Faith, Growth, and Numbers

What does it mean to be the “fastest growing religion in the world?” And does that quote really hold much meaning anyway? Some people have quoted that Islam is the fastest, and although most accountants in religion-ville say that this is not really the case Muslims are proud to quote this. The real statistics are very difficult to nail down. CNN (and other Mainstream Media) are happy to parrot it – correctly or incorrectly – as well. One CNN report said:

The second-largest religion in the world after Christianity, Islam is also the fastest-growing religion. In the United States, for example, nearly 80 percent of the more than 1,200 mosques have been built in the past 12 years.

This might be true, but it’s not because crowds are flocking to Islam. Plentiful Saudi oil money is happy to build the US mosques, teach the strict Wahabi Islam, and fill these mosques with imams that – if they were in Canada – would be jailed for “hate speech.” Praise Allah, hardly anyone in the US speaks Arabic. Another perhaps more accurate report says

the growth rate of Islam vs. Christianity is directly linked to the birth rate in Third World countries where Islam dominates and not actual conversions to each religion.

One reason for Muslim “growth” rates is actually birth rates. Simply put, Muslims are generally out-boinking white Christians. England and France have rapidly declining birthrates, so they’re busy importing Muslims, and look what an awful mess that has got them into: there weren’t any subway, train, or bus bombings before the followers of Allah showed up. Japan’s on a steep birthrate decline too, but at least they’re not importing Muslim replacements; they’ll have to count on earthquakes to take out their trains and buildings. Now check out Africa: One article I found (which seemed well documented) said there are six million new African converts to Christianity every year. There are 390 million Christians in Africa; Three times as much as 35 years ago. And some perspective: that’s nearly 100 million more than the whole US population! And that is slaying them up in Sudan. Muslim led governments are freaking out at the prospect. And the name “Jesus” is being said more and more in all parts of Asia, including China. Suicide bombers from Indonesia better get crackin’ if they’re going to stop that. Here in the US, on average we’re holding steady just over the “replacement rate” of 2 kids per couple. Thank God for the Latinos. With their largely Catholic heritage and overwhelming immigration from the south, we can barely make that “sustainable” claim.

 

Another reason for such phenomenal “growth” – particularly in the US – is immigration: Muslims are dying for the opportunities that their home countries (and Sharia law) would never allow. It is still great to live in America, aint it? Muslims who immigrate here have to admit that the Judeo-Christian values that founded this awesome republic and allow people to achieve there full potential are something to cheer about. How come Sharia law has not done that in any Muslim country? Our Creator – God – intended for us to reflect Him in creation, and Islam stifles that.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

The other reason for Muslim “growth” in the US is how we measure it. If a child is born into a Muslim family, they are automatically Muslim; they don’t have a choice. That is what perplexes Muslims about Barack Obama. His dad’s a Muslim, so he’s a Muslim, isn’t he? Or doesn’t Obama understand that? Or when he says he has “never been a Muslim,” how can he betray his father (and his early school records) and do such a family-dishonoring thing? Or if he is perceived as an apostate to the “religion of peace,” I predict one of those “peaceful” people may help him rest in “peace.” At any rate, when US census takers come around to Muslim families, every newborn, infant, and toddler is counted as “a Muslim.”

 

Christians are more likely to state they are indeed “Christian” if they have made a choice. Although I’m sure there are a few million that just chalk up the whole family as being “Christian,” some parents may indicate that one or more of their children has yet to make a personal commitment to Jesus. Muslims don’t get that; any child in a Muslim household who might say they are “not sure if they’re Muslim” . Well, that’s just downright abhorrent. Any child in a Muslim household who values his life would never utter such a foolish thing. Why might this be? Do they have something to fear from the “Religion of Peace?” Shoot, you might get your tongue cut out and be burned alive. Sound ridiculous? Click here. Of course, that’s Saudi Arabia, and can’t possibly ever happen in America, right? Who cares?

 

Here’s the point:

·        If you go strictly by people who choose a religion, Islam is practically standing still and Christianity is blasting along like a bullet train.

But what does it mean? I’ll tell you: Christianity offers hope and life, and Islam offers oppression and death. Islam promises structure, but it doesn’t do it with love. With Christianity, Jesus leads people by His Holy Spirit in them to make other peoples’ – even non-Christians – lives better, because treasuring the life that God gives honors Him. On the other hand, with Islam, martyrdom is the only sure way to heaven. “Islam” means “submission,” and since no one can truly bear the crushing weight of the Koran’s dictates, killing yourself while killing kufars (unbelievers) seems the only “reasonable” way out.

 

Why is Christianity exploding (in a good way, of course)? “Christianity is providing … a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.” Islam breeds hopelessness, and the only way out is death in jihad. That’s what even secular Westerners don’t get. It just doesn’t make sense that if God made life, that he wants you to sacrifice yours to please him. Are you saying that god creates your life, and then gets pleasure out of watching slow motion re-runs of your bloody suicide on Al-Jazeera or YouTube? What kind of insecure, psycho god is that? The God of Christianity doesn’t do that, he knows you can’t live up to His standard, so He provided a sacrifice for you: Jesus.

 

If you’re Muslim considering the millions worldwide flocking (willingly) to Jesus, perhaps that means you should look inward and question your “chosen” religion. There IS another way out (besides martyrdom): Choose Jesus. Here’s the test: If it is not “life bringing,” then it’s not from God. As a Christian, I am 100% certain that God – through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus – has completely taken care of my sins. I will try my best to honor Him and what He’s done for me, and to grow in a personal relationship with Him and bless others, but I am surely going to fail at doing it enough to be “worthy” by His standards, yet He surely doesn’t hold that against me. Again, Jesus did it all, and I get to be thankful that God loves me that much.

 

I am free to live. Don’t you want to be?