From Kingdom of Evil to Kingdom of God.

Sam_777 · #1 Apr 15, '08, 5:00 am

Nickname: Sam.
Gender: Male.
Occupation: IT Engineer.
Marriage status: Single (virgin).
Religion: Islam (so far).
Current resident country: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Part 1/7:

I will begin by introducing myself, I'm an Arabic person (but not from Ishmael's descendants) who has been living his entire life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so you can say I have studied and thrived throughout the Wahhabi Islamic culture, I have studied that from my early childhood till now, and I always read our Muslims religious book (Quran) and practicing all Islamic religious obligations on daily basis together with my parents and my relatives.

However, during my life here in Saudi Arabia, I have encountered many racial and religious discrimination against me, my family, and other people with different religions, and I always wondered why is that coming from an Islamic country such as Saudi Arabia, shouldn't it be (a great) country since its the source of (a great) religion which is Islam!, and where the Kaaba (the black stone) is located, why we Muslims treat people according to their origins and tribes!, later on I have found out that the whole gulf area is similar to that, I have friends in other gulf countries, and they are also complaining about the same issues, personally throughout my life here in Saudi Arabia, I have found that the majority of Ishmael's descendants have bad manners, they pretend the religious acts in front of the people while at the back they make all prohibited things, racialism is everywhere, everyone's loyalty to his or her tribe only, I'm not exaggerating, ask any expatriate who lives in the Gulf region and has a daily contact with Ishmael's descendants (HRW1, HRW2, HRW3), and I always wondered why Human Rights Watch website has the majority of the complains related to Islamic countries, and why the majority of the wars in the world would have Islam as part of it!. However, later on I have realized the meaning of Jesus’ words: "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16).

At age 30 I had a business visit to one of the western countries, and during that visit I entered one Church to have some photos (that was my first encounter with the Christian world), after that when I traveled back to Saudi Arabia something happened to me, I don't know what, but when the Mosque's clerk used to curse Christians and Jewish during our weekly prayer and daily in our fasting month (Ramadan), I actually wasn't saying "Amen" after each curse like the other prayers, I kept silent, actually I don't know why I was doing that, but I think I was saying to myself, why I would curse someone just because of his or her religion!.

And the days have passed like that till I have reached 33, and once I'm visiting another western country, I entered one Church to explore it more (just to fulfill my curiosity), and that day wasn't Sunday, so it was empty, after exploring the Church I said to myself let me see this Bible which is forbidden for us to read in Saudi Arabia, and I sat down and I started reading the first pages of the Bible which was the Genesis chapter, I really was amazed by the details that was given about the creation of the world, details which were not available in our Islamic book Quran, I kept reading till two hours have passed like two minutes for me, after that I left the Church and because of my tight schedule I said to myself I should continue reading this Bible back home.

When I have finished reading the Bible through the Internet, I was really stunt by the words of Jesus, I thought to myself that those words cannot come from a human being even if he was a prophet, while in our Quran the words are normal and any Arabic person can come with such verses, there is no big deal with that, we Arabs are well known with our beautiful Arabic poem.

However, nowadays in some of Christian TV stations (broadcasting to our region through satellites), when they run some short scenes of Jesus teaching and when I read the Bible online, I feel my heart inclined towards the Bible and I shed tears!, I haven't shed any tears all my life when reading Quran or when praying, why its different now!, I asked myself this question: WHY I SHED TEARS WHEN I HEAR JESUS WORDS, WHAT MAKES MY SOUL SO ATTRACTED TO THOSE WORDS!. WHY WHY WHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Righteousone · #2 Apr 15, '08, 5:38 am

The Holy Spirit has entered you. I think Jesus is calling you to him.
Pray and let him guide you. He is calling many Muslim and many are converting. Peace.

GemmaRose · #3 Apr 15, '08, 5:56 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam_777

WHY I SHED TEARS WHEN I HEAR JESUS WORDS, WHAT MAKES MY SOUL SO ATTRACTED TO THOSE WORDS!. WHY WHY WHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why? Because for the first time in your life, your eyes have read the words of Truth, you have read the words of God Himself, and the Holy Spirit has revealed the Truth to your heart and soul.

I'm sure that all who read the words of your post will be praying for you.

P.S. I have been a Catholic Christian for all of my 53 years, going to Mass daily for all my adult life. I can assure you that Catholics never badmouth another religion in any of our Church services, and most certainly NEVER, EVER curse another religion.

_____________________________
“Dear God, do You know the greatest grief one of Your creatures can bear? It is the thought that she can never love You enough. ” - St. Gemma Galgani

carriel · #4 Apr 15, '08, 6:26 am

Why? God is calling you and better yet, you have heard him!! Hearing the truth will complete your life and set you free. I will pray for you.

BlestOne · #5 Apr 15, '08, 7:45 am

Wow Sam.. WHat a Testament to the love of God! Our Lord is so wonderful and powerful that he can take a soul such as yours that had been poisoned to Christianity for 33 yrs and give you a heart of love for him... what more needs to be said?

ralphinal · #6 Apr 15, '08, 8:13 am

Welcome and hello. I cannot answer WHY God does what He does, but I can say that you are on a journey to be closer to Him than you ever thought possible.

We all have a longing in our soul. One that can only be satisfied with God. We may think that we have filled it, only to find later that we still long. This is what is happening with you.

May God bless you.

FCEGM · #7 Apr 15, '08, 10:51 am

Sam, the course you are on will require great courage - courage that will be given you by the Holy Spirit as you come to the Light of Christ. God bless you on your journey to Him!

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." John 14:1

rpp · #8 Apr 15, '08, 11:21 am

We welcome your honest curiousity. An important teaching of the Catholic Church is that all people who genuinely convert do so because the the grace of God has entered them and prompts them to seek the truth.

While some of the discussins here can get a little contentious, I encourage you to ask questions. There are many here who will be happy to answer honest questions, politely asked, with an equally polite answer.

May God's grace and blessings be upon you.

ibkc · #9 Apr 15, '08, 11:35 am

Sam, your post brought tears to my eyes. You are in a dangerous country to be exploring Christianity so please, please be careful. I will pray for you that the Holy Spirit will watch over you and protect you.

Sister Amy · #10 Apr 15, '08, 2:01 pm

You're not Saudi are you?

IvanKaramozov · #11 Apr 15, '08, 5:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Amy

You're not Saudi are you?

I was thinking the same thing.

To the OP. If your telling the truth I think it's wonderfull you're finding a religion you feel comftoriable in, it's great you think you have found some great higher meaning or whatever, however your story strikes me as suspicisious to say the least

Muzhik · #12 Apr 15, '08, 9:38 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Amy

You're not Saudi are you?

No, because he said he was Arabic but not descended from Ishmael. The Saudis descended from Ishmael. Genesis 17:20 says, "As for Ishmael, I am heeding you: I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation." Genesis 16:12, though, says of Ishmael: He shall be a wild *** of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp. (Which would explain his experiences being a non-Saudi Arab in Saudi Arabia.)

Sam, I bid you peace and welcome. I will pray that you continue to hear and follow the L_rd G_D.

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Sister Amy · #13 Apr 15, '08, 9:44 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muzhik

No, because he said he was Arabic but not descended from Ishmael. The Saudis descended from Ishmael. Genesis 17:20 says, "As for Ishmael, I am heeding you: I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation." Genesis 16:12, though, says of Ishmael: He shall be a wild *** of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp. (Which would explain his experiences being a non-Saudi Arab in Saudi Arabia.)

Sam, I bid you peace and welcome. I will pray that you continue to hear and follow the L_rd G_D.

How do you know the Saudis are descendants of Ishmael? I've never really heard anyone talk about being a descendant of Ishmael or not, among Arabs, which is why that sounded kind of weird.

According to Genesis, God is going to make Ishmael a great nation. And unless the Bible is profane, that means a great nation IN GOD. Laa ilaaha illa Allaah.

Muzhik · #14 Apr 15, '08, 10:53 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Amy

How do you know the Saudis are descendants of Ishmael? I've never really heard anyone talk about being a descendant of Ishmael or not, among Arabs, which is why that sounded kind of weird.

According to Genesis, God is going to make Ishmael a great nation. And unless the Bible is profane, that means a great nation IN GOD. Laa ilaaha illa Allaah.

In Genesis 25:12-18, it lists the names of Ishmael's sons, noting that each of the sons formed tribal groups stretching from the border of Egypt to Asshur, which is a city in Assyria (i.e., they stretched across the Arabian peninsula, ergo, it's from these tribes that the Saudis emerged). It also notes that each of these tribal groups fought with each other, fulfilling the description that "...his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp."

The other tribes that developed into Arab cultures were the Edomites, descended from Esau, who sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of pottage, the Moabites, who descended from Lot's older daughter, and the Ammonites, who descended from Lot's younger daughter. All three of these nations lived in what is now Jordan.

Also, I must disagree with your interpretation of G_D's promise regarding Ishmael. "Great" in this context means "materially powerful" not being great in G_D. Genesis 17:15-22 is talking about all the material blessings that G_D will give to Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael will become the founder of a "great nation"; however, Isaac will be blessed even more, giving rise to many nations. These are only material blessings, though. Only Isaac is given the promise of an everlasting covenant with G_D; therefore, only Isaac and his descendants will be great in G_D.

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Sister Amy · #15 Apr 15, '08, 10:57 pm

I guess you didn't catch my meaning.

How could God say about something, in what you believe to be sacred scripture, that it is GREAT if it is greate in something other than God?

For if something is great in the world then ultimately it is not great in God. Material greatness, like wealth, is for this world and not the Hereafter, why Jesus said that it will be harder for a rich man to get into heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.