On March 14, 2024, we published the news about how Adventist World Radio Manila was adding the Muslim call to prayer, “Allah is the Greatest,” to a special month-long program about Ramadan. [1] In less than 14 hours, the Muslim lyrics and worship were removed from the church-owned platforms.
The corporate headquarters of Adventist World Radio released a statement explaining why the elements of Islamic worship were removed from its regional program. They mentioned that a short video clip has been circulating, which could be taken out of context. However, we not only shared a video clip but also included several links directing people to the full context of their programming. If we didn’t show the evidence, people wouldn’t believe it and would accuse us of fabricating rumors. But regardless of the length of the video clip, nothing can be taken out of context when Islamic worship is being promoted with the lyrics, “Allah is the Greatest.”
Below is the statement published by Adventist World Radio headquarters:
• AWR STATEMENT ABOUT RECENT PHILIPPINES PROGRAM [2]
• With more than 2,000 radio stations around the world, Adventist World Radio (AWR) is reaching the hardest-to-reach places on earth with the Gospel. By using regional speakers, people hear the Good News and the Three Angels’ Messages in their own languages and dialects. [2]
• With its focus on the hope we find in the Bible as Seventh-day Adventists, anytime AWR learns that a station’s content has strayed from AWR’s broadcasting guidelines, it takes swift action to remove and correct it. [2]
• Earlier today, AWR learned that guest speakers in Manila, Philippines, had created content in which the well-meaning speakers tried to reach out to people of another faith by using terms and content people of that faith are familiar with, and related those to Bible verses to help them understand Biblical concepts. In addition to not following AWR’s mandate to preach only from the Bible, this kind of teaching style can easily be taken out of context, especially when someone excerpts a short video clip of the broadcast. [2]
• Since AWR is Bible-based and doesn’t promote content, terms or texts from other faiths, AWR headquarters immediately reached out to this station, had them remove the content, and confirmed that future programs will not use this format. [2]
• In the last few years, God has made incredible inroads through AWR in the Philippines. Rebel soldiers who had been at war with the government for decades have put down their guns and picked up Bibles—even holding their own Adventist evangelistic series after their baptisms. If you would like to watch these incredible videos, visit awr.org or search for Adventist World Radio on YouTube. [2]
The work of protest, revival, and reformation must continue because it is an essential part of God’s plan for His people, despite the overwhelming challenges. God has called His faithful Remnant people to complete the work of reformation, which means that this work of restoring biblical truth and preparing for Christ’s return must be ongoing. God’s truth must advance, and He calls His people to be watchmen on the walls of Zion, faithfully proclaiming His message and boldly advancing the cause of truth, knowing that God Himself is leading His work and will bring it to its glorious fulfillment.
Sources
…”well-meaning speakers”…….apparently AWR still doesn’t get it……
Good work Bro. Roman! To God be the Glory of all those who are standing for Truth.
AWR, you just did until you were exposed. You were just caught in sin, in blatant disobedience to God’s Commandments and you call it “taken out of context”.
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. ”1 Samuel 15:22 KJV
“At Gilgal, Saul had made an appearance of great conscientiousness, as he stood before the army of Israel offering up a sacrifice to God. But his piety was not genuine. A religious service performed in direct opposition to the command of God only served to weaken Saul’s hands, placing him beyond the help that God was so willing to grant him.
In his expedition against Amalek, Saul thought he had done all that was essential of that which the Lord had commanded him; but the Lord was not pleased with partial obedience, nor willing to pass over what had been neglected through so plausible a motive. God has given men no liberty to depart from His requirements. The Lord had declared to Israel, “Ye shall not do … every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes;” but ye shall “observe and hear all these words which I command thee.” Deuteronomy 12:8, 28. In deciding upon any course of action we are not to ask whether we can see that harm will result from it, but whether it is in keeping with the will of God. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” PP 634.1 – PP 634.2
For SDA’s CEOs nothing is bad untill it’s made public. Why they not “promote” the Zakat feast instead? In this feast the rich has to give $$$ to the poor, just like the tithe every 3 years, which they never promote.
“In $$$ we thrust” – SDA’s CEOs