[Linux4christians] Muslims v Christians

[Chris Debenham]

2009/10/6 Ben Thorp <THORPB at uk.ibm.com>:
> linux4christians-bounces at thelinuxlink.net wrote on 06/10/2009 00:12:36:
>
>> htgage3 at chartermi.net wrote:
>> > yeah, in our local paper they are always putting in letters from
>> these people telling the unlearned about how much they are a loving,
>> peaceful people! Right!!! They lie like a dog too!
>
> While I certainly understand the sentiment, and would agree that things
> _are_ getting increasingly hostile for Christians in Muslims countries,
> please bear in mind that a lot of this is down to extremism, from which
> Christianity is not immune. I suspect that many Muslims feel about their
> extremist cousins much the same feelings that we (certainly in the UK) feel
> about some of the more extreme fundamentalist, right-wing groups in the deep
> south of America.
>
> (I don't mean this to start a flame war, or to offend, so please don't take
> it that way)
>
> Ben
>

I actually spent the last three weeks in Malaysia - an islamic country.
Doing so opened my eyes to how muslims can range so dramatically in
the same way as christians can.
Over in malaysia they are even more 'liberal' than the US or
Australia.  Over there they all celebrate muslim holidays (like hari
raya - which we were there during) along with christian holidays
(easter and christmas are public holidays and major celebrations) and
even buddist and hindi holidays.
There would be a christian church with large messages about Christ,
and right nearby would be a hindu temple and a mosque.
Over there the muslims were downright embarrassed and ashamed of the
actions by extremists around the world.

This all lead me to realise that muslims are sooo close to the truth -
they worship the same God, they know of Christ (just not fully), of
the prophets and our history. Those I have talked to know more about
Christianity than most Christians know about Islam.  In a way they are
like the Samaritans that Christ talked about - they have half of the
story and they just need to be shown the rest of it.  In a way muslims
could be a a great outreach area - If we can show them the rest of the
story and open their eyes to who Christ really is then it is not that
large of a step to becoming Christians - and how great would that be!


-- 

Ogden Nash  - "The trouble with a kitten is that when it grows up,
it's always a cat." -
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/o/ogden_nash.html