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ialmisry
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« on: September 11, 2008, 12:08:58 AM » |
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Please pray for the ministry of this Orthodox Servant of the Lord, and that no one collects the bounty on his head. Though he is little known in the West, Coptic priest Zakaria Botros — named Islam’s “Public Enemy #1” by the Arabic newspaper, al-Insan al-Jadid — has been making waves in the Islamic world. Along with fellow missionaries — mostly Muslim converts — he appears frequently on the Arabic channel al-Hayat (i.e., “Life TV”). There, he addresses controversial topics of theological significance — free from the censorship imposed by Islamic authorities or self-imposed through fear of the zealous mobs who fulminated against the infamous cartoons of Mohammed. Botros’s excurses on little-known but embarrassing aspects of Islamic law and tradition have become a thorn in the side of Islamic leaders throughout the Middle East. Botros is an unusual figure onscreen: robed, with a huge cross around his neck, he sits with both the Koran and the Bible in easy reach. Egypt’s Copts — members of one of the oldest Christian communities in the Middle East — have in many respects come to personify the demeaning Islamic institution of “dhimmitude” (which demands submissiveness from non-Muslims, in accordance with Koran 9:29). But the fiery Botros does not submit, and minces no words. He has famously made of Islam “ten demands” whose radical nature he uses to highlight Islam’s own radical demands on non-Muslims. The result? Mass conversions to Christianity — if clandestine ones. The very public conversion of high-profile Italian journalist Magdi Allam — who was baptized by Pope Benedict in Rome on Saturday — is only the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, Islamic cleric Ahmad al-Qatani stated on al-Jazeera TV a while back that some six million Muslims convert to Christianity annually, many of them persuaded by Botros’s public ministry. More recently, al-Jazeera noted Life TV’s “unprecedented evangelical raid” on the Muslim world. Several factors account for the Botros phenomenon. A third reason for Botros’s success is that his polemical technique has proven irrefutable. Each of his episodes has a theme — from the pressing to the esoteric — often expressed as a question (e.g., “Is jihad an obligation for all Muslims?”; “Are women inferior to men in Islam?”; “Did Mohammed say that adulterous female monkeys should be stoned?” “Is drinking the urine of prophets salutary according to sharia?”). To answer the question, Botros meticulously quotes — always careful to give sources and reference numbers — from authoritative Islamic texts on the subject, starting from the Koran; then from the canonical sayings of the prophet — the Hadith; and finally from the words of prominent Muslim theologians past and present — the illustrious ulema. Typically, Botros’s presentation of the Islamic material is sufficiently detailed that the controversial topic is shown to be an airtight aspect of Islam. Yet, however convincing his proofs, Botros does not flatly conclude that, say, universal jihad or female inferiority are basic tenets of Islam. He treats the question as still open — and humbly invites the ulema, the revered articulators of sharia law, to respond and show the error in his methodology. He does demand, however, that their response be based on “al-dalil we al-burhan,” — “evidence and proof,” one of his frequent refrains — not shout-downs or sophistry. More often than not, the response from the ulema is deafening silence — which has only made Botros and Life TV more enticing to Muslim viewers. The ulema who have publicly addressed Botros’s conclusions often find themselves forced to agree with him — which has led to some amusing (and embarrassing) moments on live Arabic TV. Botros played the key role in exposing this obscure and embarrassing issue and forcing the ulema to respond. Another guest on Hala Sirhan’s show, Abd al-Fatah, slyly indicated that the entire controversy was instigated by Botros: “I know you all [fellow panelists] watch that channel and that priest and that none of you [pointing at Abd al-Muhdi] can ever respond to him, since he always documents his sources!” Incapable of rebutting Botros, the only strategy left to the ulema (aside from a rumored $5-million bounty on his head) is to ignore him. When his name is brought up, they dismiss him as a troublemaking liar who is backed by — who else? — international “Jewry.” They could easily refute his points, they insist, but will not deign to do so. That strategy may satisfy some Muslims, but others are demanding straightforward responses from the ulema. But the ultimate reason for Botros’s success is that — unlike his Western counterparts who criticize Islam from a political standpoint — his primary interest is the salvation of souls. He often begins and concludes his programs by stating that he loves all Muslims as fellow humans and wants to steer them away from falsehood to Truth. To that end, he doesn’t just expose troubling aspects of Islam. Before concluding every program, he quotes pertinent biblical verses and invites all his viewers to come to Christ Botros’s motive is not to incite the West against Islam, promote “Israeli interests,” or “demonize” Muslims, but to draw Muslims away from the dead legalism of sharia to the spirituality of Christianity. Many Western critics fail to appreciate that, to disempower radical Islam, something theocentric and spiritually satisfying — not secularism, democracy, capitalism, materialism, feminism, etc. — must be offered in its place. The truths of one religion can only be challenged and supplanted by the truths of another. And so Father Zakaria Botros has been fighting fire with fire. http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTUwY2QyNjA0NjcwMjExMzI2ZmJiZTEzN2U1YjYyZjE=&w=MA== |
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« Last Edit: September 11, 2008, 12:12:02 AM by ialmisry »
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Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; but if he did anything so that he may do it no more.
A hasty quarrel kindles fire,
and urgent strife sheds blood.
If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on it, it will be put out;
and both come out of your mouth
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SolEX01
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« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2008, 12:10:38 AM » |
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Lord, Have Mercy!
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Jakub
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« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2008, 12:35:40 AM » |
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Prayers...
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An old timer is a man who's had a lot of interesting experiences -- some of them true.
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GabrieltheCelt
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« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2008, 01:18:46 AM » |
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Lord have mercy.
I've known many Islamic firebrands who really scared me and today marks the anniversary in America which proves just how serious this threat is.
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stashko
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« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2008, 02:31:03 AM » |
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He Has My Prayers ..May God Protect him,,May his and all the guardian Angels keep watch over him,, May the mantija Of The Blessed Mother Of God cover him....Amen Amen...  |
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« Last Edit: September 11, 2008, 03:14:06 AM by stashko »
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 ГОСПОДЕ ГОСПОДЕ ,ПОГЛЕДАЈ СА НЕБА ,ДОЂИ И ПОСЕТИ ТВОЈ ВИНОГРАД ТВОЈА ДЕСНИЦА ПОСАДИЛА АМИН АМИН. |
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Αριστοκλής
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« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2008, 03:12:36 AM » |
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A "new St. Paul"?
Lord have mercy, indeed.
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"Religion is a neurobiological illness and Orthodoxy is its cure." - Fr. John S. Romanides
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orthodoxlurker
Supporter & Defender of Fr Ambrose (Irish Hermit) - banned
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al-Saabir yaraa al-Hurriyah
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« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2008, 05:45:47 AM » |
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He Has My Prayers ..May God Protect him,,May his and all the guardian Angels keep watch over him,, May the mantija Of The Blessed Mother Of God cover him....Amen Amen... |
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Curse the Pope, for he is the root and cause of these disasters! - St. Nektarios of Aegina
You don't get to circumvent your post moderation by calling out the moderators in your signature. ~Veniamin, Global Moderator
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EofK
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« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2008, 08:55:25 AM » |
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Lord have mercy!
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Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. -- Douglas Adams
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recent convert
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« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2008, 10:03:35 AM » |
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I have heard of this blessed priest elsewhere and thank you for posting this. Lord have mercy on Your brave servant Father Zakarya.
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Antiochian OC N.A.
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Heorhij
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« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2008, 10:21:11 AM » |
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Lord, have mercy! Lord, save Your people and protect Your inheritance.
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Love never fails.
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Entscheidungsproblem
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« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2008, 10:29:12 AM » |
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Lord, have mercy!
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As a result of a thousand million years of evolution, the universe is becoming conscious of itself, able to understand something of its past history and its possible future.
-- Sir Julian Sorell Huxley FRS |
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jlerms
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O sweet Jesus, cleanse my soul.
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« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2008, 10:29:27 AM » |
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Lord have mercy on your servant Father Zakarya!
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FrChris
The Rodney Dangerfield of OC.net
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Holy Father Patrick, thank you for your help!
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« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2008, 02:11:16 PM » |
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Lord have mercy!
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"As the sparrow flees from a hawk, so the man seeking humility flees from an argument". St John Climacus
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Zarabas
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We must seek out heresy within ourselves...
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« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2008, 02:34:49 PM » |
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I truly love Fr. Boutros for his intellect and faith in Christ. It was thanks to him that I came to know the Coptic Orthodox Church and explored the evidence that showed me that the Coptics do not differ in Christology from the Greeks.
In Christ, may our Lord protect Fr. Boutros for reaching out to Moslems and helping them find the true Christ.
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PeterTheAleut
The Right Blowhard Peter the Furtive of Yetts O'Muckhart
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EXTERMINATE!
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« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2008, 02:09:50 AM » |
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Lord have mercy on Your servant, the priest Zakarya.
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Myrrh23
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« Reply #15 on: September 19, 2008, 09:00:27 PM » |
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Lord, protect your faithful and dedicated servant, Fr. Butrus! May his angel keep special watch over him!
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*I am no longer posting on OC.net*
We all have a Black Dog and a White Dog inside of us. The One you feed the most eventually eats the Other.
All are tempted, but it is the courageous person who clings to God during the storm. For the Ego is a prison, but Christ is the Liberator
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Fr. George
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May the Lord bless you and keep you always!
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« Reply #16 on: December 15, 2009, 02:45:12 PM » |
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Lord, have mercy.
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"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the one who can't read them." Mark Twain
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Ordained on 17 & 18-Oct 2009. Please forgive me if earlier posts are poorly worded or incorrect in any way.
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scamandrius
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« Reply #17 on: December 15, 2009, 02:49:40 PM » |
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Lord, have mercy.
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I seek the truth by which no man was ever harmed--Marcus Aurelius Those who do not read history are doomed to get their facts from Hollywood--Anonymous What earthly joy remains untouched by grief?--St. John Damascene http://myorthodoxjourney.blogspot.com/ |
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Heorhij
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« Reply #18 on: December 15, 2009, 03:04:32 PM » |
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Lord, have mercy!
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Love never fails.
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Michał Kalina
proud Podlachian Belarusian parajournalistic engineer in spe
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OC.net's trickster
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« Reply #19 on: December 15, 2009, 04:09:18 PM » |
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Lord, have mercy!
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formerly known as mikeDespite being a Polish citizen I am not a Pole.  Long live Belarus! "It's my constitutional right!" |
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stashko
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« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2009, 04:24:35 PM » |
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Prayers , Molitve , Continues.......
Lord Have mercy ! Amen Amen......
May He continue to teach , Leed , and Guide mislead
Souls to Christ.....Lord Hear Our Prayers...Amen ....
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ГОСПОДЕ ГОСПОДЕ ,ПОГЛЕДАЈ СА НЕБА ,ДОЂИ И ПОСЕТИ ТВОЈ ВИНОГРАД ТВОЈА ДЕСНИЦА ПОСАДИЛА АМИН АМИН. |
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SamB
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« Reply #21 on: December 15, 2009, 06:12:13 PM » |
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Ialmisry, I need to get one thing straight, because nothing clear seems to come through about the matter. Is the Father formally excommunicated or is the hierarchy merely distancing itself from him and turning a blind eye (given where the both of us come from, I think you can see why we would expect so)?
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SamB
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« Reply #22 on: December 15, 2009, 06:38:14 PM » |
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Andrew21091
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« Reply #23 on: December 16, 2009, 12:59:59 AM » |
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God grant him many years!
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Gebre Menfes Kidus
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« Reply #24 on: December 16, 2009, 02:00:50 AM » |
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"Lord have mercy."
Selam
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"Salvation is free, but not easy. It is completely dependent upon the grace of God, and yet we must work it out with fear and trembling. It is given to all, but only a few find it. We are saved only by His Cross, and yet not without taking up our own." +GMK+
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jnorm888
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« Reply #25 on: December 16, 2009, 02:04:02 AM » |
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Lord have mercy!
ICXC NIKA
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"loving one's enemies does not mean loving wickedness, ungodliness, adultery, or theft. Rather, it means loving the theif, the ungodly, and the adulterer." Clement of Alexandria 195 A.D. http://ancientchristiandefender.blogspot.com/ |
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LizaSymonenko
Христос Воскрес!!! Christ is Risen!!!
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« Reply #26 on: December 18, 2009, 11:44:05 AM » |
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Lord, have mercy!
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Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.
—St. Isaac of Syria
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Jakub
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« Reply #27 on: December 19, 2009, 01:53:06 AM » |
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Prayers, may the Lord protect His servant...
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An old timer is a man who's had a lot of interesting experiences -- some of them true.
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Alveus Lacuna
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« Reply #28 on: December 21, 2009, 02:05:23 AM » |
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God protect and guide your servant, and lead the Muslims into the Church!  + AMEN AMEN! |
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