Australian Independent Baptist Newsletter

www.Bennett.BibleForToday.org

January 2007 #3

Dr. David C. Bennett, Editor (DCB)

PO Box 1241 - Dubbo - NSW 2830

Phone/Fax 02-6884-2846

Email: Bennett@BibleForToday.org

Permission is given to forward material contained in the AIB Newsletter.

Purpose: To inform and warn God's people of religious, social, and political events in today's world.

23 January 2007 AUSTRALIA 'TO TRAIN IMAMS LOCALLY' (Edited by DCB) The Australian and United States governments seem to be doing all they can to placate those within Islam. For example "Development of expertise in Islamic studies will enable Australia to produce its own trained imams..." Professor Abduulah Seed of Melbourne University was trained at the "conservative Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia" and has been selected to "run the federally funded centre at three universities in NSW, Victoria and Queensland." The professor said "he strongly favours the more moderate mainstream views of Islam" and "the $8 million school would work to promote moderate, mainstream views of Islam." However, the professor also said "...the expectation of imams in Australia was different to the expectations placed on imams in an average Muslim majority country (emphasis added)." That last statement should serve as a wake up call to our politically correct politicians!

Editor’s Comment: As noted above professor Seed is reputed to be a moderate Muslim and as such is being entrusted with eight million tax payer dollars. Being somewhat inquisitive I went to the Islamic University of Medina web site http://www.iu.edu.sa/english/index.htm where professor Seed was trained. There I found that two goals of this University were (1) To convey the eternal message of Islam to the entire world by means of dawah, call to Islam and (2) inculcate and foster the community upon practicing the teachings of Islam and worshiping the only true God, Allah alone with utmost sincerity and devotion. Also at the same web site http://www.iu.edu.sa/english/ index.htm are avialable for download is the 3 Essays on Tawhid or the Fundamentals of Faith. Here we read many things including the question "What is Islam?" The answer given is Islam is being submitted to Allah, "in His Oneness" and "complying to his commands with obedience, and denouncing polytheism and its adherents." That would be we who claim Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God and as our Saviour! Under that question one reads that "The head of the affairs is Islaam, its supporting pillar is prayer, and its highest part is jihad in the way of Allaah."

Muslim web sites give various interpretations of jihad but at http://www.islamawareness. net/Terrorism/bilalphilips.html we read "Defending Islaam and the Muslim community is a primary aspect of the physical jihaad which involves taking up arms against an enemy. God states in the Quraan "Permission to fight has been given to those who have been attacked because they are wronged. And indeed, Allaah is Most Powerful." (22:39) "Fight in the cause of Allaah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress the limits. Indeed Allaah does not love transgressors." (2:190). Muslims are also enjoined to fight against tyranny. The Qur’aan states, "Why shouldn’t you fight in the cause of Allaah and for those oppressed because they are weak. Men, women and children who cry out, ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town of oppressors’" (4:75). Personally, I do not believe a Muslim who literally follows the teachings of the Quran can ever be called a moderate.

http://www.jnewswire.com/article/1563 ARAB GIRL, 18, MURDERED IN SUSPECTED 'HONOR KILLING' January 16, 2007 (Edited by DCB) "An 18-year-old Israeli Arab girl was shot dead in her bedroom in the town of Ramla Tuesday in a suspected ‘honor killing.’" These "honor" murders are performed "throughout the Islamic world" and "have been defined as the killing of a girl or woman ‘for her actual or perceived immoral behavior.’" By performing this act the male believes "the family's honor is restored." In Israel about five of these killings are investigated each year by the police but "Under the Palestinian Authority, these murders are allowed."

Editor’s Comment: Romans 3: 17 "And the way of peace have they not known."

http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/01/southern_baptist_agency_misman.php SOUTHERN BAPTIST AGENCY MISMANAGED, CLAIMS FORMER DIRECTOR 22 January 2007 (Edited by DCB) Having served 16 years with the SBC’s North American Mission Board (NAMB), a former director, Mary Kinney Branson "says she witnessed numerous instances when contributions were misused and wasted during her time with the agency." Dr. Bob Reccord resigned as NAMB president "shortly after an investigation by the agency's board of trustees" but has denied Branson’s charges. Reccord said he resigned to allow himself "to devote more time to family matters." Some of the charges Branson has put forth are that "Reccord had a personal fund of one-million dollars that he could use at his discretion." According to Branson, "Reccord and his wife traveled to London to see the premier of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia" charging the tickets "to NAMB". Among other charges she says "Reccord allowed personal friends to land lucrative contracts for various services, such as public relations and private airline flights."

Editor’s Comment: Hebrews 13:18 "...in all things willing to live honestly."

Because of Calvary,

David C. Bennett, D. Min.