FLAME ON FENCES
This is one of those dim mornings when I make an acquaintance with complacency. I smile with a wink at my helpless laze and embrace my absent mindedness. My deep thoughts of nothingness are interrupted with the entrance of a noisy colleague. "Jah Love!", he jeers. Interestingly this rather annoying salutation spurs a rare early morning conversation.
"I won't respond to that", I retort. "Isn't Jah God?" He asks with a smile as if to fix me. "Then why won't you just say; God Love!" I ask with a feat of mild irritation. "You make me happy", he laughs as he dusts his shoes then asks, "Isn't Allah God?" And almost immediately I answer; "Allah is the Arabic word that refers to God; but Allah, the Muslim god is Not God!"
Confused he aks, "How? You don't make sense at all". I keep silent debating whether to keep a polite tone in respect of his age. but then I get overwhelmed and ask back, "Do you think about the things you say? Do you even study before you utter some words?" He laughs. I realize my mistake, I decide to take the higher road. I spin around in my chair and look at him. I realize that he is eager to hear more. For the first time, I come to terms with his daily stubbornness. In the passivity of his gaze lies the look that suggests lack of knowledge and the implicit need to learn more. What follows are quick successions of question-answer sessions.
And so I speak; "Allah could be the Arabic name of God but the deity that the Muslim worship is not God whatsoever". I realize that I have iterated this sentiment without an explanation. I pause. And he looks at me dismayed, probably in shock that I have the guts to spill this out. "The God I know cannot be pleased by any human deed". Pause. He is more shocked. "Well, what the Muslims do is what the bible refers to as works; or acts of self righteousness. The God I believe in loves me not because of what He sees me do; rather he is so much in love with me since when He looks at me, he seen the price that He paid because of me, His beloved son Jesus. And so the core of my faith is not what I do in this weary physical body but who I believe in. It is a big minus to cook up doctrines that sound religious or kill in the name of a deity whose sovereignty is obviously mortal and finite."
He quickly chips in, "But not all Muslims believe in Jihad. Some are very good you know." I speak. " Yes. I know. But they are still sinners. Before you ask me how, let me explain. Treating a dirty garment in a special way daily and as a routine does not make it clean. Does it?" He laughs. I proceed. "These good Muslims are still sinners by nature. Somewhere in their miry deception they have been convinced that they mortals have the power to move God by their deeds. My God is the immovable mover. No best human deed can ever make him smile. No worst human deed can disgust Him to His bile than the amount of sin His son Jesus bore on the cross." I realize that I am beginning to lose him. So I stop talking, and I motion him to talk.
"Is this the same reason why even Christians themselves disagree within themselves? Like protestants and Catholics?" He asks, so innocently. "Well, I was headed there. With all due respect, you really to study these things my friend. The major split that caused the split between the Catholic and the protestants was when Martin Luther a former catholic observed some non-scriptural practices within the then catholicism and decided to publish the famous 95 theses. I will not delve into the details my friend, however, I need you to know that the major reason was again because of works"
This time he speaks politely, "So you say these many religious rules that confuse the likes of us not to believe in God do not apply?" He asks. "You are almost there. I agree to some extent. We humans have conditions ourselves with too many fences of not doing this or that, not eating this or that or not saying this or that; in a bid to please God. What God is interested in most is your heart. Do you genuinely love Him? Do you believe in His son Jesus Christ as the one sent to save you from your sins? And are you willing to live like His son? And that shall be it. No fences, no weird rules, no old womens' tales or doctrines meant to favour some funny convoluted faith."
He smiles, looks at me, shakes his head and goes, "Huh, I see..."
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