Christians should have friendships with people of other faith, but engaging in other traditions' worship practices is problematic, said Mark Driscoll, lead preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Driscoll said that in this case, Christians and Muslims fast for different purposes and do not worship the same God.
Christians observing a Ramadan fast is "insane at best ... Sad, tragic, horrific, misguided, dangerous, wrong," Driscoll said. "If Christians want to pray during Ramadan, they should pray not with Muslims but for Muslims — that Muslims would come to know Jesus. To pray with Muslims absolutely dishonors Jesus."
First, I just love the whole, "pray that Muslims would come to know Jesus" because it is so ignorant. Driscoll should read the Holy Q'uran - Jesus is in there, faithfully portrayed as messiah and prophet. Muslims revere him as they do Abraham and other prophets. As for dishonoring Jesus by celebrating a religious festival with those of other faiths . . .
Sorry, but a short rant here. Quite simply - nothing, nothing I say, nothing I do, dishonors Jesus, if it is done in love and a spirit of fellowship. How does Driscoll feel about Christians who hold Seder? I have attended High Holy Day services. I even attended one Friday night during Purim, which recounts the events recorded in the Book of Esther. I have attended a Seder. Does this dishonor Jesus, considering that Jesus himself did these things? How utterly ignorant is this guy?
On the other hand . . .
Christians should enter these with the understanding that they are done in a totally different spirit, with unstated beliefs and assumptions about their spiritual efficacy, and in line with a completely different set of beliefs. The article appears to show that those who are so participating are doing exactly that.
What's truly sad is the whole "other God" crap. We three Abrahamic faiths - Jews, Christians, and Muslims - differ so little that, to those far outside our bitter quarrels, the fussing and screaming probably seems much ado about little. Which is not to suggest there are no differences. Rather, it is to suggest that what holds us together should count far more than our differences. There is a beauty to much of the teaching of Islam, an endorsement of mutual humanity, a sense of discipline to the God of love and mercy and justice that is emphasized, in many ways, far more than in Christianity, which claims many of the same Divine attributes, but too often gets caught up in abstruse doctrinal nonsense, rather than celebrating the God of grace and love.
I think it would be far better if more Christians did this, in concert with our Muslim brothers and sisters. Shared sacrifice like this would be a wonderful way to show that we know that Muslims already have Jesus, and that Jesus is big enough for us all to share without having any exclusive rights.
