"I am both Muslim and Christian"

[wel_mel_2]

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum,


<b>HOW THIS COULD BE POSSIBLE?? </b> :conf06: :conf06:


Ann Holmes Redding, <b>an Episcopalian priest who declared her shahadah 15 months ago</b>, says that she is both a Muslim and a Christian. :conf06: :conf06:


<i>By Janet I. Tu</i>


Seattle Times religion reporter

Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill.
On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest.


She does both, she says, because she's Christian and Muslim.


Redding, who until recently was director of faith formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, has been a priest for more than 20 years. Now she's ready to tell people that, for the last 15 months, she's also been a Muslim — drawn to the faith after an introduction to Islamic prayers left her profoundly moved.


Her announcement has provoked surprise and bewilderment in many, raising an obvious question: How can someone be both a Christian and a Muslim?


But it has drawn other reactions too. Friends generally say they support her, while religious scholars are mixed: Some say that, depending on how one interprets the tenets of the two faiths, it is, indeed, possible to be both. Others consider the two faiths mutually exclusive.


"There are tenets of the faiths that are very, very different," said Kurt Fredrickson, director of the doctor of ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. "The most basic would be: What do you do with Jesus?"


Christianity has historically regarded Jesus as the son of God and God incarnate, both fully human and fully divine. Muslims, though they regard Jesus as a great prophet, do not see him as divine and do not consider him the son of God.


"I don't think it's possible" to be both, Fredrickson said, just like "you can't be a Republican and a Democrat."


Redding, who will begin teaching the New Testament as a visiting assistant professor at Seattle University this fall, has a different analogy: "I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I'm both an American of African descent and a woman. I'm 100 percent both."

Read the whole article here: The Seattle Times.


Salam


Wael.

[SisterJennifer]

Asalaamu alikum,


Doesn't the whole concept defeat logic? :glare:


We know that it is true that many preists, rabbis, and other religious leaders recognize Islam as the truth but refuse to accept it for the reason that their position gives them both their income and their recognition. So it is hard for them to leave it. This lady just went halfway and is trying to play both sides of the fence.


I guess this can be veiwed as hypocrisy.

[Karbala]

Interesting.

She believes the Trinity is an idea about God and cannot be taken literally.
She does not believe Jesus and God are the same, but rather that God is more than Jesus.


She believes Jesus is the son of God insofar as all humans are the children of God, and that Jesus is divine, just as all humans are divine — because God dwells in all humans.


What makes Jesus unique, she believes, is that out of all humans, he most embodied being filled with God and identifying completely with God's will.


She does believe that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, and acknowledges those beliefs conflict with the teachings of the Quran. "That's something I'll find a challenge the rest of my life," she said.

I find no objection in her beliefs. In fact I could argue that her beliefs are in complete harmony with Islam. I suppose when she says she is christian what she means is that she is a follower of "christ" and when she says she is muslim she is surrendering herself unto God. The article mentions she has said her Shahada so I dont think what she is doing is wrong.

[wel_mel_2]

Bismillah: Assalamo ALikum.

The article mentions she has said her Shahada so I dont think what she is doing is wrong.

The article also mentioned that she believe in Jesus to be a divine as all human beings are, how this could not be right? she also believe in Jesus to be a unique person, which contradicts the Qur'anic verses where the Almighty God ordered us not to make any distinction between His prophets, she also believe in his death on the cross and the resurrection, which is the major difference between Islam and Christianity.

She considers Jesus her savior. At times of despair, because she knows Jesus suffered and overcame suffering, "he has connected me with God," she said.

The above point alone is enough.


So I would not call it hypocrisy, but i might say it is a pure madness for someone to be both.


Salam


Wael.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


as salam alykom


I agree with both Jennifer and Wael, but what is alarming Karbala is that u dont see her beliefs to be in contradiciton with Islam. In addition to what Wael introduced to u, how about this point:


<b> because God dwells in all humans.
</b>


This is when the disaster of incarnation actually begins. This is, to the best of my knowledge brothers and sisters pls correct me if I m wrong, foundation of Hindu beliefs in particular, as far as I recall, a guru claims this, correct Wael.


Allah Does not dwell in any human Karbala.


<b> تعالى الله عما يصفون </b>

[wel_mel_2]

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.

Bismillah


as salam alykom


I agree with both Jennifer and Wael, but what is alarming Karbala is that u dont see her beliefs to be in contradiciton with Islam. In addition to what Wael introduced to u, how about this point:


<b> because God dwells in all humans.
</b>


This is when the disaster of incarnation actually begins. This is, to the best of my knowledge brothers and sisters pls correct me if I m wrong, foundation of Hindu beliefs in particular, as far as I recall, a guru claims this, correct Wael.


Allah Does not dwell in any human Karbala.


<b> تعالى الله عما يصفون </b>

You are correct sister, but it was not one <b>ONE SINGLE </b> guru who claims this. In fact, India is often called the land of <b>‘god-men’</b>. This is due to the plenty of the so called spiritual masters or Gurus in India. My ex boss (<i>who is also Indian</i>) believes that God dwells in every human being. One of these masters, his followers even claimed that he is God himself, his name was <b>Bhagwan Rajneesh </b>


According to this Rajneesh biography, we read the following:


In May 1981 he went to U.S.A. and established a town called ‘Rajneeshpuram’. He later fell foul of the West and was finally arrested and asked to leave the country. He came back to India and started a commune in Pune which is now known as the ‘Osho’ commune. He died in 1990. The followers of Osho Rajneesh believe that he is Almighty God. At the ‘Osho commune’ in Pune one can find the following epitaph on his tombstone:


<b>"Osho – never born, never died; only visited the planet Earth between 11th December 1931 to 19th January 1990."</b>


Astaghfurullah.


Let me remind everyone, that monotheism is an integral part of <b>every major religion of the world </b> and if you examine carefully their scriptures, you will clearly see that all scriptures exhort mankind to believe in, and submit to One God. All these scriptures condemn the association of partners to God, or the worship of God in the form of images etc.. but sadly, the followers of these religions violated the teachings of their own scriptures and have set up partners to Almighty God.


Alhamdulelah, Islam has come to free us from such ignorance, Alhamdulelah who made us Muslims.


Say: "O people of the Book!



come To common terms as between us and you:


<b>that we worship none but Allah</b>;


<b>that we associate no partners with Him</b>;


<b>that we erect not, from among ourselves, lords and patrons other than Allah</b>."


if then they turn back,


say ye: "<b>Bear witness that we (at least) Are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will)</b>." [Qur’an 3:64]


Salam


Wael.

[Faith Hope Charity]

Glory to God, peace on earth, good will to all.


Hi everybody :)


Believe it or not she's not the only one. There are many people in the world today who combine aspects of various faith traditions to form their own religion. Ecumenism gone too far if you ask me, but who are we to stop them? They're free to profess whatever they want... as ridiculous as it is to you & I.


It's not the first time someone distorts authentic Christianity & Islam.


While you're all scratching your brains trying to figure this one out, the fact that she's a woman "priest" is giving me an even bigger complex :lol: I'll never be able to get my head around that concept.


Take care & God bless.

[Muslimah]

Bismillahl


Actually Wael this same concept is embedded in other people's beliefs, this is what is called in Arabic Hulul meaning that Allah astaghferullah yahel (dwells) in people. Astaghferullah.

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.


My ex boss (<i>who is also Indian</i>) believes that God dwells in every human being.


Alhamdulelah, Islam has come to free us from such ignorance, Alhamdulelah who made us Muslims.


Say: "O people of the Book!



come To common terms as between us and you:


<b>that we worship none but Allah</b>;


<b>that we associate no partners with Him</b>;


<b>that we erect not, from among ourselves, lords and patrons other than Allah</b>."


if then they turn back,


say ye: "<b>Bear witness that we (at least) Are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will)</b>." [Qur’an 3:64]


Salam


Wael.

Karbala, what is also important is that since, as Wael indicated, she believes in Jesus as a savior. She prays according to Islam then goes and leads Christian prayer, who does she pray to??? isnt this in total contradiction to Islam Karbala? Hope u realise the point, this is very important brother.

[Faith Hope Charity]

Glory to God, peace on earth, good will to all.

Karbala, what is also important is that since, as Wael indicated, she believes in Jesus as a savior. She prays according to Islam then goes and leads Christian prayer, who does she pray to??? isnt this in total contradiction to Islam Karbala? Hope u realise the point, this is very important brother.

Salam Muslimah,


I know your message was aimed at Karbala but I thought I might offer my thoughts too. I hope you don't mind.


Considering there's only One True Merciful God, I was always under the assumption that He hears the prayers of both Christians & Muslims. If the Christian/Muslim woman acknowledges God of Abraham, how does it contradict Islam?


I attended Salat with a group of Muslims last week & although I just sat & watched (because I didn't know the routine), I knew that their prayers reached the same place as my prayers go.


Is my way of thinking wrong according to Islam?


God bless.


<i>Faith Hope Charity Openness Tolerance Equality</i>

[soulperson]

This has reference to the report"I am both Muslim and Christian".I think this is a trick played by this convert.We <muslims,believe that Islam is the ultimate religions of God.Anyone who wants to have another faith beside Islam,his deeds won't be accepted.We have to bear in mind the profile of this woman.Her life events can speak of itself.