Question

[turbotim]

Here is an email that I recieved from a girlfried of one of my friends. She is from North Carolina and not affiliated with the CoGoP. How would you respond? I believe her to be sincere. She has asked him about it and some others. And this is where we are..... I added the bold and didn't include his name.....

Now, i'm asking you. I told him [the boyfriend that is]I would drop the subject with him. He said he couldn't help and that he was done trying. So, i'd like to keep him out of this. He just wants us to move on and have me leave this part of my life behind me. And a part of me wants to leave it all behind.

ok, ok, I guess I should fill you in on what i'm even talking about. I used to be muslim. Infact, I was when I met boyfriend. I wasn't a muslim all my life. Only for about a year or so. Before that, well, im not to sure. I started out Pentecostal. But when I was 9 or so I told my mom she wasn't going to go to heaven because she married a black man. I know it wasn't the smartest thing to say. But on my behalf, I was 9. Afterall, thats what I was taught in sunday school. After that whole ordeal, my mom wouldn't let me go to chruch. the only way I could go to chruch was to take the bus to the catholic chruch. I know, complete opposites right? lol well, my family forbid chruch, so going with a boyfriends family was the only way. once I broke up with him, I still went. I got used to the catholic mass, even though I wanted to go back to my pentecostal church.

(just alittle background for you)

Well, anyway, a little over a year ago I was introduced to the qur'an. I dont know if you know what that is. It's the holy book for muslims. and although, some things didn't make sense to me. I still became muslim. see, islam believes in the same God christians do. They just dont know believe Jesus is the the son of God. And they believe Muhammad was the last prophet. (they also believe the quran was written by God who gave it to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel) I figured, there are things about catholics I dont understand and there are things about muslims I dont understand. but islam made more sense than catholicism. sorry, I can't spell. (keep in mind, I said catholics, not christianity) but I know I still couldn't be penecostal.

So, I became muslim. I went to the mosque daily, usually 4 times out of the 5 times a day. i studied the qur'an. I learned arabic, afterall that's the only way to read the qur'an. i wore the hijaab(head scarf). and dedicated my life to islam. I went through most of tech school going to the mosque and never thinking twice about my beliefs. Then [boyfriend] asked me if I thought Jesus was the son of God. And that really caught me off guard. for the past year, i never thought about it. It got me thinking. I guess ever sense then ive been confused. Cause i do think he is. (Muslims dont think he is the son of God, Just a prophet)
So when we finished tech school and left, [boyfriend]took me to church. I've been going by myself eachweek to chruch, reading the bible, and just asking God to help show the right way. But i dont kow what to do. I'm just so confused and so lost. Sometimes I dont know which book to pick up and read, the bible or the qur'an.

can you help? (sorry for such a long email)

[PastorDaniel]

Well, I definitly wouldn't be confrontational. First I'd be very friendly and loving, maybe an e-card to make her smile. I'd also try to be accepting of her confusion...letting her know that it's okay to be confused.

Next you might probe into her thoughts about Christ. It seems that she is already leaning towards being Christian. She is having trouble denying Christ as the son of God...this is good. Ler her make the choice.

What she don't need is a Christian offending her. So unless asked...I would stay away from Allah, Quaran, and Mohammed and I would simply focus on Jesus and His Love. Help her have a Jesus Revelation. I just preached this week about Emmanuel...God with Us, this of course is Jesus. Lift Him up and He will draw.

Hope this helps.

[turbotim]

Thank you Pastor Daniel for responding.... I'll think on the things you touched on. I did send her a quick reply saying that i understood her desire to seek and want to know more and that was great. You have givin me a starting point.

She did state that

see, islam believes in the same God christians do.

I thought about saying something like we Christians do not believe that we serve the same God as Muslims. Or something like that.

Or like you said keep it focused on Jesus....

[stevenson]

very wise Tim! That's a good starting point But as Daniel said, be very friendly and loving. But don't over do it. People hate phonies. You might want to work something in about God not being the author of confusion. But again with love and understanding.

God Bless!

[turbotim]

very wise Tim! That's a good starting point.

Thanks....

You might want to work something in about God not being the author of confusion. But again with love and understanding.
God Bless!

Good point.. Thank you... If you think of some more stuff let me know.

[MacUser]

Praying for you Tim.

[turbotim]

Praying for you Tim.

Thank you... After reading that I felt strength after reading that. I want only Christ to be uplifted. I am nothing. God bless you..

[Pastor Bill]

you might try approaching the "different gods" issue through Christ, rather than against Allah.

While the two religions are rooted from the same traditions, Islam would be more akin to Jewish beliefs than Christian Salvation, so treat it as you would a Jew, explain the importance of Christ, and Salvation. Show what Christ's message was, and let her know the confusion is OK, it's the same that the Jews dealt with not understanding Christ, and the Muslims deal with misunderstanding His role.

This would probably give her an acceptance of her confusion as being that she is missing the one thing that will clear it up for her, Christ. Even her pentecostal and Catholic backgrounds seem to have some errors, so again, point to Christ, and show that without understanding Him, all the rest is extremely confusing.