A priest who has allowed Muslims to pray in his church has told how he has been hit by a barrage of abuse by internet 'trolls'.

St John's Episcopal Church became the first church in the UK to share their building with Muslims after Rev Isaac Poobalan saw members of a neighbouring mosque praying outside in the snow because of a lack of space.



Hundred of Muslims now pray in the Aberdeen Church's main hall and chapel every week, but the news has not been well received by some Christians, who have taken to the church's Facebook page to blast the decision.

One user said that the church were "sharing Christ's table with Satan" before others another predicted a "flood" of Muslims moving to Aberdeen to convert the church into a mosque and said Rev Poobalan needed to be given the "boot" before it was too late.

Another posted: "I would leave this so called "church". Allah is Satan, and no God


"They (the church) have nothing to say about persecuted Christians, but invite Satan in.

"We are dealing with evil people that bow down to Allah and lost their belief in Jesus a long time ago.

"Allah has no son."



But Rev Poobalan said he would not sever his relationship with the nearby Crown Street Mosque.

He said: "I keep seeing these Facebook comments coming up on my email account, but I will not back down.

"We have developed a relationship with the mosque and we will not be breaking that up.

"These people have reacted spontaneously, but over time I hope they will change their minds.

"There is a huge religious cultural gap between the two, and if it takes time for them to be brought together then that's the way it is.

"With our media culture these days one can easily make comments and respond to things instantaneously, you just have to live with it."

One user even criticised Rev Poobalan for being a Good Samaritan to just be "liked" and said there was nothing "courageous" in his actions.

Rev Poobalan insisted he was not interested in a popularity contest.

He said: "What governed my human response was the Christian teaching 'love your neighbour as yourself' and that was honestly my first thought, 'I have to help them as a neighbour'.

"Jesus Christ wasn't one who wanted to be liked and I don't expect people to like me or the Church for what we do.

"We don't go into this blindly, we go into this knowingly and we don't go around trying to please people.

"It was simply a gut feeling to let them in after seeing someone in the cold praying and I believe that prayer is never wrong.

"There is nothing wrong with making them comfortable."
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/21/scottish-church-abused-after-allowing-muslims-in_n_2922783.html

I know that church!!! its just off market street

LOL!! well, given the number of churches that are now nightclubs in Aberdeen (priory, slains castle*, Soul bar, etc...) I can imagine how this priest is trying to improvise to save his parish

I can see the priest trying to bridge the gap between both faiths and try to reduce prejudice towards Muslims. People can go on and on about how Muslims will not do this, ask yourselves what would Jesus do? allow those guys to pray out in the cold? or help anyway they can. You guys don't know how cold Aberdeen can get


On a more serious note, It is quite sickening to see so much Islamophobia on those facebook messages. Aberdonians dont go to church (except old ppl), Only Africans here go to church. Saying that will lead me to conclude easily that 80% of the posts on that facebook are by Africans and other minor ethnicity. Stupid if you ask me cos they all cry of racism but when they put out stupid statements like these, they don't see it as something similar..

Religion has really brainwashed the common man. My heart bleeds for my continent

Yet i'm the atheist and I'm supposed to have no moral compass . Delusion is not hereditary, it is taught

Area_boy:
Religion has really brainwashed the common man. My heart bleeds for my continent

The thing tire me..

On Nl, Islam also gets its share of vitriol from our Jesus followers.. sometimes, atheists post comments on Christian topics and Allah gets abused..

The ignorance is sickening, but to live in the UK and still remain the same way... damn.. dat one pass delusion o...

Abeg MOD... plaster this thread for front page...

Thats catholic for you,no discrimination

one question for vedaxcool and others.

Can or will a muslims do this. allow christians hold a service in a mosque
(shirk things on ur mind)

question2: cann a church be allowed in saudi arabia

god bless u pastor because even d prophet mohammed(s.a.w) used to allow christians use a mosque on sundays to worship.

kaytytty: god bless u pastor because even d prophet mohammed(s.a.w) used to allow christians use a mosque on sundays to worship.

Thank you chairman, no muslim insulted Muhammad pbuh when he offered christians a space to pray in medinah the second holiest mosque . . . The prophet was light years ahead unfortunately the questions/comments that christians should be asking/making are not quite hitting the point, namely is it proper to insult your religious leaders because you hate muslims? Is it theologically acceptable to offer muslims prayer space? Etc! Not the non starter desika is rambling if your points are important then address them someplace else but this thread speaks clearly of intolerance of your christian brothers, diverting the attention from the main issue at hand is very poor judgment indeed and shows subtle support for the mannerless behavior of your christian brethren!

They never fall to tell us how their prophet was giving out mosques during his time yet somehow no church is allowed to stand on Islam holiest ground.

vedaxcool: Wahabi king visits Vatican;

Pope Benedict XVI met on November 6 with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia: the first meeting ever between a Roman Pontiff and a Saudi monarch.

In a formal statement released after the meeting, the Vatican said that the Pope's 30-minute talk with King Abdullah, held in the library of the apostolic palace, had been conducted in "a cordial atmosphere," allowing the two "consider questions close to the heart of both sides."

Prior to the meeting, Vatican officials had quietly confirmed that the Pope would press the Saudi monarch to ease restrictions on religious freedom. The Saudi monarchy, which takes pride in its role as custodian of Islam's holiest shrines, at Mecca and Medina, forbids any public manifestation of other religions. The 1.2 million Christians living in the country (most of them foreign workers) are not allowed to build churches, hold public services, or wear religious jewelry and insignia.

The official Vatican account of the Pope's meeting with King Abdullah referred only obliquely to the question of religious freedom, saying that the two had discussed "inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue aimed at peaceful and fruitful coexistence." The statement also mentioned the "positive and industrious presence of Christians" in Saudi Arabia.

King Abdullah stopped in Rome during a tour of European cities. At a dinner hosted by Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano on the eve of his visit with the Pope, the Saudi monarch had said that he was hoping to strengthen inter-religious dialogue. "If everyone followed the principles of their religions, and did what Allah ordered, the world would be freed of conflicts," he said.

The Saudi leader has taken a keen interest in the peace process in the Middle East, and the Pope's talk with Abdullah included a discussion of "the need to find a just solution to the conflicts affecting the region, especially that between Israelis and Palestinians," the Vatican reported.

Although no Saudi king had ever visited the Vatican before today's historic meeting, Abdullah himself had met with Pope John Paul II in 1999. At that time, although his formal rank was crown prince, Abdullah was the de facto head of the Saudi government, since his brother and predecessor, King Fahd, had been crippled by a stroke in 1995. Abdullah became king upon Fahd's death in 2005.

After his meeting with the Pope, King Abdullah spoke separately with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and with the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries in the world that does not have formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=54597

paris-love:
So has the mornarch agreed to ease the religious retriction imposed on Christians? Are they now allowed to build churches, hold public services, wear their religious insignias without any fear of persecution?

It'd really suck to know that the custodian of islam holiest shrine misunderstands the religious freedom they claim islam preaches.

lmao ive prayed friday prayer in that church before oooo

Muslims and christians there attend the same schools, eat at the same restaurants, live side by side in the same neighbourhood. That muslims are allowed to use a church for just a few minutes for their prayer should therefore be no news at all. But we live in a world full of bigotry and hypocrisy, so the hullabaloo is not unexpected: the same fellows that tag one religion a religion of violence would cause even more atrocities under one guise or another. Kudos to this priest for his steadfastness; he is a shining example of tolerance - let the self-righteous hypocrites learn from him.

kaytytty: god bless u pastor because even d prophet mohammed(s.a.w) used to allow christians use a mosque on sundays to worship.

For real!!

Burger01:
For real!!

yepp

Don't worry very soon fight will start. Nd 1 religion must leave. The man doesn't knw wat he is doing

Good that it isn't in Nigeria cos it would have been a very good target point.

Do not be equally yoked with unbeliever, especially terrorist

While some christians are allowing musims to worship in their churches, some very powerful muslims imams are calling for the destruction of all churches in the arabic peninsula. . .

RELIGION, THE THREAT TO MANKIND.

,

[size=18pt]The day a nut rises up from that Muslim congregation,his head will be the first to be chopped off.
Mumu parading as a priest
Maybe na closet Muslim
Christians living in sharia lands can't even gather to pray freely and here is a so called Christian turning a house of worship into a den of thieves.
[/size]

kaytytty: god bless u pastor because even d prophet mohammed(s.a.w) used to allow christians use a mosque on sundays to worship.

Are you serious How come this is not happenening in the Northern Nigeria where Christians are being massacred in churches by Islamic Boko Haram members

Is it a Bad tin 4 a Muslim 2 pray in d church we all serve d same God u guys wat 2 start a religious crisis

Right step in the right direction. Someone should pls tell those witnesses not to disturb fellow xtains, these are the people that needs the message to be converted. It should not be forced down their throat but with love nd patience they will gradually see the light just as the priest ve done.

Whether u pray in the church or mosque, are we not serving the same God? The fvck is wrong with those complaining? They should pls grow up!

Akpa ife: Is it a Bad tin 4 a Muslim 2 pray in d church we all serve d same God u guys wat 2 start a religious crisis

Point of correction, we don't serve the same God.

Very soon the people u offer shelter to will be the ones to bomb you and your church.

Who caresreligion is meant to be a personal relationship btw God Allah or whoever they serve.all dis rubbish talk is a waste of time.

kaytytty: god bless u pastor because even d prophet mohammed(s.a.w) used to allow christians use a mosque on sundays to worship.

We're no longer in the days of your prophet mohammed. You guys have turned his religion into something else so change your comment.

[size=18pt]I hope we don't read his obituary soon in the hands of the same Muslims[/size]
That is how these stories normally end up

saintvc: Thats catholic for you,no discrimination

That is not catholic. At all.

It can only happen in a more secular country.

What a disgrace. That undercover Muslim that is masquerading as a Christian priest Should be relieved of his post Asap before he turns the church into a full scale mosque.

The Islam threat is real!