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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: Quix
See my 4565 and then tell me more.
4,581 posted on 09/21/2011 6:24:45 PM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: metmom
How gracious of Him.

Yes indeed!

4,582 posted on 09/21/2011 6:26:00 PM PDT by Mad Dawg (Jesus, I trust in you.)
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To: count-your-change

>:(

That’s no fun.


4,583 posted on 09/21/2011 6:32:49 PM PDT by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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placemark


4,584 posted on 09/21/2011 7:48:51 PM PDT by mitch5501 (My guitar wants to kill your momma!)
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To: Mad Dawg
You Rang! You Pinged!!! LOL!

I just read your post. It is too deep! But very good!

What about Christ telling Saul why does thou persecute me! Saul touch the real Christ? Not unless its the Whole Body of Christ. Communion of Saints. Saul never meet him before the road to Damascus.

Since Christ cannot lie we are THE BODY Of CHRIST.

Co -mediators. Co -Savors.

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

Acts2:

40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, SAVE yourselves from this untoward generation. 41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

In Him with Him in The Unity Of The Holy Spirit= the one end of the Body here to above.

To Deep for Some. But no matter what his Divine Mercy is for all who respond. Thus as Peter declares save yourselves!

Praise be to Jesus!! Amen!!

4,585 posted on 09/21/2011 7:49:19 PM PDT by johngrace (1 John 4)
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To: Mad Dawg
I am a member of the body of THE Mediator.

It is more than a metaphor, Body of Christ. Along with the Communion of Saints, more than a metaphor. Each part of the body affects the whole body, for good or ill. What the body has, all parts of the body have. All parts are in communion, in communication, beyond words. Including the Saints Triumphant, part of the Body of Christ.

I'm still wondering when the realization of this was lost to some in protestantism.

4,586 posted on 09/21/2011 8:06:28 PM PDT by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: Mad Dawg
I am truly amazed! I only had this happen a rare few times! I am not kidding! I just got a confirmation.

I am smelling flowers every where after I wrote this comment! I thought at first someone sprayed in my room but I have a strong scent of flowers. I just looked everywhere there was no scent before by anything logically natural.

This is the sign of God thru Padre Pio! I am stunned. I ask at times for pray from him. I am not kidding. I can not explain otherwise.

I was meant to answer that other last reply.

You pinged me. I do not usaully go back to these long threads. Praise be to God!!

I tell you God is Awesome!! Amen!!

I am very emotional right now.

4,587 posted on 09/21/2011 8:37:11 PM PDT by johngrace (1 John 4)
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To: Judith Anne; Not gonna take it anymore; OpusatFR; MarkBsnr

Not really. md with his calm, pious method is better without me butting in!


4,588 posted on 09/21/2011 10:01:10 PM PDT by Cronos (www.forfiter.com)
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To: Mad Dawg

I’m no longer sure at all that words can be of any help in dialogue between the two camps on this issue.

I’m not at all confident that genuine dialogue can occur.

If Holy Spirit is not EFFECTIVELY communicating the same thing to the two camps at the same time to similarly hearing hearts, ears and minds, I don’t think much mutual understanding or agreement can remotely occur.

2 Cor 6:6

New International Version (©1984)
in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

New Living Translation (©2007)
We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.

Luke 10:21

New International Version (©1984)
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

New Living Translation (©2007)
At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.


4,589 posted on 09/21/2011 10:05:49 PM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Mad Dawg
"My side" is all over asking for prayers. But when we advocate asking for the prayers of those who, we think, behold God's face, then an argument is offered which SEEMS to say we should only pray directly to Jesus. That seems inconsistent. Therefore we raise the issue.

Sorry for the tardy reply. Here's the diff - we are constantly reminded to pray for others, ourselves, the lost, our leaders and the world in Scripture but there isn't anything in the Bible that says we should pray to or for those saints that have died. Since this praying for the above is the inspired word of God and nothing is there about the to/for dead people, then that is what I go by. When you insist having others pray for us and we for others is a denial of the mediator role of Jesus for us, it is canceled by the Scriptures that tell us we can and should do so. We are praying to Jesus for something and he is our mediator to the Father. When prayers are offered to the dead saints, THEY are the mediators to the Father, right? If not, then do they go to Jesus and he goes to the Father? Yet Scripture is plain that it is Jesus who is our mediator. So we are left with trying to understand the purpose of this kind of intercessory prayer.

Of course, there are many purposes that I can think of such as participating in the plan of God working in those we are asked to pray for. It "connects" us to the work of God and causes empathy, sympathy, rejoicing - when the result is as was prayed and accepting the will of God when it doesn't work as we asked.

I can attest to many, many times when I prayed - asking in faith - for God's will about certain things and being comforted in knowing that how it turned out was his will. I have prayed for a certain job, for example, and either I got it and it worked out great or when I didn't get it and even in my disappointment, I learned to trust when I left it in his hands - more than a few times that job I thought I wanted so bad and didn't get turned out for good as I saw the department, where I would have been working, discontinued and the employees laid off. I also believe it is God's way of keeping us dependent on him strengthening and growing our faith. Those "saints" that are still alive here with us are joined in our walk and we with theirs and God works all things to his glory. So, no, I do not agree there is a contradiction.

4,590 posted on 09/21/2011 10:13:10 PM PDT by boatbums ( Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.)
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To: Elsie

2 Corinthians 5:7-9
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.


4,591 posted on 09/21/2011 10:21:19 PM PDT by boatbums ( Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.)
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To: Elsie
Those who are NOT in Christ, will face the Final Judgment and are already standing condemned because they did not believe in Christ

Not according to the Book:

Yes, according to the book. Read all of chapter 20 in Revelation, those "dead" who are judged are both those who had died in unbelief as well as the unsaved that came through the Great Tribulation and happens after the thousand year reign of Christ. Read the verses before the passage you quoted:

Revelation 20:1-6
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Those unsaved were not judged until the thousand years was over, and that is who verses 11-15 is speaking of, their final judgment:

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Those who die in unbelief before the Millennium starts will go to Hades/Sheol (Hell has not been created yet) just as all those who had died in unbelief before Jesus arose (remember the "rich man and Lazarus" story. They are held until the final judgment called the Great White Throne Judgment. No saved endure this judgment. Those who are condemned face the "second death" when they are cast into the lake of fire along with "death" and "hades" as well as Satan, his angels, the Beast, False Prophet and the Anti-Christ FOREVER.

4,592 posted on 09/21/2011 10:43:30 PM PDT by boatbums ( Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.)
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To: Cronos

You’re right.


4,593 posted on 09/21/2011 10:56:26 PM PDT by Judith Anne ( Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: MHGinTN

?


4,594 posted on 09/22/2011 4:42:57 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: RnMomof7

Amen; but how DARE you rely on...

Your
Own
Personal
Interpretation?


4,595 posted on 09/22/2011 4:44:16 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Utah Binger
Don’t know where I heard this:

You're in Utah, people hear VOICEs out there!

4,596 posted on 09/22/2011 4:45:18 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Mad Dawg
We are kingly and priestly, and it might do us a lot of good to remember that more often.

I wish that fellow I see over the bathroom sink in the morning would get this thru his thick skull!

4,597 posted on 09/22/2011 4:46:28 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Iscool
It speaks of Paul's willingness, not preference...

O...K...

2 Cor. 5:8

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

4,598 posted on 09/22/2011 4:48:28 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: CynicalBear
You don’t think the reference there to “depart and be with Christ” doesn’t indicate that at least he believed that if he departed this body that he would be with Christ?

Indeed it does; but it does NOT state that his 'desire' is going to be fulfilled IMMEDIATELY after his death.


Let me repeat:

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.


4,599 posted on 09/22/2011 4:51:36 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
I briefly scan once in a while, but don't have time right now to engage the heretic, the apostate and the pagan.

These are no 'opponents'!

Now if one faces an Elsian in a battle of wits - THAT's another matter!

4,600 posted on 09/22/2011 4:53:58 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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