I received an email last week saying that Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center, has converted to Christianity. Yousef is being held in the Supermax federal prison in Florence, Colo., that houses some of the most notorious criminals.
According to a report on 60 Minutes, broadcast Oct. 15, Yousef had refused for years to leave his cell, for the 1 hour allowed each day for exercise, because it was against his Muslim beliefs to strip naked in front of the guards.
But now he is a Christian and leaves his cell daily. I looked it up on the CBS News web site and found some contradictory remarks. Yes, Yousef is now leaving his cell daily and said he has converted to Christianity. But a former Supermax warden interviewed by Scott Pelley said he does not believe Yousef is sincere, and that he is playing some sort of trick. So who knows. Here's a link to the online version of the story, which is a good read about life in Supermax, no matter what the case is with Yousef.
Along these same lines, I went to a church yesterday where Safia Mirza spoke. She is of Indian heritage and was raised a devout Muslim, but in 1978 converted to Christianity. A petite woman, probably in her late 60s, she had gray hair, glasses, and wore a blue sari.
Mirza apparently has given this talk about her spiritual conversion a million times, she had it down to a T. And she forbade any advance coverage of her talk because she fears reprisals from local Muslims, wherever she goes. Converting to Christianity is still an outrage among Muslims and it's a shame someone has to be fearful over a personal decision to make a spiritual conversion.
In her talk yesterday, Mirza said she was one of 10 children in a Muslim family and was raised to be reverent and respectful of Allah and the Prophet Mohammed. She worked at a Catholic school which brought in a Charismatic priest for a 3-day retreat. Ah, three days of pay with no work, sounded good, she said. Also, she had met a born-again Christian two years previously at the school, who prayed for her daily.
During the retreat, while the people were singing the old hymn, "There's Power in the Blood," a drop of blood appeared on her thumb. Later, she found she could not wash it off. She went to the priest for advice and he said God has a plan for you... She also had a Bible tucked away at home, given by the Gideons 9 years previously. She started reading the Bible and it touched her heart, and changed her life.
Now she speaks in churches around the world but keeps a low profile so as not to arouse the ire of Muslims. Sad, isn't it?
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Another sad note is that Father Stephen Stanbery did not go to Providence last weekend to pick up his national award as a Priest of Integrity. The Toledo diocesan priest was honored by Voice of the Faithful for being a priest with character and integrity.
But for whatever reason, he had to accept it in absentia.
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Well, the Indians lost to the Red Sox. My team was up 3 games to 1 and only had to win one of the last three games but it didn't happen. Life goes on. Maybe their pitcher, Jon Papelbon will get to do another Irish jig. That's sort of an inside joke but you can see what I mean by clicking here.
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I had a chance to get out and play some golf yesterday on the magnificent and challenging Red Hawk Run in Findlay. What an incredibly beautiful fall day in Ohio! Sunshine, trees changing colors, and a whopping 76 degrees, sooo mild for late October.
(What's the problem with global warming anyway? Just kidding.)
I played OK, for not playing much this year. My son-in-law, Matt, broke 80 and drove the ball 360 yards a couple of times -- seeing someone hit a golf ball so straight and long is a wonder to behold. I'm very happy to hit it 260 yards and stay in the fairway. I'm going to have to take lessons from Matt!
Toledo, Ohio
Oct. 22, 2007