|
The Challenge of Islam to Christians (six tapes)THE CHALLENGE OF ISLAM TO CHRISTIANS Is it is true that Islamic extremists give a false view of Islam? Is it really a peaceful religion which is being given a bad press in the West? Why is Islam the fastest growing religion? What is the Islamic agenda for the West and for Britain? David Pawson spoke at Waverley Abbey House on these issues last July and I think these six tapes are the recordings of that day. You may not agree with everything, but every Christian should listen to their message. Pawson is blunt. He hopes he is wrong but he believes that Islam will take over Britain. Why should this be taken seriously? In the first two tapes our speaker outlines the tremendous spiritual vacuum within Britain at the present time. The present decadence and secularism will lead to a backlash, and Islam is waiting in the wings. Though Mr. Pawson explains that Islam is a totalitarian and territorial faith, he particularly recommends Patrick Sookhdeo's booklet A Christian's Pocket Guide to Islam (Christian Focus), as a good overview of the religion. It has great appeal to ordinary people. Islam is both a simple religion (of works) to understand, comparatively straightforward to practice and it is a religion for men. The church is perceived as having become weak, unclear as to its message, decadent and feminised. Why would God allow Britain to become an Islamic country? It might seem impossible, but this is clearly the stated agenda of Islamic leaders in Britain. David Pawson sees it in terms of God's judgement. He likens it to the prophet Habakkuk, who found it inconceivable that the Lord would allow the Babylonians to take over the promised land, yet it was the plan of God to chastise his people. Though many ordinary Muslims are peace-loving people, the Qur'ran encourages jihad and the Muslim is to strive for world domination. Born into the faith, frequently Muslims are not aware of what the Qur'ran actually teaches on this. Islam often presents a peaceful face when it is a minority in a country, but is something much more strident once it is in power. Mr. Pawson believes that Britain and especially London are seen as the gateway for the Islamic take-over of Europe. Is this the reason why as yet there have been no major Islamic terrorist attacks on the British mainland? How can Muslims offer themselves as suicide bombers? The good Muslim is to confess that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet, to pray five times a day, to give to the poor, to fast during Ramadan and, if possible, to go on pilgrimage to Mecca. But doing all these things in no way guarantees salvation. Allah may have mercy, but he may not. However, there is one certain path to paradise and that is to die in jihad. Not only is such a martyr guaranteed heaven, but they can choose 70 of their family to go too! The last three tapes pick up on the things the church needs to do. Pawson perceives the church as weak in the three areas of reality, relationship and righteousness. By reality, he means, we must get a firm grasp of the fact that Christianity is the truth - not just an opinion. By relationship, he means that Christians must cultivate a deep personal walk with the Lord that we might be ready for troubled times. By righteousness, he means not only are we saved by the imputed righteousness of Christ, but we have been saved for living righteous lives before God as he imparts the power of his Spirit. In all this there is an excellent emphasis on the centrality of the Trinity. The tapes are at one level very easy to listen to, but of course at another level highly disturbing. Some may find Pawson's analysis too depressing, but we do well to heed his message. Mr. Pawson is certainly not the only Christian leader to be sounding this warning. JEBJohn Benton© Evangelicals Now - December 2002 |