A beautiful Amazon Prime commercial

[Hoosier_Daddy]

??

I’m not sure if you know many Muslims or live in an area with Muslims but I live in Houston, Texas. Houston holds the most ethnically diverse counties in America. In the city I live in alone there are four mosques. So I have known and befriended many Muslims. Sadly the ignorance of many in the nation has led them to scapegoat this community because of the actions of extremists.

Do you know how many Muslims friends of mine have been harassed? Do you know how many of them of been told to go back to their country even though they are born citizens of the United States? Do you know that I an Eastern Catholic of the Syro Malabar Church of India has also been harassed just because my skin is also brown and ignorants out there generalize and stereotype? The recent political rhetoric has not helped to down play this but only further fueled it. Do not be so quick to pour out your judgement on the state of things.

Have you ever evangelized one?

 

[Thomas48]

Have you ever evangelized one?

No, when you come from somewhere like Kerala, India which is one of the few places in the world where you can see a Christian Church, a Hindu Temple, and Muslim Mosque on the same street coexisting peacefully, you start to realize that we are all Gods children but we simply see Him in different ways. In Kerala no matter what religion you are, you will hear Hindus chanting from the temple at 7 A.M, the church bells ringing at 10 A.M and the afternoon prayer being said from the mosque. Note that these prayers/chants are all blared from loud speakers for the entire mixed community to hear and no one complains about it.

So I have come to the opinion that it is not my right to convert an individual from the religion of their origin but instead it is there own personal choice if they feel God calling them to convert.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

No, when you come from somewhere like Kerala, India which is one of the few places in the world where you can see a Christian Church, a Hindu Temple, and Muslim Mosque on the same street coexisting peacefully, you start to realize that we are all Gods children but we simply see Him in different ways. In Kerala no matter what religion you are, you will hear Hindus chanting from the temple at 7 A.M, the church bells ringing at 10 A.M and the afternoon prayer being said from the mosque. Note that these prayers/chants are all blared from loud speakers for the entire mixed community to hear and no one complains about it.

So I have come to the opinion that it is not my right to convert an individual from the religion of their origin but instead it is there own personal choice if they feel God calling them to convert.

Not exactly the catholic view…

Do you find error in the saints who differed from your view on the mission of spreading th gospel?

Why would you condemn missionaries?

 

[Thomas48]

Not exactly the catholic view…

Do you find error in the saints who differed from your view on the mission of spreading th gospel?

Why would you condemn missionaries?

Perhaps it may not be the exact Catholic view. I do not condemn missionaries or the great works of the many missionary saints. I am simply stating I do not believe in forced or pressured conversion. In order for someone to truly have an honest conversion, they must personally feel connected to the religion in which they are converting too and must feel God’s call in that direction.

 

[gracepoole]

Have you ever evangelized one?

The majority of the US identifies as Christian. Were I Muslim in a predominately Christian country and were I facing hatred for my religious beliefs, I’d likely put two and two together and determine that conversion was not something for me. Evangelizing takes many forms. And perhaps initially, it needs to come in the form of Christians behaving like Christians rather than Islamaphobes.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

The majority of the US identifies as Christian. Were I Muslim in a predominately Christian country and were I facing hatred for my religious beliefs, I’d likely put two and two together and determine that conversion was not something for me. Evangelizing takes many forms. And perhaps initially, it needs to come in the form of Christians behaving like Christians rather than Islamaphobes.

As long as we view them as needing to be treated differently because if thier faith, then we are hypocritical.

We are told to spread the gospel. Commanded.

I guess we are too afraid.

 

[gracepoole]

As long as we view them as needing to be treated differently because if thier faith, then we are hypocritical.

We are told to spread the gospel. Commanded.

I guess we are too afraid.

Sounds like we’re too myopic instead. I don’t know why you’re limiting the idea of “spreading the Gospel” but as I said, it takes many forms. Why would Muslims want to convert to Christianity when this is the sort of thing being spread?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Sounds like we’re too myopic instead. I don’t know why you’re limiting the idea of “spreading the Gospel” but as I said, it takes many forms. Why would Muslims want to convert to Christianity when this is the sort of thing being spread?

 

[gracepoole]

No idea what that means here.

 

[Robyn_p]

As long as we view them as needing to be treated differently because if thier faith, then we are hypocritical.

We are told to spread the gospel. Commanded.

I guess we are too afraid.

I think you might have misunderstood what gracepoole said. She didn’t say not to evangelize Muslims. But that evangelism takes many forms. Sometimes evangelism simply means showing them Christ’s love. It doesn’t necessarily involve any preaching at all, especially if the person isn’t open to it.

Muslims in America, who often face intense bigotry from self-professed Christians, are not going to respond to preaching. But they will (and do) respond to Christians loving them and treating them as brothers. That’s exactly why there’s been a flood of converts to Christianity from Islam in the countries that have taken them in as refugees.

It’s not about fear, it’s about what works. I don’t see how this is hypocritical.

But anyways this is getting a little off topic…

 

[gracepoole]

I think you might have misunderstood what gracepoole said. She didn’t say not to evangelize Muslims. But that evangelism takes many forms. Sometimes evangelism simply means showing them Christ’s love. It doesn’t necessarily involve any preaching at all, especially if the person isn’t open to it.

Muslims in America, who often face intense bigotry from self-professed Christians, are not going to respond to preaching. But they will (and do) respond to Christians loving them and treating them as brothers. That’s exactly why there’s been a flood of converts to Christianity from Islam in the countries that have taken them in as refugees.

It’s not about fear, it’s about what works. I don’t see how this is hypocritical.

But anyways this is getting a little off topic…

Yes, I agree. Thanks for summarizing my thoughts so ably.

And yes, we’re a little off topic. Sorry about that. My 8-year-old daughter knows I like this ad and she calls me into the room each time she sees it. When I told her that it’s highlighting an actual friendship, she beamed.

 

[Beautiful]

This was a beautiful commercial, a beautiful sentiment, and a beautiful thread until someone decided to make an issue out of it.
It DOESN’T MATTER or MAKE IT “BETTER” if the roles are reversed. If you watch the ad, they were careful to show the similarities and the people as equals.
Catholics should be proud that a rectory was opened to a beautiful dialog with the Imam, a cleric in that faith.

To pick it apart now, and make an issue of the faiths involved?
Petty.
Beyond petty.
And not at all in the spirit of the Gospel message.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, Matthew 9:35

Every day, every day of our lives, God presents to us the people and opportunities upon which he expects us to act. He expects no more of us, but he will accept nothing less of us; and we fail in our promise and our commitment if we do not see in the situations of every moment of every day his divine will.

That is how the Kingdom of God has been spread from the time of Christ’s coming until now. It depends on the faith and commitment of every man, but especially of the priest, every day of his life. Every moment of every man’s life is precious in God site, and none must be wasted through doubt and discouragement. The work of the Kingdom, the work of laboring and suffering with Christ, is no more spectacular for the most part then the routine of daily living. Perhaps a priest experiences no spectacular priesthood success, at least as man measures successes, no miraculous conversions, no enthusiastic displays of devotion, nothing dramatic at all. Yes he must come to believe and be firmly convinced that Christ is the guarantor of his success. Christ has arranged for him to be here, this day and among these people, in order that the kingdom of God may be advanced in this place and among these people. As a priest, he must be a witness in a special way to the power of the Kingdom to transform all things human, even the tortured and twisted, the humdrum and the seemingly insignificant.

In fact, it is the unspectacular and seemingly hopeless that are the real challenge. For these things, too, must be transformed and redeemed if Christ’s victory is to be complete. The Kingdom of God will not be brought to fulfillment on this earth by one great, sword swinging battle against the powers of darkness, but only by each of us laboring and suffering day after day as Christ labor and suffered, until all things at last have been transformed. And this process of transformation continues to the end of time.

~Father Ciszek ( 1984) was convicted of being a “Vatican spy” in WWII and spent 23 years in Soviet prison. Taken from Magnificat Magazine 12/3/16

The point here is that the Catholic Priesthood is nothing petty and I dislike it being trivialized to fit the fashion and comfort spot of the day. Christ’s love and suffering (recalling how Jesus fell three times to His Precious Knees for you and me) is not a matter to be trivialized for the purpose of gaining popularity points for a giant internet market place (seller of material goods) and a sprinkling of people that want to ‘feel’ positive vibes at Christmas time all the while they view television and shop. And without hesitation, I speak in the memory and great honor of St. Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus back up and shoulder The Cross.

 

[gracepoole]

The point here is that the Catholic Priesthood is nothing petty and I dislike it being trivialized to fit the fashion and comfort spot of the day. Christ’s love and suffering (recalling how Jesus fell three times to His Precious Knees for you and me) is not a matter to be trivialized for the purpose of gaining popularity points for a giant internet market place (seller of material goods) and a sprinkling of people that want to ‘feel’ positive vibes at Christmas time all the while they view television and shop. And without hesitation, I speak in the memory and great honor of St. Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus back up and shoulder The Cross.

One of the reasons I like this ad is because it depicts a Catholic priest (and therefore the faith) is a positive light. Years ago, it wasn’t strange to see priests and nuns in films, TV shows, etc. Now it seems they’re all but forgotten. It’s nice to see a priest in a context other than a Law & Order SVU episode or a nightly news piece about scandal…

 

[Beautiful]

…continued

Lord Jesus Christ, true Vine, Way of life and our Salvation, I bless and thank you for carrying your heavy and now ignominious cross before all those bystanders. Patiently and humbly you bore it for the redemption of the entire human race, that you might carry on your shoulders the long sought and after- much- difficulty- found lost sheep to your home.

On the Passion of Christ, Thomas Kempis pg. 67 paragraph. 1

I recommend this book

 

[Beautiful]

One of the reasons I like this ad is because it depicts a Catholic priest (and therefore the faith) is a positive light. Years ago, it wasn’t strange to see priests and nuns in films, TV shows, etc. Now it seems they’re all but forgotten. It’s nice to see a priest in a context other than a Law & Order SVU episode or a nightly news piece about scandal…

‘nice’ doesn’t cut it for me the reasons mentioned above.

 

[gracepoole]

‘nice’ doesn’t cut it for me the reasons mentioned above.

“Nice” refers to a positive depiction of the Catholic faith, which in and of itself can lead to evangelization. Not Amazon’s purpose but a side effect perhaps.

 

[Beautiful]

“Nice” refers to a positive depiction of the Catholic faith, which in and of itself can lead to evangelization. Not Amazon’s purpose but a side effect perhaps.

All is Grace.