What do you think when you see the words "God's children"?
What do you think when you see the words "God's People"?
[So the above part is for you to think about. The main story goes from here:]
From that topic I recalled something I read before/something someone told me, that Muslims believe that everyone is born a Muslim (not in the technical way, but more like everyone has the precondition to enter into the Islamic faith?), so I brought it up for the group to discuss.
SCHOLARS/MUSLIMS HERE PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG
So after that (Yeah so I started the whole thing =.=), Jenny (an absolutely sweet and wise Korean senior) mentioned her Muslim friend and said that he had a heart for God, even though he is not a Christian - then I "eh? Isn't it the Same God?" and there began a whole (at least 30 min) discussion between me, Jenny, Ed, and a little bit of Esther, with Peter sitting on the couch.
I'm going to try to write about my understanding of certain religious issues.
1. Issue 1: Same God?
I have always believed that Christians, Muslims, and Jews have the same God. I still believe it. What I mean by same God? Like, duh, look at the history of these three religions, starting from Abraham. Our God is the God of Abraham, who is God of Issac and Jacob=Israel (Yahweh; I'm sorry if I disrespected the Jewish religion by using this sacred name), who is God of Ishmael/Ismail and Mohammad (Allah), who is God of Peter and Paul, the Triune God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now, Jenny and Ed disagreed. Allah is not the same as our God. Allah is a god of justice - He is not a loving God, although He is Merciful. Our God is a God of justice and love. Also Muslims don't believe in the Trinity. They don't believe in Jesus as God.
[Also, I should mention Ed's background (he's white but he was brought up in Africa, where there were serious religious conflicts) shaped his perspective of Islam [and he has taken comparative religion studies before]. In Sudan, extremist Muslims thought that non-Muslims go to hell and should be killed.]
I agree with all that (though I need to check up on whether Allah is or not a loving god). However, what we believe about God or what we think He is does not change the fact that He Is Who He Is, which brings us to the meaning of the name YAHWEH (there is a complicated story behind this, and the meaning of the word itself is ambiguous, but YAHWEH or YHWH is the name God used for himself while addressing the Hebrews).
My belief about this is: While our perceptions of God the names we use to call Him may differ, He is still the one God of Jews, Muslims, and Christians... One Eternal God who created the heavens and the earth.
2. Issue 2: The Christian way is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Other religions are not as good as Christianity.
The argument over whose religion has the whole truth, I think, is not going to reach a conclusion any time soon. Just as scientific methods cannot be used to prove any hypothesis 100% true, I don't think we can prove for sure who has the whole truth. And I don't think we need to. As long as we know the direction we're heading is towards the truth, we will eventually find it.
Esther asked, "Do you believe there is an absolute moral truth? Or that people shape their own truths?" I said "I believe that there is a moral truth out there, and God is the truth. But people have their own ways of finding the truth."
Ed said that all religions are a way of mankind's search/groping for truth/meaning.
I said yeah.
What is truth actually? I don't know. But I'm content to grope and search until I find it.
3. Evangelism
I am personally not comfortable with evangelizing people aka more crudely it's converting people to Christianity aka more nicely put telling people about the Good News Jesus brought to all mankind. One factor is that evangelism was not a big part of my christian education. Another factor is that my non-Christian friends are put-off when people try to do that (everybody remember Mr. Yam?) Third factor is I don't see the pressing need to push Christian teachings down people's minds when they are living good moral lives and are content with it.
Ed asked "Have you found the truth?"
I said "No!"
Ed said "I have. That's why if I see someone groping in the dark for the truth, how can I not tell him that the truth is right there?"
That makes sense. Because Christians so firmly believe that by grace we have been saved, saved for sure. Saved not by our own efforts but by grace [I still need to struggle a little with this belief].
People may seem content with their lives with or without religion, but they may be struggling really hard deep inside. Or it's obvious they are struggling with life. If they can come to know God, how much joy and strength and comfort they would receive from Him?
As Jenny said the reason that Christians want to spread the good news, want to tell others about Jesus, is because of the joy Jesus gave to her - knowing that there is someone there to accept us no matter what we may have done, no matter what terrible things we've done to others, no matter what stupid things we've done and no matter how much we hate ourselves for it; knowing that there is someone who will accept us and hug us and forgive us for everything we've done; someone who is your constant friend and guide; someone to rely on when the going gets tough; someone to cry to, to seek help from; someone who loves us unconditionally; someone who sacrificed his life for us, and would be willing to do it again and again; Knowing that there is that someone there for us - we can continue to live life with love and strength no matter how hard life is - Don't you feel the joy is overflowing that you just WANT to spread it to everyone?
Oh. It should arise not out of a sense of obligation, but because I WANT to?
I think it makes more sense to me now why Christians evangelize.
However, from yet another perspective, (credits to Marielle, who is not religious but has strong ethical values), when you become a Christian, you accept all the teachings of the Church, whether you like it or not. And how can you believe something that you don't? I agree, because I myself have issues with certain Christian teachings... So...
I think I might have to get a clearer grasp of The Truth, what my Religion really is, what do I really believe in, and
I actually have had evangelical thoughts before. No, not that I want to drag you with me to church and get baptized or what. There were a few occasions when I felt that, if she/he had Jesus, if she/he knew God, she/he would be happier and have the strength and optimism to live their lives to the full. And also times when I felt helpless when a friend was in trouble, the only thing I could do was pray.
Now you can argue again that prayer is just wishful thinking. Religion is just a psychological gimmick, something that man created/imagined to help him bear with this harsh life. To quote Karl Marx, religion is "opium for the masses". It works just like placebo.
Well, all you said is reasonable and logical. However, I believe that there is something deeper than this. Religion is just the surface, a name to simplify and clump together lots of beliefs that help shape our relationship with God who is life and more than life. Irrational belief? Is it really irrational? I don't feel that way at all. This faith, where does it come from? From what i was taught? But then how would you explain why grown-ups fully capable of logical reasoning chose to believe?
I asked Suk Sien (who decided to become a Christian when she was in high school; and she is one of the most intelligent, rational people I've ever known- to further strengthen this statement she was accepted into CALTECH) why did she convert? She said that she saw how God's power was working in her life, and believed.
Do I really love God? Do I love Jesus? I dare not say that I love God and I love Jesus like my Christian and Catholics do so loudly and brightly (just to tell you that Catholics can be as loud in expressing their love for Jesus as much as Protestants)...that's becasue I don't want to make such a declaration in public, when I yet have to confirm how much i love God and I love Jesus and whether i can accept all of church's teachings.
Agh. The conversation really made me queasy, because I'm not used to being challenged and told "You're Wrong" and having to defend and support my arguments........definitely out of my comfort zone. But I learnt alot.
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fin. O_O i have a stats problem set and prelab to finish tonight because it's due tomorrow. T_T Aigh. But I think this blog post is worth it. I really hope you guys did read it through.
Please please offer me your opinions and arguments and feelings.
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