Florida Churches Denounce Anti-Islam Sign

Las Vegas Sun ^ | January 22, 2003 | AP

[Guillermo]

Florida Churches Denounce Anti-Islam Sign

ASSOCIATED PRESS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - A Baptist church's roadside sign that says Islam approves of murder has been denounced by church leaders representing worshippers around the state.

The marquee-type sign outside the First Conservative Baptist Church reads: "Jesus Forbade Murder. Matthew 26:52. Muhammad Approved Murder. Surah 8:65."

Muslims say the verse cited is not an endorsement of murder, but rather says those who believe and are steadfast in battle will overcome much larger armies.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations last week called on religious groups to condemn the sign.

On Monday, the Rev. Fred Morris, executive director of the Florida Council of Churches, which represents 3,500 congregations statewide, called Islam a sister religion and repudiated "expressions of hatred toward any person or group." The Rev. Tom Borland, president of the Interfaith Council of Jacksonville, also rejected the message.

"As a Christian, I am disappointed at this unchristian effort to disparage Islam," Borland said in statement. "Jesus never attacked other faiths."

First Conservative's pastor, Gene Youngblood, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Youngblood, who also leads the Conservative Theological Society and Conservative Christian Academy, has said he's used the sign to express the church's opinion for 15 years and has no plans to remove the message.

[Guillermo]

Any surprise that the Left Wing churches are pro-Islam?

Little do they know that their heads would roll under an Islamic regime, but knowing them, they would gladly convert before that ever happened.

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[Guillermo]

Pinging those from the other thread...update

[FreedomPoster]

Amazing how pointing out the obvious becomes "expressions of hatred toward any person or group". Truly Orwellian.

[Wallace T.]

The Florida Council of Churches is likely the state affiliate of the notoriously leftist National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches. The denominations that belong to these Councils include the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, USA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the Episcopal Church, USA, and others whose leadership has abandoned Biblical teachings and Scriptural authority in favor of secular humanism with a theistic veneer and a political agenda that ranges from limousine liberal to ranting, raving Marxist.

These "mainline" denominations are, at the leadership level, CINO (Christian in Name Only).

[Guillermo]

You got it.

The "there are many roads to God" crowd.

Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist...doesn't matter. Heaven is located at a mountaintop and there are many ways to get there.

[chachacha]

Borland said in statement. "Jesus never attacked other faiths.

Oh Really! I wonder what his rants were all about when he preached against speaking in tongues, those that force a particular day to be the Sabbath, and those that pray and confess to others, just to mention a few.

[Guillermo]

But some hatred is OK, like the hatred from the ANSWER crowd.

I'm sure some of these "church leaders" were in attendance or speaking on the platform at last weekends "peace rally".

[Guillermo]

Jesus preached against speaking in tongues? LOL, which Bible do you read?

I guess Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 flew in the face of Jesus' teachings...

< / off topic >

[chance33_98]

Church's sign has Muslims outraged -''Jesus Forbade Murder. Muhammad Approved Murder. Surah 8:65.'' the original thread for those who missed it. Thanks for the update!

[Alouette]

If a mosque had a sign that denigrated Christians or Jews, would "moderate Muslims" denounce it?

Speaking of signs, there is a huge billboard in entirely in Arabic in Detroit, on NB I-75 just before 8 Mile Road. For all I know this sign could say "KILL ALL JEWS AND CHRISTIANS!" Any Michigan Freepers here who have seen that sign and know what it says?

[chachacha]

Obviously not the same one you did. Ha, ha.

Or maybe I continued and read the second book in the bible.

I Will say no more on this subject because it's a never ending debate with some.

[Guillermo]

Well, I guess Peter, Luke, Matthew and the rest of the Apostles misunderstood Jesus.

Oh well, they were only with him everyday for 3 and a half years.

[per loin]

Can you post a clear photo of the sign.

[per loin]

I suspect that the minister slacked on his homework, as that sign quotes a fairly innoculous surah. Had he backed up a few lines in "The Spoils" (Al-Anfal) he'd have made a stronger case.

[Michael2001]

The fact that Baptists have been the only ones to speak out against Islam, has benefited us, in that we have gained many friends that have been sick of the extreme left leanings of their respective Churches.

[tessalu]

Mohammed did teach murder and killed people himself, and he told them what to do with the booty that they took from the dead. This is what I read.