Learning to appreciate the viewpoint of beliefs that differ from ours can bring new character to our faith. Has learning about others’ beliefs strengthened your own? Has it introduced new questions?
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It has made me more eager to witnes to Christ, and impressed me with the urgency of doing so,
It has opened my eyes and softened my heart to see the vastness of God’s love in this world. We celebrate Seder in the spring and Eid al-Fitr in mid August this year as a breaking in of God’s presence in the world. There are times when the teachings of Buddha as expressed through the Dalai Lama or Thich Nhat Hahn help both me and the congregation understand the teachings of Jesus in a new and deeper way. The embracing of the good in other faiths is not a rejection of Christianity, but an enrichment of understanding what is already there. Our adult Sunday School is held jointly with a Pentecostal church where we are currently using Rob Bells, Nooma series as discussion starters, we don’t always see eye to eye, but we all leave the discussion enriched.
I can’t help but think of the complacency in the church today to proclaim Christ. Instead of lovingly persuading the lost masses of the world, we enter endless dialogs about what we have in common. And when our teachings intersect with another’s (which they all do on many issues) we declare peace! Even the Devil has his religion; and I’m absolutely sure we could all find something in common with him and declare peace.