To my Christian grandchildren I believe in Jesus. Therefore I call myself a Christian. Let me illustrate with an example of what it is to believe.
I believe in Santa Claus. This means that I do what Saint Nicholas did. I give gifts anonymously.
It is true that after Saint Nicholas died his followers created a story of a man at the North Pole directing elves and delivering toys to children everywhere by reindeer power. It allowed adults to maintain their anonymity.
I eventually discarded the myth but not my belief in the message of Saint Nicholas. Giving gifts anonymously is good for me.
Eventually I understood even more of the goodness of giving gifts anonymously. The adult learns he can give grace. He gets the feeling of giving in secret and understands that through grace the giving and the getting are no different. (He understands the nature of God’s love).
The child receives from who knows where. It helps the child to believe in the existence of Grace.
I believe in Jesus. He charged us to love our neighbors like we love God. It is easy to love God because it has no down side. He said we should love our neighbors the same way.
He charged his followers to” be perfect even as your father in heaven is perfect “. This means Jesus asks for more than giving love lip service. You must treat your neighbor the way you treat God.
He charged his disciples to heal.
He charged his disciples to spread the message of love. I believe that receiving the message of love heels.
He did not charge anyone to believe in his resurrection. How could he? He had not as yet been crucified.
Much came later, including Paul.
Jesus was crucified at 33 years old. He was between discovery and knowledge, a time filled with absolute belief in knowledge. The Jesus in my heart is older, filled with wonder and grace. He damns no one to Hellfire.
When I was 28 and had the enlightenment yielding “the axiom of choice” and “the theory of unity” I had an absolute belief in knowledge. I spent ten years teaching students my beliefs. If I had died at 38 years old I would have felt forsaken. With humility came wisdom, then wonder. So it is with a grown-up Jesus whose maturity is beyond the Bible.
Because my children want it I include Jesus in my meditations. It is easy to love Jesus and the Jesus I know is so full of Grace there is no requirement of Jesus, not even the requirement of love. But like the axiom of choice says, I choose (by my own free will). The Jesus I know is so humble as to allow any spirit I choose to join us in meditation. I honor my children as they honor me since there is no violence involved.
Now, no matter whom my grandchildren wish to marry, I know that they can honor me no matter how they view God. Through the theory of unity I understand that all God’s messengers are God. The mature God I know is so full of grace and humility that he/she /it accepts all views. In arrogance I lift my head within the council of meditation and know that their grace and humility welcome it. It is my time of life in our time of spirit.
If you understand God as a Christian and your mate understands God as a Muslim keep your faith. Your children will be able to honor both of you and God will have his children. Pray together as a family. Attended both churches. It is your children’s business to choose.
Fear not for we all are always together. Cherish fate knowing that it’s unfolding holds your children past your time to choose. It can be trusted as surely as the God of your understanding can be trusted. Let your child call him/herself a Christian-Muslim so as to honor (you) his / her parents. You honor your ancestors in this way.
Amazingly, only now at 67 years old can I put together the three parts of the preface of my life. At seven years old, first I accepted Jesus, second I rejected the myth and legend and finally I felt the love. When I pray, Jesus listens.