THis is a small note or spin off from the topic that thought Islam is converting more Christians to muslims. THe only cases i've seen of Christians converting to islam are from Americans marrying north african muslims.
But, what are the facts?
Read this and weep:
2 - MILLION muslims converted to Christianity in Russia
http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=513In Africa, 6 million muslims converted to Christianity (GO Anba Boulis and Anba Antonios Markos!)
http://www.aljazeera.net/Portal/aspx/FNF.aspx(translation:
http://www.formermuslims.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=972)
What's going on in Europe?
200,000 UK Muslims left Islam.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article510589.eceWell.. the times online article is prob the MOST interesting of them all.
The biggest blow is this: Muslim Immans and Mullahs are leaving Islam for Christianity.
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=61734 --> I cannot say Father Zico had something to do with EVERY case.. i don't know, but he was saying that Immans who convert run their own prayer groups with other immans who have converted (to help them into Christianity).
Thirdly, read each story here. The biggest shot was 50,000 malaysian muslims have left islam.
http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=30&topicdays=0&start=25But if u add all the smaller testimonies of those leaving Islam, you get a good respectable number too.
1000's of Kashmiri's leave Islam.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/september9/12.26.html - we are talking about Imam's adopting Christianity.
And now, the best news: put all this aside, and let me tell you:
10,000 French Muslims have left Islam for Christianity; and this is on a PER YEAR BASIS - (
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=352375&sid=ZNS) And believe me, i know at least 20 of them. HAHA.. they really do not respect Islam at all. Christ IS God. Period. They see Mohammed as a false prophet. In fact, the Koran seems to be just a diary of his sex life and who he killed and whom he married for these ex-muslims.
After talking to them, they are all very devout Christians. They do not stop talking about this "false prophet of Islam". I'll tape a conversation for you and post it if you want?? We go to the same prayer group anyway...
Listen, i am Coptic, but i love what the Catholic Church has done in France. I'm not comparing, but they've done very well. trust me. We need to have a bigger presence there in France. All our priests need to do is speak French well. That's it.
35,000 Turks converted to Christianity recently.
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/139/story_13903_1.html . Now, i can tell you, i was there recently, and muslims there are very European-ised (those that are muslims). The Churches are packed. Its mainly catholic and Anglican Churches. Very few go to Orthodoxy, despite the Patriarchate of Greece being based there.
Many people are joining Islam, and this is happening in the USA. Apparently 75% of them leave Islam after 1 year. I guess they were searching for the same thing and didnt find it.
I think the Orthodox church needs to have a stronger presence in rural communities in the USA.
Here's a good article in the BBC that backs my theory:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/6150340.stmMy theory was this: You ONLY hear of Christians becoming muslims because, in Christianity, we are FREE. There are no death threats. We pray for the person, and that's it. So, we NEVER hear of the 1000's of muslims that leave Islam in the Middle east. That's why the story of the French muslims who convert to Christianity is well known and in EVERY french newspaper: France is a western country and predominantly Catholic.. they are safe here to convert and testify openly. But the 1000's of Muslims in malaysia who converted - they have NO choice but to hide this fact.
Comments
Thanks for sharing!
God be with you.
I am sorry if I sound a bit closed-minded here, but I have asked this question many times and didn't find a convincing answer. Please, can someone help me?
The question is: I adore my Coptic Orthodoxy dogma, and I am not sure if those converting from other beliefs to Christianity do themselves any good. If they become Evangelists, Catholics, or whatever, will they enter Heaven? I don't mean that the other dogmas' creeds are heresies, but I can't believe that no matter our difference is, we will all enter Heaven. Otherwise, we would all have gone to other churches, prayed, and partook Communion there. What do you all think?
God bless you all and pray for us a lot
But, if you want a more meaty answer:
How can a Church's members be saved when they don't believe that Communion is the Holy Body and Precious Blood of our Lord? How can thier sins be forgiven when they don't practice repentance and confession? How can a church that has been influenced so heavily with politics do two things at once? How about when the Pope of Rome was charging for confessions?
In any case, our version of Orthodoxy is the original Faith as handed down by the Apostles. It's unbreakable. Some of the present day churches attempt to adapt their services to make them 'fun' or 'exciting'. It becomes so much 'fun' that the original meaning of worship is lost. It becomes a funhouse.
Dear all,
I am sorry if I sound a bit closed-minded here, but I have asked this question many times and didn't find a convincing answer. Please, can someone help me?
The question is: I adore my Coptic Orthodoxy dogma, and I am not sure if those converting from other beliefs to Christianity do themselves any good. If they become Evangelists, Catholics, or whatever, will they enter Heaven? I don't mean that the other dogmas' creeds are heresies, but I can't believe that no matter our difference is, we will all enter Heaven. Otherwise, we would all have gone to other churches, prayed, and partook Communion there. What do you all think?
God bless you all and pray for us a lot
Dear Ophadece,
An interesting question, but we cannot limit the love of God. We know that the Church is a spiritual hospital, and it is the best one for what we are sick with, which is why we encourage people to join us. But there are many parts of the world where there is no Orthodox Church - do we believe that God just condemns those people to hell?
This is a difficult one, because I know Roman Catholics who sincerely believe that anyone not a Roman Catholic cannot be saved; I know Eastern Orthodox who think the same way about being EO; and I know Copts who make the same argument. Now either they are all wrong, or else in two Christian Churches there are many good, pious and holy men and women who are living lives in delusion. I know the quotations from the scriptures and the Fathers, but all three Churches use the same quotations to prove their points; they can't all be right. If it revolts our ideas of right and wrong that, say, Mother Theresa should not be saved because she was not Orthodox, then I find it difficult to believe that God is narrower-minded than His sinful creation.
I don't know why, in every Church, there are those who need to believe that it is only their denomination which will go to Heaven; that seems perilously like pride - the sin for which Satan fell.
I am with St. Isaac the Syrian who believed that God's love is what redeems us all- if we let it.
In Christ,
Anglian
HOpe there will be more like this.
Bye!
Thanks so much for your broad-minded description of God and His love, and dissolving my confusion.
God bless you and pray for us a lot...
So sorry about my late reply anyway