Confessions of A Muslim Woman
“We’re transporting a mid-thirties female who developed a headache, stiff neck and chills around one o’clock this afternoon. She’s also dizzy and tachycardic with a low blood pressure at ninety palp. She has no medical history or recent illness. I’m worried that she may have meningitis. We have an IV running. We’re about ten minutes out.”
“Copy that… we’ll see you in ten.”
Sandra didn’t know what meningitis was. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to go to the hospital, but on a friend’s advice, she called 911. Soon after we heard her story, the masks went on. We weren’t taking any chances.
The IV start went pretty easy. She thanked me for getting it done quickly and not hurting her. We chatted on the ride to the hospital. She told me one of her babies was born in the back of an ambulance.
“They must have hated you for that”, I said.
“Yeah… they were really nervous. One of them told me it was his first time delivering a baby.”
“They’re not supposed to tell you that,” I said laughing.
Hi. I’m the doctor who will be removing your brain tumor and I want you to know how excited I am to have my first try at this.
As we neared the hospital, I thought about how I’d ask a Muslim woman if I could pray with her.
This should be easy, I thought. I’ve done it before.
Sandra looked me in the eyes and calmly said, “I just wanted to thank you for being so kind to me. Some of the other men didn’t seem to care about my problem, but I know you do. You know… before I became a Muslim, I was a Christian. But I couldn’t take the judgment and criticism from the church anymore, so now I’m a Muslim.”
Where did this come from? I wondered.
This is the point in the transport where I’m supposed to ask if I can pray with her. Now, I felt ashamed for even wanting to ask.
“Well, Sandra… I really like my job. I like taking care of sick people, so it’s easy for me to care about you.”
“It’s important that you like the work you do. If you don’t like your job, you should probably find a different one because you’re going to make everyone around you miserable.”
“You have a point, I replied. “I think it’s especially true in healthcare. When people are suffering, the last thing they want is a grumpy, bitter person taking care of them.”
We pulled into the ambulance bay and unloaded the gurney then took her to her room. I gave report to her nurse and said farewell to Sandra. It’s been five hours since we transporter her and I can’t get her out of my mind.
I know that Muslims are meeting Jesus in dreams and visions. In the middle east, Christianity is on the rise. But Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and many new converts are former Christians. Many who follow New Age teachings are likewise former believers. I can’t help but wonder why are so many people are leaving the church.
Maybe they’ve sensed that we don’t truly care about them.
I’ll close with a question: If we’re supposed to love the way Jesus loved, forgive the way He forgave, and heal the way he healed, why do so many find the church to be a place of criticism, condemnation, and judgment?
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The answer is a plain and simple yes. Yes we are supposed to represent Jesus to everyone we encounter – He is living in us after all. Let’s keep this simple, there are enough complications aready in the world.
I am certain when we repent for those people have turned away from Jesus by something we have done, spoken, or even implied, there will come a change. Intentional life In Jesus, allows obeying the Voice that heals.
I have to wonder what kind of church Sandra was going too. Yes we are supposed to show His love to everyone we come in contact with and if we are not perhaps we need to examine ourselves to see why not.
For some reason, many churches do not come across as places of love. One doesn’t feel real, sincere caring, like that of Jesus. There may be an affected warmth for church growth purposes, but not real caring. At times, there is much competition and territoriality. We so need to awaken, be revived, come alive again – to love.
I do not ever speak in public!! call it stage fright or what ever, I just dont. I once attended a church in Michigan and was even on there softball team. One Sunday morning in the begining of the service the Pastor asked me to give my testimony !!! I turned and walked out the door and never went back. Now understand this My mother has played the piano at Church most of her life and she is now 87. My father was a undenominational Pastor and sang in a Christian quartet. I dont speak in public ever !!!!
I’m sorry to hear about your experience. The pastor should have asked you before the service if you would be willing to give your testimony. He should have had the simple courtesy to ask ahead of time, like Saturday.
Churches can be sources of support and comfort to those who fit in the norm of what’s accepted in that church. Many who don’t fit will feel it from the moment they walk in. People are messy and some people can’t look past the mess. Jesus loved and welcomed no matter what. He lived seeing people through eyes of compassion. We need more of that.
That is very interesting. I have never heard of Christians becoming Muslim before, but I have met a few Christians that would make you want to leave the church as soon as possible!
I have heard that most people who become Mormons are already Christians. It seems like the church isn’t giving them the almost too good to be true news.
I have had many such conversations with those that have been wounded, rejected, judged…etc. By the Church. My response, after listening has been to apologize. Sincerely…that we had not been able to rightly portray the Father, Son or Holy Spirit. Many times being met with tears and comments that they never expected to have a Christian apologize… Sad commentary. But, in many situations, this is what the world “sees” in The Church. Thank GOD…we are learning His Ways…His Heart and His Mind. Thank-you so much for sharing. We learn so much through transparency in others…
To forgive the way Jesus did we have to have his Father and his God. Not the God of religion.
The God of religion was a liar and a murderer from the beginning.
Anyone who leaves Jesus for another faith most likely never knew him in the first place. I have found that this is not just the fault of other Christians creating a poor example, but also a lack of true repentence on the part of the person leaving the faith.
Not true at all. Many people drift away from the Lord on the surface but deep down in their spirit they have not. The Lord calls them back and they respond. This happens a lot more than you realise and you don’t know the state of their heart so cannot assume anything.
Cried. The grief of my heart. Father, teach us how to love. Thanks for sharing. (I’m getting myself together so I can comment! LOL! I have three wordpress passwords and can hardly ever seem to get them all in one place at the same time! Working on it!! God bless you!!)
What I’ve been impressed with in my walk is this… and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
In the 80’s I attended a church that became involved in deliverance to the point that it became the main focus. To the point that the pastor talked about satan more than Jesus. My first husband was a cabinet maker and had got his hand caught in a jointer and it shredded his thumb to the middle joint and messed up the ligaments in his hand. The following Sunday I was at church and was crying (I couldn’t understand how God could let it happen, after all, I had prayed for him that morning of the accident) The church leaders said “Let us help you and took me to a room and began shouting and yelling at me for demons of fear and stuff to come out of me, but nothing happened. They kept this up for about a half an hour. Afterwards, I literally felt as if I had been raped. I’ve never been able to completely get comfortable in a church setting since that time.
I think Christians are, sadly, the greatest reason for alienation apart from God in muslim, new age, neo-pagan, and homosexual communities. We have lost sight of the true enemy and point fingers at persons and people groups as being the enemy. We then vilify those people and actually do more harm to drive the away from God rather than to reconcile them back to God. We continue to operate under that old mindset of condemnation rather than from the new ministry of reconciliation.
We are to be the light of the world as He is the light shinning through us. Jesus displayed intimacy with the Father to His disciples by always communicating, praying and getting His direction from His Father. Most Christians lack intimacy with their God. The gifts and the fruit of the Spirit are ‘caught’ not just ‘taught’ by the enabling of the Holy Spirit within. We seem to be performance minded rather than just being focused on being a friend of God. We have to rely on the Spirit to enable us to choose a higher mindset and behavior in each and every situation and allow His thoughts to become ours.
Very sad. My guess is the church she left must have been one of those that has not discovered the good news of Jesus yet. Unfortunate that they think they are Christian, when they are still bound under law and condemnation. The good news of the kingdom of God does not drive people away…they were attracted to Jesus. If people are repulsed, they do not have the spirit and message that Jesus did.
I think it’s because we are all waiting to be accepted by Our fellow brother’s and sister’s in our church. But when they start to judge us and twisted God and Jesus words and become judgmental about us we run to another church even a different church. I was born into a catholic church as I grew up the judging started so I was introduced to none denomination church were I feel at home with my brother’s and sister’s in Christ. We just want to feel loved and cared about. I feel we all need to work on being more like Jesus was on earth. Remember when Jesus asked the lady at the fountain for water a Genital and her reaction and what Jesus said. We have to love more and be kinder more. Just my opinion. I’m still working on being a better Christian to my brother’s and sister’s. I’m not perfect but I’m working on myself. To be a better person in Christ.
I don’t know much about the Muslim faith, or the community, or how they interact. Do they welcome people freely? Do they love unconditionally? Are they a big, happy family? I’ve always found that people are generally still people, in whatever setting, or religion. Some groups are nicer than others, but that’s the result of the love and maturity of the individuals involved in the group, not the religion itself. God is Love and believe it or not, He hasn’t isolated Himself strictly to the Christian faith. He can be found everywhere.
Like her I left the Christian church, but unlike her I didn’t seek another religion. I had no reason to do so because I didn’t think the problem was with the religion, but rather with people, themselves. Father God was more than able to carry on a relationship with me, even an isolated one.
Therefore I think there is more to her story than simply the judgment and criticism she lays strictly at Christian feet. That fault is not only ours.
For instance, she may have fallen in love with, and married a Muslim man, and as a result, she was criticized and judged by her Christian church. That would certainly be highly likely.
Yes, we are supposed to represent Jesus and His heart of unconditional love. But that happens through maturity and personal relationship with Him. Every Christian is at a different stage of development. We aren’t one big group hug. We aren’t all alike. And when we try to portray that facade, we only become fake and insincere. Some of us are more loving than others. And that’s the truth of it in any group or any religion.
Therefore, I, personally, reject her assessment as a good reason to switch religions. It may be the one she’s telling herself, and it is certainly the one that has become popular in anti-christian groups, but the logic doesn’t work.
This is becoming a popular mindset these days, but it’s no different than when atheism was the thing. We have to look at the finger pointing at us and assess its veracity. The accuser usually has holes in his theory. We must have the courage to do like David did, and ask Father to check our hearts, and see if there be any wicked thing.
There’s my humble two cents. Blessings, my friend 😀
Why did you not witness to her? Fear? shame? What kept you separate from her?
As a physician I ask myself the same question when I fail to witness “boldly” but I hardly ever fail to say “I’m praying for you” before I start a surgery and then do it.
Let’s all pray for each other to grow a pair and like Paul not be ashamed of the gospel.
Yes this is a good point…you are observing a result, but—The only problem with the church is…people go there. The church is not the problem, people are. Please stop making her the scapegoat, it’s when we believe the lies of the enemy that error occurs, in EVERY relationship. Saying it’s the churches’ fault could keep that very soul who would have met Jesus from going.
Yes, please pray for our churches…Light Shine, darkness be illuminated!!!
Many in the Christian church strive to reach God through religiosity. As a result many have not really experienced new life from the true source of love, the Father. In reality, Christianity lived this way is just like any other religion in the world. This is probably what the woman you met earlier experienced, religiosity. There is no life and love in it.
True Christianity is always a downward movement, and thus the sons and daughters of God are to be receivers of His perfect love which casts out fear. The reason so many of us feel condemned, have fears, judge others is that love hasn’t fully come down to the deep areas of our hearts and we are not comforted from past hurts and pains. We can only truly love others by the amount we have truly experienced love from the Father. Most of the Christian church have stopped at the door that is Jesus, and yet He was pointing us to the real source of life, His Father. We all need sonship lessons from Jesus to be able to truly experience the vast and wide love of the Father. Only then can we be changed, can the church be changed and have life flowing out of each one. Once that happens, the love that overflows in each one can shine a light in the darkest places of the world.
All I can think is did she really know Jesus. You may leave a church but you wouldn’t change faiths .
I’ve heard of Christians converting to Islam. It’s my belief that a lot of people see Christianity and see a lukewarm facade or piety. But in Islam, devotion and piety is strong. So strong that lots of people see that and think, “that must be true spirituality.”
It’s a strong deception. Even Muslims credit their piety as strong and true religion. But Christianity in America? It’s a joke. The real Christians are invisible and smaller than most think.
PM, it is interesting that this story has inspired so many reactions and you have remained quiet and allowed them to be heard and digested. As we sit back an reread the different perspectives voiced here, many of us are learning more about the state of the ‘Church’ today. We, who believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour are the (body of Christ) ‘church’. But, what this woman’s experience reveals is that she likely encountered an organized group of religious practicioners who met inside a building and call it a church. That is the same experience that hundreds of millions of people worldwide have come to know as Christianity. That kind of church is not what I believe Jesus commanded us to be and does not represent what he sees as his (bride) church.
The world is full of man made organizations with religious affiliations and practices and rules that are known to the world as ‘church’. And, whether we like to admit it or not, they are often not a collection of believers who Jesus would identify as his disciples. But, Jesus did call us all out and teach us and tell us what we will be in him. As disciples we will do the things he did. We will walk in power as he did and demonstrate in power as he did that the kingdom of heaven is here now. We will show the same kind of compassion, love and forgiveness for sinners that he showed and we will definitely not be known for our practice of condemnation and judgement. Should any of us be surprised that this woman left her prior religious experience in search of God? Jesus is not surprised and he is patiently waiting for his disciples to reveal the truth about who he is and who his ‘church’ is.
Thanks for continuing to challenge us about what it looks like to walk in Christ.
jsinseattle
Well, yes there are sadly too many people not attending a Church, now, or have fellowship, with each other.for various reasons..I think maybe satan is sifting us as sand? Trying anything to try and isolate us from the TRUTH! GOD IS LOVE! a noun and a verb… thank you Trish Hale.
Some people come to church hoping to receive unconditional love. They become disillusioned when they don’t feel it from the members of the church. The tricky thing about love is that you don’t really feel it (from people) until you give it. There is a process of growth, from a child receiving love, to sharing brotherly love, and finally giving unconditional love like a parent. “When I was a child. . .”
The church can never sustain us by itself. We must be engrafted into Jesus in order to grow to perfect love. Matthew 5:43-48
If we really know His love, we won’t be swayed by the imperfect love of those around us.
My thoughts are similar to 1heartle’s. When I was a child growing up in a tiny town where everyone knew everyone as well as their sins, those in the local church were all pretty gossipy and hypocritical for the most part. I had gotten saved in 4th grade at a church while attending their bible school. It was an awesome moment–complete with Holy Spirit heat, tears, goosebumps. One of the deacons tried to molest me later on the bible school bus (put his hand up my dress). In later years when I attended a church function as a teen at a different church, it happened again! I rejected the church, I rejected religion, but I never one time considered rejecting God or Jesus, and I sure never considered switching to a different god. The first lesson the Lord ever taught me was never to judge His perfect love for me by an imperfect church. As much as my heart breaks for this woman’s experience, the church is not God and eternity is too important to let offense dictate which God I serve.