Muslims-turned-Christians disrupt church Masses, hold street protest in Las Vegas urging Catholics to 'repent'

A group of Muslims-turned-Christians disrupted Masses in Las Vegas churches during the Christmas season last month.

The members of the "Koosha Las Vegas" group walked into churches during Masses and shouted at Catholics to repent. They then posted the videos on YouTube, according to the Catholic News Agency.

On New Year's Eve, the group held a protest on the street in Las Vegas where they held signs that read "Jesus Saves From Hell," "Repent, Trust Jesus" and "Repent or Perish."

"Catholic and Islam is Satanic religions," the group commented on its YouTube page. The group consists of street preachers and self-proclaimed "soldiers" for Jesus, CNA added.

In one video, four men wearing "Trust Jesus" t-shirts walked up the aisle during a Mass, handing out pamphlets and telling Catholics that they have "sinned against (God) and broken all laws."

"Guys, repent! And turn to Jesus Christ! Pope is a Satan! Mary statue is a Satan!" the man behind the camera shouted.

In another video, the same man shouted, "Stop worshipping to the idols! Idols not going to save you! You need Jesus Christ! You need the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," at a Catholic Mass at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church on Dec. 5.

The group also held a protest in December outside the Bishop Gorman Catholic School in Las Vegas. The video showed a man telling students who were passing by, "If you look at the Catechism of the Catholic Church and you look at Scripture, you know why God hates this religious system."

According to the Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas, there were "multiple disturbances at several of their properties."

The report said the group's emphasis on their Muslim background in the videos has unsettled Catholics in the area in light of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks.

Several Catholics fear for their lives because of the group's aggressive protests, according to KTNV Channel 13 News.

Police said the incidents do not appear to be connected with any terrorist threats and no arrests have been made since no crimes have technically been committed by the group.

Crime and safety expert Randy Sutton said he does not agree with the police that no crime has been committed.

According to a Nevada statute, disturbance of a religious meeting is a misdemeanor.

"Every person who shall willfully disturb, interrupt or disquiet any assemblage or congregation of people met for religious worship: 1. by noisy, rude or indecent behaviour, profane discourse, either within the place where such meeting is held, or so near it as to disturb the order and solemnity of the meeting ... shall be guilty of a misdemeanor," the statute reads.

Sutton said, "This is really unusual behavior. This isn't something that happens all the time. So the fact that it even happened would be enough to cause alarm, and legitimately so."

News
Active faith linked to happier marriages and lower divorce rates, study finds
Active faith linked to happier marriages and lower divorce rates, study finds

People who regularly attend church are more likely to report happy marriages, according to a new report examining the relationship between faith and family life.

Indian churches fearing anti-conversion laws tell non-Christians: enter at your own risk
Indian churches fearing anti-conversion laws tell non-Christians: enter at your own risk

Churches in Dhamtari, a town in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, have put up notices warning non-Christians that they enter at their own risk, weeks after a law against religious conversion came into force in the state.

£1k bursaries to help churches develop youth and community mentoring programmes
£1k bursaries to help churches develop youth and community mentoring programmes

Churches across the UK are being offered bursaries to help them establish mentoring programmes aimed at supporting young people and others in their communities.

World Evangelical Alliance celebrates 180th anniversary
World Evangelical Alliance celebrates 180th anniversary

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has held an online celebration to mark its 180th anniversary. Hundreds of people from more than 22 countries attended, and the event was rebroadcast to accommodate different time zones.