Question: Can you be a Muslim with a crazy Christian minister?
I had to consult the Googles to help me decide about this question. There was a Christian minister who became a Muslim, but there wasn't any talk of crazy around him. I suppose that if you were a dissatisfied, disenfranchised Muslim, it would be possible for you to attend a Christian church to see what that's all about. And to be honest, there's no shortage of crazy Christian ministers, so statistically, I would say that it is entirely possible to be a Muslim with a crazy Christian minister. It's just as possible to be a Muslim with a crazy imam, or a Jew with a crazy rabbi. Actually, there seems to be an abundance of crazy going around lately, so who knows? Maybe everyone's just plain nuts.
So my answer? A resounding HECK YEAH, BATMAN! er, SARDINEMAMA!
Except, for the sakes of both honesty and fairness, full-disclosure and whatnot, I need to tell you that I took the question out of context. Don't you love me more than all the politicians combined? SardineMama asked this question, but prefaced it with this statement (and she is in yellow because it makes her happy, for the record):
Here in Texas it is estimated that 25% of the people think Obama is a Muslim. The same 25% are also whining about his minister being crazy. Whaa??? Can you be a Muslim with a crazy Christian minister?
Mmmmyeah. I took it out of context on purpose, but I've since reconsidered, because I want none of that nonsense in my comments. DO YOU HEAR ME, PEOPLE? Do not go and make statements to the affirmative that Senator Obama is a Muslim. Because it is not true. The man is a Christian. John McCain says he's one, too, and because he's white, and his middle name isn't from The Middle East Baby Naming Book, nobody argues with him.
For argument's sake, let's say that Barack Obama is vanilla. Or, you know what? I'll go there, and say he's chocolate. Because it's an analogy, and it's my blog, so get over it. You know you like chocolate, anyway. Enjoy thinking about chocolate for a minute.
There are lots of different kinds of chocolate. There is unsweetened, bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, and even white chocolate, which I am not entirely sure actually is chocolate, but it's just one more kind to make the point. And for every kind of chocolate there is, there are a bunch of brands and flavour variations. For example, I prefer bittersweet chocolate to any other flavour. And of the possible brands of bittersweet, I prefer Wilbur's Bittersweet Baking Chocolate that is sold at the Bulk Food Store around the corner from my house. (The Ghiradelli brand is not bad, either.)
I'm a Christian. I have found a church that I enjoy, and it happens to be a United Methodist church. I did not choose the church based upon how the United Methodists do business, I have all sorts of opinions on that topic that I will not be talking about here. The United Methodist doctrine is different from the Baptist doctrine, is different from the Presbyterian doctrine, is different from the Catholic doctrine, is different from the Free Methodist doctrine, is different from the Assemblies of God doctrine, is different from the Episcopalian doctrine...but they're all Christian churches. Each is just as Christian as the next. And even within disciplines, each United Methodist church is different from the next. Each Baptist church is different from other Baptist churches.
What a ridiculous thing it would be to drive by a Korean United Methodist church, and say, Oh, man, look at all those Asian people walking in to that church. IT MUST BE A BUDDHIST TEMPLE.
It is just as ridiculous to say, Oh, that Barack Obama. His names are Barack, Hussein, and Obama. HE MUST BE A MUSLIM.
That, my friends, is bias. That is racism. That is wrong. Nobody looked at the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and said, Woah, that guy's black. He must practice some crazy form of African voodoo.
To determine the status of a person's faith, a person who IS NOT YOU? Is foolish. Faith is between the person who has the faith, and the Divine Being with whom the faith is placed. My faith is between me and my God. It is not too often that I discuss my faith, because, well, it's mine and I don't need to talk about it. Your faith is between you and your God, or not, if you don't believe. And that's your business. But what is not your business is to assign a faith status to someone based on how they look, or who their daddy is.
I could give you a great number of reasons why I believe Senator Obama is a Christian. But really, what I believe about Senator Obama's faith is of no consequence. What you think about his faith? Also doesn't matter.
I only eat bittersweet chocolate. Raise your hand if you care.
I had to consult the Googles to help me decide about this question. There was a Christian minister who became a Muslim, but there wasn't any talk of crazy around him. I suppose that if you were a dissatisfied, disenfranchised Muslim, it would be possible for you to attend a Christian church to see what that's all about. And to be honest, there's no shortage of crazy Christian ministers, so statistically, I would say that it is entirely possible to be a Muslim with a crazy Christian minister. It's just as possible to be a Muslim with a crazy imam, or a Jew with a crazy rabbi. Actually, there seems to be an abundance of crazy going around lately, so who knows? Maybe everyone's just plain nuts.
So my answer? A resounding HECK YEAH, BATMAN! er, SARDINEMAMA!
Except, for the sakes of both honesty and fairness, full-disclosure and whatnot, I need to tell you that I took the question out of context. Don't you love me more than all the politicians combined? SardineMama asked this question, but prefaced it with this statement (and she is in yellow because it makes her happy, for the record):
Here in Texas it is estimated that 25% of the people think Obama is a Muslim. The same 25% are also whining about his minister being crazy. Whaa??? Can you be a Muslim with a crazy Christian minister?
Mmmmyeah. I took it out of context on purpose, but I've since reconsidered, because I want none of that nonsense in my comments. DO YOU HEAR ME, PEOPLE? Do not go and make statements to the affirmative that Senator Obama is a Muslim. Because it is not true. The man is a Christian. John McCain says he's one, too, and because he's white, and his middle name isn't from The Middle East Baby Naming Book, nobody argues with him.
For argument's sake, let's say that Barack Obama is vanilla. Or, you know what? I'll go there, and say he's chocolate. Because it's an analogy, and it's my blog, so get over it. You know you like chocolate, anyway. Enjoy thinking about chocolate for a minute.
There are lots of different kinds of chocolate. There is unsweetened, bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, and even white chocolate, which I am not entirely sure actually is chocolate, but it's just one more kind to make the point. And for every kind of chocolate there is, there are a bunch of brands and flavour variations. For example, I prefer bittersweet chocolate to any other flavour. And of the possible brands of bittersweet, I prefer Wilbur's Bittersweet Baking Chocolate that is sold at the Bulk Food Store around the corner from my house. (The Ghiradelli brand is not bad, either.)
I'm a Christian. I have found a church that I enjoy, and it happens to be a United Methodist church. I did not choose the church based upon how the United Methodists do business, I have all sorts of opinions on that topic that I will not be talking about here. The United Methodist doctrine is different from the Baptist doctrine, is different from the Presbyterian doctrine, is different from the Catholic doctrine, is different from the Free Methodist doctrine, is different from the Assemblies of God doctrine, is different from the Episcopalian doctrine...but they're all Christian churches. Each is just as Christian as the next. And even within disciplines, each United Methodist church is different from the next. Each Baptist church is different from other Baptist churches.
What a ridiculous thing it would be to drive by a Korean United Methodist church, and say, Oh, man, look at all those Asian people walking in to that church. IT MUST BE A BUDDHIST TEMPLE.
It is just as ridiculous to say, Oh, that Barack Obama. His names are Barack, Hussein, and Obama. HE MUST BE A MUSLIM.
That, my friends, is bias. That is racism. That is wrong. Nobody looked at the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and said, Woah, that guy's black. He must practice some crazy form of African voodoo.
To determine the status of a person's faith, a person who IS NOT YOU? Is foolish. Faith is between the person who has the faith, and the Divine Being with whom the faith is placed. My faith is between me and my God. It is not too often that I discuss my faith, because, well, it's mine and I don't need to talk about it. Your faith is between you and your God, or not, if you don't believe. And that's your business. But what is not your business is to assign a faith status to someone based on how they look, or who their daddy is.
I could give you a great number of reasons why I believe Senator Obama is a Christian. But really, what I believe about Senator Obama's faith is of no consequence. What you think about his faith? Also doesn't matter.
I only eat bittersweet chocolate. Raise your hand if you care.
Very well said. But I think I liked Colin Powell's the very best when he answered: "So what if he was?"
ReplyDeleteOh, but I heard that all people who lived in Hawaii for any period of time are Pagans!!!
ReplyDelete[/sarcasm]
You know what I'm so over, someone "being accused of being a Muslim". Being accused? Is anyone "accused" of being a Christian or a Jew? WTF? I Muslim friends and I studied Middle East history in college, four classes worth. It was during the height of Desert Storm so it was fascinating. I know Obama isn't a Muslim, but I'm willing to gamble he's a politician that knows a little about the much misunderstood religion. That's a good thing. Also, people, to much of the world, Americans aren't liberators, we are dicks. We are the controlling stepfather with money who only shows up once in a while and makes you play be our rules. Get out and vote!!! Thanks for this, Pamela!
ReplyDeleteOne's religion shouldn't affect one's politics. Isn't that the reason we have seperated church and state to begin with?
ReplyDeleteMy hand is up!
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way - Hussein is as common as Michael in the Arab-speaking world.
Hey so I completely changed my blog. I'm still working on it but there's a new URL beautyindistress.blogspot.com. I got rid of my old URL for privacy purposes!
ReplyDeleteRight on. About Obama AND bittersweet chocolate.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed. But sick to my stomach with worry.
fabuloso.
ReplyDeleteand i DO care. i care because i need to know what to send you when you pop that midget out of your magical portal to the baby factory.