MINNESOTA: ELCA LUTHERAN PASTOR SAYS “LISTENING TO & LEARNING MUSLIM VALUES IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO GET TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBOR”

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research 

purposes:

“Once a month, ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) pastors in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod gather to share educational resources and presentations related to faith….the Rev. Mark Johnson of First English Lutheran Church in Faribault invited the pastors in his synod to tour the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center mosque in Faribault. Johnson had visited the mosque before, with confirmation students, and connected with Islamic Center volunteer Bashir Omar to arrange the interfaith meeting Thursday morning.  ‘I think that listening to and learning [Muslims’] values is one of the ways we get to know our neighbors,’Johnson said. ‘… We want to set an example by having this kind of gathering.'”

Aside from the broad question of what exactly “Muslim values” are, given the human rights abuses enshrined in the Sharia, Minnesota is a particular trouble spot for Islamization. Fox News recently reported: “How Minneapolis’ Somali community became the terrorist recruitment capital of the US”.

Also: There is some evidence that Al Shabab is recruiting in mosques in Somali communities. According to court documents in the terrorism case against 14 Somali men in Minneapolis, some of the accused made phone calls to Somalia from a Minneapolis mosque “to discuss the need for Minnesota-based coconspirators to go to Somalia to fight the Ethiopians.”

In an article in the Minnesota Post, Sudden Notoreity: Mosque in Minneapolis draws scrutiny from U.S. Senate, FBI and international media, the Abubakar As-Saddique Mosque is finally mentioned by name. Its possible links to al Shabaab and radicalization of young Somalis are highlighted in the story. But it doesn’t stop there. MPR News reported further:

Family members of the missing men have questioned whether the Abubakar As-Saddique mosque was involved in recruiting Somali-American to fight alongside a radical Islamic group, Al-Shabaab, in east Africa…..allegations appear to be coming from individuals within the local Somali community. At least three of the missing men frequented Abubakar, but supporters of the mosque said the men also attended other local Islamic centers.

So did the Lutheran Church do its homework to find out who its “neighbors” were and what “values” they represented?

Given that the Evangelical Lutheran Church is also anti-Israel and considers Israel to be “occupiers,” and supports BDS and the Palestinian “resistance,” it should be no surprise that the ELCA has no interest in the truth about the jihad and the charade that the so-called “peace process” really is. Far too many Churches are of the same mind, while Christians are massacred by jihadists in Africa and the Middle East, and persecuted in the Palestinian territories.

On August 11, 2016, ECLA betrayed the lofty goals expressed in that document by adopting resolutions calling on the U.S. government to end all aid to Israel, and embracing BDS (boycotts, divestment, sanctions) tactics. Claiming that Israel is an “occupying power” that does not recognize or adhere to international human rights standards, the decision was driven by the Lutheran Isaiah 58 group, with support from a coalition of anti-Israel organizations and activists, including Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).

It is interesting to note that most of these pro-Palestinian Churches operate with charitable donations and claim to be apolitical, when in fact, they are highly political.



“Seeking common ground, Lutheran pastors visit Faribault Islamic Center,” by Misty Schwab, Faribault Southern Minnesota News, March 12, 2020:


Once a month, ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) pastors in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod gather to share educational resources and presentations related to faith.

This month, the Rev. Mark Johnson of First English Lutheran Church in Faribault invited the pastors in his synod to tour the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center mosque in Faribault. Johnson had visited the mosque before, with confirmation students, and connected with Islamic Center volunteer Bashir Omar to arrange the interfaith meeting Thursday morning.

“I think that listening to and learning [Muslims’] values is one of the ways we get to know our neighbors,” Johnson said. “… We want to set an example by having this kind of gathering.”

Two representatives of the Islamic Resource Group (IRG) — Executive Director John Emery and Chairman Rashed Ferdous — delivered a presentation to the pastors during their mosque visit. Based in St. Anthony, IRG largely provides these presentations to school teachers.

Emery, a graduate of Apple Valley High School, learned to speak Arabic as a translator in the U.S. Army. He converted to Islam as an adult and explained that IRG gives him a way to serve both the Muslim and Minnesota communities that have provided opportunities to him.

During Emery’s PowerPoint presentation, guests learned Muslim terminology and details about the religion’s teachings. For example, “As-salamu alaykum” means “Peace be with you” in Arabic. Emery explained that Muslims believe in a loving and merciful God who created all humans, and the word “Muslim” means “one who submits to God’s will.” Muslims believe Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God, said Emery, and believe Jesus was a prophet. Through the angel Gabriel, Muslims believe God’s last revelation to humanity was to the profit Muhammad

Muslims pray five times a day, and unless they are family members, men and women are not permitted to pray next to one another. They pray facing the northeast toward the Kabah, or center of the Great Mosque of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which they believe Abraham built. Many Muslims take pilgrimages to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they have the means to do so.

During Ramadan, a time of fasting and prayer, Muslims refrain from food and water from dawn until sunset. Ramadan begins April 24 this year, so Emery explained the period of fasting in Minnesota will start at about 4:20 a.m. and end around 8:30 p.m. this year.

Emery also explained two major holidays held in conjunction with Ramadan: Eid al-Fitr, which is the festival of breaking fast, and Eid al-Adha, the most important festival of sacrifice that involves fellowship, gift-giving and plenty of food…….