A Learning Experience

This last Saturday I went with Lena to an open house at the East Plano Islamic Center. They provided a tour of the mosque, and then had a light lunch of yummy Mediterranean food. There were 2 speakers who provided an overview of Islam, some of the beliefs, and the ethics of Islam. Then they had a question and answer time.

I knew a few things about the Muslim faith but several things were cleared up for me. One of the major differences between Christianity and Islam is that Muslims do not believe in the deification of Jesus- they don’t think that He is God. They believe that He was a prophet, and even the Messiah, but not God’s Son, a part of the Trinity. We have a lot of misconceptions though about the Muslim faith, such as the role of women, and why they wear the long head scarves, etc., and even some people who believe that all Muslims are terrorists. That is most definitely not true. On the role of women, in most countries women have rights like men do and they are celebrated for their roles as wives and mothers. In all but three countries (Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Sudan or Nigeria), according to our tour guide, women have a choice to cover themselves as an act of modesty and protection. It is a choice they make between themselves and God. Also, according to the speakers, most Muslims are taught to be peaceful and not hateful. I suppose just like in anything, there are extremists that bring a bad name to the Muslim faith.

I think that it’s important to learn about other religions. For me, it’s not because I am “seeking” or trying to find a different faith, but instead, I think that the more we know about different faiths, the better we are able to witness to people in those religions. Many of the unreached people groups in the world today are in predominately Muslim areas. I am sad to admit I used to not care if Muslims heard the truth about Jesus, and may have even said they didn’t deserve to hear about Him, or perhaps they were a “lost cause”. But God’s heart breaks for the Muslim people to know the truth of who He is and who Jesus is, and for them to come to believe in the Truth of the Gospel. He loves the people of Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, and Iraq, and the other predominately Muslim countries. Perhaps, one day God will call me to go to one of these countries, but in the mean time, there are many people here in Dallas who need to hear the Truth as well.

God opened my heart this weekend to be intentional about praying for Muslim people, for their eyes to be opened to the Truth, and for opportunities for more interaction and dialogue.