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Hmm, a Christian conversion sans Christ
or Jesus

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Posted By: Big Bopper, 11/14/2023 1:23:26 PM

The news today is that a prominent and thoughtful Somalian-Dutch-American who left her Muslim faith in favor of atheism some years ago, has now left her atheist faith in favor of Christianity. Welcome to my church, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. You can sit anywhere you’d like. Ayaan published an essay explaining the reasons for her conversion. Her essay describes no epiphany, no encounter on a road to Damascus or anywhere else. Strikingly, neither “Christ” nor “Jesus” appear anywhere in her essay. Instead, she explained that Christianity (and by implication the larger Judeo-Christian culture) is the only framework capable of building civilization as we know it, and protecting it against human depravity.

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Reply 1 - Posted by: Sandpiper 11/14/2023 1:31:19 PM (No. 1598509)
Eventually this convert Ayaan Hirsi Ali will discover the reason for the difference between Islam and Christianity IS solely Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
22 people like this.

Reply 2 - Posted by: Ditto1958 11/14/2023 1:35:50 PM (No. 1598512)
In an era when Christians are reluctant to criticize others’ faith, I can’t keep quiet. This woman greatly concerns me. No thoughtful person goes from being a Muslim to an atheist to a Christian in a few short years of adulthood. She claims to have become a Christian, but doesn’t seem to demonstrate any understanding of what it means. I think though that her choice of words is important. “I now call myself a Christian.” And that’s about it. Maybe next year she will be a Buddhist.
13 people like this.

Reply 3 - Posted by: markhooton 11/14/2023 1:55:16 PM (No. 1598521)
I like Glenn and applaud his success after getting "fired" years ago from the Aspen paper. However, I disagree with many points he made about "any Christian is a good Christian." I don't believe the Scriptures say that as long as you just believe, you are good. Paul's letters are telling Christians there is a right way and a wrong way to be a Christian. Anyway, that's enough for now.
8 people like this.

Reply 4 - Posted by: Big Bopper 11/14/2023 2:00:13 PM (No. 1598524)
No. 2: You assert "No thoughtful person goes from being a Muslim to an atheist to a Christian in a few short years of adulthood." What about Chuck Colson who went from a criminal atheist to a charitable Christian in a few years in prison? What about the Apostle Paul who went from a pagan persecutor of Christians to a Christian himself in a few minutes on the Road to Damascus? What about George Foreman who beat people to a pulp in the boxing ring but became a gentle giant of his faith? Don't judge them, especially by their journey. What's important is where they wind up.
19 people like this.

Reply 5 - Posted by: rikkitikki 11/14/2023 3:04:39 PM (No. 1598548)
I welcome thoughtful dialogue, from both Ayaan and Beaton. However, Beaton makes a great point...simple agreement with Jesus' philosophies and their beneficial societal fruit do not make one a Christian. Anyone with half a brain can look at world history and realize that it is Judeo-Christian philosphies in society that has created the greatest civil liberties and common prosperity in the history of the planet. Regarding Beaton's point, I agree with Jesus and Paul, that to become a Christian, one must be born again (John 3:3), by believing in Jesus, His Atonement, and His Resurrection (Rom 10:9-10).
13 people like this.

Reply 6 - Posted by: Kate318 11/14/2023 3:23:17 PM (No. 1598554)
Good Lord (No pun intended). So much judgement about “authentic Christians.” What would Jesus do? Welcome Ms. Ali to the table, knowing that her proximity to Him would lead her forward, or lecture her on doing it the right way?
10 people like this.

Reply 7 - Posted by: Rumblehog 11/14/2023 3:36:40 PM (No. 1598559)
Glenn and I noticed the same thing in Ali's essay that was posted here the other day. Specifically, her only reason for "converting" were the geo-political benefits of Christianity. There was nothing said of the TRUE benefit of Eternal Life through FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Second Member of the Trinity, the Son of God, descended to earth as the God-Man to be born of a virgin in the line of David. Jesus would live a life free from sin, to be the only man to fulfill the Mosaic Law, which He had personally given to Moses. He would heal the sick, the diseased, the blind, even resuscitate the dead, yet He would be rejected by His people, who instead demanded a murdering criminal be freed to make way for His crucifixion on a Roman cross. During His crucifixion, the Second Member of the Trinity would for the FIRST and ONLY time in all of Eternity be separated from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit for 3 hours, while He bore the sins of the entire human race in His body on that cross. Since Deity can have nothing to do with sin. Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?," as a result of the pain of His Spiritual Death. Even at the end of His mighty victory over death for us, Jesus prayed that God the Father would forgive those who had rejected Him, saying, "Father, forgive them for the know not what they do." Jesus' work on the cross for us is no small thing, it is EVERYTHING. #4, the Apostle Paul was not a "pagan." Saul of Tarsus, aka Paul, was, in his own words a, "Pharisee of the Pharisees," a highly educated religious Jew who persecuted Christians, Samaritans, and anyone else the Sanhedrin deemed blasphemous, or politically "dangerous."
12 people like this.

Reply 8 - Posted by: Hermoine 11/14/2023 4:12:13 PM (No. 1598568)
I welcome her into the fold and as a Bible believing Christian, I would recommend that she (a) find and attend a Bible believing church and (b) engross herself in a good Bible study and/or read the Bible alongside a good commentary (I find Enduring Word to be a good one) so that she understands what she is reading and the context in which it was written/delivered.
7 people like this.

Reply 9 - Posted by: padiva 11/14/2023 4:25:37 PM (No. 1598580)
Can we make it a point to pray for (former) Muslims as they find their way to Jesus as Savior?
10 people like this.

Reply 10 - Posted by: readtheBook 11/14/2023 6:24:40 PM (No. 1598666)
Agree with # 1. Jesus said, "Seek and ye shall find." Its sounds very much like what Ms. Ali is doing. Very encouraging. I think the most comprehensive statement in the Bible regarding Christianity is Romans 10.9: Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. This encompasses an ongoing relationship with God -- learning who Jesus is, giving Him control of your life, experiencing the power of God, believng the Bible, leading others to Christ, enduring opposition, and on and on. Never ending process.
3 people like this.

Reply 11 - Posted by: Flyball Dogs 11/14/2023 8:53:55 PM (No. 1598745)
I’m praying she finds JESUS, who can forgive her of her sins. The Jesus of the cross. Not just the baby Jesus. Not just the “teacher Jesus.” My initial impression from her article was that she is embracing Christian morality. But she needs to first embrace Jesus as HER savior (after she recognizes a personal NEED for Jesus).
2 people like this.

Reply 12 - Posted by: Rather Read 11/15/2023 8:16:01 AM (No. 1598937)
Give her time. She is still new, still thinking and above all, pray for her.
1 person likes this.

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Hmm, a Christian conversion sans Christ
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Posted by Big Bopper 11/14/2023 1:23:26 PM Post Reply
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