By Mateen Elass, posted on his personal blog.
My last two blogs apparently caused a bit of a ripple in the world of liberal PCUSA leaders. I learned on July 1 that General Presbyter Mike Cole, executive of the New Covenant Presbytery (whom I have met in the past and found to be a congenial fellow), recently sent an email missive [it has since been posted online] out to presbytery members in response to the stir caused by the worship leadership of a Muslim at the PCUSA General Assembly (GA), and by my interpretation of the import of that Muslim man’s prayer. Likewise, a group of theological liberals in a Facebook group pilloried my comments, complaining that I wasn’t being accurate or fair.
Apparently, my words cannot be trusted for the following reasons:
- I am no longer a PCUSA minister, having committed the unforgivable sin of pastoring a church that decided to leave the PCUSA for a new denomination (ECO) during my tenure there, and having had my ordination credentials transferred from the PCUSA as well.
- I am no longer even a pastor at that church, having left it in obedience to God’s new call on my life and ministry. Mr. Cole describes it this way: “His ministry is the conversion of Muslims and he regularly blogs on the evils of Islam.”
- My perspective cannot be trusted because of my “background.”
- The clause “lead us to the straight path,” which Mr. Said prayed in Arabic as the opening recitation from the Fatiha, does not mean what I think it does but is capable of a wide range of meanings.
- Mr. Said would never pray to Allah for the conversion of Presbyterians (or any non-Muslims) because many of the GA commissioners personally met him and he is a nice man. Indeed, Mr. Said is “Exhibit A” of a moderate Muslim whose participation in the GA interfaith service demonstrates his denunciation of violence and terrorism, and opposition of radical Islam. How deplorable that someone like me would speak ill of a Muslim wanting to be part of the solution to terrorism rather than part of the problem.
- Muslims really love Jews and Christians, because according to one Muslim scholar Mike Cole consulted, “The Quran refers to both religions as good and worthy of following.”
- The scholar further declared with no apparent irony, “Islam orders us to respect other faiths. We believe that everyone is entitled to choose their faith and belief system.”
- The clear intention of the Muslim’s prayer was to “…affirm Presbyterians in faith and stand with us for peace and justice and against violence.” My blogs by contrast were shameful, demonstrated by the fact that I would “…choose to twist the intent to be something nefarious and devious.”
The first three claims are ad hominem attacks leveled against me as an untrustworthy source because of who I am. It’s always the sign of weak argumentation to attack the messenger rather than the message. Truth stands or falls on the basis of its own merits, not on the merits of the speaker. Balaam’s ass did not have much pedigree to recommend itself as a divine messenger, but Balaam would have ignored it to his own peril (see Numbers 22:21-34). What Mike Cole says about me is true, though slanted. I served as a PCUSA minister from 1982-2000, then as an EPC minister from 2000-2007, and then again as a PCUSA minister from 2007-2013. Since 2015 I have been working in a mission to the Muslim world, seeking to introduce Muslims to Jesus Christ and to warn the larger world of the dangers of Islam as a system of beliefs and behaviors that point away from salvation in Christ and toward eternal destruction. I would hope that Mike Cole, as a fellow Christian, would wholeheartedly applaud that endeavor.
The claim that my background disqualifies my comments as “biased” leaves me almost speechless.
6 Comments. Leave new
What bothers those knee jerk worldly types is that you speak the Truth. God Bless you Mateen. As someone who’s been in the ‘public square of discourse’ for many years, I can assure you those stone throwers will someday be humbled before the Holy Throne of Judgement. Ignore them.
Pastor Mateen Mike Cole and his fellow band of muslim praying sluggers are only mad because you called them out on this, they know about as much Arabic as I do, for all we know he could have been up there on stage giving us the lottery numbers, they really don’t get it, what they are doing to the pcusa. This is just pure spite on their part, because they never thought someone could actually translate what was being said, Thank You for doing that.
Much like the presbytery you left, the New Covenant Presbytery got it’s pound of flesh from departing churches by blackmail and greed, more than the presbyteries ever deserved, and their actions by coming after you just shows us who these “people” really are. Keep up the good work, your’re getting under their skin, and we like that.
Reverend Elass– blessings on you, and thank you for speaking the truth! I was considered “biased” decades ago, too, when I was very visibly pregnant and tried to weigh in on an abortion debate. My comments were written off by some PC(USA) ministers as too subjective to matter, since I could feel my baby’s movements in utero at the time .Apparently, getting to know aspects of the truth firsthand makes us not only suspect but derisible in the eyes of those whose minds are made up.
But of course, Mateen….having actually real life knowledge and experience with the subject automatically disqualifies your point of view….don’t want any reality interjected!
Excellent article,thank you. I’m not sure those at the GA understand that many Muslims interpret their willingness to have an Imam pray at GA as an expression of disrespect to the God we profess to believe in and serve. John Shuck hosted the Ramadan Tent Project at his church. The speaker advised the crowd that Shia and Sunni would be called separately to prayer. Shia will not pray with Sunni but Presbyterians say we’ll pray with anyone. It is not lost on Muslims that we are more interested in establishing our progressive credentials than we are in serving our God. It’s not surprising that many Muslims have total contempt for Christianity when they see the lack of respect Christians have for their own faith. They find us preposterous. Great testimony GA.
Reviewing my message I realize one point requires clarification. My criticism is not Presbyterians will pray “with anyone” as we surely should,it’s that we will pray or join in prayers “to anyone”.