Winston Churchill on ISLAM

“How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property — either as a child, a wife, or a concubine — must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science — the science against which it had vainly struggled — the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome.”

The above was stolen from the Comments section of this post; thank to reader, don-o.

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The McPassion

… a 4-minute blast that opens with chipper children scarfing down their McPassion meals, complete with a crown of thorns and round fries that the announcer notes are “shaped just like the Eucharist.” Then there’s the McLast Supper from Burger King of Kings or the McLoaves and Fish Sticks dinner (all you can eat, while supplies last). The meals come with toys, like the pretend stigmata tattoos, a simulated leather cat of nine tails, Shroud of Turin towelettes, a kid-sized crucifix and the “cool McPassion hammer.”

The pitch ends with this call to commerce: “Buy one today! Make Jesus happy! … Alleluia, God’s lovin’ it!”

You ready?

Okay.

But, you really ought to read tmatt’s article first for it all to make [Christian] sense.

Don’t shoot me, I’m just the messenger …

Here it is: The McPassion

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The Dead (Grateful & Otherwise) On Display

I used to be quite the apocalyptic kid. Growing up, I loved the book of Revelations [sic] and End Time Prophecy Preaching. It kind of messed me up for a while. (Even Hal Lindsey had to write a few more books since the Late Great one.) These days I’m torn between the view that Apocalypticism is Intellectual Laziness and “Watch Out! Here it comes!” This story ushers me into the latter category. By the way, that’s real human innards your seeing in the picture at left. They’re on display, cadavers that is … and coming to your town. Your thoughts?

Maranatha!

But, of course, brothers & sisters, there’s always hope. Consider this story about a dead body also on display:

Medical experts in the town of Lamia, central Greece, are puzzling over the body of a Greek Orthodox monk that was allegedly found intact 15 years after his burial, the semi-state Athens News Agency (ANA) reported on Monday.

“I believe this to be a sign from God,” Bishop Nikolaos of the local prefecture of Fthiotida told a press conference in Lamia. “Even the monk’s soft parts are intact,” he added.

The story of the deceased monk, Vissarionas Korkoliakos, has raised a media stir following his recent exhumation at Agathonos monastery.

Four local doctors summoned by Church authorities were unable to explain the alleged phenomenon. A fifth expert, an Athens coroner, wrote in his report that he has never seen such a case in his entire career, ANA said.

The church had also requested an opinion from head Athens coroner Philippos Koutsaftis, who declined to examine the body as the monk’s death was not crime-related.

Hundreds of faithful are already flocking to the site where the monk’s body was disinterred, ANA reported, but the local church is currently advising self-restraint.

“We do not intend to declare (this man) a saint, or to summon people to pray before him,” Bishop Nicholaos said.

The monk’s body will be placed in isolation in the monastery chapel “to let God speak through the passage of time,” the bishop said.

Source.

Thanks to FWDs from Fr Mark Haas and Fr Miguel Grave de Peralta.

UPDATE: Regarding the previous story, Mollie’s got more at GetReligion.

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Pat Robertson & the Slippery Slope

Though sometimes kooky, always hokey, and perpetually sappy (think Katie Couric on some serious steroids), every now and then Pat Robertson deserves a hearing. Why? Because even a broken clock is right twice daily.

Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said Monday on his live “700 Club” television program that Islam wants to take over the world and is not a religion of peace, and that radical Muslims are “satanic.”

After watching a news segment about radical Islam in Europe, Robertson remarked that the outpouring of rage elicited by cartoon drawings of the prophet Muhammad “just shows the kind of people we’re dealing with. These people are crazed fanatics, and I want to say it now: I believe it’s motivated by demonic power. It is satanic and it’s time we recognize what we’re dealing with.”

He also said that “the goal of Islam, ladies and gentlemen whether you like it or not, is world domination.”

So, I ask you, Orthodox Christian (with some knowledge of Church History), what fault do you find in the above statements?

Story.

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Pomo/Emo/I-hate-my-Dad Evangelism

Think … recycled Protestant liberalism mixed in with “Jesus People”-style hip evangelical rage against authority and Sojourners-style rococo pseudo-Marxism, all through the filter of grunge coffeehouse postmodernism …

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