Because my wife and I often travel to churches around the US to help Christians gain God’s great heart for Muslims, we are often asked the question:
“Do they have Sharia Law in Dearborn, Michigan?”
Surely there are some Arab Muslim families – Lebanese, Iraqi, or Yemeni – that might practice some form of Sharia in Dearborn. Conflict resolution (to keep issues out of court) might be a good example. But is Sharia the official law of the city? Not at all.
We love Dearborn, Michigan – the people, the culture, and of course, the food!
Being in Dearborn makes us feel like we are back in the Middle East. In Jordan. Or Lebanon. Or Palestine. Places where we feel so comfortable.
In Dearborn, we can go to a park in the summer and speak for hours with people from all over the Middle East. We can talk freely about our faiths and even pray together without fear of any kind of religious police shutting us down. (I have been blacklisted from one Middle Eastern country, so I know about being “shut down”)
In Dearborn, we can visit a mosque almost anytime and be kindly received by the people there. I have walked into mosques all over the country – including the two largest mosques in Dearborn – and had men take the initiative to walk up to me, shake hands, and extend a kind greeting.
In Dearborn, we have freedom to go door-to-door and give out our materials about the similarities and differences between the Qur’an and the Injil. Sometimes we have been invited into homes for delicious Middle Eastern food, along with tea or coffee.
In Dearborn, we have freedom to go to any Muslim neighborhood and sing Christmas carols (songs that celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus – Isa al Masih) as we walk down street after street. What a joy to visit Muslim homes and businesses in Dearborn and sing Christmas carols for over 11 years now! The welcome we receive from Muslims is quite often so warm and hospitable.
So. . .do they have Sharia Law in Dearborn, Michigan?
Well, if they do, it hasn’t stopped us from Christmas caroling. . .and so much more.
People of Dearborn – we love you!!!
Mark, you’re an inspiration! Wonderful post. Keep up the good work.
Richard, you are so kind, dear brother. Soli Deo Gloria! All glory to God alone!
May the Lord continue to use both of us in whatever ways He directs. May He advance His Kingdom through us in the years we have left in this world.
Psalm 115:1 (NIV)
Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
Why are you not Muslim? You spend your time not spreading the word of God but the love of Muslims. The Bible calls you to spread His word as far as the east is from the west and yet you seem in love with, and to respect, and to encourage more so than your own religion a group of people that follow a profit that raped a 9 year old girl, married a six year old girl, said that he was called to be the only prophet of Islam because Christian prophets didn’t get the message quiet right. This is a cult which oppresses women, practices female genital mutilation and has so destroyed their own country that they must come to the US where they now destroy ours. It sickens me that you encourage and lead others down the same path. Jesus has an epic temper tantrum seeing what people had done to his holy place. And now you work harder to spread the disease of Islam into more holy places. Truly, shame on you.
Dear Anonymous,
I don’t know who you are, but you clearly haven’t read many of my blog posts.
For the record, I am a follower of Jesus. He is my Savior. I promote Him, His teachings, His life, His death, and His resurrection. I promote His message of salvation as the only way to Heaven and burn in my heart for all people to know Him and escape the terrible anguish of hell.
I do not promote Islam. At all. I am not a Muslim because I believe there is only one way to Heaven and it is found in the Bible – we are saved by grace through faith, not by any amount of good works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
I do promote Christians loving Muslims because Jesus says we should love our neighbors – and Muslims are our neighbors. Can you do that? Do you do that? Do you know any Muslims? Have you reached out to them in genuine kindness and love with the Gospel? To share the Good News, we should also be good news in how we speak to Muslims.
I pray that you will open your heart to Muslim people as people who – like you – are made in the image of God, and deserve to hear the great John 3:16 message.
God bless you. . .
Religions from Adam and Eve Abraham and Moses Jesus and Mohammad. All are from one and only Almighty God the creator and owner who controls the Universe every second tirelessly.
It is the religions of ONE GOD.
Take any BUS or Train or Walk the journey. At the end we return to ONE OWNER. Religion is a transportation system. Destiny is same. H and H=Heaven OR Hell.
Do good no hate share and care be humble and kind to Creatures of GOD the destiny is Heaven.
For Hate, kill, rape, bomb, arsen, greed, indulging and destructive behavior rude words ugly angers the destiny is H also but not Heaven it is Hell Fire.
GOD will decide. Not Adam not Abraham, not Moses, Jesus or Mohammad.
The Real the only GOD. Report cards will come to our R hand or L hand. No one recognize each other to help or to hurt to glorify or to disgrace. Only ONE to ONE with GOD who is the highest Judge of all Justice.
So live a life of your choice. God promised you will be judge by God according to your discipline context.
Life is too short remember.
The Almighty God has own Confidentiality plan so no one knows each other at the day of judgment just one to one. No favor no racism no defense no advocate no finger pointings🙂