you the truth, I am not lying, the Holy Spirit of the living God is living in me right now. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I wrote this response for you.
If you want to have the Holy Spirit of the living God to live inside of you, if you want to be saved from the penalty of sin, search your heart and pray the prayer listed above.
- Posted by johnsmithman on September 11, 2009 at 11:46 PM
1) Tell me where in Bible did Jesus say that “I am God.”
“Son of God” is a phrase in Hebrew which means “close to God”. So many people are called the Sons of God in the Bible:
“...Adam, which was the son of God.“(Luke 3:38)
“...Israel is My son, even My firstborn:“ (Exodus 4:22)
“...for I (God) am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.“ (Jeremiah 31:9)
“...the Lord hath said unto me (David): ‘Thou art My son: this day have I begotten thee.“ (Psalms 2:7)
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.“ (Romans 18:14)
Are they all Sons of Gods? Hence, we cannot use John 3:16 and Matthew 26:63-64 to show that Jesus was the Son of God.
Bottom line is that, as you also agree that Jesus himself never said that “I am God” or asked to “worship me”.
2) Why did he call The Father as his God? (John 20:17)
You wrote “Jesus says His Father is God and His God is His Father” - you forgot to insert “HIS” in your statement.
As per the verse, it means “Jesus says His Father is HIS God and His God is His Father”
Just like in Jeremiah 31:9, God is also referred as The Father in the Bible.
Hence, Jesus is claiming that The Father is HIS God too, which contradicts the doctrine of Trinity (The word “Trinity” - a fundamental tenet of most of the Christians is nowhere mentioned in the Bible, but it is mentioned in Quran (4:171, 5:73, and 5:116) - where Quran strongly urges to shun it).
3) Why did Jesus pray the God (Matthew 26:39)?
You wrote “Jesus prays to God because He is in perfect relationship with His Father (God). Almost daily, I call my father to talk to my father. I have a relationship with my father.“
You have a relationship to your father, but do you worship him? No. Do you worship anyone else other than God, No. Just like Jesus is praying the God which is a different relationship than you and your father.
thanks
- Posted by paxglobal on September 12, 2009 at 08:16 AM
The god of this age [the deceiver] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4
paxglobal:
Obviously you choose to believe the way you choose to believe, and you have no desire to seek the truth of Jesus Christ. I choose to believe the truth of Jesus Christ, by the Divine power of the Holy Spirit that lives inside me today.
We could debate between these points until Jesus Christ comes again and He takes His believers home to Heaven.
Only if the Holy Spirit is truly calling you in your heart will you ever receive the truth of Jesus.
I pray that the Spirit of Christ will provide you with a Divine revelation that will show you the truth in Jesus as Christ and Savior of all who call on His name as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Trinity discussion:
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” - Genesis 1:26
* This verse proves God is more than one person. Try to deny it.
* God is plural [US/OUR]. God is not singular [me/my].
* Also, Jesus said He was “with the Father before the foundation of the world” - John 17:5
* Jesus was with God the Father when they spoke “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” - Genesis 1:26
* Therefore, the Trinity is established: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
1) Tell me where in Bible did Jesus say that “I am God.”
paxglobal states: Are they all Sons of Gods? Hence, we cannot use John 3:16 and Matthew 26:63-64 to show that Jesus was the Son of God.
Response: I disagree. John 3:16 denotes that God gave “His only begotten Son [Jesus]” to the world.
The difference between “sons of God” and “the begotten Son of God” are semantics.
“Only begotten Son” is Divinely a part of God. Jesus is as much God as God is God.
“Sons of God” are “sons of God” for multiple reasons that do not take away from the Divine Holiness of Jesus the Christ.
God refers to Israel as His ‘firstborn’ son because the Israelites were His chosen people. God made promises to Abraham concerning his descendants [through Isaac and through Israel] and God performed many miracles in delivering the Israelites out of Egypt and establishing the Israelites as a new or ‘firstborn’ nation.
The context is that God used a metaphorical figure of speech denoting His relationship with Israel, the chosen people of God.
Israel is also considered the chosen people of God because we know that Jesus Christ will be born of the bloodline of Israel, of Judah, of Jesse, of David, of Mary, mother of Jesus. Because Jesus is a descendant of Israel, Israel is God’s chosen people.
Also remember that Jesus said He was “with the Father before the foundation of the world” - John 17:5
Jesus is Divinely the Son of God.
I am a son of God because I have Jesus in my heart, Jesus is my Lord and Savior. His Spirit lives inside me. Thank you Jesus for paying for my sins!
Luke 3:38—
Luke 3:38 states Adam is called the son of God.
We know that Adam is the first man God created (Genesis 5:1). As the first man God created, Adam is figuratively called God’s son. This is semantics.
Deuteronomy 32:6 illustrates this where God, as the Creator, is called the Father. Differences between Adam and Jesus are that Adam was a sinner and Jesus wasn’t. Adam was created and Jesus said He was “with the Father before the foundation of the world” - John 17:5.
Exodus 4:22—
Exodus 4:22 states Israel is God’s son.
God refers to Israel as His ‘firstborn’ son because the Israelites were His chosen people…
Israel is His chosen people because Jesus will be born into the bloodline of Israel and proves His Divinity by dying on a cross and resurrecting from the dead to pay for our sins.
Jeremiah 31:9—
Jeremiah 31:9 claims God is the Father of Israel.
God refers to Israel as His ‘firstborn’ son because the Israelites were His chosen people…
Israel is His chosen people because Jesus will be born into the bloodline of Israel and proves His Divinity by dying on a cross and resurrecting from the dead to pay for our sins.
Jeremiah 31:9 claims Ephraim as His firstborn son.
When God sees Ephraim as His firstborn son, God sees Ephraim and Christ as the same [Jesus Christ is also God’s firstborn son]. Why? Remember, the mystery of the gospel is to bring Jew and Gentile together into one body as heirs of God (Ephesians 3:6). Ephraim figuratively represents the first harvest (firstborn) of believers united as one with Christ under the New Blood Covenant. Therefore, Jeremiah’s prophecy concerns those Gentiles (Ephraim) born to God under the New Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ.
If you pray to receive Jesus as Christ and Lord, you too can become a son of God (chosen) in like manner as Ephraim.
Psalms 2:7—
Psalms 2:7 claims David to be the son of God.
In like manner as Israel, God calls David His son because David is of the bloodline Israel, His chosen people.
God refers to Israel as His ‘firstborn’ son because the Israelites were His chosen people…
Israel is His chosen people because Jesus will be born into the bloodline of Israel and proves His Divinity by dying on a cross and resurrecting from the dead to pay for our sins.
Romans 8:14—
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. – Romans 8:14
Romans 8:14 talks about how anyone who wants to become a son of God can do so by asking Jesus Christ to be Lord and savior. Anyone can be adopted as a son (or daughter) into God’s kingdom by asking Jesus to be Lord and Savior.
You too can be called a son of God if you pray to ask Jesus into your heart.
Pray the following prayer from your heart:
….. Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen ……
Jesus Christ will come into your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit and you will be transformed into a son of God because Jesus is Christ and Savior of all who call on His Name as Lord and Savior.
paxglobal states: Bottom line is that, as you also agree that Jesus himself never said that “I am God” or asked to “worship me”.
Response: I disagree. Jesus never called Himself God and He never said “worship me” because Jesus came to earth with humility to show all believers in Christ that we should be humble to our Father in Heaven, who is our God and Father. His reverence to our God and His Father does not prove that Jesus is not God. It proves that Jesus knows how to be humble.
Jesus proved He was as Divine as God when He died on a cross to pay for our sins, and raised Himself from the dead, victorious over sin and death. Jesus proved that He was God by His actions, not by His words.
Jesus also transfigures into his Divine form before his disciples in Matthew 17:1-5 where we hear God say “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
Out of humility, Jesus would never say “worship me.” But because we know that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, we are grateful to Jesus for His sacrifice. We want to worship Jesus and His Divinity because of His willingness to die in our place so we may also become sons of the living God, just like Jesus. Jesus is my brother and my Savior.
Also, from before, Jesus does not say “Worship me” but after He came back to life, proving He was the Christ, the disciples of Jesus worshiped Him (Matthew 28:9). In like manner, we have the privilege to worship Jesus Christ because of what He has done for us: to set us free from sin, to give us eternal life with Him forever and ever. Amen.
2) Why did he call The Father as his God? (John 20:17)
paxglobal states: Jesus is claiming that The Father is HIS God too, which contradicts the doctrine of Trinity.
Response: I disagree.
In John 20:17, Jesus Christ says, “Go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’.“ It is important to note that Jesus says, “my Father and your Father” and “my God and your God”, and not “our Father” and “our God.“
Jesus has a unique relationship with God the Father that is different from the relationship all his Christian disciples have with God the Father. In other words, it can be seen to imply that Jesus is the Son of God the Father by nature (i.e. he is Divine), whereas all Jesus’ disciples are children of God only by adoption into Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).
Therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit abiding in me, the Trinity is God and God is the Trinity: Father, Son [Jesus] and Holy Spirit.
3) Why did Jesus pray the God (Matthew 26:39)?
paxglobal states: You have a relationship to your father, but do you worship him? No. Do you worship anyone else other than God, No. Just like Jesus is praying the God which is a different relationship than you and your father.
Response:
He [Jesus] went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” - Matthew 26:39
God the Son is talking (praying) to God the Father. Remember, God came to earth in the form of man [Jesus] which means He humbled Himself to experience what we experience. Also, Jesus was setting an example for His disciples. Make no mistake about it, the Father, Son [Jesus] and Holy Spirit are one God.
Jesus did not ask to be killed. As a man, Jesus Christ did not want to go through the torturous ordeal of the crucifixion. The fact that Jesus did not want to go through it is proof enough that he was human. But it does not mean He was not Divine. He did in fact die on the cross and raise victorious to prove his Divinity with God.
***
Finally, as stated earlier, it is obvious you choose to believe the way you choose to believe, and I choose to believe the truth in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
We could debate between these points until Jesus Christ comes again and He takes His believers home to Heaven.
Only if the Holy Spirit is truly calling you in your heart will you ever receive the truth of Jesus.
I pray that the Spirit of Christ will provide you with a Divine revelation that will show you the truth in Jesus as Christ and Savior of all who call on His name as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Thank you. Be blessed. I’m praying for you. In Christ.
- Posted by johnsmithman on September 12, 2009 at 04:12 PM
Watch the video by Dr Jerald Dirks, who was the Minister (Deacon) of the United Methodist Church and holds the Master’s degree in Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in Harvard University. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m4KW-dysKk
Trinity discussion:
johnsmithman writes “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” - Genesis 1:26”
Response: One of the authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also says the same thing:
“Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created Adam in His own image with His length of sixty cubits… “ (Sahih Muslim, Book 40, HadithNumber 6809)
This saying just means Adam was created with the qualities of God, not His form. No Muslim interprets is as meaning multiple Gods. Also, Jews and Christians who do not believe in Jesus’ divinity interpret it as plural Gods.
1) Tell me where in Bible did Jesus say that “I am God.”
johnsmithman writes “Only begotten Son” is Divinely a part of God.
Response: The verse I quoted Psalms 2:7 also uses “begotten”, but when it comes to Jesus, you are saying that he is divinely a part of the God, but not for David in Psalms 2:7?
johnsmithman writes “Jesus never called Himself God and He never said “worship me” because Jesus came to earth with humility”.
Response: This is one of the most unbelievable reasons I have heard. Jesus could tell everyone “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.“ in Mark 12:29, but he never said “worship me” or “I am God” just because he is humble!
2) Why did he call The Father as his God? (John 20:17)
johnsmithman writes “It is important to note that Jesus says, “my Father and your Father” and “my God and your God”, and not “our Father” and “our God.““
Response: johnsmithman, you need to read the Bible properly, Did not Jesus say “our God” in Mark 12:29 and “Our Father” in Matthew 6:9?
3) Why did Jesus pray the God (Matthew 26:39)?
johnsmithman writes “God the Son is talking (praying) to God the Father.“
Response: Please do not put brackets to make “talking” and “praying” as mean the same thing. The verse Matthew 26:39 explicitly said he “prayed”, you do not pray to anyone other than your God. You can talk to anyone.
—-
Let me also make a point on Holy Spirit which you have been using so often.
As you quoted John 14:26, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.“.
Response: According to John 16:7, “Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you;“ - It means Counselor will not come until Jesus is alive. However, in John 14:26, Calling Counselor as the “Holy Spirit” is a contradiction - because Holy Spirit existed during the time of the Jesus. Read the following Bible verses:
John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15); Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41); John’s father, Zacharias, was also filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke:1:67). 65[65] The Holy Spirit was on Simeon (Luke 2:26) and it descended in the shape of a dove on Jesus (Luke 3:22).
No Christian (who believes in Jesus’ divinity - as not all Christians believe in his divinity) can answer these questions without contradicting themselves. You do not need rocket science to know that Jesus could just say “Worship me” or “I am God” in the whole of Bible, while he said “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.“ in Mark 12:29.
Since, I read Bible, I would also like you to read Quran. You can get one from a library or order Free online: http://www.allahsquran.com/free/
- Posted by paxglobal on September 12, 2009 at 06:24 PM
Typo to response above:
“Also, Jews and Christians who do not believe in Jesus’ divinity interpret it as plural Gods.“ should be “Also, Jews and Christians who do not believe in Jesus’ divinity do not interpret Genesis 1:26 as plural Gods.“
- Posted by paxglobal on September 12, 2009 at 06:27 PM
paxglobal:
As stated earlier, obviously you choose to believe the way you choose to believe, and you have no desire to seek the truth of Jesus Christ. I choose to believe the truth of Jesus Christ, by the Divine power of the Holy Spirit that lives inside me today.
We can debate these points until Jesus Christ comes again and He takes His believers home to Heaven.
Only if the Holy Spirit is truly calling you in your heart will you EVER receive the truth of Jesus.
You can debate until you are blue in the face and you can come up with as many word arguments as you choose. But you cannot take away the Holy Spirit that lives in me and you cannot deny this because He is alive in me, and Jesus wants to be alive in you also.
No argument you choose will ever deny the living breathing life of God that lives amazingly in and through my very being. And you cannot say this about your faith because you cannot feel the abiding presence of anything inside your lost soul. You simply cannot because you do not know what it feels like until you ask Jesus into your heart.
Know that the battle has already been won.
The prophecy has already been laid out before you.
You cannot take away Jesus Christ who is alive in me, who is alive in Rifqa Bary also.
“God also has highly exalted Him [JESUS] and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth [hell], and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.“ - Philippians 2:5-11
paxglobal, you will bow your knee to Jesus Christ one day whether you believe it right now or not.
You get to choose where you will be when you bow your knee to Jesus. You can choose Heaven or you can choose Hell.
If Jesus comes back in our lifetime, you will obviously bow your knee to Jesus on earth just before you are sent to the lake of fire, unless you choose to pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart.
….. Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen ……
Jesus also tells me:
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” – Matthew 7:6
Continuing to argue with you is a waste of time when I could be sharing the truth with someone who will be receptive to the call of Jesus on their soul.
This statement, “Do not cast your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6) is also a command from my Lord and Savior Jesus. Jesus is telling me to stop sharing the Gospel message with you and to stop arguing with you.
I pray that the Spirit of Christ will provide you with a Divine revelation that will show you the truth in Jesus as Christ and Savior before it is too late. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Thank you. Be blessed. I’m still praying for you paxglobal. In Christ.
- Posted by johnsmithman on September 12, 2009 at 08:25 PM
@johnsmithman: >>who is alive in RifqaBary also.
Mark my words, she’ll leave all that and return to her roots when she has kids, or gets a little older and wiser in her early 20’s. Most of them do.
>>“Do not cast your pearls before swine”
That’s not very subtle, and a tad discourteous, too.
- Posted by OmarG on September 12, 2009 at 09:01 PM
johnsmithman
By quoting Matthew 7:6, you have revealed your true self - I expected much better. If you you cannot win rationally, just make use of vitriol.
Beware of the verse in the Bible:
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:22,23)
Peace be upon you.
- Posted by paxglobal on September 13, 2009 at 12:07 AM
>>If Jesus comes back in our lifetime, you will obviously bow your knee to Jesus on earth just before you are sent to the lake of fire, unless you choose to pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart.<<
LOL @johnsmithman, we’ll see!! Muslims also believe that Jesus will return to earth before the end of the world, but it will be alongside our own Mahdi/Messiah and they’ll bring peace on earth together. When Jesus asks you to pray with the Muslims to the One God, what will you do? Maybe then you’ll understand that Jesus is ours too!
- Posted by liberal fundo on September 14, 2009 at 10:56 AM
I’m sure now that the girl has some psychological issues after reading that article. And, if she was such a true-to-faith Christian who was ready to sacrifice herself for Jesus, why didn’t she stay home and accept her (false) fate?? Because, she was never in danger; she merely wants to *look* like a martyr, but can’t find a way to actually be one since her family won’t hurt her, so she invented a way! The girl needs lots of understanding and help.
- Posted by OmarG on September 15, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Conceptions of sexuality among American Muslim women - Ten AltMuslimah members/readers gathered on Sunday, February 21, 2010, with the goal of discussing the nature of Muslim women’s sexuality, and how American Muslim women’s social needs may be different. Whether formal or casual, the group agreed in the value of women’s support networks, especially considering the rising prevalence of domestic violence in our communities. A quick brainstorm of ideas brought up the possibility of periodic casual women’s nights, which are actually common in more active American Muslim communities. (March 1, 2010) (1 comment)
News briefs for week of March 1, 2010 - This week Washington, D.C. women storm the men’s section of a local mosque, a women in hijab is fired from her retail position in California, a women’s terrorist group is said to be uncovered in Egypt, Malaysia looks to hold a conference on women’s caning, Pakistani women’s clothing is highlighted, and Iran’s first female Olympic skier is profiled. (March 1, 2010) (0 comments)
News briefs for week of February 22, 2010 - Saudi religious police crackdown on Valentine's Day merchandise, Three Malaysian women are caned for extramarital sex, Saudi to permit female lawyers to argue cases, New Jersey Muslim man throws baby over a bridge, and Baltimore sixth-graders go on a field trip to an Islamic center. (February 22, 2010) (0 comments)
News briefs for week of February 15, 2010 - This week, death threats for dehijabing in Spain, a ballet showcasing Muslim women’s historical accomplishments, France continues the burqa ban debate, a Pakistani woman is recognized in California, Muslim scholars question full-body scanning and Obama names an envoy to the Muslim world. (February 15, 2010) (0 comments)
News briefs for week of February 8, 2010 - This week, a study finds that abstinence-focused sex education in American schools can persuade youth to delay sexual activity, sixteen-year-old Turkish girl buried alive for talking to boys, French authorities deny citizenship to man who forces his wife to wear a full veil, and female government leaders have done little to advance women's rights in Southeast and South Asia. (February 8, 2010) (2 comments)
News briefs for week of February 1, 2010 - This week stress on female virginity is put on blast, a women’s rights book is allowed onto Malaysian shelves, and the burqa debate continues in France and Denmark. (February 1, 2010) (0 comments)
Readers' blog
Will you be my (halal) Valentine? - Why does Valentine’s Day spark such contentious debate among American Muslims across blogs and social networking sites? What underlying emotional buttons does this commercialized cultural holiday push among American Muslims? While other holidays, such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, generate a few tired and tepid discussions centered around the idea that “everyday should be Mother’s and Father’s Day,” Valentine’s Day, like the very concept of romantic love it celebrates, generates much more passionate responses. These debates touch on many topics including what love means or should mean to Muslims, the relationship between culture and religion, and the current state of romantic relationships among Muslims. (February 22, 2010) (1 comment)
Living up to the legacy - By historical account, being a Muslim female meant being virtuous, loving, knowledgeable, and empowered by her faith. Well it’s centuries later and although we cite to the legacy of Islam, we fail to live up to it or keep the legacy alive. (February 4, 2010) (1 comment)
Bridging literacy and cultural gaps in Pakistan - In addition to bridging cultural and socioeconomic gaps, the American International School System in Pakistan acts as an experimental model and incubator by incorporating some of the education reform principles advocated by grassroots organizations, education specialists and writers, and governmental agencies like the Ministry of Education. (January 3, 2010) (1 comment)
Islam and manhood - The infamy of Islamist terrorism over the past decade has created an image of the Muslim man as intrinsically prone to violent behavior, even if directed toward the self rather than the other. The image of the angry, flag-burning, chanting Muslim man has come to symbolize male violence. However the photos fail to explain that, firstly, the anger, in many instances, is justified, secondly, that the chants rarely spill over into to physical violence, and thirdly that violence is not exclusive to Muslim men. (December 25, 2009) (5 comments)
It’s not about the niqab, it’s about credibility - The question, which we all should consider now is why Al-Azhar scholars are not obeyed by the public any more? The simple and direct answer to this very complicated question is because Al-Azhar lost its credibility in the eyes of Egyptians. (October 17, 2009) (4 comments)
One woman’s journey toward pleasing Allah - Understanding the purpose and reasoning behind abaya is not something a Muslim girl learns the day she is born. For many, like myself, it was a slow and steady journey; one that required much research and reflection. (September 25, 2009) (4 comments)
Digg this
Tweet this
