Muslim Conversation

If you know me, you know I love Muslim people.  Here is the latest blog post I wrote for Wordslingersok about a recent conversation with a Muslim friend.  Muslim Conversation

Muslim Perspectives: They think what?

When I volunteered to go to India on a mission trip three years ago, I joyfully went from village to village to share the good news of Jesus.  The remote villages that sometimes took us two hours of rough transportation to endure were filled with people from the Hindu faith.  Thankfully, I wasn’t asked to go to the Muslim villages.  Honestly, I probably would have refused.  I had a fear of Muslims rooted from perspectives portrayed by the media, heightened after 9-11.

Seven months after I returned from my trip, I encountered a Muslim lady from Pakistan.  Initially, I read a book about Islam trying to understand her perspectives.  But I quickly learned, you can’t put all Muslims “into a box.”    The perspectives I now possess come from a two year friendship with this lady.  I’ve learned many concepts about Islam.  But I’ve also learned some perspectives the Muslims may have about Christians.  Of course not all Muslims think this way (as to put them “into a box” again), but these are some perspectives my friend shared with me.

1)  Some Muslims don’t understand how we are not Christians when we are born.  In Islam, if you are born into an Islam family, you are Muslim.  You have no choice.  They even whisper the creed, “there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet,” into the newborn’s ear.  It was a natural bridge to share how I became a follower of Jesus. 

2)  Some Muslims think American equals Christian.   Therefore, all the media in the U.S. must be Christian, portraying what Christians act like.  No wonder they don’t want their children to come to school here.  They think we will corrupt them.  I had a fun conversation with my friend about dating.  I tried to correct her perspective that dating means premarital sex (what the t.v. portrays).  I shared what the Bible says about it and shared my dating story.  As believers, our lives should reflect the Bible’s definition of a Jesus follower, not the American “Christian”. 

     

3)  Some Muslims think we have an “easy” religion.  They see us attend church on Sundays and think that is our only “obligation.”  However, they must pray five times a day and fast (no food or drink during daylight hours) for a month to possibly receive salvation (they are never for certain because Allah could change his mind).  They also must give a percent of their net worth every year to the poor or an Islamic purpose.  If they are physically and financially able, they must make a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia at least once in their lives.  Of course the more the better, it tips the “good scales,” needed to please Allah.

Of course they don’t understand that we are not obliged to go to church, but go because we want to worship the God that saved us from our sin (This should be our attitude).  They also don’t understand that we have a friendship with God because of His love for us, not because we must “work” to please God and deserve heaven.  (Ephes. 2:8-9)
 

4)  When some Muslims hear about God’s gift of salvation, they don’t understand how someone else can pay for another’s sin.  In their honor/shame culture, they must please their family and take responsibility for their own actions.  How could Jesus pay for someone else’s sin?  And why would God allow a prophet to die such a shameful death?  It doesn’t make sense in their culture. 

Yet, they understand the need for a guarantor to sign for a loan.  The guarantor signs to pay off a loan if the loan cannot be paid.  That is exactly what Jesus did.  He promised to pay our debt if we couldn’t pay it.  Of course we couldn’t.  We can’t earn our way to heaven.  And the requirement for our sin debt:  death.  Jesus paid the price for us because of God’s character of unconditional love (opposite of Allah’s conditional love). 

As I learn more about my friend’s perspective of Christians, I pray my life reflects the truth of the Bible.  As her perspective changes about me, I pray her perspective changes about the truth of the Bible, and God our Savior.  Let’s simply spill hope to the Muslims around us. 

What perspective have you learned from talking to a Muslim?



Linked to Bible Love Notes

Islam Adoption vs. Mine

 

I had an interesting conversation with a Muslim friend yesterday.  After English class, she invited me to tea, as usual.  I've known her for a year and a half now, and consider her a close friend.  With her permission, I share our conversation with you.

As her precious, black, curly haired one-year-old daughter and buzz cut, three-year-old son played next to us at the kitchen table, I asked her questions about Islam's four wives policy.

In her country, men began only taking one wife around the 1950's and 1960's.  She said most men couldn't financially afford more than one wife (I can understand that.  I'm sure there are other reasons they can't afford more than one wife).  Muslim men would formerly take another wife if his wife was ill and couldn't meet all his needs, or couldn't provide him with children.     

She asked me what we do in America if women can't have children.  I told her some families choose adoption as an option.  She said Islam permits adoption, but they forbid the adopted child from getting the family name. 

The parents would take care of the child until he or she grew up.  But, the child could not receive the inheritance because they did not belong to the family. 

However, the parents could give the child "gifts" when they still lived.  She said most families now give adopted children the family name, even though Islam forbids it.

Of course this made me think of the importance of the family name.  Only children with the same family name receive the inheritance.

This led to overwhelming thoughts of my heavenly Father's inheritance.  When I put my faith in His only Son, Jesus, I joined His family.

My adoption reminded me of three points:

1.  The expense of my adoption

Earthly adoptions cost large amounts of money.  Sometimes the cost discourages families from adoption.

More so, my adoption cost my Father a great deal.  It cost Him more than earthly, temporal riches.  It cost Him His one and only Son, Jesus.

Isaiah 53:6 says, "All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way ; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him".  All our sin was placed on Jesus on the cross. 

As Jesus hung on the cross, the Father had to turn His head, forsaking Him because of our sin. Matthew 27:46 says, "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI ?' that is, 'MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?'

I haven't heard of any one forsaking their own child to adopt another child.  Wow!  What love my Father has for me and you!

2.  The eternal effects of my adoption 

He changed my name from Stacy to beloved, daughter Stacy FOREVER. 

John 1:12 (New Living Translation) says, "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." 

I share my Father's name, therefore, I get an eternal inheritance.

1 Peter 1:3-4 says,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,       to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,"

3.  The evidence of my adoption

When God adopts us, He expects us to act like we belong to the family.  That doesn't mean we will be perfect, but it means we have changed. 

Our hearts break in the same way our Father's heart breaks.  Our priorities line up with His.  We obey His Word. 

I John 2:4 and 5 says, "The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:"

What about you?  Have you been adopted?  If so, do you act like it?

Do you need to ask the Father for forgiveness and believe His Son's sacrifice paid the penalty for your sin?  If you believe, John 1:12 (above) says you will be a child of God.  Welcome to the family!  


 Linked with:Cornerstone Confessions