Jesus Camp ... Almost Speechless- Part 1

I don't know where to start on this one. This is going to end up like a rant, I can already feel it -my apologies, in advance.

Jesus Camp is an 84-minute documentary that you can't help but wish was a "mockumentary." Within minutes, I had to pause the DVD to get a pen and paper to take notes because I just couldn't keep track of my outrages. By the end of this film, I had over five pages of angering notes and quotes and a stomach that was tied in knots from my disguist. Can this really be happening in "my" America?

One of the main reasons I started this blog was because I could no longer sit idly by as ignorance spreads like wildfire. I watch the "news" in amazement most days. Bewilderment and stereotypes, veiled as facts, passed on to millions of people in this great nation only to fuel prejudice. Arabs and Islam (the two are NOT mutually exclusive by the way) set up as the enemy of America - Public Enemy #1.

Why? Because a majority of the American public perceive Arabs and/or Muslims  to be responsible for 9 -11? Really?!

I think 20 very bad people committed a horrible act. Does that really speak for approximately 375 MILLION Arabs (of which many are Christian and Jewish) or the 1.5 BILLION Muslims (of all races, nationalities, and ethnicities)? I don't think so.

Do those 20 need to be punished?  YES.

Should the terrorist groups be stopped?  YES.

How do we do that? Apparently, we should become LIKE them. Huh?

Jesus Camp focuses on the Evangelical movement/sect of Christianity in America. One of the central "characters" is Becky Fisher, a Pentecostal Children's Minister. While she calls Muslims the "... enemies..." she elaborates on how the Taliban and Al-Qaeda use children by saying that those "... camps are putting hand granades in their hands. They are teaching them how to put on bomb belts. They are teaching them how to shoot rifles ..." She goes on to say that it is an "... intense training ..." and "... that those young people are ready to kill themselves for the cause of Islam."

I disagree with her statement because Islam is not a "cause" it is a faith. One that preaches peace and ethics ... but I digress. I'll leave this issue for another day.

So these camps are, in her own words, what the "enemies" use. Yet, she goes on to say, "I want to see young people as committed to the cause of Jesus Christ as they are committed to the cause of Islam. I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the Gospel as they are over in Pakistan, Israel, and Palestine because we have, excuse me, but we have the truth."

Hmmm. Did Jesus (pbuh) teach us to mimic our enemies? To be "radical?" I must have missed that day of religious study.

One little girl says, "I feel like we're kind of trained to be warriors."

Levi, a young boy who is one of the main "characters" and wishes to be a preacher says, "A lot of people die for God and stuff. They're not even afraid."

Another little girl says, "There are missionaries and stuff and when they are about to go somewhere dangerous and stuff, people yell 'martyr, martyr.' It is really cool."

Rev. Fisher goes on to preach that "The Apostle Paul said 'make war with them ... this means war.'" The camera pans the audience of children jumping up and down, chanting, speaking in tongues, and with their young faces painted in cameoflauge - like the army. It is a chilling scene. Again, to me, no different than watching a young middle eastern kid on the news.

This isn't "brain-washing?" This doesn't sound like an Al-Qaeda camp? The Taliban? These kids want to be martyrs! They want to not fear death and think dying for the sake of God is "cool." How are they any different from the suicide bombers in the Middle East? Other than they are white and Christians living in America .... um, nothing.

They are still children and young adults, being manipulated and used as pawns in a political game of chess, in which religion is just another weapon in the over all war being waged on the board. Rev. Fisher was even quoted as saying that "... children are usable in Christianity."

"Usable."  "Warriors."  "Martyrs."  "Dying for God."  "We have the truth."

How are these words and phrases above, any different from the ones terrorist groups use?  The same terrorists we're trying to eradicate?

The answer, again, is that they are not!

To be continued ...

Jesus (PBUH) in Islam ... Part 1 of ?

"I heard the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) narrate the story of another Prophet, Jesus (PBUH), before him, whose people beat him and cause him to bleed.  Even as he wiped the blood off his face he said, "Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do!"

- Reported by Nayeem bin Mas'ud, Shaih al-Bukhari

Does this come to a surprise to most non-Muslims, that Jesus (PBUH) is recognized as a Prophet and Messenger of Islam?  In my personal experience, the answer is an astounding and deafening, YES!

If we compare the stories (as an outline) of the Prophet Jesus (PBUH) from the Bible of today and the Qur'an, there are a remarkable number of similarities.  Here are a few:

Jesus (PBUH):

- The son of the Virgin Mary

- By the grace and permission of God, cured leprosy, blindness, general illness and raised the dead

- Preached the word of God in an effort to remind people of the right path and return them to the ways and laws of Moses (PBUH)

- Spent time in the desert, being tested by the devil

- Had disciples (though the Qur'an is not specific as to how many)

- Was betrayed by one disciple (though the Qur'an doesn't name him)

- Was beaten and battered

- Faced a trial or a court

- Was "sentenced"

- Is the Messiah

- He shall return (the second coming)

- He will make his first prayer in Jerusalem upon his return and rid the world of the anti-Christ

Sound familiar?  The Qur'an even gives Jesus (PBUH) the miracles of speaking as an infant to defend his mother Mary's honor and the only prophet to know of his purpose on Earth at birth (other prophets received their "calls" later in life).

Muslims and Christians differ on the subject of crucifixion and the idea of a "Trinity" (though not all sects of Christianity have this concept).  The Islamic view is that God rose Jesus (PBUH) to heaven to "sit on the right hand of God" (as both the Bible and the Qur'an state) before the crucifixion and while a man, who resembled Christ, took his place on the cross.

If you read the Gospel of Barnabas, he states that the "face of Jesus (PBUH) turned into that of Judas" on the cross.  Interesting, no?  From my perspective, it makes more sense, given that in the Gospel of Luke the man on the cross says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  Why would Jesus (PBUH) say that of his Lord if it was all part of the plan for him to die in place of our sins?  Or, if Jesus (PBUH) is a part of God (as the trinity represents) why would he talk to himself?

Perhaps, I'm taking a very literal view of the Gospels, but these statements never agreed with me from a logical perspective.

I would love to turn this into a "discussion" ... if anyone can offer me some clarity, I would appreciate it.  Again, I feel that through education we achieve understanding and even, if in the end we do not agree with one another, at the very least we can tolerate one another's beliefs.

We are not as different as those who have the megaphones of the world would like us to believe.  Jesus (PBUH) is an extraordinary man, who is actually mentioned by name in the Qur'an to that of Mohamed (PBUH) at a ratio of 26:1!  Another surprise, no?

As always, I write with the purest of intentions.  Should there be any faults here, they are my own and do not reflect Islam or God's word.

Interfaith Prayer Service and Vigil for Palestinians

I needed to go show my support, however futile my efforts might be. Knowing that I'd feel sympathy, pain, frustration, and sadness for the state of mankind - I was dreading it.

I got into my car and ended up at a building that most people (these days) would say a Muslim wouldn't enter - a church. The interfaith service included a Rabbi, a Reverend, and an Imam. The Imam was stuck in an airport due to security issues with his name, imagine that in a post 9-11 world. The hosting Christian congregation were sheepishly asking the Arabs they didn't know, "Excuse me, are you Muslim?" They were trying to find someone to speak in place of the Imam.

"Yes, I am," I answered, "why?"

"Could you help us out? The Imam won't be able to make it. He is stuck in an airport. They won't let him fly."

I smiled sheepishly. "Isn't there anyone else? An elder?"

"We will keep asking around," he said. "But would you consider saying a few words?"

"If there aren't any other options, sure" I said.

I was nervous. Not because of speaking in public, I'd been doing that since I was in secondary school, but because my accent in Arabic, especially Qur'anic Arabic, is not perfect. I know this may seem silly, but I guess I am just a little bit shy about reciting what Muslims believe to be the actual words of God and not doing it correctly.

Another Muslim sister came to me, she was Palestinian. She was an older woman, probably in her mid to late 50's. She was short, stout, and had a kind round face - made all the more noticeable given that she wore a hijab (head scarf) and glasses. She smiled at me and said, "I'll find a verse to recite if you handle the message portion." She had an accent in English. It seems we had similar concerns.

"Is there no one else?" I asked again. "I don't feel that I am qualified to address these folks, especially given that the other speakers are a Rabbi and a Reverend."

"Do your best," she said, "that is all Allah (Arabic for God) asks of us and that is all any person can ask of you."

I felt slighly ashamed of my reluctance. "You're right sister. I will do my best."

On the program, I jotted a few notes and was thanking God that I used to compete in extemporaneous speech.

The service began, I'd say there were about 150 people in attendance. Jews, Christians, Muslims .... Arabs, Jews, Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians ... all sitting there as human beings for a common cause - to end the occupation of Palestine and the specifically the suffering in Gaza.

Time seemed to fly by and then it was our turn. The sister took the mic first, reciting this Qur'anic verse (49:13):

(translated here)

O mankind! We created you from a single pair - Of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.

"It is a beautiful verse and most relevant to our gathering today," I started my message with. I would be lying if I said I could remember, verbatim, my speech. After all, none of it was planned. What I do remember, is that I spoke about focusing on our likenesses versus our differences.

"We are all children of Adam and we are all descendants of Abraham and we're all following an Abrahamic faith. We all believe in the prophets and books of Dawood (David) and Musa (Moses) and we're all tailoring our prayers in order to be respectful and mindful of the other's in this room. We can only hope that other's outside of this church will learn from our example today. The lessons and morals that bind us, far out weigh the thoughts and practices that divide us and yet, we tend to explore our differences with a magnifying glass."

I spoke of Palestine, the American government, and having a strong voice and raising it to speak out against the human rights violations and the crimes that violate international laws and UN Security Council's laws. I spoke for freedom and the right to life, liberty, and property. I spoke from my heart and yet I tried to hold back the anger I felt - the frustration that made my voice shake as I was on the verge of tears.

I thanked those there for doing what they felt was right - for speaking their minds and hearts and for being tolerant. I thanked them for their voices and for their presence. I thanked them as my brothers and sisters in faith of the one God we all worshiped. I ended with "Assalamu Alaikum. Shalom Alahom. Peace be with you."

The Reverend spoke after me. Then we sang a hymn. Then we headed to the Israeli Embassy to protest. As I was walking out of the church, the Rabbi and Reverend stopped me to thank me for stepping up to speak. "I think you missed your calling," the Rabbi said. You were very informative and passionate but you managed to stay respectful and inclusive of the other's in the room ."

"Thank you, sir," I answered. I could feel the blush rise up to my cheeks. He smiled, "Shalom" he said. "Salaam," I answered.

One can only hope that today is just the beginning. That people will continue to try to focus on what is right and righteous in a manner that unites us as mankind versus divides us into nothing more than races and creeds and tribes.

One God. One voice. One kind. One world. We are all people of the book.

Peace be with you.