Church's Renting Space to Muslims

[Archivist]

On the other hand, I'm sure that some of the more liberal congregations that advocate religious pluralism would be happy to open its doors to Muslims.

The people are the Church, not the building.

If you cannot figure that out then there is probably no sense in pursuing this any further.

 

[Paxton25]

The people are the Church, not the building.

If you cannot figure that out then there is probably no sense in pursuing this any further.

I get that, but why should Christians associate with Muslims or have any kind of fellowship with them? Pluralism is no better than legalism or idolatry in the eyes of the Lord.

And why do churches need buildings, given the spiritual reality that you speak of?

 

[tulc]

I get that, but why should Christians associate with Muslims or have any kind of fellowship with them? Pluralism is no better than legalism or idolatry in the eyes of the Lord.

Then you wouldn't like this guy:

31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Because He seems like someone who would help even people he didn't agree with.

And why do churches need buildings, given the spiritual reality that you speak of?

That seems like a subject for another thread.
tulc(tries to be a sheep, but sometimes ends up a goat)

 

[lux et lex]

tulc(tries to be a sheep, but sometimes ends up a goat)

Careful with that...

YouTube - Cake- Sheep go to heaven goats go to hell (with lyrics)

 

[Archivist]

I get that, but why should Christians associate with Muslims or have any kind of fellowship with them? Pluralism is no better than legalism or idolatry in the eyes of the Lord.

Why should Christians associate with Muslims? Because they are fellow huiman beings. Because Jesus said that we are to love our neighbors. He didn't qualify his statement by adding "unless your neighbors are Muslim." He certainly didn't hesitate to associate with Samaritians, something that Jews did not do.

I once dated a Muslim girl. If she had remained in the area we might well be married, but her job took her to another part of the country. We remain good friends.

And why do churches need buildings, given the spiritual reality that you speak of?

My Amish neighbors would agree with you since they meet in each others homes. We have a church building beacuse it provides our Congregation with a home--space for worship, Christian education, a community food bank, community day care, offices, etc. However, it is still just a building. If our building were to burn to the ground tomorrow our church would still exist. The Church is the people.

 

[Brak]

I once dated a Muslim girl. If she had remained in the area we might well be married, but her job took her to another part of the country. We remain good friends.

You had my support up till this point. Then you lost me.

 

[Archivist]

You had my support up till this point. Then you lost me.

Why? We shouldn't associate with Muslims?

 

[Brak]

I will let my actions speak to that. I have been in mosques. I have sat & watched Muslims observe their daily prayers. I have had a Muslim congregation in my church. I have talked about religion with an imam. Plus if we were Christians in Egypt, Palestine, or East Timor we wouldn't even be having this discussion. Obviously we associate with Muslims. A lot of our poor foreign policy in the U.S. stems from Americans' complete and utter ignorance about Islam and Judaism both.

But there are boundaries. In seeking ways we could form some solidarity with Muslims, once I had a Muslim suggest that we hold a joint worship service together. Um...no. What are you implying with the Muslim girl you dated? That if our single Christian brothers want to date a Muslim, maybe they should? The Bible says we are not to marry non-Christians. And if we are not to marry them, we probably should not date them. I learned that not just from the Bible, but from the school of hard knocks.

 

[Phinehas2]

tulc,

Did you happen to watch the video in the OP? Because that's not at all what the people renting the building to the other group said.

Did you happen to read the Biblical passages I cited?


As to Matthew 25, yes He will probably say to these churches depart from Me, when I was a stranger, when did you take me in? Jesus Christ is a stranger to Muslims, their understanding of Jesus Christ the risen Son of God is as a prophet called Isa.
Jesus said the water He gives never runs dry, He is the water of life, He is the bread of life.
Liberals are confused in thinking helping others is supporting their disbelief.

I and my wife are friends with a Muslim couple after we helped them when they were stranded, we have a lot we talk about but Allah and God are not common ground.