Such Faith!

I know some people think I am an alarmist when it comes to Islam.  I guess if I could read some good news about it -- for instance if the religious leaders would come out condemning terrorism -- I might change my mind.

Saudi Arabia is supposedly one of our greatest allies in the Islamic world.  Yet they are totally intolerance of Christianity in that country.  Following are excerpts from a story I read in The Voice of the Martyrs magazine:  

Last August, a Muslim cleric in an eastern province of Saudi Arabia killed his sister, 26-year-old Fatima Al-Mutairi, after she proclaimed her faith to her family.  Before he killed her, Fatima's brother locked her in her room for four hours.  During that time she wrote a final letter and posted a poem on the Internet.  A portion of that poem is as follows:

AND WE FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST ALL THINGS BEAR  

. . . There are tears on my cheek, and Oh! the heart is sad

To those who become Christians, how you are so cruel!

And the Messiah says, "Blessed are the Persecuted"

And we for the sake of Christ all things bear

What is it to you that we are infidels?

You do not enter our graves, as if with us buried

Enough -- your swords do not concern me, not evil nor disgrace

Your threats do not trouble me, and we are not afraid

And by God, I am unto death a Christian -- Verily . . .

. . . As to my last words, I pray to the Lord of the worlds

Jesus the Messiah, the Light of Clear Guidance

That He change notions, and set the scales of justice aright

And that He spread Love among you, Oh Muslims

--Fatima 2008 

A faith like that makes me feel small.