NPR: "From all sides, Iran under siege"

Very good segment on Iran from National Public Radio right here.

BBC Movie on the Satanic Verses Affair

Islam in Europe: Muslim population in European cities

Islam in Europe: Muslim population in European cities: I was recently asked which cities in Europe have the highest Muslim percentage. The following is what I found in my research. I linked to ...

Baptizing Muslims in India

The recent St Francis Magazine (8:4, Aug 2012) has an interview between the issue editor and a veteran missionary to Muslims in India which is quite interesting. One of the questions is about how they do baptisms for new converts. Here is the question and answer:

10) Tell me about baptisms--when you baptize new believers, who does thebaptism? What sort of confession of faith do they make? Who is present?Where and how often do these take place? What does baptism mean forthem as best you can discern? 

Most of the baptisms are done by our main man although some have been done by the 19 leaders. A few have been done by me. Almost always, two people are doing the baptism. It is always done with a group of ten or more. Although the people should already know the facts, we teach about baptism once again, emphasizing faith. Their confession is that they are only trusting in Jesus for their salvation. If anyone is wearing a charm, he or she must take it off. There are about three baptism events a year; each one is planned and postponed many times before it actually happens (it’s India).

Anyway, download the issue if you want to read more. What do you think about the idea of doing group baptisms of ten or more? Why do you suppose they would have this rule? And how about making people take off their charms? Is that getting rid of superstition, or is it denying the traditions of people's culture?

Resources on Iranian Christianity

One of the most exciting movements going on in the world right now from Islam to Christianity is happening among Iranians, both in Iran and outside of Iran. The new issue of St Francis Magazine (8/4, Aug 2012) has an interesting article by Roy Oksnevad on some of the sources of disharmony among leadership in Iranian Christian churches. 

I thought I would list a few links here to other articles and books on the topic. It is not meant to be exhaustive, but for those interested these are some good resources. If you know of any additional good resources (and I mean articles and books, not just websites), please post them in the comments.

Resources on the Web:

Today's Iranian Revolution by K Markarian

The Secret World of God: Aesthetics, Relationships, and the Conversion of 'Frances' from Shi'a Islam to Christianity by D A Miller

Christian Missions in Persia (Encyclopedia Iranica) by Y Armajani

The Mission of the Iranian Church by M Hershberger

BMB Discipleship: An investigation into the factors leading to disharmony within the Iranian Churches in the diaspora by R Oksnevad

A Survey of Muslim Converts in Iran (1980) by P Cate

Iranian Diaspora Christians in the American Midwest & Scotland by D A Miller

Iranian Christianity by Abu Daoud

Some books of interest:

Ten Muslims meet Christ by W M Miller

The Unfolding Design of my World: a pilgrim in exile by H B Dehqani Tafti (autobiography)

Jumping through Fires by D Nasser (autobiography)

Trapped in Iran and Farewell to Islam by S Rabiipour (autobiography)

Iran: Open Hearts in a Closed Land by M Bradley

Christian Mission to Muslims: The Record: Anglican and Reformed Approaches in India an the Near East, 1800-1938 by L Vander Werff

Hadith on urination

Some of you are perhaps familiar with the prohibition regarding urinating facing Mecca. Here is a hadith upon which this is based:

From al Bukhari

Volume 4, Book 53, Number 334 :

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Umar

Once I went upstairs in Hafsa's house and saw the Prophet answering the call of nature with his back towards the Qibla and facing Sham.

Demographic Winter, Part I

Watch it all. I was impressed by the big names and the quality of this video. Much better than that crappy "Muslims are taking over the world" video from some time ago. I do think this also tells only half the story, since many countries (including lots of, but not all of, Muslim countries) have birthrates way above replacement level. But then again, this is only part i so maybe that will be addressed in part ii. Anyway, do let me know what you think an pass it on.

The heavens declare his glory

Amazing video here.

Marian imagery in Muslim visions

It is interesting to see how often the Virgin Mary features in dreams and visions that Muslims have which then contribute to the religious conversion. I posted on one instance of this HERE, some time ago. And I just found another one today, this time from an Iranian man named Ali Majidian:

When I finished at the university and graduated in solid-state physics, I began to study Aerospace engineering. Sometimes I went to church and studied more about Christians. 

One night I had a nightmare that I was in a desert trying to find gold. Suddenly it started to rain. I found a cave and went in. There were antique statues. Among them I found a statue of Mary, Jesus’ mother, but I saw drops of blood in her eyes. At once I understood that she cries for our sins. Suddenly I ran away and fell. Before me, I saw myself in an antique mirror. I saw myself bloody, dirty and dreadful. 

I realized that only - only - only Christ can save people. Jesus is the bridge between earth and heaven. 

I decided to become a Christian, so I went to church again for this purpose, but for some reason, the  priest there doesn’t do that.

Read his whole testimony HERE if you are interested. Also note how the priest in Iran (I guess) would not allow him to convert. This is a big problem with the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the Muslim world. One which prompted me to write my Open Letter to the Pope on Catholic Witness to Muslims. If you haven't read it yet please do. And if you agree with, print it an post it to your local Catholic bishop.

What is modernity?

Great quote here:

The essence of modernity, according to Kirk and Niemeyer, is the denial that man can know and conform to the transcendent order, and that he must therefore construct his own order, as an extension of his mind. The motto of the modern project was first uttered by Francis Bacon, who said that "knowledge is power." Later, Karl Marx would proclaim: "The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it." The political expression of modernity, of course, is the ideological regime, founded on a rigid system of abstractions which are imposed on society by force.

--Gregory Wolfe, "Beauty will save the World"

When Muslims may lie

Narrated in Sahih Muslim (English version), Chapter MLXXVII, v4, p1373,
Tradition #6303:

     Humaid b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf reported that his mother Umm Kulthum
     daughter of 'Uqba b. Abu Mu'ait, and she was one amongst the first
     emigrants who pledged allegiance to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
     him), as saying that she heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
     him) as saying: A liar is not one who tries to bring reconciliation
     amongst people and speaks good (in order to avert dispute), or he
     conveys good.  Ibn Shihab said he did not hear that exemption was
     granted in anything what the people speak as lie but in three cases:
     in battle, for bringing reconciliation amongst persons and the
     narration of the words of the husband to wife, and the narration of
     the words of a wife to her husband (in a twisted form in order to
     bring reconciliation between them).

Azeri Muslim song-writer turned Orthodox monk

Ran across this fascinating vignette of Onegin Yusif Gadzhikasimov. I always like finding obscure stories about converts from Islam to Orthodox Christianity. I should note that Islam for Onegin was probably more of a sociological category than a real lived faith, given the time period he was living in.

Anyway, read it all here in Russian or just use Google Translator to get it in English (or whatever language you like):

About Monk Simon Gadzhikasimova

Why the West should support al Assad

I have been sad to see the lame propaganda in Western media (BBC, CNN, you know) which portrays the 'freedom fighters' as great heroes. This is ridiculous. Many of them are indeed intolerant, ideological terrorists. Yes, they want to get rid of Al Assad who is a tyrannical autocrat. But he is a secular tyrant who has, more or less, let the Christians live in peace. What is the option? A nice democracy with human rights? Ah yes, like the one that Bush built in Iraq, right? I think not...

Here is the way the Middle East works folks: there is only tyranny. You can choose between secular tyranny, or Islamist tyranny. Enjoy. There is not third choice. 

Read all about it here at the IHT:

Saving Syria’s Christian community is coherent with Western strategic interests. If the experiences of Iraq and Egypt are any indication, religious intolerance breeds insecurity and volatility. The Syrian case is no different. Assad’s opponents on both sides of the Atlantic must prevent radical Islamists from embedding themselves in the Syrian opposition and should adopt a firm stance against their patrons in the Gulf.


Here is the link, read it all, and weep.