Why a Dallas UM pastor is observing the Muslim fast of Ramadan

examiner ^ | 7.29.2012 | Dina Malki

[Morgana]

United Methodist Rev. Wess Magruder has not only decided to observe the Ramadan fast this year with his Muslim friends, blog about his experience, but break his fast with Muslims as well. Last night, Magruder accepted the invitation of a local Muslim to eat “iftar,” the fast-breaking meal at the McKinney Islamic Association. Having succeeded in fasting from sunrise till sunset for eight consecutive days, the pastor appreciated God's grace in this communal meal. Most importantly, this celebration reminded him of the main reason why he had decided to fast: neighborly love.

Magruder writes on his blog how he has been feeling spiritually stale lately and how he was yearning to the old Christian fast that he believes Americans are not big fans of. Therefore, Magruder turned to the Muslim faith for inspiration since he knew that Muslims have successfully been fasting for 30 days each year during Ramadan for over fourteen hundred years. The Muslim fast is a total abstention from eating and drinking during the daylight hours. Furthermore, the fast goes beyond the stomach to include the eyes, the tongue, the ears, and all limbs which are expected to be trained to submit to the pleasure of God by refraining from ill manners and moral vice. A few Muslims succeed in attaining a heart-fast where they become spiritually submissive to the divine as well.

[Conservative4Ever]

Some days it feels like it though.

[yldstrk]

He is playing with fire

[yldstrk]

There is no better way than to worship Jesus and the Holy Spirit and God and ask for their protection and assistance during the week

[liberalh8ter]

Enabler. He'll be the first to be enslaved.

[xzins]

In the back of his mind, he’s probably just thinking “weight-loss plan.”

Sorry to be a cynic, but liberals make me go there.

the only scripture they find divinely inspired is that about giving them a 10th of your income....now THAT is from God.

:>)

[Little Ray]

Same for Georgia!

[al_c]

methinks the pastor does not have that book in his Bible.

Ah, yes ... you're probably correct on that.

[al_c]

Are you referring to Hanukkah and the defiling of the temple by the heathen?

I was referring to the mother who watched all 7 of her sons die a martyr's death because they refused to eat what was unlawful.

We need to find a way to differentiate the diverse group of Christians from the deverse group of heretical false Christians. Who cares what the phony does? He is dust on our feet.

Yep. I wonder how many will leave his church over this.

[ArrogantBustard]

Does he know how they describe Jesus in the Koran?

Mohammedanism is (among other things) the Arian heresy run amok, gorging itself on steroids, PCP, and crystal meth ...

[Jay Redhawk]

I wonder if he will have a go at the Iman’s pet goat. This idiot might as well get the full experience.

[aruanan]

Skipping lunch is not a fast.

Actually, skipping lunch literally is a fast. And going throughout the daylight hours without one's regular meals, in the case of Ramadan, is fasting. I know it doesn't fit your polemic and I see that you don't like to be wrong, but it's better to admit you're wrong as soon as you're corrected than to just look mulish. And just to avoid your drawing other irrelevant conclusions, saying you're wrong about Ramadan and fasting is not equivalent to saying that Islam is a good and wonderful religion. I've seen not a small number of people on FR employing "logic" like this over the years.

[Tea Party Terrorist]

During Ramadan, Muslims eat breakfast and dinner. Skipping lunch after gorging oneself for breakfast really isn’t much of a sacrifice.