1.Before the modern state of Israel (established in 1948), there was the British Mandate (1920-1948), not a Palestinian state.
2.Before the British Mandate, there was the Ottoman Empire (1517-1917), not a Palestinian state.
3.Before the Ottoman Empire, there was the Islamic Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt (1250-1517), not a Palestinian state.
4.Before the Islamic Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt, there was the Ayyubid Dynasty (1171-1260), not a Palestinian state. Godfrey of Bouillon conquered it in 1099.
5.Before the Ayyubid Dynasty, there was the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099-1291), not a Palestinian state.
6.Before the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem, there was the Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171), not a Palestinian state.
7.Before the Fatimid Caliphate, there was the Byzantine Empire (330-636), not a Palestinian state.
8.Before the Byzantine Empire, there was the Roman Empire (27 BCE - 476 CE), not a Palestinian state.
9.Before the Roman Empire, there was the Hasmonean Dynasty (140-37 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
10.Before the Hasmonean Dynasty, there was the Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
11.Before the Seleucid Empire, there was the Empire of Alexander the Great (334-323 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
12.Before the Empire of Alexander the Great, there was the Persian Empire (c. 550-330 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
13.Before the Persian Empire, there was the Babylonian Empire (c. 1894-539 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
14.Before the Babylonian Empire, there were the Kingdoms of Israel and Judea (c. 1050-586 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
15.Before the Kingdoms of Israel and Judea, there was the Kingdom of Israel (c. 1040-722 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
16.Before the Kingdom of Israel, there was the theocracy of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (c. 1400-1050 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
17.Before the theocracy of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, there was the individual state of Canaan (c. 3000-1200 BCE), not a Palestinian state.
In fact, in this corner of the earth, there was everything but a Palestinian state!
Para imigran asal Pakistan membangun sebuah masjid ilegal tanpa izin di Kota Kawagoe, Prefektur Saitama, Jepang. Duta Besar Pakistan turut menghadiri upacara peresmiannya.
Tapi, otoritas setempat mengeluarkan perintah pembongkaran masjid tersebut dan menuntut agar bangunan itu segera dihancurkan.
Pihak pemilik masjid meminta waktu 5 tahun, namun pemerintah kota menolak permintaan tersebut. Saat ini, masjid itu telah ditutup, gerbangnya dikunci, dan kegiatan salat telah dihentikan.
Mereka lupa, Jepang bukan Pakistan. Bangun dulu, ijin belakangan.
Non-negotiable truths of Christianity:
The Trinity
The deity & humanity of Christ
The virgin birth
The sinlessness of Christ
Penal substitutionary atonement
Justification by faith alone
Salvation by grace alone
The authority of Scripture
The bodily resurrection
The return of Christ