My Faith: Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), from Catholic to Muslim

CNN ^ | 9/1/11 | Chris Welch

[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.”

[Natural Law]

"Scripture references please?"

Why do you persist in demanding that Catholics adhere to your man-made Sola Scriptura construct? If you insist on limiting the Revealed word to a subset, why not limit it to the Synoptic Gospels?

[metmom]

Mary, being full of grace, was made completely righteous by her Son, Jesus.

As we all are who place our faith in Him. We are clothed in His righteousness and our sins are not counted against us.

She is no different than us in that regard. She was redeemed as all mankind is and we are all redeemed as she was.

We all have access to the same grace because it all comes from the same God and the same Jesus who died for all humanity.

[Uri’el-2012]

Joseph was considered righteous under the law and though he was such, he still could not attain heaven.

Mary was righteous because of the grace of Jesus under the new covenant which made heaven possible.

For it is by grace that we are made righteous and not by the law.

Galatians 2:21 KJV “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

We speak of two different conditions of righteousness, one the Judaic and one Christian.

Mary, being full of grace, was made completely righteous by her Son, Jesus.

I'm afraid you are viewing the WORD
through the lens of replacementarianism.

Before there was the Teachings of Moses
there were those who were called righteous :
See: Gen. 6:9; 7:1; 18:23ff, 28; 38:26; Gen. 15:6; 18:19;

When YHvH calls someone Righteous,
does He change His mind as to which covenant ?

Mary was a sinner just like every created being
in need of salvation by YHvH.

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach

[Judith Anne]

Why does metmom do that? Because she appears to think that Holy Scripture defeats Catholics. AS IF her interpretation of the gospels and of the Pauline epistles was so perfect, there could be no other meaning than the one she tossess out.

[Judith Anne]

Have you noticed that she ridicules “old men in dresses” as if they could not interpret Holy Scripture, even better than she? That she ridicules the Vatican, as though 2000 years of holding Christianity together was inconsequential. I am certain that she is of the mistaken opinion that shw would be a better pope. Of course I could be wrong. She may not think she’s better than the Pope at interpreting scripture. If not, why bother with her opinion?

[stonehouse01]

No scriptual support? How about Genesis 3:6 and then how about Luke 1:30 for starters? It is scripture.

[Natural Law]

"She is no different than us in that regard."

Sounds to me like the Green-Eyed Monster of jealousy has raised it's ugly head. It explains a lot of animosity toward Mary.

[Uri’el-2012]

That she ridicules the Vatican, as though 2000 years of holding Christianity together was inconsequential.

You seem to dismiss the Holy Spirit.

NAsbU John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in My name,
He will teach you all things,
and bring to your remembrance
all that I said to you.

Does that not grieve the Holy Spirit ??

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach

[CynicalBear]

>>Historically speaking, a generation is approximately 20 years.<<

Oh really?

Psalm 90:10 The years of our lives are 70; and if by reason of strength they be 80 years, yet most of them are labor and sorrow; for life is soon cut off and we fly away.

Matthew 1:17 Therefore all the generations from Abraham down to David are 14 generations; and from David down to the Babylonian captivity are 14 generations; and from the Babylonian captivity down to the anointed, are 14 generations.

Matthew is using the Psalm 90 definitions of Generation in order to tell a specific chronological time story. The first interval of that story is strictly historical, the interval from Abraham to David.

Using 70 as the length of a generation, the interval implied by Matthew is 14 * 70 = 980 years. Do some study on your own and stop listening to others. The math proves the 70 year generation.

Sorry to burst your bubble there but your 20 year generation is simply not correct nor is the 40 year generation so many have tried to use to predict the Rapture.

>>So what is your point?<<

My point was that indeed the first century New Testament Christians had the same letters we have in addition to the personal teaching of the apostles. To imply that no one had anything to go on other then the RCC Pope or somehow imply that the RCC was the only source is ludicrous ad is your contention to support yourself and the teaching that a generation is 20 years. Scripture disagrees with you and the RCC.

[bronx2]

The thoughts presented against your positions are irrelevant as they are replete with individual prideful interpretations. Quoting scripture to these types is like casting pearls to swine, something the Master has already addressed. .Their private individual interpretation of Holy Scripture is just that, prideful , individual and Self Serving.

Yet the height of their hypocrisy comes when these types, who prostitute Scripture, ask for Scriptural cites.That is when they deserve Mt 7:6. Do not waste any more time with these types for their destiny is not in accordance with our Lord's plan of salvation.

[Quix]

Sometimes lack of seeing can be helped when there is a will to see:

And who
"exalts alternate deities"?
.
.

UNCOUNTED
MILLIONS OF
ROMAN CATHOLICS
.
ALL OVER THE WORLD
.
AT THE ENCOURAGEMENT
AND
FACILITATION OF
THE VATICAN
.
REGARDLESS
.
of
all the weasel words
documents
&
rationalizations
to the contrary.
.
Trumped-up
plausible deniability
DOESN'T WASH
WITH GOD ALMIGHTY.
...
SELF-JUSTIFICATION
DOESN'T WASH WITH GOD ALMIGHTY!
.
RITUAL DOESN'T CUT IT
WITH GOD ALMIGHTY!
.
EXCUSES
DON'T CUT IT
WITH GOD ALMIGHTY
.
.
.
In some countries,
it is a reasonable guess
that of the 20-30% practicing Roman Catholics,
the percentage who
EXALT ALTERNATE DEITIES
would be 85-95% or more.
In other countries, it might be
as low as 15-50%
Sometimes, on FR, it appears to be
90%. Other times, 70%
Sometimes, maybe as low as 30-50%.
.
.
.

Below are a list of brazen examples
from a very popular devotional
VERY SANCTIONED, APPROVED AND ENCOURAGED
by the Vatican system & hierarchy.
.
.
.

Some have said that the language below
is 'merely' hyperbolic adoration.
I don't think that's what
GOD ALMIGHTY WOULD LABEL IT.
I'm convinced that
GOD ALMIGHTY
CALLS IT
BRAZEN DEMONICALLY
FACILITATED, ENCOURAGED & LED
IDOLATRY AND BLASPHEMY.
He doesn't usually mince words.
.
.
.
WERE MARY HERSELF POSTING ON FR
I BELIEVE HER DENOUNCIATIONS OF SUCH
WOULD BE MUCH MORE FIERCE THAN MINE!
.
.
.
I was involved in a house church
famous all over Southern California
for its deliverance ministry and follow-up.
Mental hospitals and pastors sent their worst cases
to us--the ones they gave up on.
By God's grace, Christ's Blood and Holy Spirit
operating in servant-hearted love through
a lot of dedicated people who opened their homes
to such folks,
many were set free--lastingly free.
.
.
.
I learned a lot in that church.
One of the things that I OBSERVED,
I see a LOT hereon.
there's a characteristic
TYPE OF RESPONSE
WHEN A PERSON AWASH
IN DEMONIC INFLUENCES
(I don't think it matters
whether they are resident
or hovering around)
GETS CHALLENGED, EXHORTED,
HAS THEIR PRIDE PRICKED.
I see a LOT of that TYPE of response, hereon.
.
.
.

Below are the examples
of exalting other deities.
They are real.
They are serious.
They are owned,
operated in,
manifested in,
heart-felt wallowed in
by millions of Roman Catholics around the world.
Pretending otherwise does not change the facts.
White washing it with magicsterical diplospeak
doesn't change the facts.
Rationalizing it with 101 weasel words
doesn't change the facts.
.
.
.

the FACTS are easy enough to see below
for anyone with
more discernment than a gnat's.
.
.
.

Those reading this with any consciousness above comotose
no longer have any excuse.
.
.
.
Holy Spirit will be nudging, urging, forsaking of all such
--ALL HINT OF SUCH--
IGNORING HIS LEADING, NUDGING, URGING
in such matters can be spiritually deadly.
Very spiritually deadly.
.
.
.

ONCE AGAIN,
just a small part of
THE EVIDENCE: .
.
.

Here's the title:

http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Meditations-Mysteries-Rosary-Ferraro/dp/0819801577/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272938246&sr=1-2

And it carries the official sanctions of:

ni•hil ob•stat
n.
1. Roman Catholic Church An attestation by a church censor that a book contains nothing damaging to faith or morals.
2. Official approval, especially of an artistic work.

WITH RICHARD CARDINAL CUSHING’S IMPRIMATUR

Let me track down the brief portion of quotes upthread . . .

Here they are:

However, as we've seen through a variety of sources--a pile of them in Ferraro's manual about the Rosary--the Roman Catholic et al/Vatican Edifice disagrees with a lot of the claims of RC's hereon to the contrary.

p.32
.
[Quixicated emphases below]
Mary is crowned Queen of heaven and earth, dispenser of all graces . . .

p32
4 - She became Queen of Purgatory, where she exercises her power as mediatrix in behalf of these suffering souls.

5 - She became Queen of us sinners, to assist us through the dangers of this life and to help us in difficulties.

6 - She became the ruler of hell, that trembles at her slightest gaze and is defeated by her power.

"Just as a rock extracted from earth will precipitate into the abyss, so will man, left without Mary's help, quickly slide toward hell." --Richard of St Victor

p37
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come; Thy kingdom come through Mary! --Partial Indulgence

p41
"Mary is the tree of life to those who grasp her, and he is happy who hold her fast." --Prov. 3:18

p43
1 - "Hail Mary, beloved daughter of the Father, Mother of the Divine Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, complement of the most august Trinity!"

p45
6 - To her was granted grace greater than that conferred upon all others, 'that she might vanquish sin in every respect.'
.
[Qx: I guess Christ's vanquishing sin was unnecessary--or ineffectual without Mary's assistance?]

p46
7 - "Mary is the dawn of God because, just as the dawn marks the end of darkness and the beginning of day, so Mary indicates the end of vices and the beginning of virtue."
.
[Qx: I guess Christ's conquering on The Cross and HIS conquering trip to hell were unncessary?]

9 - God loved Mary so much that He gave her the keys to His heart. 'No one can go to God without Mary drawing him.'
.
[Qx: I guess Holy Spirit has been relegated to a 'Walter Mitty' role as spouse of Mary? That's SOME POWER to cancel & take over HOLY SPIRIT'S role to draw men to God!]

p47
4 - "Mary, trusting in the word of the angel, destroyed the sin Eve committed by trusting in the serpent.'
.
[Qx: Evidently, she beat Christ to the job of vanquishing sin!]

5 - "She desired the safety of everyone, went in search of it, and obtained it; it was also through her that this salvation was wrought."
.
[QX: What an unnecessary waste of precious Blood and suffering on THE CROSS!!!/sar]

p47
10 - "As Noah's Ark saved all the animals that entered it, so Mary saves all the souls that entrust themselves to her care."

p50
8 - "If she were not so holy as she is, how could God appoint her to be the ladder of Paradise, the advocate of the world, meatrix between HIm and us?"

p50
4 - "By becoming Mother of God, Mary belongs to the order of hypostatic union; hence she participates IN the infinite sanctity of God."

[Quix]

. . . came first and most complete to Mary.

---

Mat 11:11

Must not be in the RC’s rubberized Bible:

New International Version (©1984)
I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
New Living Translation (©2007)
“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

English Standard Version (©2001)
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
“Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

International Standard Version (©2008)
I tell you with certainty, among those born of women no one has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
“I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

King James Bible
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

American King James Version
Truly I say to you, Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

American Standard Version
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Bible in Basic English
Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Darby Bible Translation
Verily I say to you, that there is not arisen among the born of women a greater than John the baptist. But he who is a little one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.

English Revised Version
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Webster’s Bible Translation
Verily, I say to you, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he.

Weymouth New Testament
“I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no greater has ever been raised up than John the Baptist; yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he.

World English Bible
Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

Young’s Literal Translation
Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he.

---

Or are you saying that Mary came down to earth from Heaven as the Ishtar-Mary Goddess fully formed and perfect . . . a la the Immaculate Conception?

[Quix]

Again, we are talking about two different things here. Greatness in not akin to full of grace and Jesus is talking about prophets when speaking of John.

---

WHAT UNMITIGATED WEASEL WORDED BALDERDASH!

The topic is the Vatican Ishtar-Mary Goddess figure being elevated to co-regency etc. STATUS, ROLE

WITH JESUS THE CHRIST.

I have two posts in the review cue documenting the hideousness.

The Scriptures in Mat 11:11 and in Luke 7:28 are QUITE STARKLY CLEAR.

CHRIST HIMSELF—CREATOR GOD—DECLARED THAT NONE BORN OF WOMAN WERE GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST.

---

Unless maybe y’all are now saying that Mary was hatched instead of born of woman?

[CynicalBear]

>>Maybe auto repair.<<

LOL I have owned a feed and soil testing lab, a custom furniture shop, a computer store, a business computer networking business, and a trucking company.

I am inconsequential? So far you have used very, very little scripture to support your views and I’m inconsequential?

[CynicalBear]

Amen, Amen and Amen. Well said!

[Jvette]

Catholic doctrine does not teach other than Mary a sinner in need of a Savior. The difference is in when she received the grace of Jesus.

I admit to having never heard the word replacmentarianism which doesn’t seem to be an actual word but I am guessing is one used by some to express a certain understanding of other beliefs.

This is also a guess, that it seems in the context in which you are using it, it means the belief that the Christian church has replaced the Jewish faith?

I do not think that is what I am espousing in regards to this discussion.

Joseph did not live before Moses and like all the Jews of his time, was under the law as given by God to Moses. When Joseph is spoken of as a righteous man, it is in regards to the law of the time, not as one under the new covenant which imparts righteousness to us through grace and not the law.

One cannot view each historical and pivotal person in the Bible through the same lens, as God has given them each a unique role.

[MarkBsnr]

If you Google long enough you can always find an expert or out of context content that agrees with you. Why don't you see if you can find something that supports this comic book version of Catholicism HERE.

What need of apostates, heretics and pagans of the see of St. Peter? I'm sure that between now and tomorrow morning, they'll latch onto or build the next Mayan shrine, or Stonehenge, or space alien crop circle, or Wiccan rabbit burrow that will become ultimately holy for the next few days.

[wmfights]

It was to Peter that the revelation came that grace was open to Gentiles and it was Peter who received the first Gentile, Cornelius into the Church. Acts 10

Peter to his credit recognized his error and recalled the conversion of Cornelius, and other Gentiles, but the revelation was given to Paul.

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Gal. 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it but It came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal. 2:7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumsized was to Peter.

[Mad Dawg]

Wow! I come onto this page and there is mud flying everywhere!

I guess I’m personally against a mechanistic sort of approach to the theological enterprise. Like “There was a certain quantum of disobedience in Eve but it was insufficient to put the real bad mojo on things; it took Adam to push it over the top (or under the bottom) on account of his being of the guy persuasion.”

Oh Jeez! Who wants to go there, and if he does go there, what does he expect to come back with?

We have the story. Whatever HAD to be, what we are told is that the serpent approached Eve. Eve ate and persuaded Adam to eat.

It’s like the tempter approaches my wife and persuades her to move a chair. Then she comes to me and persuades ME to move a couch. And in the end, the room is different.

How much the sequence of events is due to femaleness, maleness, or interior-decorating-ness is hard to nail down. It’s enough for me that both were involved, and now when I go to sit down the chair isn’t where it was.

BUT since Eve was the first human in the process it’s kind of neat that the obedience of Mary can be, at least artistically and devotionally opposed too her disobedience.

It’s fruitless to talk about what would have happened if Eve didn’t do this or Mary didn’t say that. What we have before us is that Eve did, and that Mary, did and what happened after that.

And besides it would interfere with the stupid argument that because the Shah of Iran was called the King of Kings, anyone who calls Jesus that is secretly an Iranian monarchist. Or since the variety of female pagan deities were considered “queen of heaven” the very words are contaminated, and it is impossible even to consider that there might be someone to whom they properly apply. The pagans evidently get first dibs.

Have a nice Labor Day. It is interesting that the Marian devotion of Catholics is more of a peril than the apostasy of a congress-critter.

[MarkBsnr]

It never ceases to amaze me to watch the comments of those who try to espouse a view without facts. Jesus ascension was somewhere around 33AD right? Now you say “not even written down until a generation after the ascension of Jesus”. Now let’s look at the facts.

Facts? What facts? Next, you'll be providing us with digital photographs of the teenage Jesus and Joseph of Arimathea drinking out of the Holy Grail and eating fish and chips from a newspaper in Bath, England. Where did you get these facts from?

Would you please point out which of those was written “a generation” after Jesus ascension? If you can’t, do you honestly think that those letters were not used as scripture and teaching tools prior to your RCC telling them too? The arrogance of RCC is beyond astounding.

We are not arrogant enough to present unattributed copy off the Interwebs as 'facts'.

If you wish to discuss dates of Scripture, at least pretend to be objective.