Muslims to journalists: "Convert or Die!"

The Trumpet ^ | August - 29 - 2006

[PRePublic]

Muslims to journalists: "Convert or Die!"

Convert or die. That is the message that Muslim terrorists sent by freeing two kidnapped journalists only after they “converted” to Islam on videotape at the point of a gun. The International Herald Tribune reported,

The two journalists from Fox News—Steve Centanni, 60, an American, and Olaf Wiig, 36, a freelance cameraman from New Zealand—were held for 13 days in an abandoned garage in the Gaza Strip as hostages of a previously unknown group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades.

“I’m really fine, healthy, in good shape and so happy to be free,” Mr. Centanni told Fox News. He said the two were forced at gunpoint to say that they were converting to Islam and took Muslim names.

“I have the highest respect for Islam,” he said. “But it was something we felt we had to do because they had the guns, and we didn’t know what … was going on.” …

Centanni said that the men were forced to make videotapes decrying American policies and converting to Islam.

The event made for an interesting photo op, as Hamas leader-turned Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniya posed with the journalists after having asked their captors to release them.

But this feel-good moment has a sinister undertone, impossible to ignore: We live in an age when the fastest-growing religion on Earth includes a mushrooming contingent of adherents who are determined to spread their faith through medieval methods.

Convert or die is hardly a new message; it has been employed by religions in spurts throughout the ages. Sadly, those spurts represent the bloodiest chapters of human history.

To this point, the response from those being so blackmailed has been no more confrontational than that of these journalists, who simply did exactly as they were told. However, we can expect that in short order, Western resistance—particularly within continental Europe—will solidify. Evidence of a coming backlash is already building. 

[Victoria Delsoul]

The media said they renounced their conversion to Islam, but neither Centanni nor Wiig actually said it. That's why there's no video of it, as the only video upon their release is the one I posted (post #28,) where they both praised the Palestinians and said nothing about renouncing Islam.

If “We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint. Don't get me wrong here. I have the highest respect for Islam,” means renouncing to Islam... I have an island to sell you for 100 bucks.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Forgot to ping you to post #41.

[Victoria Delsoul]

So why didn't they say it clearly and without the BS.... "I have the highest respect for Islam, don't get me wrong stuff?"

[sinkspur]

You are wrong. He blew off his conversion by stating that it was forced.

[HungarianGypsy]

My husband and I talked about this last night. He made a great point. As a Christian it is believed if we die we will go to Heaven. If you are killed you will go to Heaven where there is no worry of terrorists with guns. If you convert, you will still have terrorists holding guns on you.

[Victoria Delsoul]

And you are right, happy now? LOL!

Good talking with you, Sink.

[sinkspur]

So why didn't they say it clearly and without the BS.... "I have the highest respect for Islam, don't get me wrong stuff?"

Because there are other journalists working in Islamic countries and he makes nice rather than slam Islam.

But he clearly will not be a Muslim any time soon.

[Victoria Delsoul]

But he clearly will not be a Muslim any time soon.

I know he won't. I didn't think they will, but that's not the point here.

Because there are other journalists working in Islamic countries and he makes nice rather than slam Islam.

Like the terrorists care about that, lol. They have beheaded liberal journalists who sided with them before.

[sinkspur]

I know he won't. I didn't think they will, but that's not the point here.

The point is that a lot of otherwise thinking people on this forum have wedgies over a phony conversion. It never happened. The Catholic Church states that a forced conversion is no conversion.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Are they Catholics?

[sinkspur]

Doesn't matter. ANY forced conversion is no conversion, since it does not involve a free choice.

[JCEccles]

Convert or die is hardly a new message; it has been employed by religions in spurts throughout the ages. Sadly, those spurts represent the bloodiest chapters of human history.

No they don't. Not even close. State sponsored atheism murdered more than 200 million in the first 90 years of the 20th Century alone. That's more than all the so-called "religious" wars combined killed in the preceeding 2000 years.

[Victoria Delsoul]

So the Catholic Church says that it's OK to lie, and Jesus tells us that it's OK to lie. And to think the apostles considered it an honor to die in the name of Christ instead of denying Him.

But that's another story...

[MissAmericanPie]

Convert or die? I'm sure this is no big leap for the main stream media, they have so much in common with radical Islam as it is. As for the Hollyweird crowd I wonder what new Islamic name Bill Maher will choose...Wild Bill MoHAMmed?

[sinkspur]

So the Catholic Church says that it's OK to lie, and Jesus tells us that it's OK to lie. And to think the apostles considered it an honor to die in the name of Christ instead of denying Him.

There is no conversion to Islam by either of these men, so there was no reason for them to die. They said what they said at the point of a gun.

And the apostles and martyrs were not being forced to convert to anything; they were given a choice to renounce Christ or die. They chose death, and a few even chose the manner of death.

In no way comparable to this circumstance.

[Victoria Delsoul]

There is no conversion to Islam by either of these men, so there was no reason for them to die. They said what they said at the point of a gun.

Maybe I haven't been clear. They announced their “conversion” on videotape that was televised, for everyone to see. I think their conversion wasn't sincere, but that's not the point. I think you are smart to know that.

However, in the time since they made the tape (admittedly under duress,) my question is, why didn't they expose the terrorists for what they are and tell the world, after their freedom was secured, that their introduction to Islam was a sham and a false religion and they clearly renounce it?

Your explanation, which I know very well that they had a gun to their heads thus they renounced to Islam doesn't cut it in the Arab world. It looks like the terrorists won big time. Get it?

Good night. I'm playing tennis tomorrow.

[sinkspur]

Your explanation, which I know very well that they had a gun to their heads thus they renounced to Islam doesn't cut it in the Arab world. It looks like the terrorists won big time. Get it?

The Arab world knows these "conversions" were phony too.

[Victoria Delsoul]

The Arab world knows these "conversions" were phony too.

What makes you think so?

Invalidating an Islamic conversion under duress is meaningful to us westerners, but means nothing to the the Arab world. The history of Islam is full of forced conversions practiced routinely in accordance with the Koran for over thirteen centuries, not just in the Arab world, but Islamic conversions throughout the world. It's a valid conversion to them as the Koran is full of verses and quotes about how to make mincemeat of infidels who don't submit to Islam.

The Hadith, which is a compilation of books related to Muhammed, just as the Gospel is to Jesus, tell us that forced conversions are acceptable and indeed valid:

Some quotes from the Hadith relating to forced conversions:

"I have been ordered to fight the people till they say 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah' And whoever says: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' waves his wealth and his life from me unless he deserves a legal punishment lusty, and his account will be with Allah."
--pp. 16-17 (Azharite]

"If a Protected Person [Dhimmi] is forced to convert to Islam, his conversion is valid. If a Harbi [non-Muslim alien] is fought against and converts to Islam - it is valid... If the [same] Dhimmi returns [to his former religion], he is not killed [like an ordinary apostate], but imprisoned until he converts to Islam [again], because there is doubt regarding his belief [when he was forced to convert]. There is a possibility that it [i.e., his forced conversion] was sincere, so he is to be killed as an apostate. It is [also] possible that he did not believe [in Islam while having been forced to convert] and then he [should] be a Dhimmi and shall not be killed."
--pp. 168 (Azharite)

"A female apostate is not to be killed [unlike the case of a male apostate]. She should be imprisoned and beaten every day until she becomes a Muslim [again]. It means that Islam should be offered to her and if she refuses it, she should be flogged. Then Islam should be offered to her [again] and if she refuses it, she should be imprisoned. And there is a version according to which she should be taken out every day and beaten as we have described, because it is not permissible to kill her. She has committed a gruesome crime that has no fixed punishment [hadd] for it, so she is punished by a non-fixed punishment [ta'zir], that is - beating and imprisonment."
--pp. 371 (Azharite)

And now, let's also see what the Koran has to say about forced conversions, shall we?

“Those who reject Faith,- neither their possessions nor their (numerous) progeny will avail them aught against God: they are themselves just fuel for the Fire.” -- Koran 3:10

“O you who believe, if you revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in your place people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be kind with the believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame. Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.” -- Koran 5:54

If you want to see many more quotes about how to fry an infidel who doesn't submit to Islam, please be my guest.