John Pratt presented our speaker at Rotary, Drew Edmondson. He's been attorney-general for Oklahoma the past decade after having served as the D.A. in Muskogee ten years. Part of his fine address was about Oklahoma's part in the damage suit, along with about 20 other states, against big tobacco for the largest award ever, that will pay to our state many millions of the 50 some billion dollar total over ten years. I asked if the same couldn't be done about beer, liquor, and even harder drugs. Nicotine is just the bottom rung of the addiction ladder as I see it. Though the answer didn't seem clear to me, I myself see such an upward scale with international narco-terrorism as it's highest level. And that's the present war named "Enduring Freedom." Gambling's a sort of psychological drug that I also consider a top rung. Our speaker then told about his plan to outlaw unwanted telephone sales calls, which will be in place very soon. He's running again and I'm sure with him on that , even though I didn't like his deceased uncle J.Howard who brought about repeal as the main part of his platform to become governor way back when. Now we're in a society so wet that even many teenagers have become alcoholics. The more ground you give to drug abuse, the worse it becomes. So we Sooners may turn into the state of sots instead. Abstinence from alcohol used to be the message to our youth, but now it's from sex instead. A lot of federal money's been spent through public schools to promote sexual purity, though there are questions about positive results. We Oklahomans have nearly the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in America. Much of it might have been curtailed if we'd stuck with our ban on alcohol. Though it's still illegal for teens, that's difficult to enforce with so much being sold everywhere (just an old man's view). Maybe Oklahoma had to give up on prohibition since FDR had led the push for national repeal way way back in the early thirties. We'd never heard of marijuana, cocaine, heroin or amphetamines in those days. Though alcohol's still by far our most abused drug and the laws to accommodate those who use it paved the way for our contemporary global terror situation, as I see it.
Israel doesn't want an unbalanced team from the UN to examine what's left of that former terrorist nest, Jenin. They have to defend themselves from biased reporters as much as from Palestinian suicide bombers. Yet we're eager for the cameras to go in and let us see for ourselves just what took place. Was it fifty or five hundred Palestinians who died? And we keep waiting in Bethelhem for a resolution of that stand-off at the church of Nativity. Israeli snipers shot one of the gunmen dead who came outside there from the month long confinement. I realize it's war, but that sure shook me for them to do it; even though they are claiming he was armed. Then an Israeli ambulance drove in to pick up the body (which was bold indeed). Now that Arafat is about to be freed, he should go back to his residence in Gaza, where the gunmen could join him and the Palestinians then set up a tiny state of their own. They ought to be willing to grab at a straw by now. Up in Jerico, the British will join us in holding those six terrorists imprisoned whom Arafat is handing over to gain his own freedom. Israelis have been trying to capture them for murdering one of their cabinet level officials, but we'll have custody instead. Our involvement won't be military as yet, but things keep moving in that direction. President Bush has now become personally involved by telephone since Powell's peace mission failed to bring any resolution. An international conference (without Arafat) seems likely to be next on the Mideast agenda. That ought to be the UN, but Kofi Anon and company are always slanted toward Arab interests, especially now that Syria's on the Security Council (what a blunder that was, though no one else would take the job).
There's much talk now about priests having wives, but St.Paul said that it was good not to marry because attention should be focused on the coming of Christ even more than family. Catholics have kept the first part and muted the latter for their clergy. Instead of repealing celibacy, maybe the times are calling all Christians to such New Testament urgency in these final days. Jesus said on His way to be crucified down the via dolarosa (way of sorrows): "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for weep for yourselves and for your children. For, behold the days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck (Luke 23:28&29)." Instead of standards for clergy, He was speaking to all of us of this wicked time.
I didn't write the following, but found it so interesting that I wanted to share Dr.Weakly's manuscript: ISLAM - 101 ISLAM LOOKS AT JESUS Islam's prophet, Muhammad, believed Jesus was the Messiah, Allah's anointed messenger. Allah's people are to listen to Allah's messengers (Koran, IV.171; V. 111*). The Prophet's revelations about Jesus contained in the Koran should be read by his followers, as the Koran requires. Muhammad , Islam's Prophet, believed Jesus was sent by Allah to be the Messiah, miraculously born of the Virgin Mary. who brought the Gospel, who died, then ascended into heaven to be with Allah. Jesus would become an everlasting blessing to all mankind! The Koran tells how Allah sent Jesus, through a virgin birth to be the Messiah - Savior of the world, nearly five hundred and fifty years before Muhammad was born.. As God's messenger, Jesus explained, simplified, and demonstrated God's will and message, although the Jews did not believe in him. Jesus' "Good News" - the Gospel - is about God's love and forgiveness for all mankind. Muhammad's revelations recorded in the Koran/Qur'an tell that: 1. Jesus was sent by Allah, who supported him with the Holy Spirit, to tell the world Allah's will (II, 87; V. 110-117*). 2, Allah gave Jesus, exalted him above all others, and supported him with Holy Spirit as proof of his sovereignty (II, 253*). 3. Allah caused the miracle birth of John the Baptist to the aged Zechariah and his barren wife so John could be the messenger to announce Jesus as the Messiah (III, 33-41*). 4. Allah appointed Mary to be the virgin mother of Jesus, the Messiah (III,, 42-45; XIX, 12-22; XXI, 90*). 5. Jesus would be righteous [sinless] all his life (III, 46; VI, 86; XIX, 19*). 6. Jesus would be raised from the dead (XIX, 33*). 7. Jesus, Messiah and son of Mary, crucified, appeared dead and was taken up my Allah himself (IV, 157,158*). 8. Jesus was a messenger of Allah, who is to be believed (IV, 171*). 9. Allah taught Jesus his religion and commanded Jesus to establish it (XLII, 12; XLIII, 63-65*). 10. Allah caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow [the prophets], gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him (LVII, 27*). 11. Allah strengthened the group of Jews who believed Jesus and his message, so they overcame those who disbelieved (LXI, 14*). 12. The true message of Jesus and the prophets was perverted by religious leaders who were condemned by Allah (IX, 34*). 13. Long before The Prophet Muhammad, Allah revealed the Torah and the Gospel for mankind's guidance (III, 3, 4*). 14. Allah taught Jesus the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel. Allah will do miracles through Jesus and make him a messenger to Israel (III 48, 49*). 15. Allah gathered Jesus and caused him to be resurrected and ascended to Allah himself (III, 55*). 16. Allah bestowed the Gospel on Jesus to be a light (V, 46*). 17. Observing the Torah and the Gospel brings nourishment from above (V, 66*). 18. Those who went astray from Allah's commands were cursed by both David and Jesus (V, 78*). 19. Allah inspired Jesus' Disciples to believe in Jesus and his message (V, 110*). 20. Jesus and his Disciples were Allah's helpers (LXI, 14*). 21. Believe in all that was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received (II, 136*). 22. The Surrender, al-islam, is Islam and Muslims are to be surrendered to Allah's will and guidance (III, 19*). [As revealed by Jesus.] *(All citations listed are from THE MEANING OF THE GLORIOUS KORAN, translated by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall: A mentor Religious Classic, The New American Library, New York, New York, fifth printing, 1956.) [More Koran/Quran verses may be found at http://users.erols.com/zenithco/nabi.html#mary ] Because the Koran described Jesus, who ministered almost six hundred years before Muhammad, in the way it does, comparison of Jesus with Muhammad is necessary to understand their differences. Compare: Jesus was the Messiah who brought the Gospel - "Good News" to man as God's messenger. As Messiah, he made it possible for all men to be saved from the Original Sin of separation from God. He freed all people from Torah restrictions. Jesus opened the door to God. Those who pray to God are able to only because of what Jesus did for all mankind. For the first time in history, all humanity could, and can, pray directly to the one God, creator of all things. No Temple, priests, rules, dogmas, or liturgies are required for God to care about a person and hear one's prayers. Before Jesus, no one had this privilege. Few people, and no Muslims, are aware this is a historical fact. Because of Jesus, Muslims, and all others can pray anytime, from anywhere! That is the work of the Messiah did, and the message of his Gospel - the Good News - God sent to the world through Jesus. [16. Allah bestowed the Gospel on Jesus* to be a light (V, 46*)]. (*Not Muhammad, but Jesus.) Jesus told the people that God loved them and would look after them, if they would submit to him. He said we could best understand God as Father, or better as Abba - "Daddy." Jesus said God would never leave or forsake them, would always hear their prayers, and forgive them all their sins. Jesus said God' s earlier instructions (Old Covenant in the Torah) to the Jews were now changed into a different and a New Covenant. In the past, to please God one needed to obey and follow all 613 rules of the Torah. So, it had been necessary to be a Jew who was under the LAW - the Torah - to be one of God's people. Jesus said all a person had to do to inherit eternal life was to believe he was sent by Allah, was telling the truth, and had opened the doors of Heaven so humans could enter into the Kingdom of Heaven [presence of God] while on earth. Man no longer had to die to have at-one-ment, atonement, with God. The idea of SURRENDER came with Jesus and was essential to Jesus' New Covenant, God's changed Covenant for all people. Submission to God's will is an essential part of the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:10. The willingness to surrender control of ones life' hopes, ideas and desires to God is required. Surrendering is believing Jesus' New Covenant message. This is asking God to do his will in all areas of one's life, followed by a prayer sincerely offering one's self to God to do with as God pleases. Once this submission of self to God is seriously made, God puts his Holy Spirit in the person's "heart" and mind. This act of God [Grace] is because of a person's attitude; not because of particular acts, works, or doctrines. Then a person can actually feel the love God in his or her heart, and know for sure that God has accepted them because of their born again, Pentecostal experience. The Prophet Muhammad, as recorded in the Koran, said he replaced Jesus as the final prophet. So Muhammad declared his revelations [the Koran] replaced the message God delivered through Jesus. Muhammad's replacement religion of Islam returned to many of the Jewish laws and customs, including food taboos. Islam is now a religious system of laws as opposed to the free grace Jesus preached. In Islam, man still must surrender to the will of Allah, but only to what is written in the Koran/Qur'an. The change from Jesus ' concept of surrender to Muhammad's concept is dramatic. A person's surrender is now as slave to master, and no longer surrender because of the love of child to parent. Humans are no longer know as children of God. Islam calls them Allah's slaves. Muslims must bow down to Allah five times a day in a slaves obeisance to him. To Jesus, man's duty is to love [agape] God with all one's being and also to "love [agape] your neighbor as you love yourself." Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to those who ask. That Spirit of God, by grace will "write the laws of God on your heart and mind," by free grace and not by following any set of rules. Islam gives no provision for this personal face-to-face relationship with ABBA - Father, that Jesus offered his followers. Islam changes human duties to works - to obeying the Koran's rules. The Koran teaches Allah is a merciful and forgiving God, but only for Muslims who obey Muhammad's revelations written in the Koran/Qur'an. The Koran/Qur'an says God will viciously punish any who do not "believe" (the unbelievers or infidels) in Muhammad and his revelations. The first of the five pillars of Islam is that a Muslim must believe the Koran is the word of God and Muhammad is his prophet. In Islam, the gifts of God - Allah - now depend on following the Koran, instead on God's love and free grace as a loving heavenly Abba/Father. The equality of man [as neighbors] that God revealed through Jesus, is changed by the Koran. Muslims are superior to "infidels" - unbelievers. Men are superior to women (Koran 4, 34). Wives must be obedient servants of their husbands or be punished (Koran 4, 34). Wives are required to follow the husband's will in the same manner Muslims are to follow Allah's will . Click here for Muslim women information. These are a few of the many changes Muhammad's revelations make in God's message earlier revealed through Jesus. The Koran and biographical information on Muhammad is on the Internet and in most libraries. Click here for Muhammad's history. A short course on Jesus can be found in the New Testament book of Matthew, chapters 1-10. An introduction to Jesus' primary teachings is at God-101.org. that can be reached by clicking on the listing below. Full discussions of Jesus' words and works are located in the "Gospels" of the New Testament - the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The great differences between Jesus and Muhammad can easily be seen and understood when these foundation materials are studied. Islam is not a continuation of Jesus' ministry, but contradicts Jesus completely. Jesus taught peace (Matthew 5:9, 38-48). The Qur'an teaches jihad (Koran/Qur'an 8,12; 9,5; 9,29; 9,73; 47,4; etc.). Islam avoids confronting these contradictions by asserting all of the Bible is false and does not contain any reliable information on Jesus. Because of this unsupported myth, Islam-101 lists only what the Koran - Qur'an declares about Jesus. Bible statements are not used Muslims believe the Koran was written by God and is God's message to all people. If Jesus is what the Koran affirms he is/was, it is impossible for Muhammad to replace him. There can be only one Messiah. Jesus did the Messiah's work (opening heaven) 550 years before Islam's Prophet was born.