Outcry against move to convert US Muslims
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_3-6-2003_pg7_6
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: Recent reports that some evangelists Christians are intent on converting Muslims to Christianity have triggered a spate of letters in the country’s most influential newspaper, the New York Times.
One Muslim correspondent from New Jersey, Norain A Siddiqui writes in the paper’s Monday issue, “A campaign to convert all Muslims is not only a sweeping generalisation that all Muslims are evil but also an egregious insult to the millions who believe and follow the message of peace that Islam is based on. Society, as a whole, needs to move away from ‘conversion’ and redirect itself toward open-minded dialogues with patience, time and tolerance. Only with these slow steps will religions be on the tranquil path to respecting one another and thriving off each other’s diversity.”
Rudolph D Gonzalez, director of Interfaith Evangelism of the Southern Baptist, Georgia writes, “I take issue with your characterisation of our efforts as including ‘vituperation’. Southern Baptists have historically championed the rights of all people to believe and practice as their consciences dictate. We reject all methods of evangelism that involve coercion, bribery or threat. Though we may disagree with Islam in its essential doctrines, our missionaries do not regard Muslims as ‘evil’ people. Southern Baptist medical missionaries and relief workers have demonstrated nothing but unconditional love for Muslim people. In the last year, that love cost several of them their lives. We affirm that Muslims, like all people, are in need of the love and forgiveness that Jesus Christ provides. Thus, we are compelled to share that love in both word and deed.”
Phyllis Andrews from Delaware tells the newspaper, “As a Christian, I was disturbed by your front-page article about evangelical Christians aiming to convert Muslims. I am a Christian and I would ask evangelical Christians not to take my religion and radicalise it and force it upon others. Trying to convert Muslims to Christianity will worsen the current world situation by inflaming moderate Muslims and forcing both religions to become more radical. Evangelical Christians need to respect all the great religions of the world and understand that theirs is not the only way.”
A Pakistani-American S Izaz Haque from Massachusetts writes, “My religious education, growing up in Pakistan in the 1960s and 70s, taught tolerance for other faiths, especially ‘people of the Book,’ by Quranic injunction. Many in evangelical Christianity evidently do not share this lesson. They cannot understand the love that Islam breeds in Muslims for their religious tradition. For a Muslim to ‘embrace Jesus’ is in itself a fallacy, Muslims already embrace Jesus as a prophet. Why, then, would a Muslim turn to another faith, especially Christianity, to complete his religious experience?”
Jeanne Badeau Barnett, who introduces herself as the daughter of missionaries who served for a quarter of a century in Iraq and Egypt says, “I am saddened and repelled by the arrogant and aggressive posture toward Islam expressed by some fellow American Christians. Ascribing ‘evil’ only to Islam and ‘good’ to Christianity distorts history, ignoring the inexpressible horrors carried out by various Christians on the basis of their religious views and biblical interpretation. Furthermore, Islam offers comfort, serenity and rules to live by for millions of gentle Muslims who treasure and honour their belief by leading godly, righteous and deeply faithful lives. I have known many such people. So let’s cease the self-righteous bellowing and get on with the real task of service to all of humankind. That is the real missionary spirit.”