My sincere thanks to all of you who visit this blog, and who have helped me hit this milestone number of pageviews. We're been averaging 3000+ views per month for some time now, and these numbers are very encouraging. I'd like to use this 50,000 pageviews milestone to reflect on the purpose of this site.
If you are relatively new to this site, or have not yet read my inaugural post, I ask you to click on this link and do so, for it explains my purpose here more fully.
God willing, I hope to soon add some new content in the form of special pages on various key topics, and I plan to release an eBook edition of my first book, Facing Islam, with the goal of making it more readily available at a sharply reduced price. Still, at only $17, it is a solid Orthodox Christian resource on Islam, and includes as appendices the text of St John Damascene's Critique of Islam, as well as Islam 101, a primer on the subject by another Orthodox writer, Gregory Davis. It has received solid endorsements from clergy and monastics, including Archimandrite Daniel Byantoro of the Indonesian Orthodox Mission (himself a convert from Islam), as well as from Islam scholars including Raymond Ibrahim.
Tracking and commenting on the Global Jihad and the Jihad against America, and how that concerns Christians, is a daunting task. There are a number of outstanding counter-jihad sites, some of which I link to on the left-hand column here, and I encourage you to visit these and subscribe to them for email updates. Keeping informed is essential.
But as this is a unique blog, approaching the threat of Islam from a uniquely Orthodox Christian perspective, you'll also notice that I feature links to some very worthy Orthodox news sites, which report on Muslim persecution of Orthodox Christians in the Middle East, the Balkans, Africa and elsewhere, and also present traditional Orthodox teaching. I also feature sites which concentrate on the worldwide persecution of Christians. Again, keeping informed is essential.
As you likely know from my periodic original articles (many of which are being initially published at RaymondIbrahim.com), my goal is to not merely re-report what you can learn elsewhere, but to be a fearless and true Orthodox Christian voice during one of the most dangerous and pivotal periods in human history. The Orthodox Christian response to Islam must be vigorous and lively, as it involves not only the repudiation of a false, brutal, desert religion seeking to enslave the whole world, but especially because Orthodoxy presents the Words of Eternal Life, the Gospel — the "Good News" — of Jesus Christ. Because of this divine imperative to share the Gospel, the Orthodox Christian response to Islam is one of hope, love and forgiveness, even while boldly asserting the Truth and pointing out falsehood. I go into much more depth on this topic in my first posting, The Divine Imperative.
You'll notice that I have a series on Islam and Sci Fi, Parts One, Two and Three, and these have proved to be quite popular. I believe using visual metaphors is a great way to get one's message across, and it is stunning to me how our pop culture provides such compelling ways to do so regarding Islam. There is also some wit and fun to these articles; they're a little on the lighter side.
If you are interested in learning more about the Orthodox Christian Faith, I warmly encourage you to visit Journey to Orthodoxy, and to find an Orthodox Church near where you live where you can "come and see."
And if you are a Muslim, I implore you to consider honestly what you see going on in the world, the atrocities and crimes committed by your fervent co-religionists, and ask yourself why it is that no other religion commands such hatred, violence and domination towards those not of its creed. I invite you to read my recent post, Message to Muslims: Time for some Serious Questions, and to visit this special section at Journey to Orthodoxy. Jesus Christ is waiting for you, we are waiting for you, with open arms, hoping you will join us in the True Way, the Life and the Light.
To those of you who disagree with me, or think my tone is too strong or that I go too far, I ask your forgiveness for any offense, but I also ask you to purchase my book, Facing Islam, and read it with an open mind. You will not find any teaching in it which goes against the teachings of the Orthodox Church, as I did not write very much of my own, but presented the Church's teaching as found in the Holy Scriptures, the writings of the Fathers, and the Divine Services.
Lastly, if you find this site at all worthy, I ask you to share it with your friends, send them links to articles that interest you, help spread the word.
Thank you, and may the Lord bless you.
