Practising Christians

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QuranStudy said:
I'd love to read the real copy too. The problems is, Christians can't trace to the real gospel!
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Unless you possess a real copy, you can offer no proof that the Christian Gospel is not the true Gospel. You can doubt its sources, you say it was mishandled and perverted, but you simply can't prove it without the original.
 
Some questions:

1) I've seen Catholics with rosaries, what they say when they use the rosaries?

2) Are candles essential in Christianity worships?

3) Do Christians have specific time of prayers like Jews and Muslims?
 
My intention for this thread was not for it turn into posing questions for christians that are difficult to answer, this is genuinely for learning about their faith without wanting to question their books and doctrines, if people want to do that there are plenty of other threads elsewhere on this forum

Hey Glo thanks for your reply. I was thinking about other issues also. For example drinking, a lot of people drink today. Would a practising Christian not drink. Would he/she also not gamble. What about fornication. Are practising christians allowed boyfriend/girlfriends?

To give you a personal example, I pray daily, usually at least three times (morning, lunch time and night). If I don't manage that or don't find the time, that's fine. I haven't broken any 'law', because there wasn't one in the first place.
The prayer I offer to God, I offer out of joy and gratitude, not because it has been stipulated to me
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Oh by the way, in islam, although we have to pray 5 prayers on time, it's not the only time we can peray, we can pray at most other times of day also, whenever we feel to get closer to God. I know you feel that maybe we pray only because we have to and not because we want to, and this to a certain extent is true for some, but practising muslims should not only follow the prayer time rules, but they should also want to actually pray and look forward to praying to Allah. I think one of the wisdoms it is stipulated for us is if it there were no rules on praying on time then people would be a bit lazy with no regulations to it, as with all laws you need regulations to keep you in check. Also it serves as a good reminder whether your heart is in the prayer or not, as you still are aware of what you are reciting, and it reminds you always of your purpose in life at least
 
Mohsin said:
My intention for this thread was not for it turn into posing questions for christians that are difficult to answer, this is genuinely for learning about their faith without wanting to question their books and doctrines,
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Thank you, Mohsin. I understand and appreciate that. :)
I came to this forum for the same reason - to understand about Islam.

But - as snakelegs put it so well - 'often people pose questions not because they really want to learn about another religion but because they want to ridicule it or confirm their prejudices.' Consequently you may find people at times a little hesitant to enter into religious debates. :rollseyes
As Muslims, Christians love God, their holy book and their faith. Seeing it attacked, criticised and ridiculed is hurtful - as I am sure you can understand.

I will try to answer your questions when I have more time.
Since you are asking on behalf of all Christians, it may be difficult to break the answer into the different denominations.

Because you have to appreciate that different churches, groups and denominations interpret and live the Gospel in different ways. You may think that should be the case.
But I am sure that there are also more liberal Muslims who live Islam differently to those who are more traditional (i.e. wear Western clothes, no hijab, drink alcohol, smoke, listen to music ...). You may think that's non-Islamic, but if I asked them, they would probably describe themselves as good Muslims - regardless of what you think of them!

Anyway, gotta go ...

Peace :)
 
north_malaysian said:
Some questions:
1) I've seen Catholics with rosaries, what they say when they use the rosaries?
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Typical rosary consist of 5 x 10 beads (here we say Hail Mary)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
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and one bigger bead befor every group (here: Our Father).
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
And deliver us from evil.
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After finishing each decade we say "Glory be".
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be
World without end.
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Oh! and befor starting rosary we say "creed" then "Our father", then 3 x "Heil Mary". And then the first decade.

The "aim" of rosary is not to say as much without thinking. Words we say should help as focus on so called "mysteries".
There are: joyful, sorrowful, glorious and luminous.
for example sorrowful mysteries:
Jesus Agony in the Garden (1 decade of beads)
Scourging at the Pillar (2 deacade of beads)
Crowning Jesus with Thorns (3...)
Carrying of the Cross (4....)
Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (5...)

more on mysteries on wiki
but there are othere ways of praying using rosary. Rosary is just a tool to help us pray.

north_malaysian said:
2) Are candles essential in Christianity worships?
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no. There are realy few things that are essencial. :D

north_malaysian said:
3) Do Christians have specific time of prayers like Jews and Muslims?
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Catholic often pray at noon "Angelus". Some people pray Liturgy of Hours using Breviary (that 9 ?not sure? prayers during the day)
To sum up: we have many ways of praying. You choose the way that helps and suites you. There are no obligatory prayers or prayer times.
i hope my answer make some sens :rollseyes
n.
 
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That was really informative, duskiness! Thanks!

I must confess that I went to church with my mother a while ago, when the rosary was said. She had assured me that it was going to be a wonderful spiritual experience - but unfortunately I found that my mind kept wandering ... Hhhhmmm ... :rollseyes

Good thing we can praise and worship God in different ways.

God bless. :)
 
glo said:
Hmmm u may or maynot realise that some of the answers u have given is almost the same in Islam. There are many similarities between our religion, but also some fundalemtnal differences.

1) You need to read the Bible to understand about Jesus' life, the purpose of his life and death and his message to mankind.

In our case we read the Quran to know what God has to say. Then we read the Hadith of Muhammad to know about his life and how he lived/practised/expalined the message in the Quran

2) You need to fellowship with other Christians to remain focused in God's word. Otherwise it would be all too easy to drift off into another 'God-told-me-to...thinking'. Furthermore, Jesus told us to gather in his name:

Muslims must do the same thing. But our bond goes deeper than just maintaining fellowship. Every muslim is a brother no matter of status, color etc. That is y when muslims are killed a world away from us, its hurts us in our hearts still similar to the way u would feel if someone killed ure real borther.


3) You need to be willing to live every day of your life for God, to surrender to his will and purpose. The act of baptism is seen as a symbol of 'dying to yourself (i.e. your own desires and wishes) and starting a 'new life' for God.

The word muslim mean submission to God. We dunno need to be baptised beacuse muslims believe that every child is born sinless and muslim. Ppl who re-vert into islam does something called the Shahada which is to testify that there is no God besides Allah and Muhammad is his messenger. This shahada wipes away all previous sins. (similar to what u said)

4) You should pray and be in communication with God daily.

Muslims are ordered to do this daily and taught how to do it.

The Bible has much to say about how people should conduct themselves.
But, seen from a Muslim perspective, it must be said that the Bible is by no means as clear-cut and directive as the Qu'ran is.

This is why Allah tells us that he also revealed the gospel (inits original form). Muslims believe that the origianl Gospel is the word of God. In the Quran however, it is reveal that it had been changed and therfore the origianl is lost. The Quran and hadith is clear cut in every aspect of life beacuse ALlah also revealed in the Quran that :
"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Surah Al-Maa'idah 5:3)
So it makes sense to us that Muhammad (saw) the last messenger would bring the last message and complete what all the rest of previous prophets/revelations had started.
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I know this thread is for christian practices an i hope u didnt mind that i showed the similarites with islamic practices.
 
Jayda said:
Beyond this we Catholics have other rituals (i do not know about other denominations), and they correspond to certain events in Christian history. Palm Sunday we carry palms during church to commemorate Jesus triumphant reception (i think in nazareth), on ash wednesday we have ash crosses on our foreheads to identify us as christians and to signify repentence, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Catholics fast... we eat only one meal and cannot eat meat.


We Catholics are also supposed to fast during Lent and Advent... this usually means either not eating a certian kind of food like meat, or cutting back to only one normal sized meal per day... i do that for both. Additionally abstinence is also for Lent. Both periods are about 40 days... there are other things Catholics are required to do that I dont think other denominations do like holy days of obligation... or at least dave never mentioned anything... he was protestant...
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Did Jesus do these things or instructed his followers to? or were these just traditions that his followers started up in his absense?
 
Most are either old Jewish practice, things Jesus did with his disciples or things that his disciples had the early christian community do. Some are customs added later for symbolic purposes - like the fasting before advent, lent is the only fast in the bible.
 
Jayda said:
Most are either old Jewish practice, things Jesus did with his disciples or things that his disciples had the early christian community do. Some are customs added later for symbolic purposes - like the fasting before advent, lent is the only fast in the bible.
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i see. So how can a man add to "God's" message? So this was added to the bible ? or just like in customs?
 
no it wasnt added to the bible... they were just customs and traditions later added to help the faithful become closer to God (that is the Churches job)... so things like the advent fast were added to remind us that we depend on God for everything and to keep us mindful of his coming...
 
Having been a Christian at one time and now being Muslim. I find that the most difficult concept Muslims, have trouble grasping about Christians is the concept of denominations. Many Muslims that I know have had little contact with Christians and are under the assumption that the practices or non-practices of the Christians they have met are applicable to all.

Christians do consist of many denominations some are vastly different from the others. Essentialy you have several main groups, the Largest being Catholic and Orthodox, then there are Protestants and Fundamentalists.

The Catholic and othodox place much emphasis on church law and follow the obedience of either the Pope (Roman Catholics and Russian Orthodox) or the Patriarch of Constantinople (Greek Orthodox) I believe the Coptics follow the Bishop of Alexandria. Some major differences with them and other Christians are their following of Church Law and the belief of Intercessation of the Saints.

The Protestents are similar in many aspects except they do not follow the same church laws nor do they follow the Pope or any designated head of the denomination.

Fundamentalists are strictly Bible Christians. They have no real past history and are started by people that many consider to be Bible scholars. Although they make up the smallest number of adherents they form the majority of seperate denominations. Each tends to believe that their founder was the only person who truly understood the Bible and that they are the only people who are true Christians. Typicaly they do not follow any of the rituals or practices followed by Catholics or Protestants. Muslims are most likely to meet Fundamentalistic Evangelists as their only contact with Christians.

Another seperate Group that calls themselves Christians are the Mormans. I know very little about them, except that for the most part they believe the Book of Morman, is the completion of the Bible and is the final word.
 
Jayda said:
no it wasnt added to the bible... they were just customs and traditions later added to help the faithful become closer to God (that is the Churches job)... so things like the advent fast were added to remind us that we depend on God for everything and to keep us mindful of his coming...
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so man added this to help the gospel beacuse it wasnt good enough at bringing ppl closer to God?
Arent u contradicting ure self when u say we depend on God for everything but things still needed to be added to his "gospel" to make it beter?
 
Arent u contradicting ure self when u say we depend on God for everything but things still needed to be added to his "gospel" to make it beter?
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Does Islam believe all the Hadeeths from G-d?
 

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