Salam Touching the Lives of Muslims

Dear Friends, I would like to share with you a text message I received from a young Muslim Algerian immigrant who arrived a month ago to Chicago, with his eight-month pregnant wife, and had nothing. The new immigrant got my phone number from a Lutheran church in his neighborhood. ( I still do not know who gave him my number) I called Lutheran Church Charities (LCC), after I received his call, and we moved toward furnishing his studio apartment. With the help of five volunteers from Salam Fellowship, we were able to take furniture, directly from donors to his apartment. Below is his text, with its spelling mistakes. "Haw are you hichem , thank you very much for your help ,because of you we have a comfortable home ,we thank god and we ask him to protect you all." Because of LCC and Salam, this family will have their first Christmas in the USA with proper housing. Because of LCC, they see the love of Christ in action. Merry Xmas

Even though I am in prison, I feel free in Jesus

A year ago, an Iraqi young Muslim refugee, Ahmed (not his real name), 22, born in Lebanon, was arrested for drug trafficking. Ahmed lost his refugee status in the USA, and was transferred an immigration detention facility with the illegal aliens, awaiting deportation. His family had been coming to Salam Fellowship for years. We did not give up on him. We kept visiting and praying for him in prison, especially my wife, Mona. She was filled with compassion towards this young man, and considered him a victim of his broken family, not a criminal. His parents were divorced, and their five kids were lost in a sinful world. He started reading the Bible with great interest, and praying that Jesus would save him from his incarceration. Mona and I were greatly inspired whenever we visited him.

Ahmed would repeat with joy. Psalms and Proverbs were his favorite. He used describe how his attitude towards h is inmates and guards changed. He started to treat everyone gently and patiently, with love. Mona helped his family get an attorney who was able to convince the judge of granting him another chance. It was a miracle, because it was his third time in prison. Ahmed was given parole, and was not deported. He was released three weeks ago. God answered all our prayers. Please pray that Ahmed would stay the course, follow Jesus Christ, and grow spiritually. Ahmed passion is fast cars and sports….They have provedto be distracting…Please pray that he would seek the Kingdom of God first, and stay focused on Jesus. Amen

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A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, But People Are Disappointing

I want to say this: I am really disappointed with the Church. I posted Mohammed's need to rent a room with a Christian family for 6 months and nobody even offered to meet Mohammed and see if there is a possibility to rent him a room!!..I know that there are a lot of big empty houses, but many Christians do not want to muddy their feet or soil their hands with missions to Muslims. Mohammed lives next to Mosque where the majority of people are Muslims and has two Muslim roommates...His friend was killed in the West Bank because of his conversion....any body on fire for the Lord!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMdlbCV9k9Y

I Was A Stranger And You Welcomed Me

I was a stranger and you welcomed me, Matthew 25: 35 Today I helped a Tunisian refugee family get an apartment...They have been 15 days in the USA and have no income or credit...It was a miracle.....The husband said that he is indebted to Salam all his life...I have heard this before...I may not believe it...but I saw Christ in action....All Glory be to God.

Prayers for Hassan

Friends, Please pray for Hassan as he is hospitalized for knee surgery...pray for healing, as well as spiritual growth. Thanks

Though I Am in Prison, I Celebrate my Freedom in Christ."

Dear Friends, Please pray for the incarcerated young man from Lebanon nicknamed Kay-two. I visited him in prison, and he is now very repentant...reading the Bible, and wants to follow Jesus...some of his words: Though I Am in Prison, I Celebrate my Freedom in Christ." "

Yesterday I met a guy 76 years old, former Muslim Arab who was called to faith in Christ at the age of 75...With God all things are possible....I have to disciple him...he has encyclopedic knowledge of history, including history of the Church. He is almost of the age of my late earthly father...you can see the challenge!!

Muslim Background Believers (MBBs) lose everything, but gain Christ. His grace is sufficient. When a Muslim converts, the person loses family which is the pillar of the community in the Middle East..this is why the church should support converts properly...this is not happening as it should. Support is in discipleship as well as daily life issues. We are His sheep, we cannot grow without a flock. I did not have a flock in Lebanon...only one man stood with me..he was an American who lived most of his life in the Middle East and understood our plight. Below is a painful but inspiring story. Convert from Islam in Sudan Loses Wife, Children Wed, Jun. 20, 2012 Posted: 09:15 AM EDT KHARTOUM, Sudan – A year ago Mohammed Khidir Khalil was glad his family had obtained refugee status in Egypt after fleeing Islamic hostilities in Sudan. The 38-year-old Christian was also heartened that his formerly unbelieving wife was attending church with him. Today the convert from Islam is back in Sudan fighting to recover his family after his in-laws compelled his wife to claim she was Muslim and divorce him. A Sudanese court automatically granted her custody of their two sons and forbade him to see them, he said. He fears that if he persists in his legal battle, he faces the threat of being accused of "apostasy," or leaving Islam. It was last August that his Muslim mother-in-law visited them in Egypt. "Without my knowledge, she took my wife and children back to Sudan," Khalil said. The couple had fled Sudan just before the South Sudan vote for independence on Jan. 9, 2011, after threats from the couples' Muslim families and others intensified, Khalil said. In Egypt, they reported their case to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and won asylum. In emails to friends back in Sudan, Khalil freely shared his Christian experience and pointed out what he termed as contradictions in Islam. Hearing nothing from his family after his mother-in-law took his wife and two sons back to Sudan, on Christmas Day Khalil decided to return to an undisclosed town in Sudan to search for them. He was shocked to discover that his wife, Manal Hassan, had filed for divorce on grounds that she was a Muslim and he a Christian. Khalil, who converted to Christianity in 2001, had met Hassan in 2007. At that time she said she was neither a Christian nor a Muslim, and they married in a non-religious wedding. The bride's Muslim family learned that Khalil was a Christian but had no objection to the marriage, he said. By 2010 the couple had joined an undisclosed church and had become visibly active in it; opposition from their families grew, leading to the couple's flight to Egypt in early 2011. Last February, Khalil decided to appeal the divorce ruling. His wife had presented a copy of the UNHCR certificate showing Khalil's testimony as a Christian, however, and that was proof enough for a judge to rule in March that the marriage be annulled and the children automatically handed over to the spouse professing "the popular religion" – Islam, the supposed faith of Hassan. In spite of the court's ruling that Khalil did not have a right to even visit the children, in April he decided to try to see them. His former wife's family threatened to call police if he persisted. "I am very upset with courts like this that bar one from seeing one's children," he said. "I have to appeal against this." Asked what risks he might incur by appealing, Khalil said it could lead to a case against him for apostasy – punishable by death in Sudan, where sharia (Islamic law) is established as a primary source of legislation. "They might take the case to a prosecution court, which might lead to my sentencing to death according to Islamic apostasy law – but I am ready for this," Khalil said. "I want the world to know this. What crime have I done? Is it because I became a Christian? I know if the world is watching, they will be afraid to do any harm to me." Conversion Khalil was a practicing Sufi Muslim when he began studies at a university in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1998. By the time he graduated in 2000, he had left Islam; he returned to Sudan an atheist. After his return to Sudan, Khalil came into contact with a U.S. pastor who inspired him with his Christian faith. "He was very calm and confident," Khalil said. He recalled that the pastor made reference to the Nubian people of southern Egypt and northern Sudan calling themselves "sons of the Nile," the river being considered the source of life, and connecting that idea with the Son of God likewise coming from God as the source of all life. References to Jesus as the Good Shepherd whose Father was the God of love also moved him. Khalil decided to visit the pastor's church, and he entrusted his life to Christ in 2001. He stayed with the pastor for three months before he left to his home village. The pastor paid him visits, and when his family realized that Khalil had embraced the Christian faith, his father threatened to shoot him. Khalil fled home. He was later baptized in a historically Nubian area near his home village. Khalil began winning friends to Christ, and persecution intensified; family members reported him to the police, and he fled his country. "Life became unbearable, and I decided to flee to the United Arab Emirates, where I was received by a Sudanese family in 2001," he said. He remained there until the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between north and south Sudan in 2005, and then decided to return to Sudan with the hope of serving his community. He became an English teacher, at the same time developing programs to promote Nobiin, one of the Nubian languages, and its cultural heritage. Building a literacy program for children in Nobiin, he also wrote poetry in the language and translated several hymns and Bible verses into it. Along with his other challenges, Khalil is working toward publishing his sundry manuscripts in the Nobiin language, in spite of financial constraints. A deacon at his church summed up: "Mohammed needs prayers and support at this trying moment." Compass Direct News Copyright © Christianpost.com. All rights reserved.

Salafi Leader: No Freedom in Islam; Apostates Must be Persecuted Apostasy is Treason

Last month, Sheikh Yassir al-Burhami, a prominent figure in Egypt’s Salafi movement made clear what the issue was: Apostasy—if Muslims have the right to leave Islam and convert to other religions. In the words of Burhami: For example, is it the right of the Muslim to convert to Christianity or another religion? Of course this is not a right; this is a matter that Sharia has clearly addressed, according to the agreed upon hadiths. It is impermissible, for any reason, for a Muslim to leave the community. Of course, you cannot coerce any infidel to enter into Islam [Koran 2:256]—except for the apostate. It is impossible to let the apostate remain in [a state of] apostasy, deeming it a form of “freedom.” For the record, the “agreed upon hadiths” that Burhami indicated, are, in fact, unequivocal in regards to the crime of apostasy. The most canonical and oft cited among them simply has Muhammad saying: “Whoever leaves his religion, kill him.”

It Is A Great Commission...Not A Great Recommendation

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of our Lord Jesus Christ’s last words before He was taken up to heaven were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). This is what is called the Great Commission, not the “Great Recommendation!” Jesus commanded us to go make disciples of all nations: the Hispanics, the Somalis, the Arabs, the Greeks—yes, Jesus meant all nations, not only the Europeans! “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). Jesus died for all, not only for Christians, not only for Lutherans—for all. In April 2001, I was going into a bank building when I bumped into a retired Lutheran pastor from Northern Minnesota. Pastor Bernie Lutz was a missionary in Papua New Guinea when his wife was pregnant with their first child. Papua New Guinea was then in the Stone Age. He was also a missionary in Nigeria, and he pastored many churches in Northern Minnesota. But he promised his wife that when they retired, he would take her south… So he took her to Lebanon. Anyway, when he suggested to Lutheran Hour Ministries that he go to Lebanon, they told him, “There are Arab Christians in Lebanon, so why go there? Let the Arab Christians share the Gospel with the Muslims there.” But like most of us in the West, most of those Arab Christians have neglected Jesus’ Great Commission for centuries. We all deserve God’s wrath for neglecting the Great Commission. We are guilty of ignoring Jesus’ Great Commission and deserve God’s wrath, as we have confessed today. Arab Christians in Lebanon are not a persecuted minority. They were granted privileges above the rest of the population there, since the foundation of the country. Lebanon is the only Arab country which has, by mandate and constitution, a Christian president. Muslims wanted to share power with Christians, first through democratic means—but they were ignored. I was caught in that tug-of-war since the age of 7. CHRISTIAN ARABS, INSTEAD OF SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRIST, KILLED MY ONLY BROTHER. [For Pastor Chehab’s personal story, visit his website at http://salamarabicfellowship.blogspot.com/.] Though I contemplated revenge against my Christian enemies, I was struck by the command of Jesus: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and pray for those who persecute you. ONCE I ASKED A LEBANESE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION: ARE YOU READING A DIFFERENT BIBLE? WHILE MY BIBLE TEACHES ME TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF, I SEE THAT YOU KILL YOUR NEIGHBORS. Brothers and Sisters, ALL OF US HAVE SINNED AGAINST OUR NEIGHBOR AND DESERVE THE WRATH OF GOD. But God out of His Amazing Grace and love wants to have mercy on us. AS WE READ JOHN 3:16, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). HOWEVER, SOME OF US TAKE JOHN 3:16 AS A LICENSE TO INDULGE IN A SINFUL LIFE, instead of living a life that makes us salt and light in this world, a life worthy of disciples of Jesus. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood what kind of love that is and what kind of discipleship Jesus commanded. Bonhoeffer taught that grace is free, but discipleship is costly. Actually, it could cost us our lives. Two days after Hitler was installed as Chancellor of Germany, Bonhoeffer delivered a radio speech in which he attacked Hitler and warned Germany against slipping into an idolatrous cult of the Führer. After accepting an invitation to come and teach in America, he wrote, “I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people...” He returned to Germany on the last scheduled steamer to cross the Atlantic, AS THE WAR BROKE OUT. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and executed by hanging in April 1945, 23 days before the Nazis’ surrender. Brothers and Sisters, the Gospel is the POWER of GOD—dynamis (from which we get our word “dynamite”). This is why before Jesus commanded us to make disciples he called us FRIENDS. He told His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And His last words to the disciples in the Great Commission were: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. AMEN

Some Translations That Target Muslims Compromises The Gospel Fears are arising that missionary groups are seeking to “Islamize” the Bible by altering references to God as “Father” and to Jesus as the “Son” when translating the holy book into languages in Muslim-dominated parts of the globe. The issue has been raised by Biblical Missiology in the U.S., after translations by the missionary groups Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Summer Institute of Linguistics and Frontiers removed or modified terms that may be offensive to Muslims. An Nahar daily said Wednesday that Lebanese priest George Hosni, who hails from Zghorta, has also been spearheading the campaign against such translations. Biblical Missiology has issued a petition stating that Wycliffe and the others “are producing Bibles that remove Father, Son and Son of God because these terms are offensive to Muslims.” One example can be seen in an Arabic version of the Gospel of Matthew produced and promoted by Frontiers and SIL. It changes Matthew 28:19 from “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” to “cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.” The Presbyterian Church of America has also criticized the issue, saying in a report drafted by a study team that “footnotes, parentheticals and other paratextual comments may be used to explain the biblical and theological riches of Scripture, while never subverting the important truths embedded in the biological contours of Scripture’s words.” The PCA will discuss the study’s findings at its annual meeting in June. But after numerous appeals were rejected, the online petition was launched calling for an end to the translations.

Evangelical Christians Persecute a Muslim Background Christian.

Samer, a brother in Christ, from a Muslim background, was kicked out of his Arab Evangelical church (in Lebanon), because he gave his testimony (from a Muslim extremist to a Christian) on TV. A friend explained that it was due to the Arab Christians' instinct of self-preservation. I wrote back: the instinct of self-preservation, made Christian Arabs a dying minority that could be persecuted and driven out of any Arab country...easily...However, sooner or later, the price will be paid for being Christian, whether they succumb to Islamic terrorism, or they are bold with the Gospel.

Next Tuesday: ACMN Meeting (9 a.m.)... with Rev. Hicham Chehab at WCM - Tuesday May 15… The Aurora Christian Ministry Network (ACMN) is inviting Aurora and Fox Valley area pastors and Christian leaders to the next ACMN meeting on Tuesday, May 15, 9-10:30 a.m., at Wayside Cross Ministries(WCM), chapel, 215 E. New York St., Aurora, IL 60505. Rev. Hicham Chehab will give his story, Hicham Chehab; from a Muslim Extremist to a Follower of Christ, a Testimony to Jesus our Savior. Coffee and rolls will be served. Hicham Chehab grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians, which he experienced personally in a physical attack when only about 7. By age 13 he was recruited by an extremist Muslim group(the Muslim Brotherhood) and later fought against Christians in the 1975 war in Lebanon. He was preparing to become a Muslim preacher (Imam) when a car accident laid him up for a year. In 1980, Hicham decided to become a doctor and enrolled at the American University of Beirut. In his first semester in college, his brother was killed by Christian militia. Hicham's response was to study by day, and by night take out his revenge in attacks on Christians. However, hearing the Sermon on the Mount (in a college course on cultural studies) at the climax of his hate and thirst for vengeance , he was brought to faith. Later, Hicham earned an M.A. in the history of Arabs and did Ph.D. studies in the history of Islam. Hicham finished his pastoral education at Concordia, Fort Wayne, IN. Presently, he pastors Salam Arabic Church, and works as a missionary to the Muslims in Illinois.

In spite of Capital Punishment, God Is Calling Muslims to Faith in Jesus

In spite of the threat of death and persecution, Muslims all over the world, even in Muslim majority countries are embracing Jesus Christ. For decades, the Iranian authorities did not know what to do with the tide of conversion to Christianity. Hence, a few years ago, the Iranian parliament passed a bill that punishes an apostate with decapitation. The Iranian authorities are following in the footsteps of Muhammad the prophet of Islam in this. Below are Muhammad's statements:

Ibn Abbaas said : The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever changes his (Islamic) religion, kill him.” Al-Bukhary (number 6922) Abd-Allah ibn Masood said : The Messenger of Allah said : “It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim who bears witness that there is no god except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, except in one of three cases : a soul (in case of murder) ; a married person who commits adultery ; and one who leaves his religion and separates from the main body of Muslims.” Sahih Al Bukhary number 6484 and Sahih Muslim number 1676 When I visited Lebanon two years ago, my first cousins tried to ambush me. However, there is good news, I have some second cousins relatives who are reading my stories on Facebook and are hunted down by the "Hound of Heaven." I am receiving some comments on Facebook that are really encouraging. One cousin feels peace when reads about Jesus and Mary in the Quran!!! Another asks me about my conversion by email, then after a few months sends me the Lord's Prayer...notifying me that he found a new life...they have not yet gone public...But God is good, and the Holy Spirit is working...Amen.

Presentation and Preaching at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Davenport, IA

http://www.facebook.com/hicham.chehab Join us at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Davenport to hear Pastor Hicham Chehab  speak about his conversion from militant Islam to Christianity! Pastor Chehab will preach at the following services: Saturday, May 19, at 5pm Sunday, May 20, at 9am He will also give a presentation in which he tells his story in greater depth and takes questions at our Bible class on Sunday, May 20, at 10:15am We hope to see you there! Pastor Hicham Chehab [pronounced HESHAM SHEHAB] grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians, which he experienced personally in a physical attack when only about 7. By age 13 he was recruited by an extremist Muslim group and later fought against Christians in the 1975 war in Lebanon. He was preparing to become a Muslim Preacher (Imam) when a car accident laid him up for a year. In 1980, in his first semester in college, his brother was killed by Christian militia. Hicham’s response was to study by day, and by night take out his revenge in attacks on Christians. However, hearing the Sermon on the Mount in a college course on cultural studies brought Hicham to faith. Later, Hicham earned an M.A. in the history of the Arabs and did Ph.D. studies in the history of Islam. Hicham finished his pastoral education at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and he is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at that institution. Presently, Hicham, an ordained LCMS minister, pastors Salam Christian Fellowship in Lombard, Illinois, near Chicago, and works as a missionary to the Muslims with the Lutheran Church in Illinois. Holy Cross Lutheran Church is a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod where the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity and His holy Sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution. Our church is located at 1705 E. Locust St., Davenport, Iowa, 52803, right on the corner of Locust and Eastern. During the week & at our services, visitors are welcome!

The Power of the Word; Iraqi Muslim Convert Visits Family of Fallen Marine in Iraq

By Hicham Chehab "Your Muslim brother was killed by Christians, and my Christian son was killed by Muslims, but both of us find forgiveness, solace, and hope in Jesus Christ," George Langhorst said to me. Langhorst's son Moy was killed in action while serving in the Marines in Iraq. He died, at the age of 19, in April 2004, while on patrol with his unit in Ramadi, near Fallujah. I met the Langhorsts at one of those “God moments,” in Baxter, Minnesota, in April, during the Becoming Northern Lights Mission Conference, where Rev. Dr. Bernie Lutz and I were giving a workshop on Islam and how to witness to Muslims. In the class, I mentioned how my brother, Toufic was killed by Lebanese Christian militias at the age of 22, in November, 1980, during Lebanon's civil war. Filled with anger, two of my brother's comrades and I vowed to kill all our enemies. I got a silencer and two pistols, and I started stalking my enemies in the streets at night Meanwhile, as a student at the American University of Beirut, I had to take a course in cultural studies, for which I had to read selections from the Bible. One of the assigned readings was the Sermon on the Mount, which I read at the climax of my hate and thirst for vengeance. Christ's exhortation: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:45) struck me with full force. I thought: "There is another way, a way of forgiveness." George Langhorst's son, Moy was killed in Ramadi, Iraq on a street the Marines had dubbed "Easy Street." During a running gun battle, Moy's patrol of 11 Marines was ambushed by 50 -150 insurgents. The attack was so intense, with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades hurled at the Marines from every door, window and roof top, that they had to get off the street to save their lives. Moy had been with three other Marines. The three found refuge by breaking down a door and fighting off persistent attacks for about an hour; but they didn't know where Moy was. When reinforcements arrived and they were able to search for Moy, they found his bullet-ridden body around a corner. Judy Langhorst, Moy's mother, walked up to me after that class in Minnesota and said: "I heard a pastor preach on Romans 12:17-21 and knew that God meant those verses for me. I have to forgive the Iraqi Muslims who killed Moy." "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good." (Romans 12:20-21) The essence of the Christian faith can be summed up in one word — love. God loves us. We are called to love God with all of our mind, body, and spirit; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. According to Christ's own words in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 22), "All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

BELOW IS THE FIRST ARTICLE I WROTE ON MY FIRST MEETING WITH THE LANGHORSTS AND THEIR INSPIRING STORY... LAST WEEK I VISITED WITH AN IRAQI CONVERT FROM SUNNI ISLAM...HE STAYED ONE NIGHT UNDER THEIR ROOF...AGAIN THIS IS THE TESTIMONY FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD THAT BRINGS FORGIVENESS. Tuesday, May 17, 2011 Love Your Enemies : The Power of the Word Love Your Enemies : The Power of the Word By Hicham Chehab "Your Muslim brother was killed by Christians, and my Christian son was killed by Muslims, but both of us find forgiveness, solace, and hope in Jesus Christ," George Langhorst said to me. Langhorst's son Moy was killed in action while serving in the Marines in Iraq. He died, at the age of 19, in April 2004, while on patrol with his unit in Ramadi, near Fallujah. I met the Langhorsts at one of those “God moments,” in Baxter, Minnesota, in April, during the Becoming Northern Lights Mission Conference, where Rev. Dr. Bernie Lutz and I were giving a workshop on Islam and how to witness to Muslims. In the class, I mentioned how my brother, Toufic was killed by Lebanese Christian militias at the age of 22, in November, 1980, during Lebanon's civil war. Filled with anger, two of my brother's comrades and I vowed to kill all our enemies. I got a silencer and two pistols, and I started stalking my enemies in the streets at night Meanwhile, as a student at the American University of Beirut, I had to take a course in cultural studies, for which I had to read selections from the Bible. One of the assigned readings was the Sermon on the Mount, which I read at the climax of my hate and thirst for vengeance. Christ's exhortation: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:45) struck me with full force. I thought: "There is another way, a way of forgiveness." George Langhorst's son, Moy was killed in Ramadi, Iraq on a street the Marines had dubbed "Easy Street." During a running gun battle, Moy's patrol of 11 Marines was ambushed by 50 -150 insurgents. The attack was so intense, with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades hurled at the Marines from every door, window and roof top, that they had to get off the street to save their lives. Moy had been with three other Marines. The three found refuge by breaking down a door and fighting off persistent attacks for about an hour; but they didn't know where Moy was. When reinforcements arrived and they were able to search for Moy, they found his bullet-ridden body around a corner. Judy Langhorst, Moy's mother, walked up to me after that class in Minnesota and said: "I heard a pastor preach on Romans 12:17-21 and knew that God meant those verses for me. I have to forgive the Iraqi Muslims who killed Moy." "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good." (Romans 12:20-21) The essence of the Christian faith can be summed up in one word — love. God loves us. We are called to love God with all of our mind, body, and spirit; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. According to Christ's own words in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 22), "All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." Moy Langhorst Moy Langhorst Page 1 of 2 How then can we respond to those who hate us? How can we live with the legitimate fear of those who wish to kill us? Again, Christ points to love in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 5). We are to love our enemies and pray for them. We get no credit for merely loving those who also love us. It is a hard calling. He goes on to say that, ultimately, God’s goal for us is to "be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." This teaching separates Christians from those who are trapped in the darkness of their own hatred. If they hate us and we hate them, then we are all guilty of the same thing. George, continues the story of what happened to Moy, and how it affected them. "The insurgents had stripped him of his weapons and body armor and someone had covered him with a piece of cloth. Later, it became known to us that Moy's lifeless body had been filmed and put on the internet. This was a good thing! By seeing Moy's body, I also saw the image of the crucified Jesus making real for me the cost of our sins and the sacrifice a loving God was willing to make for me." "Since we lost our son, our family has been blessed with many 'God moments' or, as we call them, 'Holy Goosebumps.' We 'see' them now because He has softened our hearts so that we filter life's events through His Word, helping us see things through God's eyes. My most important encounters with Jesus have been my baptism and Moy's passage from grace to glory. I compare myself to the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)." To commemorate Moy, the Langhorsts started the Moisés Langhorst Mission and Scholarship Fund. Last year, Moy's fund donated $2,000 to my seminary education at Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. George, Moy’s father, explains, "Our primary purpose for the fund is to bring the much- needed Gospel to Iraq and the Middle East. Secondly, and of much less importance, we remember Moy by what God gave Moy--the indescribable gift of faith and promise of life eternal. All glory be to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!" Lord, by the power of Your Word, turn our lives into a commitment of worship in humble gratitude to you. You have sent us into the world to love and serve you, and to give to us the courage and the faith to bring peace where there is strife. Grant us, Lord Christ, the willingness to forgive even as in your great compassion You forgive us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to see as you see, so that through You, we may share the Good News about Jesus. Help us to trust your Word and use it to bring others to know Your Son and receive eternal life. To God, and His powerful Word, be the glory! Hicham Chehab is POBLO Missionary-at-Large in Chicagoland. April, 2007 (Edited by Karen Kogler and Rev. Dr. Bernie Lutz.)

A look at Shaping the Identity of Muslims

A look at Shaping the Identity of Muslims
Posting Date: 03/05/2012

By John Taylor

Lutheran Pastor Hicham Chehab, left, is
welcomed to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church by
Pastor George Mather on Sunday, Mar. 4. Photo
by John Taylor

“Islam is the second largest religion in the world and Muslims are one of the fastest growing populations on this planet,” said Pastor Hicham Chehab, a visiting speaker at Mesquite Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. “It is important then that we understand whatMuslims are all about,” said Pastor Chehab during a speaking engagement on Sunday, Mar. 4 at the church.
Chehab grew up in Lebanon, which is the country just north of Israel, in the same way many other youngsters in the Middle East grow up, in war torn countries, surrounded by violence, seeing family and friends die and losing their homes and becoming refugees. At age 12, he joined the Muslim Brotherhood which is considered an anti-Western organization in pro-western countries but is considered a religious social organization in Arab countries and which most young Muslims join somewhat like the Boys Scouts in this country.
Chehab was barely a teenager, when civil war broke out in Lebanon and he found himself fighting against Christian militias. He signed up to defend his Muslim community but instead was shelling civilian neighborhoods. Unable to condone the killing of civilians,Chehab turned to his religion and became a Muslim preacher.
“What shapes the identity of a Muslims?” Chehab asked the attentive group in Mesquite's Lutheran church. “You have to go back many centuries to when Christians began demanding their religious beliefs be the law of the land under Constantine the First in the Fourth century. Then they were replaced by the rise of Islam during Arab conquest in the seventh century. They have been fighting every since.” “Geography is very important,” said Chehab. After World War 1, Lebanon was created and made up of 50 percent Christians and 50 percent Muslims. After the creation of the state of Israel, Arab tensions increased and Israel attacked Lebanon in 1948. This was the beginning of problems for Lebanon that continue to this day and is the atmosphere all Muslims grow up in.”
When his brother, who had stayed with the Muslim Brotherhood, was killed by the Christian Militia in 1980, Chehab wanted to drop out of school and wanted revenge. “God had another plan for me though,” he said. “I read a passage in the Bible that said love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. I knew that was what I was meant to be – a peacemaker.”
“Islam is a religion and Muslims are not terrorists. Just like every country, there are militant segments of society. It is my hope to bring reconciliation between Christians and Muslims,” said Chehab.
“I spent most of my career in the Middle East,” said Doug Lawson, a retired oil company executive who attended the lecture. “What the pastor says is true. The two biggest mistakes our country can make in the Middle East is to establish a presence there and to support any military action against Iran over its nuclear program. Iran's nuclear program is not the real issue, hatred is.”
Pastor Chehab immigrated to this country in 2004 after receiving multiple college degrees and a PhD in Islamic studies. He was ordained a Lutheran minister and has taught counter-intelligence agencies and spoken to military terrorism units. The pastor, his wife and four children now live in Chicago where he runs the Salam Christian Fellowship as part of the Chicagoland Lutheran Muslim Mission Association.
“We are very happy to have Pastor Chehab visit our congregation in Mesquite,” said Pastor George Mather of the Prince of Peace. “His story is one of overcoming challenges and finding compassion for his fellow man. We can all learn something from him.”
“Several years ago, I met a Captain of the Christian militia who killed my only brother. As I looked at him, I knew I could either attack him or forgive him,” said Chehab. “I chose to forgive him. I hope this is what will shape Muslims in the future.”

Abraham...A Historical Novel

I recommend this historical novel by my Messianic Jewish friend; Imre Weinstein.

Baptising Mahmoud from Palestine

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1: 16

Last Sunday we baptized a Palestinian young man...He came from where Jesus walked the earth...and wants to follow the Messiah...the Christ.

Pray for Pastor Youssef

صلوا من أجل يوسف في انتظار حكم الإعدام في إيران


This Prayer Chain is calling ALL Christians into action NOW on behalf of this Iranian pastor Youcef,
who faces execution!



حلقة الصلاة هذه تدعو جميع المسيحيين للعمل الآن من أجل هذا الراعي الإيراني الذي يواجه عقوبة الإعدام! فلم يكن الراعي يوسف أبداً مُمارساً للإيمان الإسلامي وتحول إلى المسيحية في عمر 19 سنة ثم أصبح راعياً. ولكن أصدرت المحكمة حكمها أنه بما أن الأبوين مسلمين فلابد عليه أن يترك إيمانه المسيحي وإلا الموت. وهو قد رفض إلى الآن فعل هذا أمام ساحة القضاء – ومُعرض ل تنفيذ حكم الإعدام فيه في أي لحظة. وكثيراً ما تتصرف المحكمة العليا الإيرانية بسرعة في تنفيذ عقوبة الإعدام. ووفقاً للتقارير، عندما طلب منه القُضاة "التوبة". أجاب يوسف: "التوبة، إلى ماذا أعود بتوبة؟ أإلى التجديف الذي كنت عليه قبل إيماني بالمسيح؟

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani never practiced the Muslim faith and converted to Christianity at age 19, becoming a pastor later. But the courts say that since his mother and father were practicing Muslims, he must recant his Christian faith or die. So far, in three court appearances, he has refused to do so - RISKING EXECUTION AT ANY MOMENT. The Iranian Supreme Court often acts quickly in administering the death penalty.

فأجاب القضاة: "إلى دين آبائك وأجدادك – الإسلام." فأجابهم يوسف قائلاً: " لا أستطيع."
إنه وقت لجسد المسيح أن يقوم للعمل والصلاة والتضرع من أجل الحياة لأخينا باسم يسوع وحتى يُنقذ عبده.
هذا ما نطلبه منك. وبمجرد وصول هذه الرسالة لك صلٍ في الحال. وارسلها إلى كنيستك حتى يُصلوا هم أيضاً وإلى كل مسيحي تعرفه لكي يُصلي هو أيضاً.
According to a report, when asked by judges to "repent,"Youcef replied: "Repent, What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?"
The judges replied: "To the religion of your ancestors - Islam." To which Yousef replied: "I cannot."
It's time for the body of Christ to act, to pray, to plead for the life of our Brother before Christ so that His servant may be spared.
يقول الكتاب: "إن كان الله معنا فمن علينا."
عبرانيين 2:13 "لاَ تَنْسَوْا إِضَافَةَ الْغُرَبَاءِ، لأَنْ بِهَا أَضَافَ أُنَاسٌ مَلاَئِكَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَدْرُونَ."


This is what you are asked/called to do. As soon as you receive this email,
PRAY IMMEDIATELY.

Forward to your Church so that they may all pray too. Then forward this PRAYER REQUEST to every CHRISTIAN you know so that they may pray also.

The Bible States , "If God is with us, who can stand against us."

With God All Things Are Possible

From a Muslim Extremist to a Follower of Christ

An Invitation from Spiritual Life - Ministry 2 World

Rev. Hicham Chehab will share his life story in a powerpoint presentation and answer any question on Monday Feb. 13 at 7:00 pm

at Concordia Chicago, Koehneke Community Center, River Forest Room.

7400 Augusta St
River Forest IL ,

All Are Welcome

Salam on Mosaic Dupage

Pastor Hesham Shehab, originally from Lebanon, is the pastor of Salam Christian Fellowship which meets at Peace Lutheran Church in Lombard, IL Saturdays at noon.

Hesham tells how he began his ministry to Muslims in Chicagoland: “Just around Easter 2007, I bumped into a woman from Palestine in the streets of Wheaton who [had] lived most of her life in Lebanon. She was like the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well who connected Jesus with her whole town. She introduced me to the Arab neighborhood of Chicago.” Two months later he started an Arabic Bible study in a Wheaton apartment. That summer he witnessed seven baptisms of people from Iraq and Iran and then that fall started Salam Christian Fellowship.

Salam Arabic Church is now a broad evangelistic ministry to Middle Eastern immigrants in the greater Chicagoland area. Attendees experience a unique Arabic seeker-friendly church that preaches Christ crucified and contextualizes the Gospel of Jesus to those from an Islamic culture.

To learn more about Hesham’s own testimony see this video clip here:http://youtu.be/O225ekmvvLs

For more information on Pastor Hesham’s ministry see: http://clmma.org/

Cristian Life, Rethinking Ministry to the Poor

"When our culture traded front-porch neighborhood life for private backyards patios, when we succumbed to the seduction of individualism and lost touch with our next door neighbors, a void was created in the spirit of our people that chat rooms cannot fill. The commuting church with its scattered members buzzing in and out of the neighborhood, is one more troubling reminder of what we have lost. A community starved society, by its protests, is calling the Church back to its historic mandate: to be the exemplar within the community of both love of god and love of neighbor." - Paul Lupton

Michigan Federal Judge Denies Dearborn’s Request to Dismiss Our Civil Rights Case

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012
Michigan Federal Judge Denies Dearborn’s Request to Dismiss Our Civil Rights Case
Dearborn police threw us in jail for having a peaceful discussion with Muslims at a public festival. They also took us into custody two days later for attempting to distribute copies of the Gospel of John outside the festival. The police seized our cameras for nearly a month and filed false police reports, while the mayor waged a smear-campaign against us. The city of Dearborn then had the nerve to try to have our civil case thrown out of court, arguing that police had "probable cause" to arrest us! Fortunately, our lawyers do not know the meaning of "sleep," and the judge saw through the city's attempt.

MICHIGAN--A U.S. District Court Judge in Detroit, Michigan denied the City of Dearborn’s request to dismiss the civil rights claims brought by several Christian missionaries arising out of their arrests by City police officers in 2010. The Christians were arrested by City police officers while preaching to Muslims at the City’s Arab Festival. The Christians spent the night in jail and were then charged and tried for “breaching the peace.” American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) Senior Counsel Robert J. Muise won acquittals from a jury for all the Christian defendants at the conclusion of the criminal trial.

Following the acquittals, Muise, along with AFLC Senior Counsel David Yerushalmi, filed a 96-page civil rights lawsuit against the City, its mayor, John B. O’Reilly, its chief of police, Ronald Haddad, 17 City police officers, and two executives from the American Arab Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Acts 17 Apologetics, Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, David Wood, Paul Rezkalla, and Josh Hogg—the Christians whose rights were violated by the City officials. [Read more about this lawsuit and watch the stunning videos of the arrests of the Christians here].

Muise commented, “The judge’s ruling today is a huge victory for these Christians. It allows the civil rights claims for the most egregious constitutional violations to proceed against the City and its officials. AFLC is committed to ensuring that our Constitution and not sharia law, which makes it a crime to preach the Gospel to Muslims, is the supreme law in this country.”

In their motion, the City had argued that the state court judge’s finding in the criminal proceeding that the police officers had probable cause to arrest the Christians based on a complaint from festival worker Roger Williams effectively immunized the City of Dearborn and the individual defendants from civil suit. Muise and Yerushalmi, on behalf of the Christians, countered by arguing that the ruling does not preclude the civil rights claims because it was based upon fabricated allegations and besides, the Christians did not have a full and fair opportunity to challenge the claims in the police reports prior to the ruling. The federal judge agreed with the AFLC attorneys.

In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III, stated, “It is a reasonable inference from their allegations that [City officials] knew Williams’ complaint was pretextual.” The federal judge noted that “[t]he indirect evidence of this conspiracy that was developed in state court and is already a part of the record in this case—including the videos and the testimony given by [City police officers] at their trial—elevates [the Christians’] accusations above the threshold of plausibility. . . .” The federal judge also stated, “The [state] district judge appears to have presumed the police reports submitted were truthful, and staked his probable cause determination on that presumption. Plaintiffs had no opportunity to either cross-examine the officers or take the stand themselves to contest the reports.” The judge concluded, “Finally, the district court was inattentive to the effect Plaintiffs’ claims of First Amendment protection might have on the probable cause determination. . . . The Sixth Circuit has warned on previous occasions that Michigan’s ‘breach of peace’ statute is prone to such abuse.”

Yerushalmi concluded, “This case is a stunning example of the pernicious influence of stealth jihad and sharia law in America. The City of Dearborn is now a serial violator of Christians’ constitutional rights and has wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and costs defending its insidious conduct. Apparently, in Dearborn, where sharia and jihad are advocated openly, it is a crime to preach the Christian Gospel. AFLC is committed to stopping this attack on our Constitution. And the ruling today allows us to do just that.”

The American Freedom Law Center is a Judeo-Christian law firm that fights for faith and freedom. It accomplishes its mission through litigation, public policy initiatives, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. Visit us at www.americanfreedomlawcenter.org.

Former Muslim Extremist now Lutheran Minister to Speak in Mesquite

Former Muslim Extremist now Lutheran Minister to Speak in Mesquite

“This is a real story of redemption,” said Pastor George Mather of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Mesquite. “From Muslim to Lutheran, sniper to minister, this is an amazing story.”

Pastor Mather was referring to a visiting minister who will be speaking at his church on March 4.

Hicham Chehab grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians and by age 13, he was recruited into a Muslim extremist group, some say the Muslim Brotherhood, in his home country of Lebanon. Lebanon was divided along sectarian lines, Christians and Muslims.

The situation was aggravated by the presence of Palestinian refugees and The P.L.O., the Palestine Liberation Organization. Chehab completed training at military training camps and took part in the civil war when it broke out in 1975.

“I participated in most aspects of the war, from shelling Christian neighborhoods to setting up ambushes for the Christian militias. I found I could not shoot people just because they weren't like us. No cause was worth the bloodshed, so I decided to focus on Muslim religious studies instead,” said Chehab.

In 1980, when he started his studies, his only brother was killed by the Christian militia. He became a sniper at night and a student during the day but one day during a class in cultural studies, he began to read the Bible. He read the Sermon on the Mount about “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” and found a turning point in his life. He began to work for peace and reconciliation.

Over the next several years, he worked as an activist and a peacemaker while continuing his study of the Christian religion. He earned a Master of Arts in the history of Arabs and did Ph.D studies in the history of Islam. He was baptized as a Lutheran in 2000.

In 2004, Chehab and his family moved from Lebanon to the United States. He began his religious studies at Concordia Theological Seminary in Indiana and started an Arabic Bible study group. In 2009, he was ordained a Lutheran minister and began as a mission pastor to Middle East communities in Chicago.

“This is part of our church’s ministry program to encourage and celebrate our faith,” said Pastor Mather. “We try to present a variety of important information to our congregation and speakers help us interpret our contemporary world through a Lutheran Christian perspective.”

Pastor Chehab currently holds services at Salam Arabic Church in Lombard, Illinois, and has a community center for outreach to people of the Middle East. Worship and Bible studies are conducted both in Arabic and Farsi and most of the congregation are from the Middle East or from Africa. Launched in 2008, his church is the first Arabic Lutheran mission group in Illinois.

“Some people may feel uncomfortable about Pastor Chebab because of his background but we feel those are the people who should come to hear him speak. Then he can be judged on what he says and what he believes not on how he looks,” said Pastor Mather. “Religion is about forgiveness.”

Pastor Chehab will be the guest speaker for the Prince of Peace Church on March 4 at 3pm at a location in Mesquite yet to be determined. The organizers want to make sure the venue will be large enough to accommodate anyone who wishes to attend. The location will be advertised the week before the event. The event is free and all donations made by check are fully tax deductible. For further information, please call the Prince of Peace Church at 345-2160.

Indina Islamic Seminary Calls for Banning Rushdie from India

NEW DELHI — Controversial author Salman Rushdie has dismissed demands by an influential Islamic seminary in India that he should be banned from entering the country to attend a literature festival later this month.

Rushdie, who was threatened with death in a “fatwa” order from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, then the spiritual leader of Iran, over his 1988 novel The Satanic Verses, is due to speak in the city of Jaipur alongside fellow writers such as Lionel Shriver and Richard Dawkins.

The Darululoom Deoband seminary, one of the world’s most important Islamic universities, is known for its conservative teachings thought to have shaped the views of some radical Islamist groups such as the Taliban.

Capital News » Rappers against Shabaab terrorism

Capital News » Rappers against Shabaab terrorism

U.S., E.U. Spearhead Islamic Bid To Criminalize Free Speech

U.S., E.U. Spearhead Islamic Bid To Criminalize Free Speech

Tunisia and Tolerance

People in Tunisia have a culture of tolerance, unlike other Arab and North African countries. This graffiti on the wall says: "The Tunisian People= Muslims + Christians+ Jews."

Finding God everywhere in Lebanon

Finding God everywhere in Lebanon
By Michael Young
Readers will forgive me if I use a personal milestone as the premise for what follows. The year 2012 marks 20 years since my return to Lebanon, after an interregnum abroad. On the occasion, what change has struck me most during this period? Without a doubt, that affecting religion.

By this I don’t mean the primacy of sectarianism, though that is certainly part of it. What I’m referring to is the pervasiveness of the outwardly devotional, of public manifestations of faith, a belief in miracles, and the compulsive recourse to God or other sacred figures in all varieties of day-to-day situations. Moreover, such religiosity seems everywhere present physically – on trinkets, lockets, wristbands, key rings, bumpers, pocket flashlights, lighters, and wherever else one can affix the image of a saint or a Quranic verse.

Religion is, or should be, a private matter. Yet what is so startling is that the Lebanese today routinely wear it on their sleeve, literally and figuratively. They mechanically assume that if they mutter a religious invocation, that their interlocutors will respond in kind. And many do. Stranger still, it is the young who are the most dedicated. Where one would assume that youths are impatient to cut loose from religious tradition, in Lebanon they are the ones holding the trenches.

The phenomenon is disturbing. To believe in God is one thing, and it is a right no less meriting of protection than the right to religious unbelief. However, it often appears that the rise in overt Lebanese religiosity, like the rise in sectarian polarization, is one consequence of the breakdown of confidence in the state and its social contract.

If so, the issue we’re addressing perhaps has less to do with religion as such than with the particulars of identity. Among Christians, for instance, there is a palpable connection between explicit examples of religiosity and a sense of communal decline. When you feel yourself to be on the ropes, the natural reflex is to reaffirm your presence by whatever means possible, even if it means overdoing things.

I still recall walking into a bank one day and watching a young trainee teller as she went through the steps of verifying my check. The girl, she must have been 22 at most, was a movable reliquary. She wore a large rosary around her neck and religious strings around her wrist, alongside a smaller rosary doubling as an elastic bracelet. I may have caught sight of the Immaculate Conception on a chain as well.

The teller was hardly to be blamed for her convictions. Yet I wondered at how developed must have been the inner sanctum inhabited by this girl, and how this somehow represented a loss for Lebanon as a whole. When youths of any sect bury themselves in the depths of a creed, that is in one measure because they are unwilling, or more likely unable, to have a say in the world outside – in the republic.

This contrasts sharply with attitudes among an older generation of Lebanese, those who were in their 20s during the 1970s. In that first decade of the Civil War, secular ideologies still held meaning. Sect was important and militiamen flaunted their religious artifacts. But back then they still seemed to be fighting over the state, over something tangible: their version of what they regarded as an ideal polity. For many Lebanese in their 20s nowadays, once they manage to transcend their cynicism, the ideal polity, typically, is abroad.

Not surprisingly, political and religious leaders have facilitated the Lebanese retreat to religion. On the one hand, religion provides sectarian leaderships with a fine instrument to impose unanimity behind their authority; on the other, the alienation Lebanese feel from public matters means politicians are left unchallenged.

The clergy has been no better. More religion makes them more relevant, but also bolsters their much-inflated influence. Priests and sheikhs can only applaud when their flocks fall back on the outer trappings and paraphernalia of the faith, as opposed to the spirituality purportedly at its core. For it is the churches and the mosques that administer the public facets of devotion, lending them legitimacy. Yet there is an irony. Few Lebanese are naïve about the corruptions of their religious institutions. Rarely have clerics been as mistrusted, as blatantly enslaved to the worldly. And yet they still enjoy obedience.

If the Lebanese aspire to a better future, they will have to break out of their sectarian islands and closeted religious mindsets. Religion will remain a defining feature of Lebanon, the secular notwithstanding. But whatever the rewards of religion, when religiosity is emphasized in a mixed sectarian society, it becomes a medium of demarcation or separation. Identity politics can be divisive politics, just as a surfeit of religious ostentation conceals deeper insecurities. In the framework of unstable states, these hinder a consensus over coexistence.

Many will disagree with this assessment, so essential to their life is religion, precisely because the Lebanese state has let them down. It’s a vicious circle, no doubt. However, then we might refer back to that phrase about the necessity of rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. On this earth, let’s attend to what is Caesar’s, and those who want to deal with God will have an eternity to do so.

Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR and author of “The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle” (Simon & Schuster). He tweets @BeirutCalling.


Copyrights 2011, The Daily Star - All Rights Reserved
05/01/2012

Short Testimonial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O225ekmvvLs&feature=youtu.be

Where Baby Jesus Hid

This is the place where Mary and Joseph are believed to have hidden in Egypt.