It doesn’t matter that hatred is preached from the Islam centers. Does it matter that centers of Islam have some questionable money ties to the middle east? In an apparent double standard no Muslim involved in politics has been removed from involvement in politics because of their beliefs. However, a minister once called Islam a cult. He is now off a policy board for “Strengthening Florida’s Families”.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Republican gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist has removed a pastor who once called Islam a “cult” from his policy council.
The Rev. O’Neal Dozier was taken off the “Strengthening Florida’s Families” advisory panel Sept. 22, said Erin Isaacs, a spokesman for the candidate.
The Crist campaign said in a statement that the nominee respects Dozier’s right to express his political and religious beliefs, but he does not agree with Dozier’s views on Islam.
“Charlie Crist believes that we must not confuse those who practice any religion with a prayer toward peace with extremists who pervert religion to further a radical cause,” the campaign said.
One might take a look at the word cult and how it has been defined.
In his 1955 book, Martin gave the following definition of a cult:
“By cultism we mean the adherence to doctrines which are pointedly contradictory to orthodox Christianity and which yet claim the distinction of either tracing their origin to orthodox sources or of being in essential harmony with those sources. Cultism, in short, is any major deviation from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith.”
Just a cursory search turned up this brief (easy to read) definition of a cult (from a group dealing with Scientology)
Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following 5 characteristics:
1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society
3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma
4. It believes ‘the end justifies the means’ in order to solicit funds recruit people
5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society
Regardless of how you might feel about labeling some groups as cults (there are Christian cults and non-Christian cults), according to this definition one could easily see how the minister concluded that Isalam fits a cult aside from the fact that it doesn’t hold to historic Christian teachings about Jesus Christ. I don’t think… but the last definition… that anyone would consider this type of group as anything else but a cult. But then again… this is 2006.
Now one might wonder about the minister’s claim that Jesus told him that Crist would win the election. But his one statement makes one wonder.
Dozier said. “There’s no place for those who want to do the work of God in politics. Politicians want you to support them, but they are not going to support you.”
Has it become too dangerous to have a Christian too close?
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