COMMENTS

We welcome your feedback. Comments may not exceed 700 characters.

Privacy Policy

Your information will not be shared or sold without your consent. Get all the details.

Terms of Service

JewishJournal.com has rules for its commenting community.Get all the details.

It reminds me of an old joke I heard about Bill Clinton during the Oslo process: “The Palestinians and the Israelis need to work out their differences like good Christians.”

Comment by Guy on 7/06/09 at 4:33 pm

There are lots of “assimilated Muslims” out there, to address Mr. Greenberg’s remark.  However, the U.S. media often goes in search of the outliers, not the mainstream, for the sake of sensationalism and attracting more readers/viewers. We welcomed Pastor Warren’s remarks at ISNA.

Comment by John Showalter on 7/06/09 at 4:55 pm

I agree with you.  Islam through Ismeal, Christianity through Isaac. They follow two different paths.
  One muslim put it this way “Aren’t Christianity, jewdaism, and Islam the three monotheistic religions?
Monotheism=the beliefe in only one God
Therefore let me say we both believe in the same God”
But we obviously do not when He believes in the judgmental and very distent “Allah”, and i believe in a very close and personal Jesus Christ Messiah, Son of God.
“Allah” Teaches basically Works to get to heaven. While my Bible teaches that “by one man [adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin[death is the punishment] so death passed upon all men for that ALL HAVE SINNED.” “All our rightesounesses are as filthy rags” in comparison to the God of the universe. We can’t please God. 
But God in love for us says that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and our only means of salvation from an eternity in hell, “Thou shalt be saved.” It’s that simple. He made it so simple anyone can do it.
That’s why we’re so different.

Comment by Paige Oldre on 7/06/09 at 5:26 pm

It reminds me of a true incident. I was reading through some talkbacks to a news story, and a Muslim poster angrily groused something like “Why can’t the West butt out and let us fight in peace!” I am not making this up.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 7/06/09 at 8:42 pm

The main question you ask is why Rick is speaking at the ISNA conference?  While I do not wish to offer an apologia for ISNA, I would refer you to multiple articles that describe the organization’s goals in reaching out to other faiths, including Judaism, and denouncing terrorism (Rabbi Eric Yoffie, the leader of the largest branch of American Judaism, addressed the convention two years ago; also see the AP story on July 1 by Zoll,  and stories in the Christian Post, Church Solutions and even the Washington Times in the past week). 
What I would like to clarify is Rick’s message and motive.  You claim that Rick probably doesn’t have an agenda, but I would like to assert that it is his lifelong agenda that led him to accept the invitation to speak at ISNA.  You may have noticed that outside of Saddleback Church, and Rick’s 30 year Purpose Driven Ministry to pastors, he does very little speaking to Christian groups of believers.  Instead, he invests his time speaking to groups of unbelievers that most pastors never get the opportunity to share with.  He carefully considers the opportunities that God has given him to address these audiences.  These are folks that Jesus died for, but would never enter a church to hear the Good News.  Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Luke 5:31 (NIV)  Rick believes strongly that if you want to actively demonstrate the love of Christ to others as He commands us to, then you have to reach out to a variety of audiences.  No one is ever convinced of God’s love by labeling, condemnation, or anger.  Rick strongly believes that if we want to behave in a Christ-like example, we must not waste any time judging others (Jesus didn’t), but instead, do everything we can to build relationships of love and respect and trust with others.
In our secular culture, there are about a dozen different groups of influencers that we at Saddleback seek to serve and reach out to including those in academics, business, military, sports, health care, media, prisoners, entertainment, other faiths, and government.  If we are to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission in the world, we must build bridges to all of these, and more. Just know the goal of every speaking engagement Rick accepts is always the same: The global glory of God.  We seek to build bridges of love - from our hearts to hearts of even those we may disagree with - so that Jesus can walk across! 
The theme of the session at which Rick will speak is “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” a theme most appropriate for a message on perhaps our country’s most sacred day, Independence Day.  Rick will bring a message appropriate to the values of the meaning of this day on what America and all Americans, not just Muslims or Christians, need to maintain our independence.  Freedom and independence were at the core of our country’s founders and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect this country across its history.  As a pastor, Rick intimately understands these values, particularly the value of religious freedom, and will fiercely advocate for them unashamedly in front of any audience.  But religious freedom means the right to practice the religion of one’s choice regardless of whether or not others agree with a particular religion’s tenets, and the freedom to associate for the common good of all Americans and for those less fortunate than us around the world.  That is a value that is not only part of our heritage as Americans, but also a commandment of Jesus Christ.
I appreciate the opportunity to clarify Rick’s appearance before ISNA and would refer you to a recent issue of Rick’s “News and Views” in which he thoroughly discusses why he speaks to a variety of audiences.
http://www.saddlebackfamily.com/blogs/newsandviews/index.html?contentID=2625

Comment by cunderwo on 7/06/09 at 10:24 pm

Rick Warren, like so many other well meaning people of influence, is clueless. If he had any idea of how ICNA has been tied to funding terrorism surely he would behave differently? I wonder if dear pastor Rick knows what hudna, kitman, taqiyya, etc. mean? What a dope. As a Christian, he embarrasses me. Faith is not a license to be uninformed when the truth conflicts with your feelings. ISLAM will always promote the murder of the Jew in its scriptures and as such, people of conscience, must stand against it.

Comment by nojizyatax on 1/20/10 at 11:31 am

Chrislam ???  This is no suprise to me, In the last days we who hold only to the Gospel will be laughed at.Many so called churches and clergy will laugh at people believing in only the Bible and that Rabbi Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) is the Only Way. I am a Messianic Jew.A lady who believes that Rabbi Messiah Yeshua is the Messiah and King of Israel and saviour of the world. John 1:49 The Bible teaches that we must be aware and on guard.Rick Warren ,Joel Olstein are smooth and tricky ,deceptive,,just that what the Anti-Messiah(Christ) will be like.!I also forsee large mega churches and yes maybe church buildings altogether will be a thing of the past due to hate speach crime ,pastors will be arrested from the pulpit. I forsee a return to the home .Groups will meet in homes with the door locked .Areturn full circle 2000 years ago as the Assembly(Church) started with a handfull of Jews following a Jewish Rabbi Yeshua (Jesus) Shalom !

Comment by Jennifer Giuliano on 6/23/11 at 5:50 am

Part II Notes on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith,,,,,,,,” Many people ask me how can I be a Jew and also a (Christian) The real question is “How can a Gentile be saved ? Jer.31:31 New Testament given by God to the Jewish People ! Rabbi Yeshua (Jesus) sends out the desciples with the Gospel Matt 10:5 ONLY to Jews Woman needs help Matt 15 Deciples say get her out of here Yeshua (Jesus)calls her a DOG !but then heals her daughter.At this point my question is again how can a Gentile be saved? Go to Acts 10 .Remember the Assembly(church) was established for years ALL Jews !! Kefa(Peter) preaches to a house full of Romans Acts 10 is the first Gentile saved Not Acts 8 the African was a Black Jew.Please read the book"Our Father Abraham"Also remember Allah is a Pagan Moon god Our God the Father is a Living God. Baruch Ha Ba B’Shem Adoni !! Shalom

Comment by Jennifer Giuliano on 6/23/11 at 6:04 am

Read through romans. It’s all about how to be saved. There are no restrictions given in the beging of this letter that state. “FOR JEWS ONLY”. and there is no illusion to it. One thing that i would like to know is what the Bible means when it says “for they are not all Isreal which are of Isreal”. (Romans 9:6)
If i may humbly suggest, Read Romans 9:1-33. It explains that God “will have mercy on whomever He will have mercy” b/c He is God and we have no right to question him.
Paul talks about how that salvation is not only for the Jews but ALSO to the gentiles.
John 3:16 and john 1:29 are also great references for understanding that Jesus Christ (Yeshua)died for the sisns of the whole world. that’s jew or gentile.
anyone can be made a member of God’s family (God’s chosen people by (1) Believing they have sinned (i.e. done wrong things against God’s laws and commandments) (2) understanding that there is no way that WITH our sins we can go to live with God in heaven (He is a Holy God and therefore He cannot dwell with sin (3) understanding that God sent His Son Yeshua to die on a cross so that through His death we might be made free (“the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life [heaven] through Jesus Christ [through His payment for us on the cross] our Lord” [Romans 6:23]) (4) one must also understand and believe that Christ not only died but also rose again(came back to life) from the dead to show that he was indeed God’s Son Yeshua who had the power over death.
Now when someone (anyone) knows and believes this they must (5) confess to Jesus (one on one through prayer to Jesus HIMSELF) that they cannot go to heaven on their own merit and that they knwo they NEED Him (i.e. place their trust in Him) to go to heaven and escape Hell.
that is how i was saved, and how i KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that when i die, i am going to heaven.
I say all this knowing that you can only see this as true if you truely trust that what God said in His Word the Bible is true. The Bible is how we get to know God. if you don’t trust it to be true, you can’t trust God or know anything about Him.

Comment by Paige Turner on 7/02/11 at 8:27 am

Post a Comment

Name:
Email:

Type the word you see below:

Comment:

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

About this Blog

Blog Home
About the Blogger(s)
Contact

Blog Archive

• By Month
• Categories

• By Month
• Categories