Hello Everyone,
I sure met a lot of hurting people today, this first day of the table outreach of apologetics in Atlanta. “Jesus” was popular. It seemed the seekers in Little Five Points were turning to every Jesus under the sun for comfort, except for the real One. As I drove home, I thought of an idea for a sign for the new table: “Big Needs Met in Little Five Points,” thanks to a Savior for sinners who rules the spirits.
A Rastafarian approached, and I offered him any of our materials on the table for free. I explained there were CDs on the spirits of “Psychic Phenomena” and “Angels, ” and he was obviously interested. I asked him if he believed in Jesus, and he said, “Yes, “ and he reached in his pocket to pull out his New Testament to show me. I said with a smile, “Wow, you carry around a New Testament!” I continued, “So, tell me about what Jesus means to you.” He said, “Well, I just got out of the mosque,” and I interrupted, “The mosque? So, you are a Moslem?” He answered, “Yes, and I embrace all religions as one. It is all about the ‘one love’” I replied, “Well, the Jesus of Islam never died. He never died on the cross, as Surah chapter 4 teaches, so the ‘Jesus’ of Islam is a different Jesus from the Jesus of the Bible who died as a Savior for the sins of the world.” The man attempted to shift the discussion back to his ‘one love’ of Rastafarian and Islam (and the world, assumingly). He stated simply, “What Islam teaches is that Jerusalem belongs to everyone.” I said, “What Islam teaches is that the sun up in the sky sets in a muddy pool (Surah 18:86); Satan stays in the human nose overnight (Bukhari Vol. no 516); Mohammed was a white man who owned black slaves (Bukhari vol. 1, no. 63); and that the Jews believe Ezra is the son of Allah (Quran 9.030).” The African man started to cover his ears as I continued, “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is pure. Allah is not, promising an eternity of celestial sex with virgins.” The man became angry and asked, “Why are you putting down my religion? This is the problem with Christianity!” I answered, “I am not putting down your religion of Islam. I am simply quoting from it. I would challenge you to prove to me that Islam is the same as Judeo Christianity.” I offered him our documented quotes from Islam to show its true teachings and an essay on “The Gospel of an Angel” to show the perverted spirit behind Islam. He didn’t want to take anything. I told him I was glad he stopped by the table and to please come back, showing me verses in the Bible to prove that the character of Jesus is the same as the character of Mohammed. He quipped, “It is all about the ‘one love’.” I answered, “Not when the spirit behind the ‘one love’ is a lie and a perversion of the only Pure Love from the God of the Hebrews.”
Another man approached who was getting off heroin. He took several materials, saying, “I believe in Jesus, and I really need help.” I told him Jesus would help him one day at a time. I explained, “ Jesus sure does offer rest to the ‘weak and heavy-laden.’ The bad news is, so does Satan.” I said, “God understands when you turn to heroin. You are hurting. You want to escape feelings. It is a way out, yet it is a way of shame. Jesus comes to give you a way out, too, but with no shame.” The man took sermons on CD, and looking over all of the sermons on apologetics from Walter Martin on “Spiritual Warfare,” “Tools of the Occult,” “Reasons for Faith” and “Jesus: God, Man or Myth,” he asked, “Is it possible for me to take one of all of them?” I said, “Well, we need more CD copies than we can make for others. If it is okay with you, just take a few and come back next week for more, so that others can have the sermons, too.” The man took several generic sermons by Tommy Fox, Hollie Miller, Paul Washer and also took a Bible. He took “Unity School of Christianity” and commented, “I know about this group. They believe in Jesus.” I answered, “Yes, but their Jesus is a christ-consciousness.” I took out a list of the different definitions for “Jesus” according to pagan religions and New Age cults. He looked over the list and said, “I never knew there were so many.”
Another man approached and asked, “What is the occult?” I answered, “If you look up the definition in the dictionary, you will find that the occult means secret, initiated power. It is all about power and control.” The man wearing amulets picked up a sermon and read the title out loud: “Tools of the Occult.” I said, “You can have that if you want it.” He replied, “No, I know all about it already. I am involved in palmistry and tarot cards.” I said, “Well, you sure are tapping into a power greater than humans, aren’t you?” I offered him the book, The Light That Was Dark, explaining that Satan parades himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), yet demons tremble at the name and Person of Jesus and turned to James 2:19, reading that even demons believe in God and are subjugated by only Jesus, not humans. I said with a smile warning, “Those demons may turn on you someday.” He answered adamantly with ease, “Yeah, I am involved in the occult, no doubt about it.” I commented, “Well, you seem satisfied.” He said, “I believe in a christ-consciousness.” I asked, “Does the ‘consciousness’ love you?” He looked bewildered. I said, “ Jesus loves you. An impersonal ‘consciousness’ can’t love you,” and he left the table without taking anything.
