ReceivedText wrote:One thing is for sure. He likes to pray with Muslims (see post-911 prayer service at the national cathedral). He believes that he has the same god that the Muslims have. Here's proof:http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=193746&page=1RTHi Received...!Thanks for the link.Actually, the article (or the post 9/11 circumstances) didn't say that President Bush likes to pray with Muslims. Nor do I know the circumstances concerning those instances in which you speak. I have heard President Bush say that he believed in "secret closet prayer." Indeed, I've also watched several well-respected christian leaders who are very vocal opponents to Islam who have prayed in a room where Muslim clerics were present and also praying. They made the most of the situation that they were in (which may or may not have been out of their control).And it might not be too wise to judge the President's beliefs by a single public statement that he supposedly made in an impromptu interview with the secular media. The media is good at misquoting both the President (and Christians). And remember, President Bush is not known as a clear, strong orator -- including statements about of his personal beliefs. He has made some strong statements about Islam in the past, which drew quite a bit of criticism from the national media (as well as Muslims). I also believe that in this particular interview, the President may have meant that Muslims pray to the same reference of "God" (historically, Muslims claim to pray to the God of Abraham, and Allah is the only word for "God" in the arabic language). Of course, we know that the "God" to whom they pray is not the real Lord of Creation -- or else they do not pray properly. This is no different from those who claim to "pray" in Christian denominations that pray even with the name of God...or Jesus...or Jehovah, etc. The fact that they pray using this name does not translate to actual "prayer." There are several testimonies published about Muslims who came to Christ -- by praying sincere prayers to God, asking that He reveal the Truth to them. This is also true of people from all sorts of religions and denominations. Keith Green, whose messages are found on this board, prayed in the name of "Jesus" for quite a while before actually meeting Christ. A Testimony about the Tarahumara...I have traveled deep into the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Chihuahua, Mexico. I went there with missionaries from the United States, along with pastors in Mexico, in order to perform evangelistic work among indigenous Tarahumara tribes. The Tarahumara are known as one of the last two "unreached" peoples groups in the world. There are between 80,000 to 120,000 of them living in the rugged, forest-covered mountains of southwestern Chihuahua. These are the tribes that are well-known for their magnificant running ability. Many of the tribes have never heard spanish (let alone English). The "villages" that we stayed in were actually a series of small log huts, along with many who still lived in caves. There is no electricity, no books, no modern amenities, and hardly any Christians. The people are predominantly animalists -- believing in multitudes of spirits (in the trees, in the clouds, in the water, in each star, etc...). There was a pastor there (named Alfriedo) who told us his testimony. Years earlier, he became very ill, and ran for seven days to the closest Mexican village. There was a clinic in the village where a doctor could speak Tarahumara. The doctor told Alfriedo the bad news -- he had contracted a fatal disease (I don't remember if it was tuberculosis or not). The doctor told Alfriedo that the disease had progressed to the point that he would not survive. The only question, according to the doctor, was whether or not Alfriedo wanted to die in the clinic or back at home. Alfriedo decided to go home. One night, Alfriedo sat outside his cave back in the tribal community's "village." As he looked up to the sky, it dawned on him that perhaps one god (maybe the "sun god") could have created everything. He began to speak to this "god," telling him of his desire to know him. After praying this, Alfriedo heard a voice speak to him: "I am the God who created all there is. If I heal you, will you serve me?" Alfriedo did not know if this voice was audible or if it was inside of him. However, the voice was powerful and very clear. Alfriedo told him, "Yes. I will serve you. I will give my life to you." Alfriedo began gaining his strength. He began a relationship with the Lord, and began spending much time in prayer. As he would pray, the Lord would "speak" to Alfriedo and tell him things that he needed to know. Alfriedo eventually led his brother to the Lord, and soon after that, another brother's wife. They began having worship services under a tree several times a week, sharing what they were learning through prayer with God. One day, the Lord told Alfriedo that he needed to learn the language of the town people. So Alfriedo ran to the village (a seven-day run). He began walking around the village and listening to conversations in spanish. Within a short period of time (and by what Alfriedo calls a miracle), he learned spanish. After subsequent trips to the village, he learned to read and write in spanish. One day, he was given a Bible by a man passing them out on the streets. To his astonishment, Alfriedo learned that alot of what God was speaking to him was written in the Bible! Eventually, a group of missionaries (by miraculous intervention) found Alfriedo and helped to build a log-cabin type of sanctuary. The first time I went to the village (as a teen), there were less than 30 believers. Over the next couple of years, the congregation grew to over 700. Thus, I do believe that it is possible that people who call on the name of the "Lord" (whether they have known him or not) can find him -- if they cry out to Him in sincerity. I hope that this is what the President meant. President Bush, like everyone else, is not perfect. In fact, I don't know where I stand concerning the war in Iraq. I see alot of good resulting from it, but at a terrible cost of lives -- both Iraqi and American (my uncle was injured there over a year ago, losing two of his best friends in the same attack). Regardless, I do rejoice in the fact that the United States has a President who stands against some other terrible blatant moral deficiencies in society -- even though his stance is not popular with liberals or the secular media. I can not judge where he stands with God. However, I do rejoice in that he publically professes that he was born-again a few years before becoming the Governor of Texas. I know that the topic of politics is quite controversial -- especially among believers. I do hope for the best, though. I also realize that God is neither a Democrat or Republican. In fact, I like to remember the story of the angel in Joshua:"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come."-Joshua 5:13-14 :-)
