How to Respond to Muslim Neighbors

[Kai]

I am praying about how to reach out to them and I know the main way NOT TO is to go the full "MAGA" or "Christian Nationalism" route.

I couldn't agree more. Somewhere along the way, MAGA and Christianity started to be seen as two sides of the same coin, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Furthermore, all Christian nationalism could ever accomplish is creating a nation of people doing religious stuff without an actual conviction of the Holy Spirit.

The best way to treat our Muslim neighbors is the way we'd treat anyone else who holds a differing religion or worldview—with respect and dignity towards them as a fellow image bearers, while remaining thoughtful and sincere in sharing what we believe to be true.

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect

 

[Ascetic X]

Converting Muslims to Christianity has nothing to do with politics, MAGA, or DNC ideologies.

We will win Muslims to Christ by demonstrating the love of Jesus and proclaiming what He has done in our lives.

Killing Muslims is not going to solve anything.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

 

[Foxmeister]

Converting Muslims to Christianity has nothing to do with politics, MAGA, or DNC ideologies.

We will win Muslims to Christ by demonstrating the love of Jesus and proclaiming what He has done in our lives.

Killing Muslims is not going to solve anything.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

You're right it has nothing to do with politics, MAGA, or DNC ideologies. It has everything to do with the people professing those ideologies while spewing hate towards anyone different from them and those who disagree with them. They are in each of those organizations as well as churches. I know a white guy who is married to a black woman. He was an elder in the church he went to. Other leaders in the church were saying crude things about white people being married to black people. He left.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Living for Yashua ha'Mashiah sometimes means defending one's loved ones from evil. I likely killed a few in Vietnam but they were doing evil and I still believe the little people deserve freedom.

You may believe you are serving Jesus by wanting to kill Muslims, but you are gravely mistaken. The only sword that Jesus uses in the New Testament is the “sword” of His mouth (His words) in Revelation 19. To think that Jesus wants you to kill those who do not immediately convert to your version of Christian belief is to completely ignore all the teachings and example of Jesus. And I noticed that you cited the nine chapters of Amos as justification earlier… There is nothing at all in Amos to support your contempt for Muslims. It is primarily a condemnation of Israel for their lack of social justice and their phony religion. I’ve been walking a Sunday School class through that book verse-by-verse for the last three months (finishing this Sunday) and the details of the book are top of mind. Perhaps you should read it carefully before you cite it?

 

[Ascetic X]

You're right it has nothing to do with politics, MAGA, or DNC ideologies. It has everything to do with the people professing those ideologies while spewing hate towards anyone different from them and those who disagree with them. They are in each of those organizations as well as churches. I know a white guy who is married to a black woman. He was an elder in the church he went to. Other leaders in the church were saying crude things about white people being married to black people. He left.

If converting Muslims has everything to do with hypocrites in the church, what is your solution?

 

[th1bill]

You may believe you are serving Jesus by wanting to kill Muslims, but you are gravely mistaken. The only sword that Jesus uses in the New Testament is the “sword” of His mouth (His words) in Revelation 19. To think that Jesus wants you to kill those who do not immediately convert to your version of Christian belief is to completely ignore all the teachings and example of Jesus. And I noticed that you cited the nine chapters of Amos as justification earlier… There is nothing at all in Amos to support your contempt for Muslims. It is primarily a condemnation of Israel for their lack of social justice and their phony religion. I’ve been walking a Sunday School class through that book verse-by-verse for the last three months (finishing this Sunday) and the details of the book are top of mind. Perhaps you should read it carefully before you cite it?

I do not ;pad my guns to kill but rather to protect, you idea of my primise is wrong.

 

[Foxmeister]

If converting Muslims has everything to do with hypocrites in the church, what is your solution?

That's not what I said. Muslims are non-believers in Christ just as are other non-Christian religions, agnostics, and atheists. Anyone of those who sees a Christian acting in a hostile manner will view them as hypocrites. How you conduct yourself when spreading the Gospel has an impact.

 

[Wesley Briggman]

Invite your neighbor over for barbeque,

[2Jo 1:9-10 KJV] – 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed:

 

[Silverhair]

That's not what I said. Muslims are non-believers in Christ just as are other non-Christian religions, agnostics, and atheists. Anyone of those who sees a Christian acting in a hostile manner will view them as hypocrites. How you conduct yourself when spreading the Gospel has an impact.

Actually Muslims teach that Jesus was a great prophet. In Islam, Jesus, Isa, is believed to be the messenger of God and the messiah.

So when speaking to Muslims that is one of the first things you will have address. I have usually started right back at Abraham and through which line the true faith came whether Isaac or Ishmael.

 

[Kai]

So when speaking to Muslims that is one of the first things you will have address. I have usually started right back at Abraham and through which line the true faith came whether Isaac or Ishmael.

I've noticed it's much easier to strike up a meaningful conversation about spiritual matters with a Muslim compared to someone who doesn't believe in God at all.

 

[Kai]

I think it's important to note that the Quran, just like the Bible, has been interpreted in many different ways. Like all religions, Islam can be taken to the extreme, which may lead to justifying very evil actions. It can even happen to those who profess to be Christians, as evidenced by the Crusades.

 

[Ascetic X]

That's not what I said. Muslims are non-believers in Christ just as are other non-Christian religions, agnostics, and atheists. Anyone of those who sees a Christian acting in a hostile manner will view them as hypocrites. How you conduct yourself when spreading the Gospel has an impact.

By acting in a hostile manner, do you include left wing riots, opposition to parents being informed of transgender interests in their children, assassinating or approving of the murder of Charlie Kirk, harming police and ICE agents, pro-Palestine fans attacking Jews, and defacing public monuments and statues?

I agree then that alleged Christians who act in these hostile manners give a bad image of Christianity to Muslims and other unbelievers.

 

[Baptist Believer]

I do not ;pad my guns to kill but rather to protect, you idea of my primise is wrong.

No, you are painting Muslims in the US as a clear and present danger and talking about using violence against them — reread your own posts (#3, 12, and #13).

If someone is attacking my family and it is serious enough to warrant taking their life with a firearm, their religious opinions are irrelevant. You are specifically discussing religious views as relevant to the use of violence.

Frankly, I’m more concerned about the most extreme MAGA Christians (usually “Christian Nationalists”) attacking my family because of their beliefs than I am Muslim extremists. Many MAGA folks have been using violent rhetoric for a decade now and a number of them have threatened me for calling them out for their misuse of the Bible, their fake religiosity, and fundamental dishonesty toward themselves and everyone else. I have encountered it in person and online. They are unforgiving of people who actually know the Bible and are not afraid of them. There’s a long history of self-professed Christians using violence and murder as a means of influence in the US and it is probably about to get worse after expected MAGA losses in the midterms.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Living for Yashua ha'Mashiah sometimes means defending one's loved ones from evil. I likely killed a few in Vietnam but they were doing evil and I still believe the little people deserve freedom.

You killed people in Vietnam because of their religious opinions or because you were in a war and you were a soldier?

 

[Ascetic X]

No, you are painting Muslims in the US as a clear and present danger and talking about using violence against them — reread your own posts (#3, 12, and #13).

If someone is attacking my family and it is serious enough to warrant taking their life with a firearm, their religious opinions are irrelevant. You are specifically discussing religious views as relevant to the use of violence.

Frankly, I’m more concerned about the most extreme MAGA Christians (usually “Christian Nationalists”) attacking my family because of their beliefs than I am Muslim extremists. Many MAGA folks have been using violent rhetoric for a decade now and a number of them have threatened me for calling them out for their misuse of the Bible, their fake religiosity, and fundamental dishonesty toward themselves and everyone else. I have encountered it in person and online. They are unforgiving of people who actually know the Bible and are not afraid of them. There’s a long history of self-professed Christians using violence and murder as a means of influence in the US and it is probably about to get worse after expected MAGA losses in the midterms.

Have you ever confronted Muslims, calling them out for their misuse of the Qu’ran, their fake religiosity, and fundamental dishonesty toward themselves and everyone else?

I do not ever see conservatives or MAGA people dressed in all black with face masks, rioting in the streets, burning down buildings, flying planes into skyscrapers, or physically attacking people.

Research tracked by CSIS on Left-Wing Terrorism noted an uptick in left-wing or anti-government incidents and plots through the mid-2020s, including high-profile confrontations and targeted attacks.

 

[Foxmeister]

By acting in a hostile manner, do you include left wing riots, opposition to parents being informed of transgender interests in their children, assassinating or approving of the murder of Charlie Kirk, harming police and ICE agents, pro-Palestine fans attacking Jews, and defacing public monuments and statues?

How can anyone find them to be credible by their actions? I don't. What I see is people doing evil things. However, that shouldn't stop us from praying for them to realize they are doing evil and for something to change their hearts.

 

[Foxmeister]

Have you ever confronted Muslims, calling them out for their misuse of the Qu’ran, their fake religiosity, and fundamental dishonesty toward themselves and everyone else?

I do not ever see conservatives or MAGA people dressed in all black with face masks, rioting in the streets, burning down buildings, flying planes into skyscrapers, or physically attacking people.

Research tracked by CSIS on Left-Wing Terrorism noted an uptick in left-wing or anti-government incidents and plots through the mid-2020s, including high-profile confrontations and targeted attacks.

I have seen many MAGA supporters become very verbally hostile and vulgar with those who disagree with Trump. What's really sad is many of them call themselves Christians. When they get like that who are they putting first—Trump or God?

What exactly do you mean by "their misuse of the Qur'an?" I see a lot of Christians who misuse the Bible. They try to twist scripture to mean something that fits their sinful behavior.

 

[Ascetic X]

I have seen many MAGA supporters become very verbally hostile and vulgar with those who disagree with Trump. What's really sad is many of them call themselves Christians. When they get like that who are they putting first—Trump or God?

You are focused on MAGA extremists — and ignoring Muslim hostility toward those who disagree with Mohammed.

 

[th1bill]

No, you are painting Muslims in the US as a clear and present danger and talking about using violence against them — reread your own posts (#3, 12, and #13).

If someone is attacking my family and it is serious enough to warrant taking their life with a firearm, their religious opinions are irrelevant. You are specifically discussing religious views as relevant to the use of violence.

Frankly, I’m more concerned about the most extreme MAGA Christians (usually “Christian Nationalists”) attacking my family because of their beliefs than I am Muslim extremists. Many MAGA folks have been using violent rhetoric for a decade now and a number of them have threatened me for calling them out for their misuse of the Bible, their fake religiosity, and fundamental dishonesty toward themselves and everyone else. I have encountered it in person and online. They are unforgiving of people who actually know the Bible and are not afraid of them. There’s a long history of self-professed Christians using violence and murder as a means of influence in the US and it is probably about to get worse after expected MAGA losses in the midterms.

I have painted nobody as anything, I have toldtruths. Simple and if you read both ¿religious? texts with the Helper's leaading the God of the Bible loves all of His created beings, Allah is just thoe opposite and loves only Mu8slim men. Women are slaves.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Have you ever confronted Muslims, calling them out for their misuse of the Qu’ran, their fake religiosity, and fundamental dishonesty toward themselves and everyone else?

I have never had to do it. The Muslims I know generally conduct themselves well and live in general accordance to the Qu’ran.

And I have a friend who does specific target ministry toward Muslims (and worked as a Christian missionary in a prominently Muslim country in Africa) who had a lot more experience with them than I do. When overseas, the Muslims in his village protected he and his family at risk of their lives when the extremist patrols came to town looking for the foreigners.

So just how many Muslims do you know?

I do not ever see conservatives or MAGA people dressed in all black with face masks, rioting in the streets, burning down buildings, flying planes into skyscrapers, or physically attacking people.

I saw hundreds of “Christians” swarming into our nation’s Capitol to attack police officers and try to overturn an election. I toured the remains of the federal building in Oklahona City where a self-professed Christian detonated a bomb he made killing many innocent people (including children) and then heard people on Christian radio accuse the government of setting up McVeigh to look bad by putting a daycare in a building that was obviously going to be a target — as a Christian, I don’t look at government buildings as targets.

I have also seen many Christians physically assaulting protestors and others, as verbally assault folks in church (including me) for pointing out in a Bible study that Jesus did not use violence against those who were crucifying Him.

I could go on, but I sense you are going to reject everything I’m saying anyway, probably by claiming those persons are real Christians. But you may make that distinction for Christians, but I suspect you wouldn’t even consider making that distinction for Muslims.

Research tracked by CSIS on Left-Wing Terrorism noted an uptick in left-wing or anti-government incidents and plots through the mid-2020s, including high-profile confrontations and targeted attacks.

If you even glanced at the introduction to that report you would see that anti-government terrorism has risen among the left-wing but “remains much lower than historical levels of violence carried out by right-wing and jihadist attackers.”