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Tennessee Pastor Launches Anti-Islam Campaign
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Jan. 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A Nashville area pastor has launched a campaign to defame Islamic teachings through a series of sermons in his church, news agencies reported.
Speaking to his congregation Sunday, January 13, Pastor Maury Davis of Cornerstone Church reportedly said that he will speak on the "evils of Islam" in a four-part sermon series. He also said that his church's eventual goal is to convert Nashville-area Muslims to Christianity.
Davis belongs to the Assembly of God church, a Pentecostal denomination claiming 38 million adherents worldwide. Davis was convicted of murder in 1975 and served an eight-year prison term.
The Tennessean newspaper reported Wednesday, January 16, that Davis began the first sermon in the series last Sunday, entitled "Hard Questions-Real Answers.
Islam...The Evil Religion."
Speaking to an audience of about 2,000, Davis said: ''I want to go on record as telling you that I believe the greatest threat to the American way of life, to the Constitution of the United States of America and to the gospel of Jesus Christ, is the religion of Islam as it stands today.''
He also said that he intends to "infiltrate" the Muslim community. "It is a great task that you and I have to infiltrate the Muslim community, but we can do it with the help of God."
Davis said his interest in Islam was sparked by the events of September 11. ''The more I studied, the more alarmed I became,'' Davis said.
He said that he hasn't studied The Holy Qur'an but relied on those who had written about the Islamic faith. He urged his congregation to listen to all four of his sermons before judging them.
Additionally, Davis said that he does not condone violence against Muslims but believes that "political correctness" has prevented Christian clergyman from speaking out against Islam.
But other Christian leaders and Muslims were not so sure.
''If you're going to sow hate, if you're going to sow ill-will, then you're going to motivate some folks to do some things they shouldn't do,” Rev. Bill Sherman, pastor of First Baptist Fairview told The Tennessean. “Violence is a possibility. Now don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying his sermons are going to end up like that, but it's a concern."
After listening to a tape of the sermon, Dr. Awadh Binhazim, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Nashville, said that Davis is providing an incorrect perception of Islam to his listeners. ''We do not agree with the message. It preaches hate. He is trying to convey Islam as a religion of hate and violence, [and] the facts he is using are wrong.''
Davis announced that his sermons would be broadcast on AM radio, Newstalk 1510 WLAC, which reaches listeners in Middle Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. They will also be aired on the Inspiration Network, a national cable Christian television show that reaches 15 million viewers.
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