"You love Jesus, I Like him"

(...in light of all this talk about Religion...)

I know that love can exist between a Muslim and a Christian. Is it sustainable is the question? Is a marriage between any two opposing religions sustainable in the long haul? I suppose the answer to that question lies within the two people in the relationship, their personal level of faith and commitment to their faith, how they want to raise their kids, their lifestyle...

My thought on religion so often is that instead of unifying people, it is devisive. But then again, as somone just reminded me, Jesus was devisive. I myself am not super religious, but was raised in a Christian family, schooled my entire life in private Christian schools, went to church, was part of my youth ministry program, it has been engrained in me, 'I love Jesus' and, I do. Like many, (including in most recent news Mother Theresa), I have gone through periods where I question my faith, entertain other theologies but yet, I find that Jesus...yup he was onto something.

I still find that the educated, open-minded part of me knows and accepts that the Holy Bible (and Catholic Church) may be questionable in content (many books within the Bible were written decades after Jesus lived, and the book was basically 'assembled' at the Nicean Council). Christians through time have killed, been killed, waged in war...they are just like all religions so perversly intertwined with power and politics. The cerebral part of me screams, "Christianity is only your roots- that's why you believe it!" "This is your tradition, of course it is going to feel like the right path!"

But one thing I do know, is that I just love Jesus.

There is is also a greater part of me, that goes beyond checking a box that reads: I am a _____ religion. That part of says, there is a God and all this division is merely the work of man. God provided diffrent tools, for diffrent people to find him. He has instilled not only common law (the Ten Commandents) but outlined a way of good living for each religion to follow, yet even still with all these directions to follow, some do not follow any path to God.

So if I feel that way, does it really matter what religion my children are raised or only that they are close to God and lead moral good lives? Muslims believe in Jesus- as The Messiah too!! Born of the Virgin Mary and the whole shibang. There are of course some parts they just don't buy (The Trinity, God's Son situation and they believe that he never died on the cross but that God raised him to heaven and allowed a common soul to die in his place) So is it more important to me to raise my children with the faith that I was raised with, or just make sure they are raised with a faith in God? (and thankfully, a faith in Jesus too)

more later