The Thin Skin of Muslims

A groups of missionaries from my sister in law's church was in Gaza last year, in fact. They reported that all the typical Palestian wants to do is to be able to support his family and put food on the table. Palestinians get frustrated whenever an Muslim extremist blows up a coffee shop or the like. The border between Israel and Gaza gets closed, and the Palestinian workers, who work for Israeli bisinesses, lose their ability to make a living.

One item of interest that stuck out then was their disapointment in their own government for being ineffective in solving the problems. I can't help but wonder if that widespread disappointment contributed to Hamas' victory in the election. Just guessing out loud here.

Anyhoo, the missionaries came back with many memories, lots of pictures and videos, and some new friends.

Source? Not arguing, just curious. I know that California’s population in 2004 was 36.8, 36.1 million in 2003, and 35.6 million in 2002.

Real estate prices are supply and demand. When qualified buyers are greater than available property for sale, the price goes up. New immigrants typically don't have the credit for buy homes. Their numbers are mostly reflected in the rent prices. While rent prices have increased, the rate has been very steady, unlike home prices. To give you an indicator, I purchased my home less than a year ago for $350,000. To buy it, I sold my previous condo for 250,000, which I bought for $110,000 just two years earlier. Had I bought it a year prior, I would have paid 70,000 for it. The market seems to be leveling off now, but there is no sign of a decrease in home prices in my area.

 

The hundred thousand number came from an article about why prices are going up in other parts of the west as the califonians retire and come here.

I am sure that not all gaza folks are radicles, but the fact that they had christian missionaries in their home would suggest that they were not typical.

 

People retiring and moving from x to y is commonplace everywhere. It is not an indicator of a decline in population. It has more to do with economics of retirement. And as it is, it accounts for .03% (one third of one percent) of the state population. Hardly an accurate indicator of your claim that people are leaving the state in droves.

I was told that this was typical. The missionaries would know. Perhaps you should go have dinner in Gaza, and we will talk again.

 

If you will foot the bill we will go together.

 

Sure, why not? I've got a few frequentl flyer miles not doing anything

 

You can quibble with words all you like. We used to call that semantic engineering. But answer me a question after reading the following passage:

Isaiah 44:9-20
9. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11. Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13. The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20. He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Were these people worshipping a false god or falsely worshipping God [note verses 16, 17 in particular]?

 

I've got almost 4 weeks of vacation saved up, just say when.

 

Again, note Paul's dissertation to the Athenians. Were they worshipping a false God, or worshipping God falsely. Paul's dissertation suggests that they were worshipping God, but doing so falsely. Paul's words are pretty darned clear, and can hardly be called quibbling. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not defending Islam at all as a religion. Islam rejects the deity of Christ, and are thus in need of the Gospel message.

4 weeks?? I need to come down from my covetousness first...

 

You might try reading the entire passage from Acts:

Acts 17:29-31

29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Were these gods of gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device false gods or not?

 

I've read the whole passage many times. It's a great and encouraging passage. The bottom line: Paul suggests that the Athenians were worshipping God, but doing so falsely. That's good enough for me, and it's contextually accurate. It is therefore accurate to say that any group that worships faithfully, but ignorantly, worships God, but worships falsely. Muslims, therefore, worship God, but worship him falsely. This is consistent with Paul's words in scripture to the Athenians, and it cannot be construed as a "defense" of Islam.

 

Allah is not GOD. It is that simple!

 

JohnV – Islam does NOT worship the same god as Christians.

 

I wish I could find the video online from yesterday that showed an interview of a Muslim cleric who stated that the Danish and anyone else should change their way of life to accommodate the Muslim immigrants. Did anyone else see this?

 

Enoch, if your context is that Jews do not worship the same God as Christians, then I'd be inclined to agree with you.

However, lacking that context, Paul didn't agree with you.

Perhaps I opened a can of worms even commenting ontha topic. That wasn't the original issue, and did not mean for this thread to be hijacked. My apologies. Let us return to the topic of the OP.

 

JohnV do you believe Muslims worship the same god as Christians, yes or no?

 

I believe they (as well as any one who believes in one sole almighty God) worship God Almighty, but that they worship him in ognorance, and not in truth as set forth in scripture. Hence, they worship God falsely.

 

Fox News has the video. It’s called Cartoon Furor.

 

Blasphemy!

 

I second that. Baloney abounds on this thread.

Shame on you, Johnv.