Accepting Islam or Rejecting Christ?

Can converting to Islam, or any religion, at gunpoint be taken seriously? And if so, what about all the martyrs in the Bible who chose death rather than deny Christ? Is this the same thing? These questions were asked in a comment here at Right Truth and are apparently on the minds of many folks after Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig were seen on video saying they had converted to Islam. My question is were they asked to reject Jesus Christ or just to read prepared statements saying they accepted Islam, and isn't there a difference?

Let's not forget that Peter, one of Christ's disciples, denied Jesus three times in one night. (Matthew 26:69-75) Did Jesus reject Peter for this? No, he knew he was human and he knew Peter's heart.

Verse 75: Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. --The New International Version.

Peter went on to be one of the strongest followers and his faith became the foundation for the Church.

Matthew 16:18 --And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

As I commented over at In the Bullpen in Chad's great post, "Centanni and Wiig’s Captors a Microcosm of the Islamist Movement", reading a prepared statement at gunpoint saying you accept Islam is one thing, but denying Christ if you are a Christian is quite another. To my knowledge, Centanni and Wiig did not do that. Is that splitting hairs? Maybe.

Chad references an article by Mark Steyn:

Earlier, his captors released a statement saying the two men had been offered a choice between a) conversion to Islam; b) the jizya (the tax paid by non-Muslims to their Muslim masters); or c) war. There was no none-of-the-above box. “They chose Islam,” said the spokesperson for the group,” and that is a gift God gives whom He chooses” — even if circumstances occasionally oblige Him to give it to you down the barrel of a gun.

Chad's comments:

What makes all of this so alarming is the dawah from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not taken with the same sense of concern a dawah from Osama bin Laden or Ayman al-Zawahiri. Both are calls for the world to convert to Islam or face the same three basic steps as outlined by the hostage takers of Centanni and Wiig; convert, pay the jizya or prepare for war. Al Qaida has decided to make good on it threats but Ahmadinejad has not . . . yet.

Robert Spencer says:

But most jarring was the video editor’s invocation of the favorite Qur’an verse of Western analysts of Islam and terrorism, “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256). The irony of featuring this verse in a video depicting two forced conversions has been widely noted.

Muhammad instructed his followers to call people to Islam before waging war against them – the warfare would follow from their refusal to accept Islam or to enter the Islamic social order as inferiors, required to pay a special tax:

Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war…When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action.

From the standpoint of the traditional schools of Islamic jurisprudence such a conversion would have resulted from “no compulsion.” ... In his letter to President Bush, Ahmadinejad invited him to accept Islam, and then echoed the Prophet of Islam in delivering a threat to Bush through Mike Wallace: “We are all free to choose. But please give him this message, sir: Those who refuse to accept an invitation will not have a good ending or fate.”

Were Western leaders courageous enough to speak forthrightly about the threat we face as an Islamic jihad, they could use the “conversions” of Centanni and Wiig to illustrate one of the elements of Western civilization that is being challenged and that we are resolved to defend. Unfortunately, mired as they are in denial about the nature of the “terror” threat itself, they have made as yet no such resolution.

"Convert to Islam or die", from Brain Shavings(go read it all):

Examining the recent release of two Fox News journalists forced at gunpoint to convert to Islam, Andrew G. Bostom writes about Islam's history of forced conversions:

. . . Will such Muslim authorities at least recognize the acute predicament of Centanni and Wiig by issuing a fatwa stating that their “conversion”, being under duress, was not bona fide, condemning in advance any Muslim who might now attack these journalists for “apostasy” from Islam?

What should be gleaned from this harrowing Gazan spectacle of non-Muslim journalists being kidnapped, imprisoned for nearly two weeks, and coerced at gunpoint into converting to Islam, while condemning their own societies? We must avoid indulging fantasies (such as those already expressed by the kidnapped Fox reporters upon their release) triggered by understandable Stockholm Syndrome reactions, or learned, fearful dhimmitude. Unsettling realities of the historical continuum of forced conversion to Islam must be discussed. The living Islamic fanaticism of the past cannot be allowed to poison the present (and future), unchallenged by Muslims themselves.

I'm not holding my breath.

LaShawn Barber asks "Christians, what would you do if some maniac held a gun to your head and asked you to deny Christ or die? Would you deny the Savior?" I hope that if I'm ever in that situation, I'll have the courage to die for my Savior.

La Shawn Barber asks the same question I posed. Are we talking about a fake acceptance on video of Islam OR are we talking about rejecting Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior? It really is two different things. Go read her entire article, "Gunpoint Conversions and Martyrdom"

I hope that I would have the strength and faith not to deny Jesus Christ. If I had been in Wiig and Centanni's place, in the same situation, I probably would have done just like they did, ... read that stupid statement and get the heck out'a dodge.

Others on the subject, go read them all:

Hot Air
A Tic In The Mind's Eye
Digger's Realm
The Colossus

UPDATE: I'm feeling a little ashamed of myself after reading this article, "Aiding and comforting" at Vanishing American. Here's a sample, but you should really go read the entire article:

David Warren, of Real Clear Politics, writes a piece called 'Doing the Enemy's Work' about the bizarre story of two Fox journalists, Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, who were captured and released after their conversion, on videotape, to Islam.

Doing the Enemy's Work ...

The degree to which our starch is awash is exhibited in the behaviour of so many of our captives, but especially in these two. They were told to convert to Islam under implicit threat (blindfolded and hand-tied, they could not judge what threat), and agreed to make the propaganda broadcasts to guarantee their own safety. That much we can understand, as conventional cowardice. (Understand; not forgive.) But it is obvious from their later statements that they never thought twice; that they could see nothing wrong in serving the enemy, so long as it meant they'd be safe.''

Warren writes about the Italian hostage Fabrizio Quattrocchi, who bravely refused to do his Moslem captors' bidding, and instead, died defiantly, saying 'This is how an Italian dies!' The Moslems who killed him hoped that they could display his humiliation and death to the infidel world, and thus demoralize and terrorize us. Quattrochi deprived them of that opportunity; his death might inspire other Westerners to defy the jihadists. The surviving Italian hostages, who let themselves be degraded and obeyed their captors' commands, inspired no one, in my opinion. ...

While yes, we can understand their desire to survive, is their subservient behavior a good portent for the West's chances in the struggle against Islam? Do we want neighbors and 'leaders' who will fold like cheap tents in the face of Mohammedan threats, just for the sake of physical survival?

NOTE: To make it clear to readers, while I am feeling a little ashamed, I stick by my original statement, "If I had been in Wiig and Centanni's place, in the same situation, I probably would have done just like they did, ... read that stupid statement and get the heck out'a dodge."

Linked with Jon Swift, " Kidnapped Fox Newsmen Let Us Down By Not Dying"
Never Yet Melted, "Debating Chestless Modernity". It's good, go read it.

Comments

[Johnny]

From what I remember... a person can leave Islam (and come back without punishment) if they converted under threat of death.

However, if someone converts to Islam and tries to leave (regardless of why they converted) They now become a Murtid (an apostate) that must be killed.

[rick williams]

christ died for all of us
given the chance i would die for him

[rafik george]

Jesus is our king and one day all peole will know that he is the only way to God ...praise the lord

[Vanishing American]

Debbie, thanks for the link and thanks for visiting my blog. I've seen my comments derided on a couple of blogs, and I think those of us who say we would refuse to convert are outnumbered by those who say compliance is the sensible thing to do.
This troubles me both as a Christian and as an American. I think as a civilization we may have to make the choice that Centanni and Wiig made: will we just give in for the sake of survival, or will we stand up for our faith and our principles? I hope the latter, but I fear we may have too many apathetic people among us.

[James Biga]

True acceptance of Islam is rejecting christ and the Holy Spirit. This IS the unpardonable sin. However, God knows our heart and will judge us accordingly. I do have one question: What did they convert from?

[Debbie]

Good point, Vol Abroad. The Muslim terrorists probably didn't see any need to require Christians to reject Jesus, like we faithful do.

[Vol Abroad]

Not that I think becoming a Muslim and being a Christian are in any way compatible, but Muslims do recognise Jesus as an important prophet. I've just been reading about Shia Islam, and Jesus plays an even more important role in their version - some of which at a cursory glance appears to be in some ways consistent with Revelations.

I'm not trying to diminish the repugnancy of a forced conversion, but I don't think they'd ask you to 'renounce Christ' as such - only to say that Mohammed was the greatest and last prophet.

[Debbie]

Centanni and Wiig didn't appear to be fighters. They admitted on Fox that after a few hours, they were already suffering from some Stockholm Syndrom, sympathizing with their captors. I could not believe their statements about Islam right after being set free.

[Thor]

I dont fault them for reading the statements at all, but there is no way they would have gotten such a statement from me...I would rather they remove my head (but not before I tried to remove theirs...LOL).