lgf points to an article in the Gulf Daily News on a recent visit to Bahrain by "a top US scholar and writer":
Islamic countries should come to the rescue of the Western world which is suffering from moral decay and deterioration, says a top US scholar and writer.Muslims and Christians should join hands in the pursuit of peace, freedom, justice and moral values, said California-based Christians and Muslims for Peace (CAMP) president Professor Bill Baker.
No country, irrespective of its military and money power, can exist if its moral values are deteriorated, he told the GDN.
"Islamic countries can save the West from its moral decay, provided Muslims lead a life built on the five pillars of Islam," said Prof Baker.
"Islam is like a house built on the rock of submission and supported by five pillars: Witnessing, Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving or Tithing, and Pilgrimage.
"These five pillars are the distinguishing marks of Islam from all other religions."
Prof Baker is in Bahrain at the invitation of Discover Islam.
He gave a talk on Zionism or Judaism, Justice or Injustice, Oppressor or Oppressed at Beit Al Quran last night.
Deputy Prime Minister and Islamic Affairs Minister Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa hosted a luncheon reception in honour of Prof Baker at his Riffa residence yesterday.
It was attended by Information Minister Nabeel Al Hamer, Municipalities and Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammed Al Sitri, Parliament second deputy chairman Shaikh Adel bin Abdulrahman Al Maawda, Islamic Affairs Under-Secretary Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Defence Under-Secretary Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, GDN chairman Anwar Abdul Rahman, Discover Islam chairman Ishaq Kooheji and other guests.
Prof Baker presented to Shaikh Abdulla the copies of his latest books: More in Common than you think: The bridge between Islam and Christianity and Theft of a Nation. [...]
Prof Baker is a member of the Near East Institute of Archaeology, the Oxford Philosophical Society and numerous other organisations.
He had earlier addressed a dialogue session at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, entitled East meets West - Removing Mistrust between Islam and the West.
It would be unwise to be too impressed by Baker. This article presents a different side to the man:
The Reverend Robert Schuller has quietly told self-styled "interfaith leader" William Baker to vacate his Crystal Cathedral office. The order came after an investigation published in OC Weekly revealed that Baker, who runs Christians and Muslims for Peace (CAMP), has a long history of anti-Semitic politics and held a leadership position in neo-Nazi organizations. The investigation also revealed that Baker had manufactured much of his alleged academic qualifications. [...]Baker was chairman of the neo-Nazi Populist Party in 1984 and organized its national convention that year. The Populist Party was established and directed by Willis Carto, head of the now-defunct Liberty Lobby. The dean of American neo-Nazi politics, Carto also founded the Costa Mesa-based Institute for Historical Review, a group whose central purpose is Holocaust denial. In a written statement, Baker claimed he did not know the Populist Party was racist and that he never shared Carto’s racist politics. [...]
In addition, evidence supplied by the Anti-Defamation League shows that Baker delivered a 1983 speech to the racist Christian Patriot Defense League in Licking, Missouri, in which he made several references to Carto’s neo-Nazi newspaper, Spotlight. He also described his disgust at traveling to New York: "God help me. Why? ’Cause the first people I meet when I get off the plane are pushy, belligerent American Jews."
While Baker claimed graduate studies at Oxford and the "Near East Institute," he could only substantiate a bachelor’s degree from Ozark Christian College.
No prizes for guessing the subject matter of Baker's book "The Theft of a Nation".
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