Pastor learns about Islam, tries to bridge gap with Christians

The Journal-Constitution ^ | 08/01/08 | JOHN CHRISTENSEN

[forkinsocket]

During lunch 18 months ago, Dr. Ben Johnson had an epiphany as Dr. Aisha Jumaan, a Muslim, spoke to him about her faith and her experience of God.

"It came to me that this woman loves and worships the same God I do," says Johnson, a Christian. "I had this sharpened awareness that in that moment she was in touch with God, just as I was. It was a dawning and an awakening, and it was liberating because it liberates you from standing on a pedestal and looking down on someone else."

It also inspired Johnson to take on a life-changing mission.

At a time when many Christians, including some in his own church, were openly hostile towards a religion they believed advocated terrorism and was at war with the United States, Johnson initiated a dialog aimed at bringing Christians and Muslims together.

He has conducted a series of lectures and small-group gatherings at which more than 500 Muslims and Christians have shared their faith with each other. Not, Johnson hastens to point out, to convert anyone: "Just to understand each other."

Sunday Johnson will present another lecture, "Beyond 9/11: Christians and Muslims Together — A New World Vision" at Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta with a vision clear in his mind.

"The dream," he says, "is that we can find a way to bridge the chasm between Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists and make Atlanta a model city. That over the next year or two, we can develop an interfaith immersion program."

[GOP Poet]

Thanks for posting such a fitting response to that article. Perfect.

[CyberAnt]

This is very disturbing. Anyone who claims to be a Christian cannot in truth believe anyone who practices Islam worships the “same” god.

We must remember - ISLAM DOES NOT RECOGNIZE JESUS AS THEIR SAVIOR - therefore .. they DO NOT worship the same god.

[BruceysMom]

Especially for a pastor, this guy doesn’t know his Bible. Even my creepy cousin, who is a pastor, knows more than this yahoo, and that ain’t sayin’ much.

[Mobile Vulgus]

Well, if he is doing this to figure out how to defeat them... great. Unfortunately, he is trying to “understand” them. What a waste of time that is!

[endthematrix]

Please tell me it’s not the, “I REALLY like little children” creepy.

[Prole]

Johnson is a world class buffoon.

I find it ironic that his muslim buddy is named Aisha.

Aisha happens to be the name of one of Mohammed's many wives. Mohammed married her and had sex with her when she was only 9 years old.

It is quite accepted in Islam for old muslim men to marry little girls.

That is yet another reason why I will never, ever accept Islam as something God would condone.

Yes, the photo below is of a muslim cleric passionately kissing a boy on the mouth. He probably dictates local laws for some third world islamic town or city somewhere.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Where does this Johnson guy pastor? What church?

[dersepp]

I wonder if Islam has allowed Dr. Aisha Jumaan to retain her cltoris......A starting point for differentiating that their culture is a lesser one.

[Vanders9]

Tolerance is a fine virtue, but it is being misapplied here. To be tolerant towards other religious thinking means to allow it to exist, not to embrace it as a viable alternative to what you know to be true.

I pray that this pastor considers the consequences of his actions very carefully.

[cricket]

Apparently, no conversions here yet. . .to Christianity at least.

Do wish 'Dr. Ben'had experienced his epihany with say. . .someone who is Jewish. . .or Buddhist; or any other Faith that did not have an unequivical definition for 'infidel'; or have an incompatibility with Democracy.

(Wonder as well, if they have 'debated' the morality of 'honor killings'; such as the one where daughter was just recently murdered, in Atlanta, by her Father and with a bungee cord; and if 'common ground' has been established re this long-standing Islamic tradition.)

Meantime, who needs a 'trojan horse'?

[cricket]

I pray that this pastor considers the consequences of his actions very carefully

Yes, it could happen that someone of the ROP might - at some point - think he is guilty of misleading or is tainting, the 'Brotherhood'.

And don't think it bodes well, for the 'bigger picture'. The 'movers and shakers of this Religion surely do not find Dr. Ben's vision, compatible with the goals of Islam. The 'Cross and the crescent' do not hang stand. . .together.

[cricket]

I pray that this pastor considers the consequences of his actions very carefully

Yes, it could happen that someone of the ROP might - at some point - think he is guilty of misleading or is tainting, the 'Brotherhood'.

And don't think it bodes well, for the 'bigger picture'. The 'movers and shakers of this Religion surely do not find Dr. Ben's vision, compatible with the goals of Islam. The 'Cross and the crescent' do not hang stand. . .together.

[tessalu]

Dr Ben Johnson is not too smart. Allah is a pagan god like Ba’al of the Old testament. Before Muhammed Saudi Arabia had 360 pagan gods, but Muhammed narrowed it to just one pagan god. Allah is not the God of the bible as so many think that belong to Islam. Allah is a pagan god, one that is invented by man.

[tessalu]

Muhammed said that Allah said to kill the Christians and the Jews, and not to make friends with them. Does that not give you a clue who allah is?

[compound w]

All I need to know about Islam I learned in kindergarten—i.e., don’t take crap from bullies.

[BruceysMom]

No, he’s a channel someone else type of creepy.

[GulfWar1Vet]

http://www.learntheology.com/antichrist_islams_messiah.html

The pastor needs to read this.

He’s on the path toward destruction.

[mikey_hates_everything]

The more I learned about islam, the more disgusted I became. Gap? More like abyss.

[ViLaLuz]

Taqiyya alert! Taqiyya alert!