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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: Natural Law
Mark, when someone insists the equivalent of 2 + 2 = 5 its best to drop the argument. You obviously are not dealing with rational people. I've had some of these same literalist Bible thumpers argue with me that man coexisted with dinosaurs and that 6911, based upon James Ussher "calculations", was about 900 years too old.

Just like dealing with old man Fahrenheit. 0 F was colder than it should ever get and 32 (for some odd reason) was the boiling point. So if you found a temperature lower than 0, then it was you that was the problem and not the scale. When this idiocy was pointed out, he faked up a 0 out of water, ice, and ammonium chloride, kept the melting point, and after his death, had the boiling point corrected to the actual boiling point.

Hmm, the idea that we are dealing with crackpot 'scientists' is oddly accurate.

1,321 posted on 09/06/2011 6:13:53 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move m to do so.)
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To: Natural Law
"Just like having a credit card that you never have to pay back. Now, that's Christianity!!!"

No, that's congress.

Just a minute!!! Are you comparing the heretics and apostates to congresscritters?

1,322 posted on 09/06/2011 6:16:22 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move m to do so.)
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To: bronx2
I still can not understand how much time one can waste with these types who have hardened their hearts towards the Word of God and appointed themselves as their own prideful magisterium.

We are still supposed to try to save all souls for Christ, no matter how hardened their hearts.

- The space cadet who is beyond belief has talked to some of the others on this forum and first now they can accept his wacko ideas.This clearly testifies to the extremest and self serving type of individual who opposes your ideas.

Our Lord did not tell us not to save the successors of Dr. Timothy Leary.

-The one who wont's see the concept Mother of God after you and others throughout the years have explained it an infinite variety of ways is prima face evidence of a Stiff Neck character referred to by Our Lord.

I have six children. I've seen the screwed up faces who wish that some unpleasant reality will go away. Same here.

These types deserve the imperfect brand of Christianity serviced by their own prideful interpretations of Scripture. Yet,only Jesus can judge their intent.

True, true. I get a tad discomfited with the idea that we Christians should let the barbarians take over the world. I believe in being a tad more energetic than some of our true brethren. I still think that Jesus is going to ask us at our Judgement what it is that we did in our lives. You know, the Beatitudes and the whole Sermon on the Mount that the children of the Reformed have redacted from their Bible.

I preserved their specious rhetoric from this prolonged engagement and am employing its use in many parishes to inoculate the faithful.

It may prove useful - just don't give it to the young 'uns. No point in showing them how far the world has come...

I really appreciate when you cite their subjective source materials and expose its spiritual and intellectual bankruptcy.

Can't say that I am particularly perseverant in that manner. They provide everything that shows how far they have drifted from Christianity. I just post some of it.

1,323 posted on 09/06/2011 6:27:42 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move m to do so.)
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To: Jvette
>> I have proven, through these verses, that to believe that Mary is in heaven, body and soul is not unBiblical.<<

Yes, I do believe that to say May is in heaven “in body” the same as Jesus or those who were raised at Jesus death is unbiblical. There is no Biblical justification to believe that Mary is any different then any other mortal who dies today whose body has not been resurrected.

>> The Trinity, the doctrine and the word Trinity are not explicitly to be found in Scripture though the doctrine is completely Scriptural.<<

Who told you that? It most definitely is in scripture. Here is only a small portion of what is in scripture to prove it.

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

>> God is One in Three Persons, and this is called the Trinity, please post it.<<

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

>>and it was defined by the Church.<<

No, it was “defined” in scripture.

You said: >>Most Christians celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sunday, the day of the Resurrection. That comes straight from the Catholic Church and if you meet on Sunday and not on Saturday, then you are following a doctrine of the Church.<<

Then you said: >>Again, it is Scriptural but not in Scriptures.<<

Nope, it is not scriptural. And no I don’t follow the doctrine of the “Church” as you so proudly espouse the RCC to be. There is no scriptural authority to claim Sunday to be the Sabbath or the “Lords Day”. All days are “the day of our Lord”. The Jewish Sabbath was the seventh day and has never changed. Romans 14:5 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Your “Church” likes its rituals and rules but being Biblically base not so much.

>>Does Israel bear testimony to Jesus or is it Christians who do this?<<

During the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation the 144,000 out of Israel do indeed “bear testimony” of Jesus as Messiah.

>>And you cannot gloss over that the woman bears a male child.<<

Of course not. Jesus was Jewish after all.

>>And does Mary not flee to Egypt with Joseph and Jesus to escape the persecution of Herrod? <<

But there was no flood which the earth swallowed up during their time in Egypt.

Revelation 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

But we can easily deduce how long they were there.

Matthew 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

>> Do you know how long they were there?<<

It was “until the death of Herod” but there are disagreements on exactly when that was. It doesn’t matter however because if Revelation was actually talking about Mary we know that it would have been exactly 3 ½ years. But that doesn’t fit either. We have to go back to Daniels prophesy of the 70th week. It’s that 7 year period that Revelation is talking about split into two 3 ½ year periods. The last 3 ½ years (thousand two hundred and threescore days) are when the Jews “the woman” are protected in the “wilderness”.

The woman in Revelation cannot possibly be talking specifically about Mary.

1,324 posted on 09/06/2011 6:33:15 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: Mad Dawg
So I'd want to say that Jesus was no longer confined to his "of the earth, earthy" body, but I think the "spiritual body" is a "spiritual human body.";

Or as some have called it, a “glorified physical body.”

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

So it's not the loss of humanity but the loss of the earthy body that makes for the through the wall stuff.

But where did the food go?

1,325 posted on 09/06/2011 6:39:59 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Our sinful deeds condemn us, but Christ's death and resurrection gains salvation. Repent +Believe)
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To: MarkBsnr
>>Where'd you get the 6911 years from?<<

The two schools of thought are either 66 or 76 generations between Adam and Jesus. The 66 years holds more credibility from my study on the subject. I simply took 70 as an average. Multiply that times the 70 year life span and add the 2011 years since Jesus and you get 6911 years since Adam. Most scholers have stated approximately 6000 give or take since Adam.

1,326 posted on 09/06/2011 6:42:51 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: metmom

ROFL! But that’s they way they are taught by the “Church”. The inferences they use to come up with their doctrine is amazing. Thus they must us double speak and what they say is different then what they mean because you have to infer what was not said. Is that clear now?


1,327 posted on 09/06/2011 6:46:44 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: metmom

Oh, and it’s all Biblical even though it’s not in the Bible.


1,328 posted on 09/06/2011 6:48:00 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: MarkBsnr
>> Tell me, what is length of the Baby Boom generation? GenX? GenY? Get back to me on that would you please?<<

I don’t use modern day terminology or understanding to interpret scripture.

1,329 posted on 09/06/2011 6:49:51 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: daniel1212

I think we tend, whatever we tell ourselves, to think of the spiritual as attenuated,whispy. But maybe a spiritual body can do things with matter that are more amazing that what physical bodies can do.


1,330 posted on 09/06/2011 6:51:37 PM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: MarkBsnr; metmom; wmfights; Quix
I still think that Jesus is going to ask us at our Judgement what it is that we did in our lives.

Sounds very Romanist to me. Never mind about what Scripture teaches that our sin was transferred to Jesus and His perfect righteousness was given to those who put their faith in Him. There's not going to be a lot of questions. Either your name is in the Book Of Life or it isn't.

You know, the Beatitudes and the whole Sermon on the Mount that the children of the Reformed have redacted from their Bible.

That is an asinine assertion.* Both of those texts are held very dear by the Reformed. It is the Papist Church that has added entire books to the Bible and fosters a hatred of Paul by her followers because he refutes the very core of what Rome teaches.

*Note that I called the claim asinine, not the poster.

1,331 posted on 09/06/2011 6:54:15 PM PDT by Gamecock (“I’m so thankful for [the] active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.” JGM)
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To: metmom
..or that what they DIDN'T say is as important as what they DID say. Just because they didn't say it doesn't mean it wasn't there. And it may be even more proof that it actually WAS there, between the lines, waiting to be said.

But we cannot understand these deep, DEEP, beliefs. Only those who have the indwelling teachings of the infallible magisterium can begin to comprehend the things that are said. Or not said. Or may be said in the future. And on and on it goes. 2000years+ of double speak and reading between the lines for the hidden "truth".

OR...simply the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.

1,332 posted on 09/06/2011 6:55:24 PM PDT by smvoice (The Cross was NOT God's Plan B.)
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To: WPaCon
The Jim Robinson who owns this site?

The very same. So, you might wish to reexamine your conclusion, only for the sake of being logically derived.

1,333 posted on 09/06/2011 7:03:50 PM PDT by AndrewC
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To: Mad Dawg

The rich man in Hell needed to do at least what the earthly physical could do. How much man thinks he knows in his profound ignorance. And how much we must become as trusting children, but not in knowledge.


1,334 posted on 09/06/2011 7:04:27 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Our sinful deeds condemn us, but Christ's death and resurrection gains salvation. Repent +Believe)
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To: MarkBsnr; metmom
>>Show me where Trinity is found in Scripture, even from Jesus Himself?<<

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

>>If you hold to Trinitarian doctrine, you must hold to Mother of God.<<

No you don’t. “Mother of God” is a “doctrine of man”.

1,335 posted on 09/06/2011 7:07:35 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear

The Trinity is demanded and warranted, as you cannot have Jesus being explicit and implicitly referred to as God (http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/DEITYofCHRIST.html), which the Holy Spirit is as, though less substantively, (Job. 33:4; Acts 5:4) with all 3 uniquely being invoked together, Mt. 28:19; 2Cor. 13:14) without the Bible contradicting itself, while the evidence supports all three being God, being of the same Divine nature, eternally preexistent with uniquely Divine attributes, though with a positional order. (Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 1Cor. 11:3; 15:27,28)


1,336 posted on 09/06/2011 7:21:27 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Our sinful deeds condemn us, but Christ's death and resurrection gains salvation. Repent +Believe)
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To: CynicalBear

The Trinity is demanded and warranted, as you cannot have Jesus being explicit and implicitly referred to as God (http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/DEITYofCHRIST.html), which the Holy Spirit is as, though less substantively, (Job. 33:4; Acts 5:4) with all 3 uniquely being invoked together, Mt. 28:19; 2Cor. 13:14) without the Bible contradicting itself, while the evidence supports all three being God, being of the same Divine nature, eternally preexistent with uniquely Divine attributes, though with a positional order. (Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 1Cor. 11:3; 15:27,28)


1,337 posted on 09/06/2011 7:21:36 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Our sinful deeds condemn us, but Christ's death and resurrection gains salvation. Repent +Believe)
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To: Gamecock
"fosters a hatred of Paul...

Hey, you are really funny!

1,338 posted on 09/06/2011 7:48:30 PM PDT by Natural Law (For God so loved the world He did not send a book.)
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To: AndrewC
The very same. So, you might wish to reexamine your conclusion, only for the sake of being logically derived.

Since when has Jim Robinson been Catholic? That's news to me, and I'm sure it's news to everyone else posting on this thread.

1,339 posted on 09/06/2011 7:50:01 PM PDT by WPaCon
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To: Judith Anne; Jvette
Protestants are the ultimate cafeteria Catholics.

You got that right.

Interesting...how so?

1,340 posted on 09/06/2011 7:52:15 PM PDT by boatbums ( God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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