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Friday, March 29, 2024 - 07:06 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Cal Thomas speaks to media during his  visit to Bob Jones University where he  addressed an audience of 6,000. “Good evening, religious fanatics,” said Cal Thomas to laughter as he began his remarks at last Tuesday evening’s convocation on the campus of Bob Jones University.

His theme for the evening, however, was much more serious. The conservative syndicated columnist, whose column appears in over 550 newspapers worldwide, addressed the growing menace of Islam and how that ideology is taking over the West. He described it as the “greatest challenge the country has ever faced.”

Europe is fast becoming Muslim, Thomas said as he reeled off statistic after statistic to prove his point. As late as the mid-20th century, according to Thomas, there were practically no Muslim immigrants in Europe. In some countries today, however, such as the Netherlands, the Muslim birthrate is 50%.

“By 2027, one in five Frenchmen will be Muslim,” said Thomas. He said that the European reproduction rate is too low to sustain the native populations. The German government has even admitted that its downward birthrate spiral is irreversible. He said that Europe as we know it will cease to exist.

Closer to these shores, in Canada, Islam is the fastest growing religion. In this country, which had less than 200,000 Muslims in 1970, there are now over 9 million.

Thomas said that their goal, as voiced by Muslim leaders themselves, is to subjugate Europe and America to Muslim rule. One Muslim leader said that the U. S. Constitution would have to go.

“They want to evangelize America,” said Thomas. He said that those with a radical ideological and theological agenda are infiltrating the West. He told the students in the crowd of 5,000-6,000 that they will face a more complex world than he did when he was growing up.

After providing all of these sobering statistics, however, Thomas offered up an idea as to how this challenge can be met. He said that Christians should go after Muslims with the Gospel.

“We have a great opportunity,” Thomas said, adding, “Go find them, befriend them.”

He said that Muslims cannot say for certain whether or not they are going to heaven. He indicated that that would be a good point for the Christian witness to address.

Thomas also lamented the current spiritual state of the country. “We have a God void in America,” he said. He urged his hearers to pray for national forgiveness. “That’s the way back,” he said, adding that he would like to live long enough to see revival.

“Practicing true Christianity will change people, and people change cultures,” said Thomas. He urged those in attendance to love their enemies, pray for their persecutors, and visit the widows and orphans.

Both before and after Thomas spoke, former university president and current chancellor Dr. Bob Jones III briefly addressed the convocation. He described Thomas as a “missionary to the media.” Indeed, Thomas himself told the students that there are people he can reach for the Gospel whom they cannot, and that there are people whom they can reach whom he cannot.

Jones also said that Thomas is a “truth talker” and that he is probably the most influential voice for conservative values in the country.

During the question and answer session, Thomas said that neither America’s problem, nor the solution to that problem, is in Washington, but rather in the human heart. He added that “no human being can satisfy the need of the human heart.” Only God can answer man’s need for meaning, he said.

The veteran journalist also said that Washington, which to some might seem an exciting place to work, is “kind of boring.” He has seen scandal after scandal during his long career. He said that he does not put his trust in “princes and kings.” He said that man should not worship a “lower kingdom and a lower king.”

If Washington is boring, then what is it that gets Thomas excited? “What’s really exciting,” Thomas said, “is a changed life.”

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