Rick Warren To Partner With ISNA

I'll admit something up front: I've never much cared for Rick Warren. I can't explain why I had that reaction to him from start.

A lot of Christians hold him in high esteem and love his preaching and his writing. I can't say the same from my own perspective. Instead, I find his message hollow and filled with the social gospel.

Now comes this:

Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book The Purpose-Driven Life and one with some weight among Christians, appears to be promoting Christo-Islam, i.e., syncretism, another manifestation of delusional and self-delusional kumbaya.

From this source:

The Indiana-based Islamic Society of North America will be holding its annual convention -- the largest yearly gathering of Muslims on the continent -- in Washington, D.C. over the Fourth of July weekend.

And while convention leaders are holding out hope that President Barack Obama might make the convention his latest stop in his outreach to the Muslim world, the convention has landed another pretty big fish as a featured speaker.

Purpose-Driven pastor Rick Warren has agreed to appear at the convention and be part of its main session discussing the convention's theme -- "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Joining Warren for the session is ISNA President Ingrid Mattson and noted Muslim scholar Hamza Yusuf.

Warren's scheduled visit to the convention follows ISNA leader Sayyid Syeed's appearance last December at Warren's Saddleback Civil Forum on Public Health. Warren was unavailable this week to comment about the appearance.

His involvement with ISNA follows the Muslim organization's attempt to build partnerships with people of other faiths, including the Union of Reform Judaism and the American Baptist Churches....

Please see Front Page Magazine's index of articles about the ISNA. What a web of Islamist connections!

Excerpt from this FPM article by Joe Kaufman:

Both the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) present themselves as mainstream Muslim organizations, yet in reality they are part of a radical Muslim movement which exists for the purpose of doing harm to America and Western interests abroad.

[...]

ISNA, said to be the largest Muslim organization in North America, has its roots in the extremist Muslim Brotherhood overseas, the same group responsible for the formation of Hamas and most other international terror entities.

[...]

Besides its connection to Hamas, ISNA is involved in the propagation of hate materials. ISNA and its sister organization, the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), run an Islamic Book Service for the United States and Canada. The service consists of texts written by leaders of the Brotherhood and a version of the Quran, The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an, which has been banned by the Los Angeles school system for having numerous anti-Semitic commentaries....

What purpose is driving Rick Warren to partner with a group with terrorist ties? Is he ignorant of those ties? Is he planning to preach the Gospel to ISNA? Not likely.

Rick Warren has previously been criticized for buddying up with Islamists before. From this source, back in 2006:

In his Tuesday, November 28th column, the sixth in a blistering barrage, critical of Warren, Joe Farah had some less than cordial things to say about the Saddleback padre's Purpose Driven powwow with the leader of a terrorist nation:

"Let's be clear about what Rick Warren did and why he is being criticized.

It's not because he met with Syrian President Bashar Assad. In fact, I would encourage any Christian leader who can get in Assad's face to do so. He needs to be called to account for keeping Christians in Syria in a state of "dhimmi" status. He needs to be called to account for murdering Christian political leaders like Pierre Gemayel. He needs to be called to account for his continued repression of his own people as well as those of Lebanon. He needs to be called to account for his support for the terrorist organization Hezbollah. He needs to be called to account for allowing his country to play host to more terrorist organizations than any other country in the world.

So, I did not criticize him for meeting with Assad. I criticized him for playing footsie with the dictator, for giving him cover to continue his atrocities against believers and non-believers alike, for lying to the world about the state of the church in Syria and for not even mentioning Assad's bellicose threats to the very existence of the state of Israel."

But you see, what Warren was doing in Syria is what he's been doing all along here in America and around the world with the dialectic church - withholding inconvenient truths about sin and the call to repentance for the sake of Results and Relationships. Going soft on sinners is his specialty! That's how you "build bridges," exponentially grow churches and dialectically achieve "unity in diversity" - by putting absolutes aside and dialoguing differences away until everyone's conscience is seared and conviction vanishes in the ambiguity of religious relativism.

Somebody, tell Rick Warren, "When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas."

As I was doing research for this posting, I stumbled across this interview of Rick Warren in the Atlantic. The title of the interview is "The Rick Warren Interview: No Compromise With Evil." In my view, Rick Warren isn't living up to the second part of that title with his upcoming speaking engagement at ISNA's upcoming convention.

BHO's Impeachable Offense?

Maybe so.

Democrat Claire McCaskill doesn't go quite that far but does raise concerns:

A short time ago, Sen. Claire McCaskill, a former Missouri state auditor who works closely with IGs in the federal government, issued a statement critical of the termination. Her statement didn’t mention the controversy surrounding the former NBA star but noted that she had authored a law requiring that IGs be given 30 days advance notice of dismissal along with the casue for termination.

“The White House has failed to follow the proper procedure in notifying Congress as to the removal” of Walpin, wrote McCaskill, a Democrat.

“Loss of confidence is not a sufficient reason. I’m hopeful the White House will provide a more substantive rationale, in writing, as quickly as possible,” she concluded.

According to Hot Air:

Did the Obama administration rush to close a probe into fraud committed by a political ally before discovering obstruction of justice? The Sacramento Bee reports that a former official at St. HOPE alleges that now-Mayor Kevin Johnson’s emails relating to the fraudulent use of money were deleted from the servers in order to obstruct the investigation that Gerald Walpin conducted

[...]

[I]t looks like the White House...rushed a conclusion to the investigation without checking on the cooperation of the accused or even determining whether they had seen all of the evidence. And when the independent Inspector General tried to make that very point, the White House attacked him instead of the person who defrauded the government and may have obstructed justice on top of it.

Democrats screeched about the politicization of the Department of Justice when Bush asked for the resignations of political appointees who worked completely at his pleasure. They assumed that Bush wanted the US Attorneys out of the way for political reasons. Here we have a White House attacking an IG, authorized by both Congress and the White House and supposedly independent, for objecting to a political payoff for a high-profile Obama supporter. When do we hear that same outrage over politicization of law enforcement?

What took Nixon down? Any similarities with what BHO has done?

Hinckley gets more time away from mental hospital

Jun 16 04:31 PM US/Eastern
By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - John Hinckley, who tried to kill President Ronald Reagan nearly three decades ago, can spend more time away from his psychiatric hospital and apply for a driver's license, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman found that Hinckley's health will probably improve with more freedom and that he wouldn't be a danger to himself or others.

Hinckley has been committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington since he shot and wounded Reagan, press secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent and a policeman on March 30, 1981, as Reagan left a downtown hotel. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He said he shot Reagan to impress actress Jodie Foster.

LINK

Iran: Clashes Within

Excerpts from today's Washington Post story are below the fold:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared a "new beginning" for Iran late Saturday after he was declared victor in the presidential election, but as he spoke on national television violent demonstrations rolled through several areas of Tehran. Supporters of defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi burned dumpsters, threw stones and clashed with police in the worst rioting in Tehran in many years.

What new beginning is Ahmadinejad talking about? The same mullah-controlled thug will be at the helm of Iran. Supposedly, he had a landslide victory:

The Interior Ministry, controlled by Ahmadinejad, announced that he had been elected in the first round with 62.6 percent of the vote, compared with less than 34 percent for Mousavi, who was the leading challenger. Turnout was a record 86 percent of the 46.2 million eligible voters.

Oh, really? Check out this information about the 2005 election, which brought Ahmadinejad to power. Should we believe that this 2009 election was run with more integrity?

According to today's Washington Post:

Announcement of the results triggered protests throughout the day. Families lined the streets in the middle-class neighborhood of Saadat Abad, cheering on the demonstration and shouting, "Death to the dictator!"

[...]

Talks between Iran and the United States are still a possibility with Ahmadinejad at the helm. On several occasions, he has said he wants such talks. His oft-repeated verbal attacks on Israel are not expected to change.

So, no fresh start, really.

Meanwhile,

The White House released a two-sentence statement...

In Tehran, Mousavi's whereabouts were unknown. Reporters on their way to a news conference by the former candidate were stopped by security personnel, who said the meeting had been canceled. Several journalists were beaten.

[...]

"We are hopeful," Ahmadinejad said during his speech. "Now it's time to move on and continue to build our great Iran."

In essence, Ahmadinejad is speaking of change and hope. No wonder BHO cuts him so much slack.

With all this unrest over the election in Iran going on right now, BHO's weekly address was about healthcare reform, also the topic on the lead page of the White House web site. Not a word of support for the oppressed people of Iran. Does that community not matter to him?



ADDENDUM: More from Gateway Pundit.

Swine Flu Vaccine Possible, SD Sees 2 More Cases

By Susanne Rust of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jun. 12, 2009 5:42 p.m.

Health officials are reporting a second swine flu death in Milwaukee.

The case involves an adult who did not have any of the common underlying medical conditions that typically put people at risk from the flu.

The first death, reported on June 4, involved an individual who was vulnerable to the virus because of an underlying medical condition.

"We can not stress enough that swine flu continues to be a serious concern throughout the nation and within our community," Bevan Baker, commissioner of the Milwaukee Health Department, said in a statement.

The announcement comes on the heels of the World Health Organization's elevation of swine flu alert to a pandemic level.


LINK

US swine flu cases rise to 18,000

June 12, 5:16 PM

Almost 5,000 new cases of swine flu, or H1N1 virus, have been declared in the US this week. The WHO also declared swine flu to be a full-blown pandemic this week, meaning that it will eventually affect all countries worldwide.

The CDC has confirmed 45 deaths in the US so far from swine flu.

In Colorado, the first case of swine flu was confirmed in Mesa County after a young guest attended a wedding with 200 guests. There were guests at the wedding from Utah who had the virus.

LINK

Video Taken June 4: Little Rock, Arkansas

(Hat tip to Creeping Sharia)

The following video was filmed in front of the Army-Navy Recruiting Station, where Pvt. William Long was murdered earlier this week by "the Arkansas jihadist":



From this source, which may offer periodic updates:

Secure Arkansas organized a rally in rememberance of the first terrorist attack since 9/11. Pvt. William Long was killed and Pvt. Quinton I. Ezeagwula was wounded by Carlos Leon (aka Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad).

Channel 11 was the only TV crew out there with a camera, and the AR Dem Gazette sent a reporter and a photographer. The event had several speakers who did a wonderful job. Video footage of them will be uploaded soon. However, the most shocking part of the event was when a muslim fanatic crashed the event. The fanatic drove by and yelled at us, then parked in the parking lot and stood out with a homemade sign yelling anti-American and later anti-Semetic comments.

Had this been a ceremony for Tiller, this would have been the top story for both local and national media. Since it isn't a top story, it's up to you to send this to as many people as possible....

Contrary to what the muslimatoon say in the video, many of us do indeed know "what is Islam."

This is Hope

LINK

Saudi King Abdullah shows US President Barack Obama a certificate after giving him a gold necklace at the King's Farm in Janadriyah, Saudi Arabia. Obama is attempting to open a dialogue with the Muslim world by visiting Abdullah and delivering a major speech in Cairo later this week.

From The New York Post

Obama calls for 'new beginning' with Muslim world

The Washington Times
By Christina Bellantoni

To punctuate his call for a two-state solution to end the stalemate between Israelis and Palestinians, Mr. Obama used the often avoided term "Palestine."

He lauded the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel but said "the pain of dislocation" for Palestinian people who live daily without peace or security is "intolerable," and pledged America would not turn its back on them.

"The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met," he said, to applause, promising he would pursue that solution with patience.

"For peace to come it is time for them and all of us to live up to our responsibilities," he said.

He said Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israels right to exist.

But in a line that drew applause, Mr. Obama repeated his promise the United States would not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements along the West Bank.

LINK

Muslim Brotherhood Members to Attend Obama's Cairo Speech

The expected attendance of the Brotherhood members is already stirring some criticism from conservatives in the U.S. who say they do not represent the kind of moderate Muslims Obama should be appealing to.

FOXNews.com

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Egyptian lawmakers from the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood are expected to attend President Obama's highly anticipated speech to the Muslim world Thursday in Cairo.

Khaled Hamza, editor of the Muslim Brotherhood Web site, confirmed to FOXNews.com that 10 members of the Brotherhood's parliamentary bloc received official invitations to attend the speech.

The list includes Mohammed Saad el-Katatni, head of the parliamentary bloc.

LINK

Obama pressure on Israel draws concerns in U.S.

Wed Jun 3, 2009 4:53pm EDT

By Susan Cornwell and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON, June 3 (Reuters) - As President Barack Obama courts Muslims in the Middle East, his pressure on Israel to halt Jewish settlement activity in occupied territory is starting to raise some concerns at home.

Some U.S. lawmakers are urging Obama to use caution in pressuring Israel, underscoring the political difficulty facing Obama as he tries to develop a more evenhanded policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel has strong supporters in the U.S. Congress, where Obama's fellow Democrats hold a majority and where most lawmakers are traditionally protective of the strongest U.S. ally in the Middle East, providing the Jewish state about $2.5 billion a year in aid.

Both political parties are raising doubts about Obama's pressure on Israel even as the president tours the Middle East, where he plans to address the Muslim world in Cairo on Thursday.

Before he left, Obama told National Public Radio that "a freeze on settlements, including natural growth, is part of (Israel's) obligations" -- a message he conveyed directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month.

Referring to Obama's demands for a freeze on settlements in the West Bank, Representative Anthony Weiner said, "I think the president went beyond where I think it was appropriate for us to go in dealing with another democracy."

LINK

EXCLUSIVE: Al Qaeda eyes bio attack from Mexico

Seeks white militias as allies
By Sara A. Carter (Contact) | Wednesday, June 3, 2009

U.S. counterterrorism officials have authenticated a video by an al Qaeda recruiter threatening to smuggle a biological weapon into the United States via tunnels under the Mexico border, the latest sign of the terrorist group's determination to stage another mass-casualty attack on the U.S. homeland.

The video aired earlier this year as a recruitment tool makes clear that al Qaeda is looking to exploit weaknesses in U.S. border security and also is willing to ally itself with white militia groups or other anti-government entities interested in carrying out an attack inside the United States, according to counterterrorism officials interviewed by The Washington Times.

The officials, who spoke only on the condition they not be named because of the sensitive nature of their work, stressed that there is no credible information that al Qaeda has acquired the capabilities to carry out a mass biological attack although its members have clearly sought the expertise.

LINK

Obama: U.S., Saudi Arabia have 'strategic relationship'

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- President Obama, on the first leg of a Mideast trip, said Wednesday that he is confident the United States and Saudi Arabia can "make progress on a whole host of issues of mutual interest."

Shortly after his arrival Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, Obama and King Abdullah went to the Saudi ruler's farm for a welcoming reception. The two leaders met privately afterward.

Obama said he was "struck by his wisdom and his graciousness. Obviously the United States and Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendship. We have a strategic relationship."

"And as I take this trip -- and I will be visiting Cairo tomorrow, I thought it was very important to come to the place where Islam began and to seek his majesty's counsel and to discuss with him many of the issues that we confront here in the Middle East," he added.

Obama leaves late Wednesday for Cairo, Egypt, where he is to address a mostly Muslim audience Thursday (6 a.m. ET).

His plans to improve America's image among Muslims have been in the works since his first week in office.

"My job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect," Obama said in a January interview with Al-Arabiya television network.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/03/obama.mideast.trip/index.html

Source: Arkansas Shooting Suspect Searched Targeted Sites on Google

FOX NEWS

The suspect in a deadly military recruiting center shooting in Little Rock, Ark., conducted Google Map searches of several sites there and in other U.S. cities, a law enforcement official tells FOX News.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security sent out an "e-mail alert" Tuesday night to local and state law enforcement, according to the official. The source said they did not issue an "intelligence assessment" about the 23-year-old accused shooter, Abdulhakim Muhammad, as has been reported.

"Although the June 1 shooting was limited to Little Rock ... [we] notified specific cities, and out of an abundance of caution, issued the alert because additional subjects, targets or the potential for inspired copycats could not be ruled out," the official told FOX. "This remains an open and ongoing FBI investigation."

Also Wednesday, The Associated Press, also citing an unnamed official, said some of the sites searched and mapped out on Google were Jewish organizations, a child care center, a Baptist church, a post office and military recruiting centers in the southeastern U.S. and New York and Philadelphia.

After Monday's attack outside the Army-Navy Career Center in Little Rock, detectives scoured a computer linked to Muhammad, where they said they discovered the research into multiple sites in different states.

LINK

Obama Says U.S. Could Be Seen as a Muslim Country, Too

NEW YORK TIMES

By Jeff Zeleny

HAHN, Germany — As President Obama prepared to leave Washington to fly to the Middle East, he conducted several television and radio interviews at the White House to frame the goals for a five-day trip, including the highly-anticipated speech Thursday at Cairo University in Egypt.

In an interview with Laura Haim on Canal Plus, a French television station, Mr. Obama noted that the United States also could be considered as “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.” He sought to downplay the expectations of the speech, but he said he hoped the address would raise awareness about Muslims.

“Now, I think it’s very important to understand that one speech is not going to solve all the problems in the Middle East,” Mr. Obama said. “And so I think expectations should be somewhat modest.”

LINK