Meeting Famous Figures in the Afterlife

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Yes

 

 

 

 

George Washington.  Btw, who is 'Rumi'?

Isn't he a Muslim?

 

 

 

Not anymore.

 

Yes,I will use that in a past tense.Was this person a Muslim?

 

Yes, however a lot of their poetic writings reflected Hinduism.

[Ezra]

 

 

George Washington.  Btw, who is 'Rumi'?

Isn't he a Muslim?

Not anymore.

What do you mean "Not anymore"? Are you aware that Rumi lived in the 13th century and was a commited Sufi Muslim?

 

Speaking of the "afterlife" Ethrayn, it appears that you are not familiar with the Christian view of the afterlife.

 

In this life (as well as in the afterlife) there are only two groups of people as far as God is concerned.  Those who have been saved by grace, and are "in Christ", and those who are not.  The Bible calls them "the just" and "the unjust" or "the righteous" and "the damned". Those who are in Christ are presently in Heaven.  Those who are not in Christ are presently in Hades, awaiting their final judgement.  There is no communication between these two groups.

 

So if you are a person who is saved, you will not meet Rumi, or anyone who is not saved.  And if you are not saved, then "now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation". 

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Ezra,

 

I only meant that they were dead. I apologize for any offense.

[Guest]

 

What non-Biblical religious figure would you most like to meet if you could talk to him or her and ask questions in the afterlife? 

 

I would most like to meet Rumi.

 

I did a little reading on Rumi.  Are you muslim, ethrayn? 

 

 

No, I consider myself a Christian mystic (as in knowing God, and He reveals Himself to me and communicates with me directly).  I liked Rumi's zealous interaction with God.

 

I've just read this page at the following link (none of its side links, so I don't know if they apply), but kind of like this (no rituals or New Age philosophy involved in my beliefs):

Edited August 8, 2015 by Steve_S
Removed link due to questionable content in some of the links on the site.

[Guest]

 

 

 

George Washington.  Btw, who is 'Rumi'?

Isn't he a Muslim?

Not anymore.

What do you mean "Not anymore"? Are you aware that Rumi lived in the 13th century and was a commited Sufi Muslim?

 

Speaking of the "afterlife" Ethrayn, it appears that you are not familiar with the Christian view of the afterlife.

 

In this life (as well as in the afterlife) there are only two groups of people as far as God is concerned.  Those who have been saved by grace, and are "in Christ", and those who are not.  The Bible calls them "the just" and "the unjust" or "the righteous" and "the damned". Those who are in Christ are presently in Heaven.  Those who are not in Christ are presently in Hades, awaiting their final judgement.  There is no communication between these two groups.

 

So if you are a person who is saved, you will not meet Rumi, or anyone who is not saved.  And if you are not saved, then "now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation". 

 

Well, I did get a bit mixed up during some things that happened to me during my return to God, but I was raised Christian, believe Christ is the Son of God, and confessed with my mouth that "Jesus is Lord" again when I returned to ensure that I was saved.  I just got bit overly obsessed with God the Father and was a bit unsure how to handle Christ as the Gatekeeper as that relates to mysticism when it comes to faith--how to ensure that I was making Him my Rock instead of becoming overly dependent on God, the Father.  I believe Muslims and Christians believe in the same God, but we may not go to the same place in the afterlife.

[Guest shiloh357]

Jesus isn't a gatekeeper.  Don't know where that idea comes from.   Jesus is God and He is the Savior, the only way to God.    And not to put too fine a point on things, but Muslims and Christians do not worship the same deity.   There is no similarity between them in any meaningful way.

[Littlelambseativy]

Well said Shiloh. Christ is not the gatekeeper..He is the DOOR and no one can come to the Father but by and through Him. Muslims and Christians do not believe in the same God or the same Jesus.

[Guest]

Here are some passages and links about Jesus as the Gatekeeper:

 

Matthew 7:13-14 (King James 2000):

13Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be who go in there:

14Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

John 10:1-18 (King James 2000): 

The Shepherd and His Sheep

1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the gatekeeper opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

4And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6This parable spoke Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spoke unto them.

7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

12But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep.

13The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

 

The following Q and A’s are from http://tinyurl.com/o84xysg:

 

Question: Who is the "gatekeeper"?  See verses 7 & 9.

Answer: Jesus is both the "gate" and the "gatekeeper."  It is only through Him that the shepherds/ministerial priesthood can enter in to shepherd the Covenant people.

Question:  Why is Jesus identified with the gate, the gatekeeper, and the Shepherd?  What is the "sheepfold" and the "flock" in Jesus' parable?

Answer: Jesus identifies Himself as the "shepherd" and the "gate" as well as the "gatekeeper" while the Church is both the sheepfold and the flock in this parable. He applies to Himself the image of the gate or door with the understanding that He is the only way into the "sheepfold" which is the Church and those who shepherd His flock only do so under His, "the gatekeeper's" authority.  The documents of Vatican II teach: The Church is a sheepfold, the sole and necessary gateway to which is Christ (cf. Jn. 10:1-10).  It is also a flock, of which God foretold that He himself would be the shepherd (cf. Isaiah 40:11; Ez 34:11ff), and whose sheep, although watched over by human shepherds, are nevertheless at all times led and brought to pastor by Christ himself, the Good Shepherd and Prince of Shepherds (cf. John 10:11, 1 Peter 5:4) who gave his life for his sheep (cf. Jn 10:11-15). Lumen Gentium 6.

John 10:4-5: When he has brought out all those that are his, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice.  They never follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.

In Wendell Keller's book A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalms, Keller speaks of this phenomenon. The sheep that have been raised by one shepherd will indeed run from the unfamiliar voice of a stranger.

 

 

I stand firm in my belief that God the Father and Allah are the same God, but their followers see different sides of Him based on their beliefs of His nature.  One of the things I find unacceptable about the Muslim faith is that they call Jesus a slave.  At least they are taught that Jesus was righteous (Sura 3:46).

Edited August 8, 2015 by ethrayn

[FresnoJoe]

I stand firm in my belief that God the Father and Allah are the same God, but their followers see different sides of Him based on their beliefs of His nature.  One of the things I find unacceptable about the Muslim faith is that they call Jesus a slave.  At least they are taught that Jesus was righteous (Sura 3:46).

 

 

Beloved, The Same God?

 

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:16-17

 

Surely 

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

 

They

 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

 

Jest

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 

Or Perhaps Not

 

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

 

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

 

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

 

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Revelation 6:14-17

[Guest]

 

I stand firm in my belief that God the Father and Allah are the same God, but their followers see different sides of Him based on their beliefs of His nature.  One of the things I find unacceptable about the Muslim faith is that they call Jesus a slave.  At least they are taught that Jesus was righteous (Sura 3:46).

 

 

Beloved, The Same God?

 

Sufi mystics see their God as the Beloved.

 

Also, this site lists the 99 Names of Allah, including Al-Wadūd, The One who Loves: 

 

On the above site, an author agrees with me there: “To your surprise an English Author David Bentley who is a Christian was so inspired by these beautiful names of God that he has written a book called ‘The Beautiful Names of God’ which is a very inspiring book for Muslims, Christians and Jews as they all call upon the same GOD (Allah in Arabic, Elohim in Hebrew and Theós in Greek).”

Edited August 8, 2015 by Steve_S
Removed link to site promoting Islam - please refrain from posting sites like this in the future.