President of NewsTime International, Mr Tony Oyatedor, has condemned the recent attack on a Christian community in Eastern Pakistan, urging people of faith across the world to eschew violence, even as he insisted that religion was created for the betterment of mankind.
Oyatedor, a renowned preacher of peace, expressed this concern about last Wednesday’s arson and vandalisation, allegedly perpetrated by Muslims in Jaranwala, in a statement made available to newsmen, noting that there would be no use for such radical action if religious fanatics were well-versed in the holy books.
According to Oyatedor, if people read and study the three holy books, namely Quran, Bible, and Torah, they “will come to understand the sacred facts and see that Yeshua, is a Hebrew word that means Jesus in English and Anobi in Arabic,” pointing out that the first people to be called Christians in the Bible were the disciples of Jesus.
He said based on that; one cannot be a Christian and hate Jewish and Muslims, or be a Muslim and hate Jewish and Christians, adding: “In the Quran, it says if you are a Muslim and you do not believe in Jesus Christ, you are not a complete Muslim.”
“There is nothing in the Holy Qur’an that says you must kill or burn churches, mosques, or synagogues. In the Quran, Prophet Muhammed says Jihad, which means turn the other cheek. Repay evil with good, not burn and kill people,” he said.
Oyatedor, therefore, called on people all over the world, especially Muslim brothers and sisters, to read and study the Holy Quran and get the sacred facts, saying that the Holy Book “enjoins people of all faiths to love one another and revere God, Allah or Jehovah.”
“We are calling on people all over the world, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters, to read and study the Holy Quran and get the sacred facts.
“It is not about praying and reciting the Quran. Prophet Muhammad said we must read, mankind must read. All Muslims all over the world, particularly in Pakistan, should read and study the Qur’an, and the scales would fall from their eyes, and they will see that we are all worshiping one Almighty God.
“The Quran enjoins people of all faiths to love one another and revere God, Allah, or Jehovah. Do good to your fellow humans, not kill or burn houses. Love your neighbour as you love yourself, whether you are a Christian, Muslim or Jewish,” Oyatedor stated.
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