Interfaith Dialogue: The great sham

By: American Decency Staff

Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Yesterday, as a part of their annual “January Series”, the presenter for the day at Calvin College was a man named Eboo Patel. 

Patel’s  topic was:  Interfaith Leadership:  Engaging Religious and Philosophical Diversity in the 21^st Century. 

A very quick search revealed that Patel is a member of President Barack Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships.  He is a  part of a movement that aims to promote interfaith cooperation. 

Interfaith cooperation.  Sounds very innocent – or does it?   In fact, a number of individuals watching Patel via satellite yesterday here in our hometown (off site of the actual event) were discussing his presentation with some head-nodding acknowledgements for the good presentation and how “right” it sounded. 

Frank Gaffney, President of Center for Security Policy wrote in a forward to a press release promoting Stephen C. Coughlin (Major (Res.) USA, former Senior Consultant, Office of the Joint Chief of Staff) new book “Bridge Building to Nowhere” the following:

While the interfaith dialogue movement presents itself as a laudable effort to ‘bridge’ the distance between faiths, those more familiar with the doctrine of the Muslim Brotherhood know that the actual agenda of too many such efforts is, in fact, modeled after the well-known dictum of Sayyid Qutb, who candidly reminded Muslims that such a ‘bridge’ is ‘only so that the people of Jahiliyyah [society of unbelievers] may come over to Islam.

Also concerning to me was Patel’s presentation underwritten by a Christian denomination of all things, the Christian Reformed Church in North America. (http://www.crcna.org) 
(Write me if you don’t know why this is concerning to me, a Christian,  who names Christ as Lord and Savior). 

Whatever happened to a passionate commitment to following God’s Word:  “Guard the precious treasure?”

The following statement accompanies a forward to Coughlin’s  monograph: 

"Mr. Coughlin’s expertise in the nexus between Islamic Law (shariah) and Islamic terrorism informs his exposure of the manipulative Brotherhood strategy to use the interfaith dialogue arena as an opportunity to edge Catholics toward a dislocation of faith so as to pave the way for the insinuation of shariah into American faith communities and society in general."

Friends:  this isn’t just true for Catholics.  It is true for evangelicals as well exemplified by  (1) this event was underwritten by the Christian Reformed Church, and (2) Calvin College calls itself a Christian college and willfully (eagerly) promotes confusion.  

Where does it say in the Bible to bridge build between people/nations of other faiths? 

Although we take exception to the nuances of this presentation and the one-sided platform from which it came, make no mistake about it: Christ teaches us to show love and compassion.  Our Lord would have us to be kind and helpful to others, even others of a different faith. However, there is a great difference between being loving and accepting the doctrine and tenets of those whom we would help or work with. The greatest love one can show is to lay down his life for another and perhaps the next greatest love would be to show one who is deceived the truth of eternal salvation and damnation, in love, regardless the discomfort or possible rejection of that truth.

We must speak the truth for that is the command from our Master.

Brothers and sisters in Christ!!  We must not be lulled asleep by such devices. 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whomyou learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of Godmay be complete, equipped for every good work.  II Timothy 3:17.

This issue needs deeper examination.  Stay tuned.

For further information:

Steve Coughlin’s presentation at our July 24, 2015 conference: 
Click Here:

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