adventist/muslim relations

Both of these men were very nice, spoke in a friendly manner, and seemed knowledgeable about their subject. With about 5% of the population in Thailand being Muslim, it is important to know how to reach them, to tell them about Jesus Christ. And while some good things were taught, the main idea was definitely not.

Brother Rick gave his talk first, and he mentioned that “We are ambassadors. I don’t call someone to be a citizen of my country. If someone wants to become a citizen of my country, i must help them.” hmmmm This sounds quite foreign to what the disciples did of preaching about Jesus, and baptizing in Jesus’ name, and resolving not to do anything except uplift Jesus….

He continued with “Why develop relationships with Muslims?”
1. Build relationships of mutual understanding
A. To clear misunderstandings listen and study
B. Develop relationship of trust
C. Takes sincere dialogue and discussion
2. Socialize with people of other cultures
3. Encourage each other to submit lives to God
Be united against secularism
4. Create communities of peace between religions
5. To build up God’s kingdom

While all these are admirable, except perhaps the study the other’s religion part, there is one glaring omission.  Can you see it?  Let’s continue with what the main speaker had to say.

 Jerald Whitehouse said:

“All humans carry breath of God in them, so i should respect them.”

Then he quoted 2Tim. 2:23, 2Cor 5:17-18, Sura 29:46, and Sura 16:25.  Here’s where anyone with an open heart should have started questioning what was going on – he was placing the Qur’an on the same level as the Bible.  In fact, he made a point of telling us how much he respects the Qur’an, and showed us how he opens it carefully and lays it down carefully.  Sura 29:46 says something about not arguing with the people of the Book (meaning not to argue with Christians or Jews), and 16:25 says something about “we worship the same God you do” (meaning their Allah is the same as the Christian “God”.)  This is definitely a red-flag statement.  He then went on to say, speaking like he was a Muslim, and saying softly out to the 40-45 in attendance – “We worship the same God you do”.  I shook my head sideways.

 A while later he said that the Christian’s problems, and the Muslim’s problems could be solved if “We each get back to our books”.  I told the friend sitting next to me that the Qur’an was from Satan, so why would anyone tell people to get back to a Satanic book???  But there was general agreement, and everyone seemed happy.

 He then went into detail in explaining “Who are we as Seventh-day Adventists?”

He covered some of the early history of how our church came to be which was interesting, but his main thrust was excellent in one respect, and horrible in another.  He said we should not see ourselves as one of many Protestant denominations.  I believe that is very good advice!  He said we are a world-wide movement, encompassing all religions and all faiths.  WHAT?!  He had drawn little lines under “Catholic”, and “Protestant” with “SDA” under the “Protestant” one, and erased “SDA” and then wrote some other religions to the right side, and drew “Seventh-day Adventist Movement” with a big arc over the top of all of them.  I too believe that we must give the message to everyone, but do not believe that we must someone disconnect ourselves from our Protestant roots to do that.  I learned later why he desired us to perceive ourselves this way.

He continued, saying “I’m not Christian, I’m Adventist”.  He gave the reason for saying this  along the lines of: “Muslims ask me if i’m a Christian, but if i say yes, they will immediately pigeonhole me as someone who eats pork, drinks alcohol, is sexually loose, is a blasphemer, and who is a polytheist.  So i just tell them {I’m an Adventist}.  They don’t know what i’m talking about, so i can explain that i believe in Creation and in the soon return of Jesus.  This creates bridges of understanding.”

One man in the audience from Lebanon said that in his country SDAs don’t even use the name “Seventh-day” as that automatically gets them connected with Jews in peoples’ minds.  This statement was met with agreement all around. 

All along, i kept thinking that someone would ask some deep questions, but they never came.  The questions and comments all were along the lines of “How should i shake hands with a Muslim?”  “What if i go to their home when only the wife is at home?” etc.  These are all good questions relating to protocol, but do not come anywhere close to the heart of what is being taught to us here today – that is – that the God of the Muslims and the God of the Christians is the same.

Jerald Whitehouse continued with a few more statements that i wrote down, such as: “To defend Christianity is to deny my faith with Muslims.”  “Connect with the 2nd Advent Message.”  And “You are there to strengthen Muslim’s faith.”  After this last, blatant statement, i quit taking notes, as it was too obvious for anyone to miss anymore – This man is a Mulim convert in the heart, trying to evangelize Seventh-day Adventists!!!

I know that sounds far-fetched, but how else can it be?  Yes, of course i know he is not an undercover agent of the Muslims or Jesuits, sent to infiltrate the church.  But he has so conditioned himself, steeled himself against the facts – that Muslims deny the divinity of Jesus Christ and vehemently deny that Jesus is the Son of God, that he has succeeded in deceiving himself into believing that he does not need to CHANGE a Muslim’s faith – just “strengthen” it.  And he is open about not wanting to defend Christianity.  One example he used of not wanting to defend Christianity, is that his Muslim friends equate Christian policy with President George Bush’s foreign policy.  He laughed uproariously, as did probably 80% of the attendees.  I turned to my friend at this point and said “He is going directly against what God said to do.  God said to “Honor the king”.  How does he know but what George Bush may be directly being used by God?”  There was one other snide remark against George Bush, both of which i feel sorry that any leader of my church would ever do.  Would you like to make those remarks in the presence of the President, Jerald?  Would you like to meet them when we are all arraigned before the judgement seat of Christ in that Grand and Awful day?  Will they seem so funny then?

The meeting was drawing to a close, and still i had not made any comments yet.  I knew God has led me there to give a straight testimony, and i was hoping to make it clearly in front of all so that the core issue being raised could be addressed.  But i could not find that opportunity, and the meeting closed.  Sigh…..

When the meeting was over i quickly made my way to the front.  Expecting to see a crowd surrounding Mr. Whitehouse, i was surprised to find myself alone standing near him.  I asked: “When building relationships with Muslims, at what point do you show them from the Bible that Jesus is the Son of God?”  I held my Bible open to 1John 2:22 which says “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”  He looked at it about a quarter of a second, and said “I know about that, but what about this?”  He then took my Bible and turned to Matthew 16:13, and read to me: “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?”  He then spent 3 or 4 minutes explaining to me that Jesus didn’t go around telling people that he was the Son of God, so we shouldn’t either.  He even quoted something from Desire of Ages – around page 506-507 to bolster his case.  I answered his questions courteously, and listened, then asked how long it would take before he would tell his Muslim friends that Jesus was the Son of God.  He got a bit flustered, and made a statement that sounded to me like doing that might break the relationship, so maybe it wouldn’t be done at all.

Then i brought up the point that brought down the house.  I said: “because once they understand that Jesus is the Son of God, they will also learn that the book they thot was holy, is actually from Satan”.  WHEW!  Did that ever cause an instant reaction!  The IAEA might want to check the radioactivity it gave off!!  He got very angry, and asked in a rough voice if i came to teach him, or to learn from him.  I answered that i came to tell him the truth, and that he should repent, and tell his Muslim friends the whole truth about Jesus Christ and the Qur’an.  He was busy packing his things by now, but he stood up straight, and looked me squarely in the eyes, and said “If you say that here, i will have you thrown out.”  I replied: “I’ve read the Qur’an, and i do know that one of the main themes of the book is that Allah has no son.”  His reply? “Do you know Arabic?”  I replied that while i had studied it a bit, i do not understand it.”  His face brightened, and then he said “How can you know what it says if you can’t understand Arabic?”  Well, i admit this answer shocked me, as HE had quoted something in English from the Qur’an in HIS talk, and this “only in Arabic can really understand Allah’s words argument is exactly what the Qur’an itself says, so i said “It sounds like you are a true Muslim.”  He went back to packing his books, and one lady who had come up started to ask him something, so i got my backpack and walked out.

What do i make of it?  I believe that Jerald Whitehouse has convinced himself so deeply that the Qur’an is true, that he doesn’t care about anything the Bible says.  Notice the text again in 1John 2:22 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”  His explanation did not even touch the “denieth the Father” part at all.  In fact, in his talk, he said he specifically avoids using the term “Father” to refer to God when talking with Muslims so as not to offend them.  That is antichrist sir, not me talking, but God talking.  Please repent, and uplift Jesus Christ (not Isa!) and the FATHER.

So this is the way our church is going?  Our leaders are mocking the President of the United States for being Christian, telling us not to tell Muslims that we are Christian, that the Muslim God and our God is the same, that the Qur’an which talks about marrying 4 wives – eating camel meat – doing good things to atone for sins – that Jesus didn’t die on the cross – to fight for Allah and slay all the idolators – that this book is describing the same God we Christians serve?!?!  That somehow the Catholics and Protestants are horrible warmongers and the Muslims are peace-loving victims?  I will not believe it, and hoping that no one else will be deceived either is the reason i put this information on the internet.

I walked with 2 attendees out to the main road to the bus stop.  One of them said she is interested now in purchasing a Qur’an.  The other one said “well…maybe we can use some good things out of the Qur’an to lead Muslims to Jesus.  I asked them to consider if Jesus would use a Baal worshipper’s book to try and show them the way to Jesus.  “Welllllll….  Goodbye”.