Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Look at Islam and Christianity



      This was a great read! When I picked up, In the Land of Blue Burqas, I did not expect my faith, my understanding of marriage and ideas about Islam to be challenged.  I did not read it looking for deeper understanding of my Christianity separate from my American culture.  My views of forgiveness, responding to insult, prayer, judgment and the power of generosity were all challenged to stretch.  All of this happened during my journey into a town in Afghanistan through the author’s experience.  It is full of people I will never meet that are very different than me in almost every way. Despite our vast differences I learned so much from them as I read their stories and lined up their Islamic teachings next to the teachings of Jesus. 
        In essence reading this woman’s journey in faith, “I learned to see the Jesus I love reflected in the context of my Afghan neighbors’ culture and the simplicity of their questions.  I was challenged to differentiate between my American culture an the teachings of Jesus….I saw how revolutionary Jesus really is and how amazingly beautiful.” (p. 306)
        I’ll leave you with a few more quotes so you can see what I mean. If you decide to read it  I’d love to discuss it with anyone!
On American Faith:
“Conversations about God, faith and what it means to live submitted to Him is more common in Afghanistan than any place I’ve ever been…..For many Westerners, the question of who God is and what He wants for and from us is simply not relevant.  We are, after all, wealthy and busy.  For Afghans, it may be the most important question of all.” (p. 115, 116)
On Legalism:
“Sometimes we imagine that all that is good in God as revealed in Christ only belongs to those who’ve adopted a complete framework of theological beliefs.  We imagine that until a person understands and confesses belief that Jesus is God, that He died on the cross for our sins and rose the third day, the teachings and blessings of God remain inaccessible.  We sometimes make the mistake of viewing ourselves and others as either in or out, as either wearing our team’s jersey or not wearing it." (p. 132)
Ouch, that is totally me sometimes.
"How much better to remember that we are all on a journey.  Each time we see or hear or in some way grasp a teaching or revelation of Christ, we are drawn out of an area of darkness within our lives into His light and truth…..the good news is …we can receive His healing long before we understand who He is and why He came in the first place.” (p. 132)
Love it! The image of darkness to light describes all I hope to do when sharing about God’s love.
On Reaching others with Good News:
I know I have no power to change an individual’s worldview.  I can’t compel people to accept my words.  The interpretation and reaction belongs to my listeners.  If I speak truth, that truth will resonate within them.  If they can receive it, they will.  If they can’t, they won’t. My responsibility is to follow Jesus and share the faith I have.  In my understanding, God is good and certainly not the author of death and destruction.” (p. 114)
     She was responding here to the Islamic belief that EVERYTHING that happens is the will of Allah.  If a husband beats his wife, it’s Allah’s will.  If a child dies in a bombing, Allah’s will.  Both scenarios are all too common in their daily lives. 


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