Jews, Christians, and Muslim

[504Katrin]

Of course we all worship the same G’d. How else would it have been possible for our Dian and Bishop to set up an ecumenical service for Christians and Muslims in our city if we didn’t worship the same G’d??? Everyone said it was great and that they had a big screen where every prayer and everything was translated into the Arabic language. I had to work so couldn’t go but the result is obvious and can still be felt; this service helped a great deal in our town to bring Muslims and Christians even closer together Our religions are close anyways in my town which is so great! A Lady that helps to run the Synagogue told us that our Dian hangs out at the Synagogue all the time hahaha

 

[Nabooru]

God gave us through His Word the beliefs and precepts we are supposed to have. Those beliefs say that an acceptance of Christ as Savior is essential to salvation. We are not told or made to speculate on whatever else God may think or judge. We may personally and privately hold convictions regarding the fate of those who do not believe, but they remain mere speculation since the only teaching regarding those who do not believe in Him is to strive to teach them to do so. That is all that concerns us.

 

[R_C]

So as long as I don’t know what I’m really doing, that excuses me? That seems to be resorting to the ignorance defense. Try standing in front of a judge and saying, “But Your Honor, I didn’t know killing was wrong in that case.” Will he or she absolve you of your guilt? Perhaps if you were insane, but chances are you’re not. In fact they’ll tell you quite the opposite - “Ignorance of the law is no excuse!”

A human judge, perhaps. But not the Divine Judge.

Divine justice is perfect, because it is included in the divine mercy.

It is because of mercy that Christ came and suffered for us. Because we were and we are ignorants - especially those who, like myself and my brothers, claim that we are not blind (John 9) - the Divine Judge said while nailed to his throne of sorrows:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do…”

He so defended them before the Father that the Apostle John, after enjoining on Christians that they should not sin, can add: “But if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn 2:1-2). The same line is followed also by the Apostle Peter who, in his discourse to the people of Jerusalem, extends to all the excuse of “ignorance” (cf. Acts 3:17; cf. Lk 23, 34) and the offer of forgiveness (cf. Acts 3:19).

He is the intercessor and also the advocate, the “Paraclete” (cf. 1 Jn 2:1) who, on the cross, instead of accusing his crucifiers of their guilt, mitigated it by saying that they know not what they do. His judgment is marked by indulgence. But it also conforms with the real truth that only he can see in those enemies of his and in all sinners, namely, that many may be less guilty than what may appear or what one may think, and therefore Jesus taught us “not to judge” (cf. Mt 7:11).

That request for clemency and for heavenly understanding is certainly valid also for us, “because they know not what they do.” Perhaps no sinner completely escapes that ignorance and is therefore beyond the range of that intercession for forgiveness which issues from the most tender heart of Christ dying on the cross.

 

[Nabooru]

We are not to judge that a person is automatically not saved. Neither are we to assume that they are saved. And to be saved, one must be born again in Christ.

Christ told us to forgive, and to not judge. But he also told us to spread the gospel and make disciples. It is true that God only knows what is in a person’s heart. But we don’t. We know only what we have been told by God. So we cannot just assume that whatever is in a person’s heart is good. “forgive them father” is only one line Christ said. He said many others that exhort us to evangelize since no one goes to the Father but through Him. Just because Christ begged their forgiveness for their sin does not mean he does the same for them, all their sins. No person on earth is free of sin and this no person on earth is either free of need for forgiveness nor of the need to ask for it.

 

[Jim_Baur]

I am the OP.

My main point was: there are many people in each of the three major religions that believe that their God loves all people.

Furthermore, there are many of the spiritual leaders of the three major religions that believe that their God loves all people.

If that is the case, then inter-religious dialogue could be used to help solve many problems.

Moreover, the aspect from a Catholic point of view is “I believe.” We do not know if the Christian faith is correct. We believe. That in itself should propel us to dialogue and not being angry and hateful. We should not change our faith, but we must recognize it is WE BELIEVE. I** know** two apples plus two apples give me four apples.

BUT MOST OF ALL, the three religious could work together and call people to love, hope, chastity, prudence, generosity, sobriety, and to life.

We as a Church (ekklesia) are to call people to love, hope, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, sobriety. We are to call them away from pride, lust, greed, gluttony, envy, anger, sloth, disordered sexuality, pornography, legalized gambling, prostitution, abortion, murder, and illegal drugs (which in fact are legal, in the sense grade school children can get the drugs, sex, and pornography on the computer that they hold in their hand).

This is not to forget the potential of nuclear war in our day.