Being both Muslim and Christian?

[glo]

Any thoughts on this?

Redding, who will begin teaching the New Testament as a visiting assistant professor at Seattle University this fall, has a different analogy: "I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I'm both an American of African descent and a woman. I'm 100 percent both."

Redding doesn't feel she has to resolve all the contradictions. People within one religion can't even agree on all the details, she said. "So why would I spend time to try to reconcile all of Christian belief with all of Islam?

"At the most basic level, I understand the two religions to be compatible. That's all I need."

[...]

Redding knows there are many Christians and Muslims who will not accept her as both.

"I don't care," she says. "They can't take away my baptism." And as she understands it, once she's made her profession of faith to become a Muslim, no one can say she isn't that, either.

While she doesn't rule out that one day she may choose one or the other, it's more likely "that I'm going to be 100 percent Christian and 100 percent Muslim when I die."

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2003751274_redding17m.html

 

[MustafaMc]

Glo, rather than her being both Muslim and Christian, it seems she is neither. Her beliefs seem to be a hybrid with some being inconsistent with one faith and other beliefs being inconsistent with the other. She seems to rely upon her own intellect as opposed to accepting the tenets of either faith.

 

[Vito]

There's a reason why they're two different religions. Even she herself finds the idea of Jesus pbuh NOT dying on the cross to be a challenging thought to overcome. That alone is pretty much Islam 101. If you want to pick and choose certain aspects of different religions to follow, might as well create your own religion. This about sums it up:

Being both Muslim and Christian — "I don't know how that works," said Hisham Farajallah, president of the Islamic Center of Washington.

 

[Insaanah]

Saheeh International

O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. (2:208)

Allah commands His servants who believe in Him and have faith in His Messenger to implement all of Islam's legislation and law, to adhere to all of its commandments, as much as they can, and to refrain from all of its prohibitions. `Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Mujahid, Tawus, Ad-Dahhak, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said that Allah's statement:

ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ

(Enter Silm) means Islam. Allah's statement:

كَآفَّةً

(...perfectly) means, in its entirety. This is the Tafsir of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, `Ikrimah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak. Mujahid said that the Ayah means, `Perform all the good works and the various pious deeds, this is especially addressed to those from among the People of the Scripture who embraced the faith.'

Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said that:

يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً

(O you who believe! Enter Silm perfectly) refers to the believers among the People of the Scripture. This is because they believed in Allah, some of them still followed some parts of the Tawrah and the previous revelations. So Allah said:

ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً

(Enter Islam perfectly.) Allah thus commanded them to embrace the legislation of the religion of Muhammad in its entirety and to avoid abandoning any part of it. They should no longer adhere to the Tawrah.

(Tafseer ibn Kathir)

http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=203

 

[Hulk]

"I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I'm both an American of African descent and a woman. I'm 100 percent both."

ok then

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you glo, I am not sure how you can give one hundred percent to two faiths,

I am a Catholic, and during the last two weeks I have prayed in the Redeemed Church of Christ, an Anglican Church, Salvation Army, Baptist Church and of course my own.

I find it a blessing to pray with them and to pray for them, I have also had the privilege to pray in an interfaith setting for people of all faiths.

My thoughts go beyond praying together, I find it an even greater blessing when we can do and share things together in order to bring glory to God. Despite all these apparent contradictions, I see myself as Catholic

In the spirit of praying to ‘One God’

Eric

 

[سيف الله]

Salaam

Just to add.

Instead of trying to drive people to the lowest common denominator, why cant it be accepted that people have different faiths/worldviews that are often at odds with one another and learn to live with difference.

This is a relevant.

 

[ardianto]

A chat in an evening
"Hey guys!, if a Muslim marries a Christian, what would their kids become?"
"Both Muslim and Christian!. Friday, go to mosque. Sunday, go to the church!"
Then we laugh. We knew it's just joking. From we have seen, kids from marriage like this if not became Muslim, became Christian.

But after reading that article, maybe I must tell my friends. Both Muslim and Christian is really exist. :hmm:

Redding believes telling her story can help ease religious tensions

The way to ease religious tensions is not with mixing two faith like this, but with raise an attitude which both parties respect each other difference.

 

[Muhaba]

I think she's in a state of confusion possibly because of lack of knowledge. As her knowledge and insight increases she'll choose one religion or the other.

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you Junon;

Instead of trying to drive people to the lowest common denominator,

We always loose track of the lowest common denominator, it is the nine hundred million people who go to bed hungry every night, the twenty thousand children who die needlessly from grinding poverty every day. These are people of all faiths and no faith, they are so low down as a common denominator we do not see them.

Scholars have gone through the Bible and highlighted about two thousand passages; that refer to justice for the poor and oppressed.

If all religions made a joint effort to eradicate poverty together; then we would see a wonderful lowest common denominator.

In the spirit of praying for justice for all people

Eric

 

[IbnAbdulHakim]

I have never understood this.

You cant be a muslim unless you believe anyone who dies upon other then islam goes to Hell for eternity as per the correct islamic teaching.

 

[glo]

Like the rest of you I struggle with the idea of how one can identify with both religions (not only in equal measures, but - according to Redding - 100% to each). I feel that despite the many many similarities. the differences are just too important.

I found it interesting that Redding does not seem to believe Jesus to be divine - which really puts her more in the 'Muslim camp'. On the other hand she believes that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected - which really flies in the face of Islamic teaching.

On a personal note, there is much I have learned from Islam - the importance of submitting to God's will and the beauty of prescribed regular prayer are two that spring to mind immediately.
But my Christian beliefs about Jesus have always taken priority, and those are the filters I understand Islam through.

I am a member in a Christian Muslim Forum and there I have met other people who claim that they can reconcile Christianity and Islam completely. Those people are in the minority and probably frowned upon by us 'mainstreamers' - but they clearly do exist.

I admire and appreciate the efforts they bring to communication and joint working between the two faiths, so I welcome people like Rev. Ann Holmes Redding.

 

[Insaanah]

I found it interesting that Redding does not seem to believe Jesus to be divine - which really puts her more in the 'Muslim camp'.

My understanding from the article is that she does believe him (and us all) to be divine:

She believes Jesus is the son of God insofar as all humans are the children of God, and that Jesus is divine, just as all humans are divine — because God dwells in all humans.

What makes Jesus unique, she believes, is that out of all humans, he most embodied being filled with God and identifying completely with God's will.

The concept of God dwelling in humans (or animals for that matter), and/or humans being divine, is against Islam.

She believes in the trinity, though as an idea about God.
She believes that Jesus (peace be upon him) is the son of God and we're all the children of God.
She believes Jesus (p) and us all are divine, with God dwelling in us.
She believes Jesus (p) was crucified, and was resurrected and that he is her saviour.

She acknowledges those beliefs conflict with the teachings of the Quran. "That's something I'll find a challenge the rest of my life," she said.

None of these are compatible with Islam. She can perform Islamic rituals as many times a day as she likes, if the foundational beliefs about God (aqeedah) aren't correct, the rest doesn't have any base to stand on.

May Allah guide her to Islam, ameen.

Peace.

 

[glo]

Instead of trying to drive people to the lowest common denominator, why cant it be accepted that people have different faiths/worldviews that are often at odds with one another and learn to live with difference.

I found this video interesting, because I think looking for a common denominator is something I do instinctively with people who do not share my faith.

I don't think it means that I have to abandon or compromise my own beliefs, but it means that I make myself aware of the things we share in common. And there are always things we share in common.

For example, with my Muslim friends I share a belief in one God.
With my pagan friends I share an appreciation of the beauty of nature and the seasons.
With my atheist friends I share many ideas about human rights etc.

Despite all our differences we share our humanity, and with that comes human needs and feelings and responses. We get lonely and hungry and scared. We want to feel safe and respected.
We are all brothers and sisters in humanity and that's good enough for me.

 

[Pygoscelis]

Maybe she is Schizophrenic

 

[Ahmad H]

Perhaps what she thinks is more in line with the following verse:

3:64 Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will).

I hope there is no shirk in her. I also hope Allah will still accept her Islam:

3:85 If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).

May Allah guide her to the straight path. Ameen.

 

[ardianto]

Maybe she is Schizophrenic

If she's schizophrenic, she would declare herself as God.

 

[ardianto]

I am a member in a Christian Muslim Forum and there I have met other people who claim that they can reconcile Christianity and Islam completely. Those people are in the minority and probably frowned upon by us 'mainstreamers' - but they clearly do exist.

Reconcile Christianity and Islam completely is a mission impossible because both parties have extremists that prefer war than dialog.

So, I prefer to do something that more realistic, invite people around me to understand difference and respect it. Yeah, due to my limit of ability, maybe I can invite only two or three people. But, if there are millions people like me?

 

[Vito]

Salaam

Just to add.

Instead of trying to drive people to the lowest common denominator, why cant it be accepted that people have different faiths/worldviews that are often at odds with one another and learn to live with difference.

This is a relevant.

I'm not familiar with the lowest common denominator statement so forgive me if I misunderstood. I think the issue here is much deeper than simply saying we need to live with our differences. The problem, imo, is that she's taking two religions and trying to combine the two and claim that she is 100% both. On top of that, there are leaders from Islamic centers (according to the article) who are making it worse by supporting her claim to be both and saying there is nothing Islamically wrong with that. I think that sends the wrong message from an Islamic perspective especially to those who are interested in the religion. For those who want to become Muslim or thought about it, what do you think would happen when they read her story and read about the Muslims who support her? That misrepresents the very basic principles of what Islam is all about. Then when these new Muslims see this, they will more than likely change Islam to THEIR liking. When does it stop? Isn't that what happened with the other religions to begin with and part of the reason why we believe the Quran was sent down as the last and final message along with Prophet Muhammad pbuh? Isn't that also part of the major signs of the approaching hour when Islam's basic message will be forgotten?

I'm a very tolerant person but I don't think we should support this kind of practice and someone needs to educate her.

 

[MustafaMc]

On a personal note, there is much I have learned from Islam - the importance of submitting to God's will and the beauty of prescribed regular prayer are two that spring to mind immediately.

I am sure that you have learned much, but I think you would agree that on a most fundamental level there is still a big difference regarding our beliefs about God and Jesus. In the end we will each remain true to what we believe is the truth until God guides us to a new understanding - if it comes in this lifetime. As long as the other doesn't coerce their views on the other, I think live-and-let-live is the best policy.

But my Christian beliefs about Jesus have always taken priority, and those are the filters I understand Islam through.

I can relate in a sense as that is how I treat the Bible and Christianity in general - through the lens of Islam.