Welllll.. there I was, sitting in Maccas.. Swanston st.. waiting for my 'arch foe' to arrive... finally, I recognized him from his turban, beard and scimitar at his side.. he advanced, mentioned 'Islam' so I pulled out the baseball bat and whack whack... down he went.. then I pulled out the Numchucks.. whack whack again... finished him off with a couple of well directed rib kicks......

Ok.. now the real story :)

As soon as I saw the debonaire and youthful 'Egyptian' looking bloke in the door, I figured it was he. No turban or beard, nor anything else except his smooth well groomed business look.
We shook hands and sat down. He shouted (the coke that is) and we proceeded to discuss various matters including our background, and our views on the Almighty, and the Lord Jesus, the Quran and religion in general.
We had about 45 minutes I'd guess, and it was time well spent. In all truth, a nicer fellow one could hardly meet. Now I think I'm safe in saying we are friends. I'll happily visit him in Sydney, and when I'm better set up in my living situation, he will be our welcome houseguest.
We didn't agree on a few things, but this is understandable, and in no way diminished the richness of the experience of this delightful personal encounter.

Good to hear Mr Boaz. I presume the experience was just as rewarding for Mr Human.

I had a similar experience years ago. After many strongly expressed disagreements with this particular fellow via letters to the editor of our local paper over a period of some years, and after the editor finally putting an end to it, I went to see him.

Not a nicer fellow could I have met. Much common ground was uncovered and we have remained friends now for ten years or more.

I'm delighted to hear it.

Would it be too much to hope that you might now begin to wind back your rabble-rousing rhetoric?

Dear Boazy,

Thank you it was a delightful surprise to mee too ( I was kind of expecting a 'Benny Henn' look not a respectable friendly grey hair man. Just be careful of the beard, you might be mistaken for a radical :-))
You have a wealth of knowledge on history, theology and culture in general and I can't recall a more stimulating 45 minutes coffee break in years.

"I think I'm safe in saying we are friends. I'll happily visit him in Sydney"
I have been waiting for 2 years to hear that Boazy and yes we are friends. It actually prompted me to suggest a OLO get together one day. Who knows!

All the best and look forward to knowing you more through your ideas and constructive criticism.

Peace my friend,

I'd like to add my best wishes to you both.

There may be hope for us all yet.

Cheers!

Nice to see the warmth evident in most posts, though the jibe of Pericles (or was it the "Sword of Damocles" ? :) didn't really need to be uttered.

My only desire for this meeting was that the love of Christ be seen and felt. The "Islam" of FH is not a type we ever need fear, but my 'fear' is not what he represents, it is the fear of what I learn from history, and it begins with Joseph the son of Jacob. He went from 'sold as a slave' to 'First minister of Pharaoh', but then.. due to some malevolence of Pharaoh's wife he ended up in Prison, then.. those chilling words "Then a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph arose" while poor old Joe is in the slammer.

It would be the same for a State run by Cardinal XYZ, or even some Bible Thumping Calvanist as it would for some Koran wielding Mullah,
or even some rampaging Marxist.

As I said to FH, I have no desire for a 'Christian' Theocracy, because I know it would never work as God intended.

The moment people with power, lose the sense of servanthood proclaimed and practiced by the Lord Jesus, is the day when it all goes horribly wrong.

At least in the case of the Christian situation, we can always goto our leaders and whack them with a verse from Scripture "He would be first among you, must become servant of all"

I leave this post with the words of the brother of our Lord, Jude (who humbly describes himself as brother of James)

For some interesting insights into the life of Jude, please read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude,_brother_of_Jesus

24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.