This article first appeared at: pintswithaquinas.com
Muslims often try to convert non-believers — including Christians — to their religion, and they are succeeding far too often.
As Islam becomes more widely practiced in the U.S. and Europe, you’re likely to meet a Muslim at some point who will challenge your Christian beliefs.
Make sure to familiarize yourself with these three ways a Muslim may try to convert you.
1. They compare their rigorous fasting to Christians’ lighter fast
During their holy month of Ramadan, Muslims completely abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Definitely more rigorous than the Church’s current laws on fasting! We only have to fast a couple of times a year, and when we do fast, we just eat less — fasting usually doesn’t mean complete abstinence from food.
The greater self-discipline required for the Muslim fast definitely makes Islam seem like a tougher, more masculine religion than Christianity. If you tell a Muslim you’re fasting and then proceed to eat a small, meatless salad, they’ll be confused.
2. They boldly practice their faith in public
It’s not uncommon to see Muslims lay out their prayer mats in public, kneel down, face Mecca and begin to pray. Many will use their break times at work to pray. Some have even been spotted praying on the side of the highway!
That’s some real dedication. And they’ll note it to convince you of the truth of their religion.
Of course, there are Catholics who have no qualms about publicly expressing their faith. But many of us are just too timid. For example, does your family pray out loud together while eating at home, but not in a restaurant? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us hide our faith in public.
Which makes it easier for Muslims to convince people that their religion is more sincere.
3. They may try to trap you on the Trinity
To be fair, most Muslims have never studied the Christian doctrine of the Trinity from Christian sources. They often depend on hearsay from their fellow Muslims. The result is that they usually have a mistaken idea of what Christians actually believe about the Trinity.
For example, expect them to question you on how Jesus can be both God and the Son of God. And they may challenge you on Jesus’ divine sonship by claiming that God has no wife, and therefore cannot have a son.
Of course, the Trinity is a tricky subject even for most Christians. Check out this post we made on how to explain the Trinity to your Muslim friends.
Many Catholics falter in their faith because they’re caught off guard by unexpected challenges. Don’t let this happen to you! Bolster your faith now so that you can be prepared when anyone, including your Muslim friends, challenges you. And maybe you can even turn the tables and lead them to Jesus!
How Islam Led Me Back To Christ
~ Charbel Raish | Parousia (Paperback)
Charbel Raish was born into a Catholic home. But, in the last 6 years of school, he was influenced and challenged in his faith by Islamic friends. In his final year, he struggled to make a choice. He visited a mosque to give his life to Allah and Muhamed. But God wasn’t done with him yet. Charbel visited a church, begging God for a sign. His life was transformed forever.
This conversion story shares what happened that day in the Mosque and the Church! Learn about his family upbringing, and how his school years influenced him. When he finally turned to God, and took his faith in his own hands, he experienced an encounter with Christ. An encounter that radically transformed a young man to be filled with zeal and passion for the truth. This led him into the seminary, study, marriage, being a father to nine children, and founding Parousia, a lay apostolate. Be moved and inspired by how God worked in his life, and how you can access God’s grace – if you only turn to Him!
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