Why Do Priests & Preachers Enter ISLAM?

<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Many people ask me how a preacher or priest in Christianity can
ever go to Islam, especially considering all the negative things
that we hear about Islam and Muslims everyday. Some people are simply
curious, while others take a profound exception to my "conversion"
to Islam. Some have asked how I could have turned my back on Jesus,
or if I truly understood the Holy Ghost and some even questioned
whether or not I considered myself as "born again" or had ever really
been saved at all. These are good questions to which I will offer
answers to at the end of this writing. I would like to thank everyone
for their interest and offer my humble story, God Willing.

One very nice Christian gentleman asked me in email why and how
I left Christianity for Islam. This is more or less a copy of the
letter I sent to him.
</blockquote>
</blockquote>






Introduction
My name is Yusuf Estes now, but in years past my friends
used to call me Skip. I have preached Christianity and worked in
the entertainment and music industry since I was a boy in the 1950's.
My father and I have established music stores, TV and radio programs
and outdoor entertainment for fun (and profit). I was a music minister
and even used a pony ride and entertained the children as "Skippy
the Clown."

Once,
I have served as Delegate to the United Nations Peace Conference
for Religious Leaders. Now I am a retired former Muslim Chaplain
for United States Bureau of Prisons, Washington, DC. and I join
alongside many American Muslims, working with Muslim student and
youth organizations as well as schools for Muslim children. As such,
I travel around the entire world lecturing and sharing the message
of the Christ of the Quran in Islam. We hold dialogs and discussion
groups with all faiths and enjoy the opportunity to work alongside
rabbis, ministers, preachers and priests everywhere. Some of our
work is in the institutional area, military, universities and prisons.
Primarily our goal is to educate and communicate the correct message
of Islam and who the Muslims really are. Although Islam has grown
now to nearly tie Christianity as the largest of religions on earth,
we see many of those who claim Islam as Muslims, that do not correctly
understand nor properly represent the message of "Peace,
Surrender and Obedience to God" [Arabic = 'Islam']

Dear
me, I am afraid that I got a bit ahead of myself. I was trying to
give a bit of background of our work perhaps to see if it would
in anyway benefit those who may being going through what I experienced
while trying to resolve some of the issues of Christianity.

---

How It Happened
This may seem quite strange, while we perhaps may share a few different
perspectives and concepts of God, Jesus, prophethood, sin and salvation.
But you see, at one time I was in the same boat as many folks are
today. Really, I was. Let me explain.

Born A Strong Christian
I was born into a very strong Christian family in the Midwest. Our
family and their ancestors not only built the churches and schools
across this land, but actually were the same ones who came here
in the first place. While I was still in elementary we relocated
in Houston, Texas in 1949 (I'm old). We attended church regularly
and I was baptized at the age of 12 in Pasadena, Texas. As a teenager,
I wanted to visit other churches to learn more of their teachings
and beliefs. The Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Charismatic
movements, Nazarene, Church of Christ, Church of God, Church of
God in Christ, Full Gospel, Agape, Catholic, Presbyterian and many
more. I developed quite a thirst for the "Gospel" or as we say;
"Good News." My research into religion did not stop with Christianity.
Not at all. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, native American
beliefs were all a part of my studies. Just about the only one that
I did not look into seriously was "Islam". Why? Good question.


Music Minister
Anyway, I became very interested in different types of music, especially
Gospel and Classical. Because my whole family was religious and
musical it followed that I too would begin my studies in both areas.
All this set me for the logical position of Music Minister in many
of the churches that I became affiliated with over the years. I
started teaching keyboard instruments in 1960 and by 1963 owned
my own studios in Laurel, Maryland, called "Estes Music Studios."


Business Projects In Texas, Oklahoma and Florida
Over the next 30 years my father and I worked together in many business
projects. We had entertainment programs, shows and attractions.
We opened piano and organ stores all the way from Texas and Oklahoma
to Florida. We had earned millions of dollars during those years,
but could not find the peace of mind that can only come through
knowing the truth and finding the real plan of salvation. I'm sure
you have asked yourself the question; "Why did God create
me?" or "What is it that God wants me
to do?" or "Exactly who is God, anyway?"
"Why do we believe in 'original sin?" and "Why
would the sons of Adam be forced to accept his 'sins' and then as
a result be punished forever." But if you asked anyone
these questions, they would probably tell you that you have to believe
without asking, or that it is a 'mystery'
and you shouldn't ask - "Just have faith, brother."

Trinity Concept
Strangely enough, the word "Trinity" is not in the Bible. And it
has been a concern for religious scholars as early as 200 years
after Jesus was raised up by Almighty God. I would ask preachers
or ministers to give me some sort of an idea how 'one' could figure
out to become 'three' or how God Himself, Who can do anything He
Wills to do, cannot just forgive people's sins, but rather and had
to become a man, come down on earth, be a human, and then take on
the sins of all people; keeping in mind that all along He is still
God of the whole universe and does as He Wills to do, both in and
outside of the universe as we know it. They never seemed to
be able to come up with anything other than opinions or strange
analogies.

Father - Ordained Non-Denominational Minister
My father was very active in supporting church work, especially
church school programs. He became and ordained minister in the 1970s.
He and his wife (my stepmother) knew many of the TV evangelists
and preachers and even visited Oral Roberts and helped in the building
of the "Prayer Tower" in Tulsa, OK. They also were strong supporters
of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker, Jerry Fallwell, John
Haggi and the biggest enemy to Islam in America, Pat Robertson.

Distributing "Praise" Tapes for Jesus
During the early 1980's my Dad and his wife worked together and
were most active in recording "Praise" tapes and distributing them
for free to people in retirement homes, hospitals and homes for
the elderly. We were really "winning souls to the Lord
- for Jesus" day after day.

Met A Man From Egypt
It was early in 1991 when my father began doing business with a
man from Egypt and told me that he wanted me to meet him. This idea
appealed to me when I thought about the idea of having an international
flavor. You know, the pyramids, sphinx, Nile River and all that.

He Was A "Mozlem"


Hijackers; Kidnappers; Bombers, Terrorists - and who knows
what else?
Then my father mentioned that this man was a 'Moslem.' First,
I hated the idea of meeting an "infidel, hijacker, kidnapper, bomber,
terrorist, non-believer." Any normal person would be repulsed at
the idea. I couldn't believe my ears. A 'Moslem?' No way!
I reminded my
dad of the various different things that we had heard about these
people.

Lies Against Muslims & Islam - They Told Us, Muslims:

• They don't even believe in God
  
• They worship a black box in the
  desert.
  
• And T[b]hey kiss the ground
  five times a day.[/b]
  

No Way! I Did Not Want to Meet Him!
I did not want to meet this 'Moslem' man. No way! My father insisted
that I meet him and reassured me that he was a very nice person.
This was too much for me. Especially since the evangelists that
we used to travel around with all hated Muslims and Islam very much.
They even said things that were not true to make people afraid of
Islam. So, why would I want anything to do with these people?

Idea - "Change Him To Christian"
Then an idea came to me, "We can change this man to Christian."
So, I gave in and agreed to the meeting. But on my terms.

Met Him With A Bible, Cross and Cap with "Jesus Is Lord!"
on it.
I agreed to meet him on a Sunday after church so we would be all
prayed up and in good standing with the Lord. I would be carrying
my Bible under my arm as usual. I would have my big shiny cross
dangling and I would have on my cap which says: "Jesus is Lord"
right across the front. My wife and two young daughters came along
and we were ready for our first encounter with the 'Moslems.'

Where Is He?
When I came into the shop and asked my father where the 'Moslem'
was, he pointed and said: "He's right over there."
I was confused. That couldn't be the Moslem. No way.

Turban & Beard?
I'm looking for a huge man with flowing robes, a big turban on his
head, a beard half way down his shirt and eyebrows that go all the
way across his forehead with a sword or a bomb under his coat.

No Turban - No Beard - [No Hair at All!]
This man had no beard. In fact, he didn't even have any hair on
his head at all. He was nearly bald. Best of all, he was very pleasant
with a warm welcome and handshake. This didn't make sense. I thought
they are terrorists and bombers. What is this all about?

He Needs Jesus
Never mind. I'll get right to work on this guy. He needs to be 'saved'
in the 'Name of Jesus' and me and the Lord are going to do it.

Introduction & Interrogation
After a quick introduction, I asked him:
<blockquote>

"Do you believe in God?"
He said:
"Yes." - (Good!)

Then I said:
"Do you believe in Adam and Eve?"
He said:
"Yes." - (Very Good!)

I
said: "What about Abraham? You believe
in him and how he tried to sacrifice his son for God?"
He said:
"Yes." -
(Even better!)

Then
I asked:
"What about Moses?"
"Ten Commandments?"
"Parting the Red Sea?"
Again he said:
"Yes." [b]- [/b](Better
still!)

Then:
"What about the other prophets, David, Solomon and John the Baptist?"
He said:
"Yes." -
(Great!)

I
asked:
"Do you believe in the Bible?"
Again, he said:
"Yes." - (OK!)


So, now it was time for the
big question:
"Do you believe in Jesus? That he was the
Messiah (Christ) of God?"
Again the said:
"Yes." -
(Fantastic!)

Well now - "This
was going to be easier than I had thought."
He was just about ready to be baptized only he didn't
know it.
And I was just the one to do it, too.
</blockquote>

Shocking Knowledge - Muslims Believe in the Bible?
One day in the Spring of 1991, I came to know that the Muslims believed
in the Bible. I was shocked. How could this be? But that's not all,
they believe in Jesus as:
<blockquote>

* A true messenger of God;
* Prophet of God;
* Miracle birth without human intervention;
* He was the 'Christ' or Messiah as predicted in the Bible;
* He is with God now and most important;
* He will be coming back in the Last Days to lead the believers
against the 'Antichrist.'
</blockquote>

After
"winning souls to the Lord for Jesus"
day after day, this would be a big achievement for me, to catch
one of these 'Moslems' and 'convert' him to Christianity.