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My Faith: Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), from Catholic to Muslim
CNN ^ | 9/1/11 | Chris Welch

Posted on 09/02/2011 9:07:47 AM PDT by marshmallow

Minneapolis, Minnesota (CNN) –Prior to 2006, few people even knew that then-Minnesota state legislator Keith Ellison was a Muslim. Because of his English name, he said, no one thought to ask.

But five years ago, when he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives - a race he would go on to win - word of his religious affiliation began to spread.

“When I started running for Congress it actually took me by surprise that so many people were fascinated with me being the first Muslim in Congress,” said Ellison, a Democrat now serving his third term in the House.

“But someone said to me, ‘Look Keith, think of a person of Japanese origin running for Congress six years after Pearl Harbor–this might be a news story.’”

Though Ellison's status as the first Muslim elected to Congress is widely known, fewer are aware that he was born into a Catholic family in Detroit and was brought up attending Catholic schools.

But he said he was never comfortable with that faith.

“I just felt it was ritual and dogma,” Ellison said. “Of course, that’s not the reality of Catholicism, but it’s the reality I lived. So I just kind of lost interest and stopped going to Mass unless I was required to.”

It wasn’t until he was a student at Wayne State University in Detroit when Ellison began, “looking for other things.”

(Excerpt) Read more at religion.blogs.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Islam; Theology
KEYWORDS: blackmuslims; islam; keithellison; muslim
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To: MarkBsnr
Right now, except for certain posters like we Christians, this thread resembles nothing more and sometimes less than the attitudes displayed in the usual Daily Kos threads.

Hey!!

Who you callin' WE here?

4,601 posted on 09/22/2011 4:55:18 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: MarkBsnr
Right now, except for certain posters like we Christians, this thread resembles nothing more and sometimes less than the attitudes displayed in the usual Daily Kos threads.

Luke 7:39

4,602 posted on 09/22/2011 4:56:28 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: metmom
Granted, and yet most of us live life doing monotonously boring common duties with which we can glorify God.

I'm surely a common vessel; no more than a talking ass at times.

4,603 posted on 09/22/2011 4:58:05 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: MHGinTN
But it is somewhat confusing since Paul also states there in the letter tot he Thessolanicans that the dead in Christ shall rise first yet God is bring them With Jesus ...

While we are like the blind men inspecting the elephant; you've shown the problem of the pachyderm.

4,604 posted on 09/22/2011 5:00:33 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Mad Dawg
“Ain’t nobody stupid enough gon’ sleep with GOD’s baby-mama!”

GOD’s baby-mama gonna be MIGHTY frustrated the rest of her life.

4,605 posted on 09/22/2011 5:03:10 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Mad Dawg

AND from Medicare, too, no doubt!


4,606 posted on 09/22/2011 5:03:49 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: johngrace
But can we save ourselves.

From what?

...this untoward generation.

4,607 posted on 09/22/2011 5:06:22 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Mad Dawg
Now when I pray for you, I do so as a mediator, I think. Not a very good mediator, it's true. And, frankly, a TERRIBLE mediator, if I am relying on myself.

Not for me, you don't...An advocate maybe, but not a mediator...

4,608 posted on 09/22/2011 5:13:26 AM PDT by Iscool (You mess with me, you mess with the WHOLE trailerpark...)
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To: boatbums
Another book was opened, which is the book of life.

Why; if ONLY the non-Christian is there at this 'judgement'?

4,609 posted on 09/22/2011 5:17:39 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Elsie
I'm sitting out here in the coffee shack listening to a fifties style radio station and drinking Tbird Coffee. What a way to start the day.

You want one the new Tbird cups? Picnic attendees all got that and a hat.


4,610 posted on 09/22/2011 5:19:52 AM PDT by Utah Binger (Southern Utah where INVITED Freepers will meet again next summer. Jim Robinson Too)
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To: johngrace
Co -mediators. Co -Savors.

And co-redeemers to, eh??? That's quite a gig you got goin' there...

But can we save ourselves. Peter seems to think so.

Uh, NO...Peter said save yourselves from that untoward generation...Peter did NOT say to save yourselves from hell...You can not save yourself...

I am truly amazed! I only had this happen a rare few times! I am not kidding! I just got a confirmation.

A confirmation for telling people to save themselves???

4,611 posted on 09/22/2011 5:42:18 AM PDT by Iscool (You mess with me, you mess with the WHOLE trailerpark...)
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To: Elsie
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

4,612 posted on 09/22/2011 5:50:25 AM PDT by Iscool (You mess with me, you mess with the WHOLE trailerpark...)
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To: Elsie

I don’t think so. C.S. Lewis once said that it is not a denial of our nature if we don’t think of making a cup of tea in the presence of Niagara Falls.


4,613 posted on 09/22/2011 6:18:25 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: boatbums

gotta have coffee.....;-)


4,614 posted on 09/22/2011 6:18:43 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: Quix

Yep. We live in a mystery the quality of which is that it remains hidden even while it is disclosed.

And one small part of the mystery is over here we have a persuasive perception of individual volition (over which we seem to have as much control as an infant has over a stallion.)

And over there we have the Lord who says (as our lives testify) “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

Still, the humiliation of my bad temper and all the other gifts (koff, hack, wheeze, koff some more) of the Religion Forum, not to mention the new friends (including a snake-drinking, poison-handling psych prof out there in injun country), and the benefit to my own teaching and explaining — all these have been gifts.

Our Father in Heaven turns to Jesus and the Snow-White Dove (who, when you look close appears to be flickering flame) and says, “That Mad Dawg. What is WITH him? He’s certainly got plenty to be humble ABOUT ....”


4,615 posted on 09/22/2011 6:35:10 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: Elsie

D00d! Let’s start a club! An ecumenical theological society. We can call it Balaam’s Asses!


4,616 posted on 09/22/2011 6:39:27 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: Iscool

So I take it you’re not buying the whole “in” and “abide” thing.

Darn, I thought it was sew kewel!

“If any man sin,we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous ...”

(Interesting how the word “paraclete”is used.)


4,617 posted on 09/22/2011 6:45:07 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: johngrace

May God be praised for His generous consolations!

Yep. The words of the WORD to Saul are important.

Well, but I’m going to shuck and jive on what Peter said. The only way to save oneself is to stop even TRYING to save oneself and to turn to the Savior, upon whom we call only when He calls us.


4,618 posted on 09/22/2011 6:48:51 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: Elsie
2 Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Those who have accepted Christ as their savior already have all sins forgiven and “removed as far as the east is from the west”. So what will Christians be judged on?

So where is it you think souls go upon one’s death?

4,619 posted on 09/22/2011 6:52:03 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: MHGinTN
If you think people “sleep” after death could you explain the following? Are they just dreaming or is the sleeping comparison not valid?

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Clearly they are not sleeping as we would relate to sleeping.

4,620 posted on 09/22/2011 7:09:53 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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