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November 26, 2005
The Nation's First Arabic Christian TV Channel
This story caught my eye. Its an excellent example of contemporary outreach strategy. If you are interested in supporting an effective ministry aimed at Muslims living in the United States, this may be an excellent opportunity. From the Washington Times:
Arabic Christian TV channel getting attention
The founder of the nation's first Arabic Christian TV channel says the programming is attracting phone inquiries from curious Muslims.
The Southern California-based channel Alkarma, whose name means "the vineyard" in Arabic, premiered Oct. 17. It is the brainchild of Samuel Estefanos, an Egyptian-born businessman. The channel gets 10 to 15 calls a day from Arabic speakers with Muslim surnames who are intrigued that Alkarma would give away a movie known as the "Jesus Film" and other materials.
"Some of them call and say they are Muslims and need to know more about Christ," Mr. Estefanos said. "Other people are Christians but say they don't know anything about Christ. In the Middle East, even though if your religion says 'Christian' on your identity card, that does not mean that you know Christ."
Mr. Estefanos invested about $200,000, much of it his own money, to purchase airtime and equipment for the 24-hour channel. The station still needs about $40,000 a month to operate. Total contributions so far total about $10,000 a month. "I know this is a great station," he said, "and we are doing more productions. We are seeking to build a good foundation so we can grow more. I believe God will provide and we'll keep on going."
He estimates there are 35 Arabic-language TV channels airing nationally, but none of them were Christian until Alkarma began. The channel, which reaches about a million Arabic speakers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is slowly attracting advertisers. "It's great," he said. "Some people call us and cry on the phone. They say, 'We knew Christ through this channel.' People send us e-mails and leave phone messages."
The channel is one of 25 Arabic-language channels on the GlobeCast World TV satellite, which has 130 radio and TV channels in more than 30 languages. Alkarma, based in Seal Beach, Calif., is part of the nonprofit Media Dream. Its Web site is www.alkarmatv.com.
Mr. Estefanos, who emigrated here seven years ago, said he began dreaming of such a station 15 years ago after he graduated from college in Egypt in 1990. Beginning in 2002, he said, God began directing him to start Alkarma. He has had to produce seven original programs in Arabic. One is named "Virtuous Women"; another is called "The Healing Touch"; a third is called "God and Christianity"; and an interview show is called "Where is the Truth?"
"There are no debates between religions," he said. "Our goals are focused on two things: providing solid biblical teaching and programs for the family." Its Arabic programs are in various Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi and Egyptian dialects. The channel also airs some English programming for children plus portions of "The 700 Club" from the Christian Broadcasting Network.
Posted by sdf at November 26, 2005 05:42 PM
Comments
Dear Believer,
You asked me to consider Christianity as the answer for my life. I have done that. I consider it untrue, repugnant, and harmful.
You expect me to believe Jesus was born of a virgin impregnated by a ghost? Do you believe all the crazy tales of ancient religions? Julius Caesar was reportedly born of a virgin; Roman historian Seutonius said Augustus bodily rose to heaven when he died; and Buddha was supposedly born speaking. You don’t believe all that, do you? Why do you expect me to swallow the fables of Christianity?
I find it incredible that you ask me to believe that the earth was created in six literal days; women come from a man’s rib; a snake, a donkey, and a burning bush spoke human language; the entire world was flooded, covering the mountains to drown evil; all animal species, millions of them, rode on one boat; language variations stem from the tower of Babel; Moses had a magic wand; the Nile turned to blood; a stick turned into a snake; witches, wizards, and sorcerers really exist; food rained from the sky for 40 years; people were cured by the sight of a brass serpent; the sun stood still to help Joshua win a battle, and it went backward for King Hezekiah; men survived unaided in a fiery furnace; a detached hand floated in the air and wrote on a wall; men followed a star which directed them to a particular house; Jesus walked on water unaided; fish and bread magically multiplied to feed the hungry; water instantly turned into wine; mental illness is caused by demons; a “devil” with wings exists who causes evil; people were healed by stepping into a pool agitated by angels; disembodied voiced spoke from the sky; Jesus vanished and later materialized from thin air; people were healed by Peter’s shadow; angels broke people out of jail; a fiery lake of eternal torment awaits unbelievers under the earth ... while there is life-after-death in a city which is 1,500 miles cubed, with mansions and food, for Christians only.
If you believe these stories, then you are the one with the problem, not me. These myths violate natural law, contradict science, and fail to correspond with reality or logic. If you can’t see that, then you can’t separate truth from fantasy. It doesn’t matter how many people accept delusions inflicted by “holy” men; a widely held lie is still a lie. If you are so gullible, then you are like the child who believes the older brother who says there is a monster in the hallway. But there is nothing to be afraid of; go turn on the light and look for yourself.
If Christianity were simply untrue I would not be too concerned. Santa is untrue, but it is a harmless myth which people outgrow. But Christianity, besides being false, is also abhorrent. It amazes me that you claim to love the god of the bible, a hateful, arrogant, sexist, cruel being who can’t tolerate criticism. I would not want to live in the same neighborhood with such a creature!
The biblical god is a macho male warrior. Though he said “Thou shalt not kill,” he ordered death for all opposition, wholesale drowning and mass exterminations; punishes offspring to the fourth generation (Ex. 20:5); ordered pregnant women and children to be ripped up (Hos. 13:16); demands animal and human blood to appease his angry vanity; is partial to one race of people; judges women to be inferior to men; is a sadist who created a hell to torture unbelievers; created evil (Is. 45:7); discriminated against the handicapped (Lev. 21:18-23); ordered virgins to be kept as spoils of war (Num. 31:15-18, Deut. 21:11-14); spread dung on people’s faces (Mal. 2:3); sent bears to devour 42 children who teased a prophet (II Kings 2:23-24); punishes people with snakes, dogs, dragons, drunkenness, swords, arrows, axes, fire, famine, and infanticide; and said fathers should eat their sons (Ez. 5:10). Is that nice? Would you want to live next door to such a person?
And Jesus is a chip off the old block. He said, “I and my father are one,” and he upheld “every jot and tittle” of the Old Testament law. Mt. 5:18 He preached the same old judgment: vengeance and death, wrath and distress, hell and torture for all nonconformists. He believed in demons, angels and spirits. He never denounced the subjugation of slaves or women. Women were excluded as disciples and as guests at his heavenly table. Except for hell he introduced nothing new to ethics or philosophy. He was disrespectful of his mother and brothers; he said we should hate our parents and desert our families. Mt. 10:35-36, Lk. 14:26 (So much for “Christian family life.”) He denounced anger, but was often angry himself. Mt. 5:22, Mk. 3:5 He called people “fools” (Mt. 23:17,19), “serpents,” and “white sepulchers,” though he warned that such language puts you in danger of hellfire. Mt. 5:22 He said “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword." Mt. 10:34 (So much for “Peace on Earth.”) He irrationally cursed and withered a fig tree for being barren out of season. Mt. 21:19 He mandated burning unbelievers. Jn. 15:6 (The Church has complied with relish.) He stole a horse. Lk. 19:30-33 He told people to cut off hands, feet, eyes and sexual organs. Mt. 5:29-30, 19:12 You want me to accept Jesus, but I think I’ll pick my own friend, thank you.
One of Jesus’s many contradictions was saying good works should be seen, and not seen. Mt. 5:16, 6:1-4 One of his mistakes was saying that the mustard plant has the smallest seed. Mt. 13:31-32 The writers of Matthew and Luke could not even get his genealogy straight, contradicting the Old Testament, and giving Jesus two discrepant lines through Joseph, his non-father!
I also find Christianity to be morally repugnant. The concepts of original sin, depravity, substitutionary forgiveness, intolerance, eternal punishment, and humble worship are all beneath the dignity of intelligent human beings and conflict with the values of kindness and reason. They are barbaric ideas for primitive cultures cowering in fear and ignorance.
Finally, Christianity is harmful. More people have been killed in the name of a god than for any other reason. The Church has a shameful, bloody history of Crusades, Inquisitions, witch-burnings, heresy trials, American colonial intolerance, disrespect of indigenous traditions (such as American Indians), support of slavery, and oppression of women. Modern “fruits” of religion include the Jonestown massacre, the callous fraud of “faith healers,” recent wars and ethnic cleansing, and fighting in Northern Ireland. Religion also poses a danger to mental health, damaging self-respect, personal responsibility, and clarity of thought.
Do you see why I do not respect the biblical message? It is an insulting bag of nonsense. You have every right to torment yourself with such insanity — but leave me out of it. I have better things to do with my life
Posted by: JAY T. at December 27, 2005 04:02 PM
to the one who posted the long comment about the horrors of christianity... move on! seems to me you spent a lot of time writing how you felt for others to see. who are you trying to convince? this world is all grey none of it is either black or white. no need to get frustrated by others opinions. none of us are to know until it is time. why must we be so bound and determined to change others minds or hearts. accaptance for others for being who they are and not for what we want out of them could very well save this society from itself but alas I don't see that happening any time soon. I f I were to live in a perfect world, then I wouldnt have learned so much while I have been here. It hasn't been the perfect world we all would like to be in but it has been entertaining to say the least. whatever is in store for us after we leave here, I know I am all good with myself and that is all I need for now. No matter any one elses opinion of me! acceptance is the key to the feeling of fullfillment of oneself.
Posted by: tina at January 10, 2006 01:52 PM
I came to Christ through the darkness of India and the rigidness of the Middle East. A strange path and a long way from what I call home. I once used to laugh at chrisitans and think they where insane. My family rejected me when I decided to accept Christ. However the day HE called me out of darkness, it changed my life. To the writers above and to the readers who have read this far and have kept an open heart, God is beyond human comrehension, you have to EXPERIENCE what is written in the scriptures not just read it.
The beauty of Christ is that you experience the power of God personally not a religion that dictates rules and regulations. If you do not experience God spiritually you miss the one thing that could change your life forever.
Once you enter the holy of holies, you will never be the same
Posted by: hermoine at April 25, 2006 03:22 AM
Warm welcome to Alnemat TheGrace Arabic Christian Internet Magazine, We love you! Please visit us at:
http://www.TheGrace.net
http://www.TheGrace.org
http://www.TheGrace.com
نتمنى لكم الفرح والسلام والمحبة لأن السلام افضل من الحرب والمحبة افضل من الكراهية كما ان النور أفضل من الظلمة
سلام لكم في محبة الله.نتأمل زياراتكم الكريمة لموقع النعمة موقع مجلة النعمة يقدم كلمة الله الكتاب المقدس الإنجيل رسالة السيد يسوع المسيح قراءات مختارة مواضيع مصيرية قصص واقعية شهادات شخصية ترانيم ممتازة ردود مؤكدة كتب بنّاءة رسوم تسالي تأملات يوميات
Bible in Arabic Audio Read search Studys Stories Testimonies Hymns and Poems Answers Books Links Daily devotions Acappella Music Graphics /Alnemat Journal Arabe Chrétien La Grâce la Revue Arabe sur Internet offre La Sainte Bible Al-Injil L'Evangile de Jésus Christ gratuit, Bienvenue a La Grâce.
Posted by: TheGrace / النعمة at January 20, 2007 11:29 AM
I AM LEFT IRAQ BECAUSE MY LIFE NOT GOOD AN DANGER BECAUSE I AM WORKING WITH ARMY U.S.A I WANT GET CANADA FOR LIVE AND WORK PLEASE HELLP ME MY LIVE FROM DANGAER
Posted by: MAJEED MOHAMMED at August 19, 2007 04:31 PM
Warm welcome to Alnemat TheGrace Arabic Christian Internet Magazine, We love you! Please visit us at:
http://www.TheGrace.net
http://www.TheGrace.org
http://www.TheGrace.com
نتمنى لكم الفرح والسلام والمحبة لأن السلام افضل من الحرب والمحبة افضل من الكراهية كما ان النور أفضل من الظلمة
سلام لكم في محبة الله.نتأمل زياراتكم الكريمة لموقع النعمة موقع مجلة النعمة يقدم كلمة الله الكتاب المقدس الإنجيل رسالة السيد يسوع المسيح قراءات مختارة مواضيع مصيرية قصص واقعية شهادات شخصية ترانيم ممتازة ردود مؤكدة كتب بنّاءة رسوم تسالي تأملات يوميات
Bible Read search in Arabic Studys Stories Testimonies Hymns and Poems Answers Books Links Daily devotions Acappella Music Graphics /
Alnemat Journal Arabe Chrétien La Grâce la Revue Arabe sur Internet offre La Sainte Bible Al-Injil L’Evangile de Jésus Christ gratuit, Bienvenue a La Grâce.
Arabic Christian Magazine The Grace offering the Arabic Bible النعمة تقدم الإنجيل الكتاب المقدس
Posted by: TheGrace / النعمة at September 7, 2007 06:43 PM


