Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Oct. 30, 2003, edition 1 / Page 5
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5B RELlGlON/(C6t Ctnilstte $04it Thursday, October 30,2003 ‘Jews for Allah’ attempts to gain Islam converts By Rachel Zoll THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DANBURY, Conn. — Most days, laid-off telecommuni cations worker Mohamed Ghounem minds the world from behind a laptop propped on his living room coffee table.'He’s working to get the Quran translated into Hebrew. His Web site, created to woo Jewish souls to Islam, has gotten national attention. But battling for converts can be dangerous work. The glasses the 32-year-old Mus lim is wearing have no lens es: “It’s a disguise,” he said. ‘Tve received death threats.” Ghounem, of Danbury, is the founder of Jews for Allah, a Web site - jewsforal- lah.com — that “invites” Jews to Islam. “Basically, I’m a pioneer,” said Ghounem, educated at Western Coimecticut State University and A1 Azhar University in Egypt. “One of my main goals is to inspire Muslims to invite Jews, to dialogue with them and to teach them about Isl^. “I’m not harassing anyone to convert. It’s their free choice,” he said. “If someone moves off my site. I’m not going to chase them aroimd the Internet,” he later added. Ghoimem recently spoke to a reporter from the living room of his apartment as his 2-year-old daughter played on the floor. His honorable discharge certificate from the U.S. Army was propped up on the coffee table. A gold- leaf placard, the “Ninety- Nine Names of God,” hung on the waU. By Ghounem’s thinking, the similarities of Judaism and Islam — similar dietary laws, the same Sabbath, the same behef in circumcision, and shared prophets - offer an entree for Jews into Islam. He is searching for a Jewish convert to be presi dent of his organization as a means of legitimizing it. He said two converts have turned him dovm. Though presidential candi dates may be scarce, con verts are many, Ghounem said. Just how many, he couldn’t accurately say. “It’s in the hundreds. I don’t know There are some — they’re in the closet.” Ghounem’s Web site sohc- its donations under the heading “Multi-National Muslim Committee.” He said the Web site has attracted few donations to a Newtown post office box, especially over the last few months. "I’m asking for money from two peoples who aren’t com fortable vrith each other,” he said. Some people aren’t com fortable with Ghounem’s mission. Rabbi Tbvia Singer, of the international missionary organization Outreach Judaism, called the Web site dangerous, anti-Semitic and “pregnant with hate.” Ghounem said his goal is to convert the nation of Israel and Jews everywhere to Islam. The Web site states that the organization is "countering the schemes of deceptive Zionists and Juda ic groups that target the Unity among Muslim fami- hes in the Islamic World.” Given tensions between Islamic people and the rest of the world, Ghounem’s efforts seemed fll-timed, said Emad Ismail, an imam of the Islamic Society of West ern Connecticut. Besides, he said, Islam teaches harmony ■with people of other faiths, all of whom were created by God. ‘You cannot be in peace with God without being in peace with his creation,” Ismail said. The roots of Jews For Allah are in Ghounem’s own con version of sorts. His parents were "good Muslims,”but he wasn’t observant as a young ster. He said television and pop music were more impor tant to him than Islam. After a period of seeking that stretched through his 20s, Ghounem said one of his professors at WCSU spurred him toward Islam. “I was very naive about my roots,” he said. ‘What helped me was an African-Ameri can professor, (who) said that to move forward, you have to know your back ground. Greater Mt. Moriah Primitive Baptist Church’s Aid SxtW & 7,^, SoMuceti SfUtwMe Celebrates Their Sunday, November 9, 2003, 8:00 A.M. Guest Speaker: Rev. Larry Coving Pastor, Ebenezer United Church of Christ • Bun Pietue. ' 747 W. Trade St., Charlotte, NC 28202 Ion fington, NC The Charlotte- Mecklenburg Black Political Caucus is seeking volunteers for its Election Day activities on November 4, 2003 from 6:30am until 7:30pm. Various assignments available. Contact Mark @ 704-556-7543 for further information. Ray Charles to goes back to gospel roots with DVD offering THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES - Gram- my-'winning entertainer Ray Charles has gone back to his gospel music roots. “It was very nostalgic, bringing me back to my child hood at church on Sundays,” Charles said this week ahead of the release of a 90-minute concert DVD "Ray Charles Celebrates A Gospel Christ mas.” In 1953, Charles recorded his first big hit “I Got A Woman,” a blend of gospel and blues, but he never thought about being a serious gospel singer. ‘ ‘My mother said you can’t serve two masters, and I sing rhythm and blues,” he said. The 13-time Grammy Award winner recorded the gospel DVD during a concert last November in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He was joined on stage by 70 singers from the Newark, New Jersey, Voices of Jubilation Choir. It was the first time Charles, 73, has performed traditional gospel music in public since he was a boy singing in church in rural Georgia and Florida. The DVD selections include “The Christmas Song (Chest nuts Roasting On An Open Fire),” "Little Drummer Boy,” "Have Yourself A Merry Lit tle Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “The First Noel” and "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer.” A portion of the proceeds from DVD sales will go to the nonprofit Save Africa’s Chil dren. On The Net: Save Africa's Children http:/Avww.saveafricaschildren.or g ■iSMt:' 1 ipm Friday, octokr 31, 2003 ^ ^ Fnendsky Mjitist church Gymnmum After the Ashbrook VS. Huss Football Game! ALCOHOL DRUGS Guest Speaker LYING REBELLION STEALING Miniskr. , Stevhen Furuck cromds Ministries Sjirin^s, NC li* Church ^ 11“ 221W. Bradley Avenue Gastonia, 704-865-9016 H 704-865-9057, FAX D“ Rev. John A McCullough, Jr., Senior Pastor Walls Memorial 56tli anniversary Continued from page 8B Church -will host Walt “Baby” Love Crusade at 9:45 a. November 21-22 Bread of Life Christian Ministry at 931 Wilann Drive will host its Prayer, Praise and Prayer Explosion Women’s Conference. For more information call 704- 531-2246. • Peace Moravian Church will host its Christmas Bazaar. For more informa tion call 704-759-9939. November 22 The ninth annual Christ mas in Paw Creek Arts and Crafts Fair vrill be held at Paw Creek Presbyterian Church at 8 am at 7400 Mount Holly Road. Alexander Funeral Home Kenneth Gardner Jr. died October 13 at Carolinas Med ical Center. Visitation and funeral were held October 18 at Zecheriah Alexander Sr. Memorial Chapel. Burial at West Creek Cemetery, Mount Holly, N.C. A.L. Jinwright Funeral Service Master Xavier Lamont Jones, 14 months, of 3553 Griffin Street, died October 4. Graveside service was held October 13 at Oaklawn Cemetery. Michelle Lee Watts, 42, of 130 Stephens Lane, died October 6. Funeral was held October 13 at Jesus Only ApoUstic Healing Temple, Pensacola, Fla. Mae Marshall Springs, 68, of 2804 McCombs Street, died Octo ber 14. Funeral was held October 18 at Greater Galilee Baptist Church. Grier Funeral Service Olivia Bums of 2727 Shamrock Drive, died October 2 at Brian Cen ter Nursing Home. Funeral was held October 10 at A.S. Grier Memo rial Chapel. Burial at Beatties Ford Memorial Garden. Elverie Wilson of 1431 Taffani Lane died October 2 at her residence. Funeral was held October 5 at China Grove AME Zion Church. Burial at China Grove Memorial Garden. Robert Harris of 1408 Whisnant Street, died September 29. Funeral was held at Plaza United Methodist Church. Burial at Gethsemane Memorial Garden. Alexander Johnson of 4200 Hovis Road #46 died October 6 at his re.sidence. Funeral was held October 11 at A.S. Grier Memorial Chapel. Burial at Gethsemane Memori al Garden. James Brown of 2660 Rachel Street died October 8 at CaroUnas Medical Center. Funeral was held October 12 at Greenville Memorial AME Zion Church. Burial at Gethsemane Memorial Garden. Anna Jeretha Wall of 2714 Dogwood Avenue died October 10 at Presbyterian Hos pital. Funeral was held October 19 at House of Prayer #2, Statesville Avenue. Burial at Mallard Creek House of Prayer. '^ome (md /re a oyduA Amlitum.f Jti oM aJmd ^/mdmaA. Weekdays and Saturdays - 10 am to 9:30 pm Sundays - 10 am to 6 pm Adults: $8.00 door/$7.00 advance Discount Tickets Available at Harris Teeter Youth 6-12: $3.00 • Under 6 free with paying adult Group rates available For More Information please call (704) 376-6594 A Southern Shows, Inc. Production Site www.SouthernChristmasShow.com
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Oct. 30, 2003, edition 1
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