Friends: I found the following articles AND the related web links to be most interesting in light of our current challenge. If you have interest in knowing how the Muslim world thinks, you'll want to especially look at the links noted in the last two items. If you are not currently subscribed to Religion Today News Summary, I'd recommend you do so. Bob Tolliver >Crackdown on Christians Intensifies in Saudi Arabia Six more Christian men - four Ethiopians, an Eritrean and a Filipino - have been arrested in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, as the crackdown on believers escalates, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). This brings the summer's total to 15, according to reports from a human rights agency, Middle East Concern. CSW also reports that they believe one reason for the continued arrests of ex-patriate believers is an attempt to track down Saudis sympathetic to Christians. Of the 15, two have been released, including a Filipino who was deported after having spent two days in a coma in a Jiddah hospital as a direct result of the appalling conditions in which he was held, said Richard Chilvers, CSW spokesman. The remaining 13 have been denied consular access, although some have been permitted to see their families. Another man has now been held for 10 weeks, and sources report his Indian consulate has never been officially notified of his arrest. Mervyn Thomas, a CSW executive, said that CSW appeals for "tolerance in calling for the immediate release of these men, whom we believe to be prisoners of conscience." Thomas added that, according to Saudi law, its citizens must be Muslim, but officials have said that ex-patriate non-Muslims are free to worship in private, as reported by Absolute News Service. http://news.christiansunite.com/religion/religion01116.shtml >Terrorist Attacks Affect World Missions The ripple effects of the WTC disaster and the attack on the Pentagon are being felt around the globe. Currently all U.S. missionaries are safe, and are keeping in close contact with their respective regional and area directors, according to the Assemblies of God News Service. The A/G World Missions office has been inundated with e-mails and letters sent from church leaders in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Balkans. "At first it might seem strange," said John Bueno A/G World Missions director, "that such a response of solidarity should come for these areas of the world ... Yet, upon consideration, we know that for a long time these countries have endured the same kinds of things we are now suffering." Bueno said such an outpouring is particularly gratifying because these fellowships represent some of the A/G's newest partners. This response "not only testifies to the way we do missionary work, but also to the character of our fellow believers in other parts of the world who understand what solidarity is." He also believes the Fellowship needs to step up its evangelistic efforts. "I see this as a fabulous opportunity ... I've never seen people all around the world as open to God as they are now." http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.ASP?A3.15.2936.1.688567 >War Against Terrorism Is a Spiritual War "The U.S. and its allies are up against a spiritual war that must be won spiritually," warned Yusuf Abdallah, a recent speaker, at the Latin American Mission, who has worked with Muslims in Miami for over 15 years. He said that to combat terrorism from extremist Islamic groups, Americans must understand their deep devotion to Islam, and why they view the United States with such anger. Abdallah stated that when Islam is portrayed as a religion of peace, "They are omitting the basis of that peace, which is total submission to the will of Allah and complete obedience to His commands, to the point of giving up one's life as a joyful, willing surrender to Allah." Abdallah, who ministered for many years in the Middle East, has written a book "Jesus Gives Peace; Jesus in the Qur'an and the Bible," according to Latin America Mission News Service. Pointing to several areas of Muslim anger, Abdallah mentioned "resentment against the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia," and other factors as well. "The greater influence Islam is in a Muslim's life, the more he hates the economic, political and cultural influences of the U.S. ... Is it any wonder that there is a strong religious revival going on all over the Muslim world that seeks to fight the immoral excesses of the West, and bring even moderate Muslim nations back into the fold of true Islam?" It should not be surprising, Abdallah said, that the only fight that seems to work for them is terrorism. (The text of Abdallah's presentation can be found at http://www.lam.org/articles/muslim.html). He also explained that many are predicting a massive turning of Muslims to Christ following the Sept. 11 incidents. He called on Christians to reach out to their Muslim neighbors. "Go and be a friend, let them know that you care .... If they ask questions, do your best to answer them." However, he cautioned, "Do not leave tracts or Bibles unless they request them, and be sure any Bibles are in their native language." http://www.gospelcom.net/lam/news/ns/100301.html Religion Today News Summaries are a compilation of articles from various media sources. We do not necessarily endorse nor personally adhere to the views represented within them. We simply want our audience to have an understanding of and be alert to what others are saying about matters of religion and faith. ____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________ * You subscribed to Religion Today News Summary as: < lifeunlimited@... > * To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, click here: < http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/U.ASP?A3.15.688567 > If that link is not clickable, simply copy and paste it into your browser window. * To change your address: unsubscribe your old address and then subscribe your new address. * To subscribe, send an email to: < SUBSCRIBE-newssummaries@... > or go to < http://www.crosswalk.com/lists > for a complete list of our newsletters. * Copyright © 2001 Crosswalk.com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved.