When Whatever you do doesn't affect your salvation: The Effect of Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS gospel)

Two black American lesbian pastors, Twanna Gause and Vanessa Brown, tied the knot on August 24th at the New Vision Full Gospel Baptist Church in East Orange, New Jersey.

Gause’s father, Mr. Gause, citing “differences in theological beliefs,” refused his daughter’s invitation.

“My father would not come here because he does not believe in same-sex marriage,” Ms. Gause said. “He told me the devil tricked me into this, and that if we had been married in biblical times, we would have been stoned to death.”
Ms. Brown, 46, and Ms. Gause, 45, are both pastors of Rivers of Living Water United Church of Christ

PRESS STATEMENT SUKKUK ISSUANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL: IT IS SELLING NIGERIA THROUGH THE BACK DOOR - CAN

Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant (Media & Communications) to the CAN President, his eminence, Rev Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle Ph.D.

                       PRESS STATEMENT
SUKKUK ISSUANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL: IT IS SELLING NIGERIA THROUGH THE BACK DOOR - CAN

Once again, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is compelled to raise a petition and protest against the unrelenting plan of the Federal Government of Nigeria to introduce Islamic financing into a secular state in violation of Section 10 of the Constitution.

According to this section in the Constitution, the Nigerian State is Secular and Government is expected to be neutral on issues involving religion. By promoting a sectional religious financial policy, the Government is violating both the spirit and the letter of Section 10 of the Constitution.

The Christian Association of Nigeria has been protesting against this aberration since the Osun State Government, under Governor Rafiu Aregbesola embarked on this violation of the Constitution. Rather than stand in the defense of the Constitution, it is disappointing to note that the Federal Government, is pursuing what is out rightly a confirmation of an Islamization Agenda.

The recent floating of Sukkuk Bond by the Federal Government is not only sectional but illegal and a violation of the Constitution. Every law that has been promulgated to back the Sukkuk issuance and promote an Islamic banking system in Nigeria is ultra vires, illegal, null and void.
Islamic finance is financing which conforms to the doctrines of the Islamic law known as “Shari’a”. The sources of Shari’a (in hierarchical order) are as follows:

(1). The Qur’an; (2). Sunna (the teachings and practices of The Prophet Muhammad); and (3). Ijtihad and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).
There has never been a time that Nigerians held a Referendum or convened a Constituent Assembly that passed a resolution that the nation has transmuted into an Islamic State.
Therefore, the manipulations and scheming to smuggle the country into a full blown Islamic state should stop. These manipulations became apparent with the smuggling of Nigeria into OIC in 1986, by the Ibrahim Babangida Military junta.

OBJECTIONS
Our objections to the Sukkuk Bond and all forms of Islamic financing are as follows:
1.      Funds raised under Sukkuk MUST be used for Shariah compliant (halal) activities. Nigeria is not a Sharia compliant nation, it is a Democratic country. Nigeria cannot operate two National Ideologies.
2.      The Sukkuk shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Islamic Law of Mu’amalatmaliyyah. We insist that there cannot be two laws for one nation.
3.      Sukkuk is ASSET BASED banking system unlike the conventional banking that is ASSET BACKED. While under the conventional banking system, the borrower provides collateral to back the loan and retrieves his asset after the loan is redeemed, under Sukkuk, the loan is BASED on an asset which is land and irredeemable. The Sukkuk holder (lender) accepts land as asset on which the loan is based. At no time does the title pass to the customer, nor is it expected to pass. If the customer wishes to retrieve his asset at a later date, a separate agreement has to be drawn up. This in our view, is a sly and treacherous attempt to sell Nigeria to Arab Islamic Nations. It infringes on the sovereignty of Nigeria as the loan giver becomes part owner of the land of the receiver.
4.      The operation of Sukkuk is based on Islamic value system and Sharia Jurisprudence. This makes Sukkuk unconstitutional.
5.      The IMF says that the issuance of Sukkuk by non-Islamic states/countries is a breach of the religious neutrality of the government of such state.

CONCLUSION
The Federal Government must dismantle all legal and institutional framework established to promote Islamic Financing in Nigeria. The NEW RULES/AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Section 313(6) of the Investments and Securities Act 2007, and all other forms of law guiding operation of Sukkuk issuance in Nigeria should be repealed, forthwith.
In the alternative, legal redress willl be sought to defend the Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria if the National Assembly failed to checkmate the Executive on this unconstititional action.

We affirm that the territorial integrity of Nigeria is undermined through the issuance of Sukkuk in the country. We hope that the Federal Government shall desist in its policies of unbridled religious sectionalism.

We seek your support and assistance in making this CAN position known to the whole world.

Thank you.

Signed
Rev. Dr. Musa Asake, General Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
19th September, 2017

TOWARDS RESTRUCTURING NIGERIA: A CHRISTIAN BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Written By Bishop Funmi Adesanya-Davies

*''This house has fallen: Too late for restructuring"*
*- Afenifere*
*"Christians are encouraged to speak out and take a stand for Justice, Equality and Fairness in the nation.  All Nigerian citizens are free and equal."*
*-  NCEF*
*"I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves"*
*- Harriet Tubman*

'Nigeria Cited Most Dangerous Place for Christians in the World', says US Congress- The newspaper headlines of Feb 4, 2017. One of the desperate moves again is a BILL, an NGO Registration Bill being considered by House of Representatives (Google 'Toxic Nigeria NGO Registration"- for details). It intends to strip Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of its functions and delegate her functions to the whims and caprices  of  an individual-one man whose decision cannot be challenged in courts. It is sponsored by a Rep. from the north against Churches and  NGOs. All the NGOs and Churches so far that are performing the functions of failed governments to the people would be curtailed. What an enslavement agenda!  What it means if the bill scales through is that, Churches cannot spend money without the approval of the said man who may not grant the approval and all shall become defaulters. Thus, no movements, no development, no social work, NO EVANGELISM, etc,. What an agenda of evil plans.

It is high time we set our boundaries, BOUNDARIES!!! "Boundaries-setting" inevitably is taking responsibility for one's choices in life. You make your choices, you live with their consequences, and as such, you make the choices you are happy with. That is what living is all about. It is about change and choices. There is no need forever in life, liking and putting up with the wrong things and  things that have no lasting values as the Nigeria nation has fast become today. It is great to have self control,  hope and resilience but it should be without repression. Nigerians should say NO to intimidation, manipulation, aggression and submission to neo-colonization.

In fact, it is always very difficult to understand boundaries at times. It may seem it is the people who have difficulty setting limits that are the ones who have the boundary problems, but to the contrary, it is the persons who cannot see limits, accept limits, who do not respect others, other's limits, who cannot hear 'NO', 'STOP', that are the real problem. However, the one whose onus and duty ultimately  is to own up and set the limits is the victim, the enslaved, the abused;  it becomes their own prerogative, if not, they become the real source of the  problem. Then, the problem becomes twisted and otherwise and it should never be! To gain life, you need to own your life, protect your self and the Christian community in Nigeria, sure will, as it is our right and prerogative to protect our souls, lives,  rights, and properties.

*In reality, setting limit on others is a misnomer, We cannot do that. What we can do is to set limits on our own exposure to people who are misbehaving, chosen to misbehave, behaving poorly, abnormally and killing and abusing the privilege of being and existing with others. We cannot change them or make them behave right, but we can give them SPACE as "It takes two foolish birds to clash in the skies" they say.*

As Christians, our model is God. We will all agree, He does not compel  people to serve Him, to live right. He really does not set limits on people to "make them" behave good. What He does is? God sets standards but He lets people be who "they are" and then separates Himself from them when they misbehave. Saying in effect - you may be distorted in your thoughts and beliefs, you may do what you want, you may even not accept Christ as the Messiah, you may choose to remain a sinner, you may be who you want to be, but you cannot be mine and you cannot enter my kingdom. While on earth you stay down while I stay up,  After death,  you cannot enter my kingdom in heaven or spend eternity with Me but on my terms. Heaven is the place for the repentant righteous souls and only such are welcome. God does not bother. No complaints, no aggression, no struggle, no fights, no wars!  God has boundaries.

BOUNDARIES, relaxing, exhilarating, comforting, revitalizing, bracing, when employed is used as a TOOL, in a nation and in life to  help everyone to know:
"When to Say YES; When to Say NO;
When to Take CONTROL of Your LIFE"
It is vividly entrenched in the Holy Bible.
Proverbs 4:23, Gen. 1:28. A boundary shows where I end, and others begin. Who they are and who they are not. Where we start and where they begin. Where we start and where they end. Several questions as the following are answered: What is me, what is not me? What are you, what are you not? How do we all keep good in, bad out? How to be responsible to others and how to be responsible for ourselves, i.e to solve the 'to' and 'for'  problem, and how people should take responsibility for their  responsibilities. etc,. Gal 6:2, 5.

In a nation when an individual is irresponsible, immature and happy and the other person is intelligent, responsible and miserable, then it is time to set boundaries in the  nation - and a little boundary clarification would do THE TRICK. In a nation, when a group of persons are irresponsible, fulfilled and very confident (the Fulani Muslim oligarchy) and the other persons are responsible and seriously depressed, dejected and despondent (all other tribes), then it is time to set boundaries - as a little boundary clarification would do THE TRICK.

Of course, no need to allow others in a life time dump misery into  another's precious soul, always being sad and at the defensive. To take responsibility for the irresponsibility of another forever, in a nation is unbiblical. One need some fences to keep the problems out of one's yard, and put it in theirs where the troubles belong, when helping them has not in anyway helped  nor yielded fruits over the years.  By this we save our lives and their lives while we are still more caring and accommodating. Both sides can then begin to grow again. Boundaries setting helps to differentiate, show you and me,  us and you, our beginning and end. Matt 5:37, James 5:12. The scriptures urge us to say NO to others. Read Matt. 18:15-20 and 2 Cor: 9:7. Psalm 119:2, 44. Please a must read!

We need to speak to ourselves in Nigeria words of truth, being honest about who we are and what one really want. This  gives us  as Christians a biblical value of integrity. We are to be real and not to pretend. The scripture says that a good and prudent man sees evil and hides himself. Rom 22:3. Sometimes physically removing oneself as Jesus did after giving to your limit, to put limit on evil is very ideal scripturally. The Bible enjoins and urges us, after bearing up, do much in hope, to separate ourselves from those who continuously hurt us and prey on us; we are  admonished to create a safe place for ourselves. It can lead to the change in behavior of the other and one would  have won an hell bound soul. Matt 18:17-18, 1Cor 5:11-13, James 4:7. (Please endeavor to read).

The Bible supports the idea of limiting togetherness for the purpose of "binding evil". It is good to regain ownership of out-of-control-part of one's life, and Christians in Nigeria would do that. Setting boundaries become a need and necessity. The dog does not want the tick removed, we know often, it would shout and cry also, but it is the final relief, solace and habitat. The beauty of life is even if the oppressed victims being preyed upon refuse to set the boundaries, the oppressors still would. So thanks to the Arewa youths and the supporting northern elders.

Certainly,  when a relationship is getting too abusive and toxic as Nigeria has finally become, many times the only way is to show the other group of persons that your boundaries are real and is to create space so they can deal with their problems. The Fulani northern muslims would be given the opportunity to privately deal with their problems and broundrylessness. They need to be told, there can be no conquest of people and their lands in the 21st. century as historic and heroic of their ancestors. It is unacceptable and certainly impossible in modern times. *NIGERIA: ONCE FREED, FOREVER FREE!* Once was slave trade, then the Fulani colonization of the Hausa's and the British colonization of the entire nation. No, no, no more!

Trespassing on other peoples  properties bears consequences. The Bible states this principle over and over again. That if we walk in one way, this will happen, if we walk another way something else will happen. Just as the Bible sets consequences for certain behaviors, boundaries setting is also backed with consequences. If you do not stop assaulting, killing and slaughtering Christians and taking over all, Nigeria will finally terminate. That is the follow-up action. Apostle Paul was not kidding, while preaching the law of rewards, when he says: If  anyone does not work, do not let him eat. 2 Thess. 3:10. Hunger is a consequence of laziness Prov. 16:26. One fruit of the spirit is SELF-CONTROL, to take care. God is a God of boundaries and loves it, so He said, "You will reap what you sow". Gal 6:7 and the scriptures cannot be broken.

*God does not enable or support irresponsible behaviors as mass-slaughtering people and islamization just to take over; kidnapping others children as wives in the name of staying together and forging a nation. Taking over others lands in the name of grazing. God in fact is through and finished with such a nation as an entity long ago. It is to repackage the carcasses.*

Christians are trained to pray and  give consequences. Consequences are not mere agitations, they let other people know the seriousness of their trespasses and the seriousness of our respect for ourselves. We respect ourselves and our lives as we were bought by a price. The atoning blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ the Messiah of the world. Trespassers are kept outside our gates. Psalm 149:9: To execute on them the written judgment: This honour have all His Saints. This teaches them that to live according to godly values is something we hold dear and is precious to us and we will fight to protect and guard.

Thus, they the problematic tribes would definitely have to sit up as we stand up to them. It is the only way to manage bullies according to insights from education and psychology studies. There is no need to continue setting up ourselves for disillusionment and disappointment  in the name of togetherness and forgiveness. The other need to produce fruit of repentance as  this abusive pattern of hurtful relationship has gone on for years. Luke 3:8. In this world, your word defines your property, so our word defines us.

Fear of being alone keep many in hurtful relationship patterns for several years, afraid to leave the statuesque, embrace  CHANGE and NEWNESS they so clamoured for. In Nigeria today, the CHANGE WE ALL CLAMOURED FOR, THAT CHANGE, THE CHANGE  is finally here to be embraced by all. The scriptures say "He shall not allow His holy one to suffer corruption". The end to  CORRUPTION and the end of all  CORRUPTION IS HERE! Which other corruption is more than  killing and looting lives as well as capturing and subjugating all. "If Nigerians do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us". So  the Christian community says "NO" to the "REAL CORRUPTION"!.

Most times in life, we may be moved with compassion to give people in need our best and all we have, this is natural, but then these persons manipulate us to give more than we want or even have to give- Our land, our lives and our BLOOD. This is absolutely unacceptable. To give and end up being resentful and angry, losing peace and happiness in our own lives is ungodly. We will give out with all our hearts and free will, but not out of compliance. No and not, so be it. This is because it is improper and very wrong.  We do not resent what we give; as what we give out of compulsion and resentment has no  benefits. Neither one of us comes out ahead of it!

Our feelings are part of the decision making process and that we do not ignore. The Bible says to "own your feelings" and be aware of them. How do we feel when we wake up every morning and everyday of our lives? Are Christians happy in Nigeria? Are we always praying and interceding for divine intervention? These are very salient questions. Feelings come from your heart and tell you your state. Do we have a sense of belonging here in Nigeria? Are we afraid for our children, youths and unborn generations? Christians need to use their feelings to find answers to whatever issues these  are pointing to. Are we comfortable with bloodshed, kidnapping of our daughters and utter discrimination. We need to own our feelings and attitudes because they fall within our yard and property line. It cannot be neglected. nor discarded. We cannot  blame others for our state and our sufferings. Now, it is the time to take responsibility for ourselves, our lives and our generations unborn. It is time to be responsible enough to say No, enough is enough,  it is enough! It is time to own our lives and our living. And so do we!  Prov. 13:18, 24.

To rescue other people from the natural consequences of their behaviors is to render them powerless too- because they cannot help themselves. Everybody need to take responsibility for their choices and so we do. If they want political Islam and sharia or a "Boko Haram Republic" somewhere, so be it! if they are so ready to bear the brunt, then that is okay. However, we dissociate ourselves from such a nation and would surely not be part of it. Though we all certainly need others, but NO ONE BUT GOD is indispensable. When conflict with some significant persons can bring us despair and make us miserable and destroy us, and we insist to stay,  it means we are putting that person on a throne of God in our lives, that should only be occupied by GOD; and this is bad enough. Let God be God, let man be man! *ALL THAT IS NEEDED IS A VERY SOUND AND STRONG SUPPORT NETWORK*.

When people begin to fit the idea of the way  life should be, how the others lives must be,  it is time to own up to them,  then, it is time not to neglect our  responsibility of setting  boundaries for them. We cannot change the northern islamists, but we can own our lives! When we say "NO" to people and activities that are harmful to us, when we pack and quickly move before the set-date and the set-day, then we are protecting God's investment, our lives and this is accountability and STEWARDSHIP in Christianity. God enjoins us to take proper care of our lives and protect our souls. Though some people may continue to be hopeful and be unprepared despite all the alarms and alerts, may they not finally have themselves to  blame, we pray. The Christian Professionals Federation (CPF) urges us to be very wise.

*Yet, other people who have an over strict conscience and do not have faith will condemn themselves for even things that even God Himself, does and will not condemn them for; for tightening  appropriate  boundaries when common sense so beacons to reasoning. This is because  COMPLIANTS  take on too much responsibilities and set few boundaries,  they are either afraid to move or afraid of the future, or they even forget that perfect love cast out fear. Say No, and take charge of your life!*

"Remember again and again, the United States House of Representatives declared Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians to live in the world last year. More Christians have been killed in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world in the last 67 years. The President of the Christiam Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned against the continued killing of Christians in the country. Well-armed and well-funded Fulani militias are slaughtering Christians all over the nation and the Government has done nothing to stop it or to bring them to justice." Remember, 808 Christians were  killed in Southern Kaduna at Christmas. 1000 killed in Agatu, Benue state last year. 13 killed in Southern Kaduna on Easter. It goes on and on yet there have been no arrests."

"Remember, Christian communities are being wasted and ravaged by Boko Haram. Remember, every single security and intelligence agency in the country except for the Navy is now headed by a northern Muslim. The spokesman for the Fulani militias and herdsmen has just been appointed as Secretary to the Federal Character Commission. Remember, more Churches have been bombed, burnt down, sacked and destroyed in the north in the last two years than at any other time in our history. The International Terror Index has described Nigeria's Boko Haram and Fulani Militias as the first and fourth "deadliest terrorist organisations in the world" respectively. Remember the blood of the innocent Christians."- Onward Christian Soldiers- Femi Fani-Kayode

As we set to properly fully restructure our nation Nigeria, may God grant us the serenity to change the things we can,  accept the things we cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference. Once again, *The Christian Elders have expressed strong objection to the Sukkuk loan, Grazing Reserve and the introduction of Arabic as core subject in our Universities; NCEF has urged a reversal of all sectional appointments that violate the Federal Character Principle in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution and all sectional policies that are being foisted upon the nation immediately*. We urge an urgent compliance of their demands and a PROPER RESTRUCTURING OF NIGERIA COMPLETELY by able hands and so shall it be.

Again, we at Christian Professionals Federation (CPF), say: "He that hath ears, let him hear what the Spirit sayeth."  Rev. 2:29; 1John 5:14; as we all continue to pray for peace and take our stand  for the PROPER RESTRUCTURING OF OUR NATION. NO MORE SEGREGATION! NO MORE BLOODSHED! THE CHANGE IS HERE!! CHANGE IS IT!!!

Bishop Funmi Adesanya-DaviesPh.D
President,
Christian Professionals Federation (CPF),
Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA).

Christians Overcome Hostility, Persecution from Muslim Missions

Speaking of indigenous missions – Islamists from various countries have recently stepped up support of indigenous Muslim missionaries in northern Ghana. Christian children are paying the price.

Christian kids have become targets as hateful teaching by indigenous Muslim leaders trickles down. A Christian boy was recently making his way home from middle school under the tropical sun of the West African country when a band of Muslim youths began tracking him. Other schoolchildren walking with Amani* fled, leaving him alone with the older boys as they neared a small market on a road lined with jungle foliage.

Amani's gut trembled. Calling him an "infidel" and accusing him of worshiping three gods, they tore his school uniform. He struggled to escape, but they tied him up and beat him with the ferocity of self-righteous rage. Anyone who might have heard his cries did nothing to help him.

Raining Insults

Likewise, Muslim kids bullied a pastor's children after Islamists burned the church leader's farm to the ground. The pastor had resisted their various attempts to convert him, as he adamantly refused to renounce his faith in Christ. Muslim students at school verbally tore into his kids.

"They were raining insults against the parents and the whole family in a very abusive way, describing them as stupid, shameful, poor, and having no dignity," the director of an indigenous Christian ministry said. "These kinds of attacks take place at school compounds, parking lots, market areas, water wells, and other spots."

Like Christian indigenous missionaries, the Muslim missions have set up high-quality schools. Unlike Christian indigenous missionaries, they do not allow kids of other faiths to attend. Christian parents would gladly send their children to the Muslim-run schools, as for some they are the only affordable ones they can reach.

"You have to be a Muslim to attend any of their schools or apply for a scholarship," the ministry director said. "But some Christian children have no option other than to attend the schools in their locality. They cannot afford to go elsewhere."

The missions are established by Islamists from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, among others. The Muslim leaders they support in northern Ghana incite their followers to have nothing to do with non-Muslims, ratcheting up the shunning and discrimination. The Muslim missions make tractors available to Muslim farmers, but not to Christians, who are also denied credit and farm essentials such as seeds, fertilizer and weed killers.

"So all the converts in two villages had to forgo these benefits, and their children cannot enjoy the scholarships given to Muslim children," the director said. "If you are not a Muslim, you cannot access these benefits."

The wife of one former Muslim found her goods were boycotted at the local market after her husband became a Christian.

"She had to travel to Tamale to sell her goods," the director said. "That makes life very difficult for local people struggling, who can hardly make ends meet. The converts are really treated as second-class citizens."

Converts? The indigenous ministry has planted numerous churches throughout Ghana, but for two years in this northern area only three Muslims had shown the slightest interest in the good news of Christ's salvation. Recently the ministry decided to erect a canopy chapel – just four posts supporting a metal roof, with a small wall around it to keep goats and sheep away – between two of the area's gospel-resistant villages.

Coming Out

Against all expectations, 20 men from both villages showed up to help put up the structure. Amid the climate of fear created by the Muslim missions, some had secretly been drawn to the message of Christ's redeeming sacrifice. Others had inwardly put their faith in Christ after the ministry's Jesus Film screenings.

The building of the chapel without walls brought them out of hiding.

"They had the African spirit of communal labor, and they thought it was time to come out of their shell," the director said. "We have teams that show the Jesus Film. We are also engaged in micro-enterprise development programs for women, using Christian principles in training them."

Within two weeks, 45 new Christians, along with 50 children, were crowding into the chapel for Sunday worship services.

"They had seen the Jesus Film, and our church planters doing follow-up visitations have shared the gospel relevantly with many," the director said. "The building of the chapel was the trigger for them to step out."

These are the Christians now facing persecution – new to the faith, joyful in the face of material and social loss, yet desperately needing to feel the love of the brethren worldwide.

"These new converts have defied all odds to stand for Jesus," the director said. "You cannot imagine all the difficulties and abuses they are subjected to, following Jesus Christ. But see them singing with pure joy on their faces. Praise the Lord!"

Along with beatings, shunning and boycott, some new Christians have been poisoned. Their peace is rooted in spiritual encounter with the living Christ and the love they lavish on one another. Your willingness to show the love of the church universal with a monetary gift will help them overcome desperate material need.

You can make reservations for transportation from any part of Rivers State. All you need to do is follow our updates www.facebook.com/healingimpact2017, @healingimpact of Twitter, www.healingimpact2017.com, www.healingimpact2017.blogspot.com.ng, all Church of God Mission (Rivers State churches) pages, here and even through Google+.
Send us a mail if you need any clarifications healingimpact@gmail.com. You can visit www.healingimpact2017.com and send a request.

God will visit your case!

IRANIAN COMMANDER: ISRAEL WILL BE GONE IN 10 YEARS

A senior Iranian military commander predicted on Monday that the Palestinian Arabs would “get rid of Israel” in the next 10 years.

Speaking to students near Tehran and quoted by the semiofficial Fars news agency, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi said the Palestinian territories will be “freed from Israel's occupation” within a decade, expressing hope that the notions, thoughts and ideology that led to Iran's Islamic Revolution would help the Arabs get rid of Israel.

Naqdi further claimed that the Islamic Revolution helped Iran get rid of the United States over 35 years ago, rescued the country from Saddam Hussein's aggression and helped the Lebanese to get rid of the Americans as well.

"Considering these developments, liberation of Palestine by the Islamic Revolution is not unlikely at all," he claimed, according to Fars.

Naqdi’s comments follow ones he made earlier this month when he predicted that the United States will collapse in less than 20 years and that President-elect Donald Trump will speed up the process.

"According to the analysis made by the behind-the-stage and shadow decision-makers of the establishment in the U.S., the United States will collapse in 2035 and I think that it is an optimistic analysis as this will take place much earlier," he told Fars.

Referring to Trump, Naqdi added, "The person that has ascended to power displays the reality of the U.S."

The comments are another example of the anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric that is constantly spoken by Iranian officials.

Chief among them is Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has referred to Israel as a “cancer” and in the past threatened to "annihilate" the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa.

In March, the Supreme Leader ruled out his country having ties with the United States or “the Zionist regime” – that is, Israel – claiming he had proof that the United States was planning a coup in Iran.

In May, a senior Iranian military commander threatened Israel and claimed that his country can destroy the Jewish state “in less than eight minutes”.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, claimed Israel is the biggest threat to humanity, world peace and international security.

TRUMP’S VICTORY COULD BE GOOD NEWS FOR PERSECUTED MIDDLE EAST CHRISTIANS

Middle East Christians in America and beyond appear to be behind the new president due to his pro-Russian, anti-Saudi leanings

Donald Trump, the next president of the United States of America – I guess those are words few of us ever expected to hear, along with ‘Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition’ and ‘Leicester City, Premier League Champions’,

I went to bed early assuming that Clinton had it in the bag, and that overall this was probably the lesser of two evils. She’s awful, but I broadly agreed with PJ O’Rourke on this one.

Not that I made any endorsement; it slightly baffles me how many Brits in particular seem to forget that Americans aren’t voting for the president of the world, but their own leader, and should do what they feel is right for their nation, not what we tell them to.

Except that, of course, American foreign policy affects everyone on earth. I’d be curious to see how many of the large numbers of Middle East Christians who now live in America (many Egyptian Copts but also Iraqis, Lebanese and Palestinians) voted for Trump. Anecdotally they seem to be overwhelmingly pro-Trump, viewing his pro-Russian, anti-Saudi leanings as being good news for them. He almost certainly can’t be worse than either Bush or Obama as far as they are concerned, both of whom have been catastrophic for persecuted Christians.

Obama’s administration in particular has been extremely soft, almost sympathetic, to some dreadful Islamist groups in the Middle East, naively describing the Islamic Brotherhood as ‘largely secular’.

Not surprisingly, many Middle East Christians think Obama has Muslim sympathies and that Trump – who certainly doesn’t – could be good for them.

Trump’s warmth towards Putin will be of far more concern to Christians in strongly Catholic Poland and Lithuania, but then maybe this is an opportunity for Europeans. As I’ve argued before, as grateful as I am for America saving us from both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, it has also infantilised our continent.

Trump may be a chance for European countries to start growing up and defending ourselves; David Goodhart has suggested that British military commitment to north-east Europe could be a bargaining chip when our Brexit negotiations begin. I certainly don’t want conflict with Russia, and sympathise with some of their gripes against the west (such as the ransacking of their economy under Yeltsin) but we should also be increasing our military spending and presence in Poland and the Baltic.

Russia is a particular concern for me as a conservative; many traditionalists see Putinism as a bulwark against western decadence and their suspicion that Marxism didn’t actually lose in 1989, but reaction stripped of its moderating influences (in Russia’s case, the rule of law) is a dangerous force that can only harm European conservatism.

The upside of a change in president is that it brings the chance of peace in Syria closer, although this was probably likely whoever took over, as a new leader would find it easier to do the inevitably squalid deal that will leave Assad in power. For that reason many persecuted Christians may be celebrating the unlikely victory of the three-times married New York property tycoon.