What Is ‘Chrislam’ & Why Are Its Followers Merging Christian & Islamic Theology?
Editor’s Note: This article is part of a larger series about lesser-known religions called “Understanding Faith.” In light of recent events, this week’s subject is Chrislam, a merging of Christian and Islamic theologies. TheBlaze recently covered the Sikh faith and Islam in detail.
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Christianity and Islam are the world’s two largest religions. With 2.18 billion Christians and 1.6 billion Muslims the world-round, it’s safe to say that these two faith systems impact, to a profound extent, social and political events occurring in diverse societies. But what about “Chrislam,” the controversial belief system that combines both traditions to form its own fascinating religious brand?
While you may not be aware of its existence, this controversial faith system has small pockets of adherents in parts of Africa and has garnered a plethora of intrigue — and scrutiny — here in the United States.

Photo Credit: AP
On the surface, the notion that the two faiths would be able to mesh successfully seems next-to-impossible. After all, Christianity relies upon the central notion that Jesus is the only way one can attain eternal salvation. To the contrary, Muslims don’t believe that Christ was God’s son, nor do they accept the notion that he perished on a cross to save humanity’s sins, thus creating a debacle when it comes to rectifying the faith’s central underpinnings (watch a full PBS special about Chrislam here).
Understanding Chrislam hinges upon examining its leader’s motivations for creating and sustaining the merged faith. Beliefnet examines this, noting that Shamsuddin Saka, a religious leader in Nigeria, is seeking to bridge the religious divide and to bring together Muslims and Christians like never before. In a region where deadly tensions between adherents of the two faiths regularly erupt, Saka is on a unique mission.

Shamsuddin Saka (Photo Credit: PBS)
Saka, who was born a Muslim but is now a Christian at heart, claims that he felt called by God to launch his Chrislam ministry following a pilgrimage to Mecca, a commanded voyage that is one of Islam’s Five Pillars (read our extensive historical account of Islam here). The faith leader takes the unique approach of preaching about the common roots that peoples of both faiths share (i.e. that they are both children of Abraham, both promote peace, etc.).
He told Public Radio International (PRI) that God told him to “make peace between Christian and Muslim,” thus he has sought to embark on that very mission. While Saka experienced this revelation, the seeds for his journey were likely set at an early age, as he was reportedly influenced by both faith systems when he was a young boy.
His father, a herbalist, saw Christians and Muslims, alike, for healing, so both traditions were common fixtures in his early existence. While Saka now sees himself as a believer in Jesus Christ, he told The Christian Science Monitor that it doesn’t “mean Islam is bad.” The outlet goes on to describe the ministry that Saka has built, in detail:
At first, it seems a surprising sight: inside a two-story mosque in sub-Saharan Africa’s largest metropolis hangs a life-size portrait of Jesus Christ.
Yet worshipers at “The True Message of God Mission” say it’s entirely natural for Christianity and Islam to cexist, even overlap. They begin their worship by praying at the Jesus alcove and then “running their deliverance” – sprinting laps around the mosque’s mosaic-tiled courtyard, praying to the one God for forgiveness and help. They say it’s akin to Israelites circling the walls of Jericho – and Muslims swirling around the Ka’ba shrine in Mecca.
This group – originally called “Chris-lam-herb” for its mix-and-match approach to Christianity, Islam, and traditional medicine – is a window on an ongoing religious ferment in Africa. It’s still up for debate whether this group, and others like it, could become models for Muslim-Christian unity worldwide or whether they’re uniquely African. But either way, they are “part of a trend,” says Dana Robert, a Boston University religion professor.
To facilitate this trend, Saka does more than merely keep a Koran and a Bible in his house of worship. For the past two (by some accounts four) decades that Chrislam has been around, Saka has preached from both holy books to a congregation that houses 1,500 seats. He uses Christian and Muslim worship songs and, for maximim impact, his sermons are shown on local television.
Saka is revered by his followers, as they call him “His Royal Holiness,” “The Messenger” and “Ifeoluwa” (or “The Will of God).

The Koran and the Bible situated next to one another (Photo Credit: PBS)
Sunday morning services begin with Koranic prayer, PRI reports. While Islamic invocations are uttered, the outlet also notes that the environment is reminiscent of a Pentecostal church service. Saka also preaches about the common elements inherent in both Islam and Christianity.
There does seem to be a bit of debate surrounding who actually founded Chrislam (hence the central question surrounding how long the faith has been around). While Saka’s story is compelling, another man, named Tela Tella, claims that he came up with the idea for the faith system in the 1970s, well before Saka launched his ministry. Tela Tella’s congregation, which isn’t far from Saka’s in terms of geographic location, has about 500 worshippers, Beliefnet notes.
Based on the numbers, Saka’s church is much larger than Tela Tella’s, which is reportedly due to more robust recruiting activities. Most outlets that have explored Chrislam fail to mention Tela Tella, as Saka’s efforts have attracted more widespread attention.
PRI notes that the faith leader regularly reaches out to politicians and that he goes directly to areas in which religious tensions result in violence to encourage togetherness among peoples of divergent faiths. These activities would, naturally, raise his profile and bring him added attention.
While the concept of a merged faith system is appealing to some, like Saka, who seek peace, there are a multitude of leaders, particularly in the evangelical realm, who reject the central tenets of Chrislam. On his Christian Post blog back in 2011, David Dollins wrote a piece denouncing the concept called, “Chrislam — A Spirit of Antichrist.”
In it, he proclaimed, “Scripture itself declares ‘Chrislam’, the mixing of Christianity and Islam, to be a Spirit of Antichrist!” Dollins continues:
For these Church leaders, who are blind watchmen, to bring Islam and the reading of the Quran into the Church is to deny the Lord himself, it is to deny who He is, and it is to deny what He accomplished at Calvary’s Cross 2,000 years ago, when He gave His life for the sins of the world! Just as bad, it is an open acceptance of the Spirit of Antichrist, which John said will bring swift destruction and ultimately, yet sadly, the damning of the soul.
What should the Church do now? We must get back to proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation without fear of reprisal. We must defend and preach the deity of Jesus, that He is the one true God and there is no other. Then we must also boldly proclaim the Holy Scriptures, not the Quran, as the inspired and inerrant Word of God.

Photo Credit: AP
Faith commentator Bill Muehlenberg agrees with this assessment, calling those Christians who embrace Chrislam “misguided.” He claims that the use of a mixed-faith approach allows Muslims to enter into Christian circles in an effort to make those who do not embrace Islam “second-class citizens.” The two faith systems, be believes, are “fully incompatible” and that their differences far outweigh their similarities. He continues:
Bringing a false religion like Islam into the Christian churches is really the beginning of the end of those Christian houses of worship. Sure, Christians can invite a Muslim – or any other non-Christian – into a Christian service to point them to Jesus the saviour, and to expose them to the truth claims of the biblical gospel.
Effectively signing your own death warrant by foolishly seeking for some sort of theological equivalence here is not the way to go. We help no one with that approach. It simply undermines the Christian faith and does an injustice to our Muslim neighbour who desperately needs to be set free from the bondage of Islam and released into the freedom of the gospel of Christ.
“Clearly, Islam and Christianity are mutually exclusive. Both claim to be the only true way to God, but both cannot be right,” adds Christian Pastor John MacArthur. “There is no atonement in Islam, no forgiveness, no savior, and no assurance of eternal life. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of hope; Islam is a religion of hopelessness.”
These, of course, are only three perspectives. There are many others who would agree that Chrislam is a misguided faith convergence. Still, Saka stands by the faith he has helped to create and spread as a potential method for keeping the peace in a region known for sectarian violence.
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Related:
In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.


















































































































Comments (117)
biblegeek119
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:05pmThis video is old.
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WhiteFang
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:33pmAahh, so now we have yet another false religion designed to confuse mankind.
I wonder who is behind this effort? 2 Corinthians 4:4, and 11:3, 14
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Elena2010
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:04pmIs not one world religion just another sign of the End of Days and the time of the anti-Christ?
Let’s see if Soros or Obama pick this ball up and run with it next year!
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SquareHead
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:05pmOld. I did not see it before!
Here is a NEW video you don’t want to miss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AapnnnOhWzs
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HoneyBager7x7
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 12:27amChris is Lame? WTF…woooooow
total confusion. I guess it’s time to pray for some Infidels to kill.
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PutMoreOnMyPlate
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 2:01amJoined with harlots has a new meaning for me. I find it sad that this could happen. Satan’s slipping up and not being subtle anymore. Anyone can see that and even those can see that. Not a single passage in Christ’s ministry did He stone anyone. That is the message of the Quran. Oh wayward children of Ishmael, come back.
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paperpushermj
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:54pmLets hope this merging includes these two instructions from God.
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THOU SHALL NOT TAKE THY NAME IN VAIN ! > Which means don’t commit horrors to others and justify them by saying you did it in My Name.
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Thou SHALL NOT MURDER> Self explanatory
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Granny58
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:06pm“my name”
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Daddy Hawg
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:53pmAnyone notice that the first four letters of the good leaders names are S H A M? Just thought I would point out the obvious.
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Blazed_and_Confused
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:51pmThe ancient Poets animated all sensible objects with Gods or
Geniuses calling them by the names and adorning them with the
properties of woods, rivers, mountains, lakes, cities, nations,
and whatever their enlarged & numerous senses could percieve.
And particularly they studied the genius of each city &
country. placing it under its mental deity.
Till a system was formed, which some took advantage of &
enslav’d the vulgar by attempting to realize or abstract the
mental deities from their objects: thus began Priesthood.
Choosing forms of worship from poetic tales.
And at length they pronounced that the Gods had orderd such things.
Thus men forgot that All deities reside in the human breast.
William Blake
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
1790-1793
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papaj1
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:20pmConfused is right.
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4of7
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 11:30pmC.S. Lewis wrote an excelent rebutal to Blakes work called “The Great Divorce”.
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LogicalMetaphysician
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:47pmSomebody should explain to this evil fraud that urinating into the punch bowl does not make it a dual-use punch bowl. It makes the punch bowl a urinal.
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Granny58
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:07pmgreat analogy
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LogicalMetaphysician
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:46pmNobody who is a Christian can stand Islam. This guy is an impostor. He’s as “Christian” as Rev. Wright (who also, surprise surprise, “was” a Muslim before “converting” to collective-salvation “Christianity”), or Imam Obama who celebrates Ramadan and directs NASA to make Muslims feel better about their stone-age retardation.
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thibx
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:38pmtrue christians should march against these churches. from what i hear lots are in dallas.
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Cesium
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:04pmThere are a lot of similarities between Christianity and Islam. They are more similar to each other in perspective because they’re both extremely extremely obsessed with what happens in the afterlife. They live in fear of going to hell and they both have histories of brutalizing people in the name of the supernatural. The opposite of Judaism.
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Elena2010
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:04pmCesium – you are gravely mistaken. You cannot mistake Jesus for Allah. They are two very different deities.
Jesus is love, truth, and grace.
Allah says of himself that he is the chief deceiver.
Oil and water but no soap!
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Cesium
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 7:33pmYou are missing my point. Despite the teachings of Christ, the perspectives of christianity and Islam are very concerned about salvation/punishment in the after life. This affects the psychology of ones brain. In both cases, Christianity and Islam could use this fear to exploit power and domination over people and carry out atrocious acts in the name of god Just because christians are all so good today doesn’t absolve them from what their beliefs led to for over 1000 years in europe. Carry out atrocious This is different than the ways jewish people. yes it is Ironic about Christ and love, but I’m talking about how the brain is affected by the islamic and christian perspectives. Both of you people think there’s demons and satan and evil spirits everywhere.. You’re both nuts
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MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:10pm@Cesium
In fear of going to hell?
If you are truly a Christian you don’t fear going to hell because Jesus was crucified for the remission of sins. If you know Him as your Savior, the Father God forgives your sin. So your point that Christianity and Islam are the same because they both fear hell is irrelevant.
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ModerationIsBest
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 12:32am@ELENA2010
Jesus’s love?
“Love me or go to hell.”
Ahh, that’s definitely true love there.
Give me a break.
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djpeyton21
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 4:17am@cesium
I think you need to look closer at the core tenants of Christianity and Islam. Christianity is based off the teachings of Christ who did promote peace and non-violence and died on the cross to save us and rose again to justify His claims. Muhammad had two different teachings. And since Muslims are called to look to him as their prime example, so do we. Muhammad taught peace in Mecca because he had a small following and could not challenge the Meccans directly. Later on, when Muhammad was in Medina and had amassed a larger following is when he promoted violence. And since Islam teaches abrogation, that the revelations coming later supersede the revelations that came earlier that would contradict one another, we should assume that islam’s call to violence is the one that Muhammad, and subsequently Allah, found to be better. So really, those “radical” Muslims are really mainstream and the majority of peaceful Muslims are off base. In fact the peaceful Muslims live more like Christians than they live like their prophet, Muhammad, and in some cases, live more faithful lives than some Christians. Please understand that the differences far outweigh the similarities especially in regard to the differences between Jesus and Muhammad. God bless
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momrules
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:37pmStill, Saka stands by the faith he has helped create…….another man made religion.
Saka is straddling the fence and in the process leading people astray.
You cannot combine Islam with Christianity. If you do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died so that we might be saved then you must think think the whole Bible is a lie.
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momrules
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:44pmI should have said died on the Cross, was resurrected and still lives.
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PaxInVeritate
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:57pmThose of us who know ya MOM understand what you meant. =)
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momrules
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:31pmThanks Pax…..
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HoneyBager7x7
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 12:32amDid God say something about “Come out of Babylon?”
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fancynancy
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:35pmWolf in sheep’s clothing. Do not be deceived. Satan is the master of deception and Chrislam is total deception.
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breakobamanow
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:26pmThis has principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places written all over it.
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PhineasJWhoopee
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:34pmHmmm. Forgive me Father for I have sinned. I killed an ambassador and dragged him through the streets.
Say ten our muhammads and go in jihad.
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Wool-Free Vision
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:31pmMuhammad was a false prophet, whose entire purpose was to deceive the multitudes. Pretending that his words have any credibility whatsoever in a Christian church is pure evil. To recognize Muhammed as anything but a liar is pure blasphemy and completely destructive to any church which would do so.
From the story:
“Saka, who was born a Muslim but is now a Christian at heart…”
What the..? How do you pretend to know his heart??? From his actions, I am very suspicious of his heart. Islam teaches that lying, cheating, even murder is virtuous if done in the pursuit of the Caliphate. Knowing that, how can anyone ever claim to know a Muslim’s heart, unless that Muslim is in lock-step with Islam, and even then?
This man and his church absolutely reek of treachery.
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Carlinpa
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:29pmRE” ..nor do they accept the notion that he perished on a cross to save humanity’s sins” This is one of the things I have been posting lately about regarding and direct insult to Christianity. This new “religion” is an abomination.
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momrules
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:40pmAn abomination…….yes it is, just as all man made religions are.
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thibx
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:28pmchrislam is created by the devil himself just like islam. satan hand maiden like rick warren and others doing the job for the devil. false teachers spreading their garbage final destany hell. Jesus will say I never knew you. i never could understand what was so great about that book he wrote. lots of it made no sense.
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Cesium
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:06pmSatan satan satan!!!
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Landon410
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:27pmyep, we’re going to combine Christianity and Islam, you know, Islam, the one that says kill christians, rape their women then kill them, beat your wife and murder your kids…..
that sounds like a plan
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Cesium
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:05pmhmm what where Christians doing 600 years ago??
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Granny58
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:10pm@ Cesium – The difference being that in Islam you are SUPPOSED to do those things, not so with Judaism or Christianity. That people fail is not God’s fault.
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Cesium
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 7:18pm@Granny I’m not an expert in Islam but I’m not sure about the “supposed to do those things…” part.
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Granny58
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 7:57pm@ cesium – murder those who won’t convert…a tenet of Islam.
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djpeyton21
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 4:34am@Cesium
Oh yes those dreadful Crusades. God forbid we fight back against an Islamic force that had previously attacked what were once Christian areas. And like grandma said, Christians were acting against their beliefs. Why? Because Islam was following theirs. They listened to the Quran which says that Muslims ought to follow in the example of Muhammad. And Muhammad, in the final years of his life was an avid warlord who supported killing innocents, rape, sex slaves, lying in the support of Islam, pedophilia(he married a 6 year old and consummated this marriage when she was 9), and pretty much all out jihad. I refer you to religionofpeace.com for more info. So yes, we fought back because we were tired of being kicked around. Which I might add that America did again in the Barbary Wars(the Barbary pirates were Muslim). The crusades lasted for a short time. Yet jihad has been around since Muhammad, 1400 years ago. You do not hear of any other religion that has the same level of violent fanaticism. So no the differences between the character of Jesus and the character of Muhammad are very different and incompatible.
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bikerdogred1
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:26pmThis story should have started by,.This story is bulls#t,nothing else.
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WHISKY13
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:21pmquite a stretch buddy, and rumor has it that Abraham is the first Jew aka father of Judaism… so why isn’t that in your ministry? afraid your tolerant brother Muslims will prove you wrong about your religion of love and peace?
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kickagrandma
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:21pmSorry, feel gooders.
There is ONE GOD, the GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. the man-made “god” allahe doesn’t fit in there.
Also, islam ~~~ is it a religion or not? Make up your minds. Whatever it is, it is not of peace.
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saneromeo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:20pmThe blending of religions will happen, religion will be politically correct, and true believers of the Bible will be persecuted….It’s happened before (Babylon) and it will happen again…
It’s time to figure out if God or Politics will be your master…
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-a-environment/249857-epas-four-gallon-minimum-mandate
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woodyee
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:38pmRomeo, you sly fox!
Did you forward this to The Blaze, c/o the link below, Fox news, etc.?
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Marine25
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:53pmpolitics for me, please.
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Stelex
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:20pmGovernment screws everything it touches up………thanks for the link
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Gonzo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:20pm“It’s still up for debate whether this group, and others like it, could become models for Muslim-Christian unity worldwide” I’m guessing no on that one. For Islam, the only way there can be Muslim-Christian unity is if all the Christians are dead or converted.
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CatB
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:24pm@GONZO .. Amen …
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skiz
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:19pmThese people dont have a clue! You cant combine the two! They are total opposites. One is a religion of tolerence, peace, love and forgivness (christianity). The other is a religion on liars, cheaters, womenizers and murderers.
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PATTY HENRY
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:29pmYes, but what is happening is people who were tricked into ISLAM or born into it and want out, have figured out that the PEACE and LOVE parts of their Koran were actually lifted from the Old and New Testaments when the Tribal Chiefans first conceived that faux ‘religion’ which is actually a CULT. …those people are turning to Christ. They have to pretend to still be under “ISLAM” to avoid being murdered but the truth of CHRIST is now in their hearts…so let them roll. GOD is in charge afterall.
The parts of the Koran that have attracted so many to Islam were actually those parts lifted from the OLD/NEW Testaments in the first place. Islam, without these lifted parts of the BIBLE is just a warring, murdering thug fest. That’s why we should pray for all Muslims for wisdom to SEE/HEAR and comprehend what our Lord wants them to know. I do not include the murdering, lying, torturing IMAMS (the 1000 or so who are trying to herd 1.6 Billion people world-wide) The Muslim people are beginning to catch on.
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skiz
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:59pmI beg to differ. I think the majority of muslims are radical, a few have not truely studied the koran, so they dont know the TRUTH. The reason is islam is based in evil. Like I said earlier, it is the opposite of Christianity.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:18pmSounds like idiots who watched the movie Pitch Black and decided “hey, that religion thing in the movie sounds like fun!”. The movie itself was good, but you don’t start a religion based on a movie’s fictionalized universe.
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PaxInVeritate
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:22pmIndeed… it was a good peace of Science Fiction, but mixing the two theologies for an intriguing story line does not make for real life religion.
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ChildofJesus
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:16pmlike in Narnia one of my favorite series; tashlan for merging the calormen god with the Great Lion.
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woodyee
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:16pmChrislam?
It’s proponents can shove it.
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AnAppealToGod
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:16pm“No one comes to the father except through me” – Jesus
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Chromo200
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:30pmEcellent comment…merging relogion will not work, you just creat another religion, and my bet is that the muslims will eventualy convert to islam by force and intimidation.
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GlennaBeckski
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 12:15pmTrue Christianity stands alone. I don’t believe for one second my God spoke to him to blend the two religions. Quite possible his god did though.
I heard quite a while ago there are a couple of Big name pastors who do endorse this. Sad..
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