Rick Warren speaking to Islamic group with terror ties
Chad Groening - OneNewsNow - 7/1/2009 5:40:00 AM
Jan Markell, the founder of Olive Tree Ministries, is concerned that the high-profile pastor will not use the opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with Muslims. Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church in California, has agreed to appear at the convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and be part of its main session, discussing the convention's theme: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." ISNA was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas terror funding case in 2007.
Warren's 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. Markell does not expect Warren to share the gospel during his address.
"Why go to a Muslim outfit and not share your faith and not tell them the truth? If he's just going to come and tell them they can have a wonderful and happy life, why go? I don't understand any purpose," she admits.
And Markell says there is another reason why Warren should stay away from the Islamic Society of North America.
"The group that he is visiting has ties to terror; there's simply no two ways about it," she notes. "It has ties to terror and has ties to CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations."
Markell admits she cannot understand why the Southern Baptist Convention or Warren's own congregation has not expressed any concerns about Warren's dealings with this very questionable Islamic organization.
An article posted on the ISNA website suggests the Islamic group is holding out hope President Barack Obama may make a surprise appearance at the convention.
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