I hope you all don't mind a christain responding to this. I don't know very much about your faith but what i do know I would like to comment on. I also do not understand what it means to have a locked forum.

People fight using the name of God and sometimes it is just. But many times it is not. I don't personally understand why the big deal about Isreal but I do know wht God says. He really doesn't mind who lives there but it was promised to Abrahams son, Issac. I have a muslim friend who says Ishmael is the proper son.
Either way, Ishmael got Persia, right? So, what is the problem? God gave him the land, the many princes that would be his decendants, the prophecies of Daniel in his house and all that freaking oil! Whatever.
I think we all have something nutty to fight about.
As for Paul and Babylon. Hold up. Persia is the cradle of babylon. It is very historical. The 3 wise men came from there, they knew about Jesus and brought him gifts and called him king. It is going to be a great and interesting part of our future. Any place Gods presence resides is a holy place.
Another thing. I hate that we had to go over there, but we had to. How could we stand by and let that idiot kill his own innocent people?The Butcher of Bagdad, duh! He should have been shot on site. Strange thing is he will get a fast and fair trial unlike those he shot, threw in a hamburger grinder hung, ect... not trying to be rude but the people of iraq deserve everthing that is good. They have been tortured long enough.

Most muslims are cool. But I must say this. If the quran says that Jesus is a prophet then everthing he says must be true.
Well, didn't he say to believe in Him and you would be saved?
I will never be a muslim basher so don't think I am being one now. But...I beleive in dying for what you beleive in but I don't understand the concept of killing others to score yourself into heaven. Do you know your quran because it is very violent one moment and very love your neighbor the next. Please respond as I would like to know.

I believe christains are persecuted because the devil hates them as much as he hates the jew. Why else would he make it his goal to kill hebrew boys 2x in the bible (really more) and many times in history. The devil hates and fears the name of Jesus because God prophesies that the seed of a woman would crush his head. He knew that to be Jesus. So we are very human and sometimes to pushy. But we know that time is short for all of us and it won't be long before Jesus returns to take the faithful home with HIm. So we don't want anyone left behind.

Let me know what you think!
Brendalee

Alot of people ask that question about those who never had a chance to know Jesus and they die- where do they go? I learned along time ago that God gives us clear indications of His presence. The whole of creation to start with. I believe that in todays world most people have the availabilty to know Christ. But for those who don't Godmeasures the faith of those who are faithful to what they do know. One who prays and seeks the truth will find it. Do you know that it many muslim countries that Jesus is appearing to muslims in their dreams and they are comeing to a saving knowledge of christ.

Yes, alot of people suffer and starve and meet very terrible deaths. Well, all of this began when sin began and we started making alot of wrong decisions. We don't eat what is good for us and we breathe fumes that other of ourselves have created and we get diseases. We get drunk and drive into innocent people and kill them( decision a person made, not God) Whole countries starve because they beleive a cow is sacred and they feed thousands of them instead of eating them. They don't know how to farm because they need other people like you and me to give time, money or knowledge to plant or provide water. They drink nasty water tht makes them sick and they die because we don't do anything to help. Yes, there are folks in our own backyard that need help too, but some people are called by God to go and help those others who don't know Him. These same people also have achoice wether or not to do what they need to do. See people choose. Don't blame God. Yes, He can fix it. Let's just say that with one word, He did.
Okay, Millions of people who don't know him would say that their gods did it or maybe it was an evolutionary leap, or man is so wonderful that we don't need God.
If you are lost at see, don't you hope for a light house to show you they way home? In that same manner if allthings great or small point to God and He gets the Glory for it do you not think that He would show you the safest way home?

If there would be only one faith, then there would be no reason to argue about anything. We couldn't argue right or wrong, good or evil, heaven or hell. Sounds very unitarian/universalist to me. That is what my brother is. I am currently a member of the Assembly of God in Saraland, Alabama. My background is Presbyterian(can't spell that!), Baptist, Quaker, Methodist, Lutheran, Covenant, and Churchof God. So there are many doctrinal issues that I could argue with myself about. Or, I could call every former pastor, reverand or whatever and have a very long heated discussion about all the differences just in the christain faith.

I didn't bother reading all the long comments just now but I will when I get finished with this commentary of my own.

I believe the one thing the devil loves is to cause confusion. He is the author of confusion and that is one of the names he holds. On the other hand the Word says that Jesus is the author and the Finisher of our faith.

Another thing is that why would the devil cause trouble for people who are not doing the right thing? They are not messing up his plans! So if somebody is Hindu and somebody else is buddhist then they are not interfereing with what the devil is doing. But if you notice, anyone who spouts the name of God or more especially, Jesus, they are under constant persecution. They have to meet in private underground places in many countries. and many are shot.

The biggest differences that cause quarreling amoung faiths are the name of God or Jesus and the ignorance of people who blindly follow their leaders without researching their own religion. Check out the history of the reformation of the church. Martin Luthor (not King) was a catholic who discovered that at that time, the church was very evil. The folks at the top were so intent on being at the top, that they would not even allow the peasants to read or even own a bible. They taxed them and stole their lands ect... Martin Decided after much prayer and fasting, to translate the bible into several different languages and to offer them to the people. Read the rest for yourself, it is great reading. Anyway, I'm saying it is foolish of anyone to just believe what they are taught. Back it up with the word. Do your own research. There is a book called "Evidence that demands a Verdict" It is one of those atheists that tried to prove the bible wrong and discovered truth.

You see, faith doesn't cause arguements, religion does. Do we not fight in our daily lives even about mundane things that we do differently from each other? So and so, homeschools, somebody else sends their kids to private school and others go to public school. We can sit here and argue the good and bad about each of them until we are blue in the face. But the chances of ever changing somebody elses mind are pretty slim.

All you need to know is this. Jesus said,"I Am the way the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except by ME."
So, talk to Him about it.