I was asked the difference: Islam vs Christianity

I was walking through our neighborhood the other day and started up a conversation with a gentleman, Harry.  He was super-friendly and I quickly worked my way through every 'established' question I had learned in my language studies:

- What's your name?
- Are you married?
- Do you have children?
- What are their names? etc.

That's when Harry asked me, "So you are a Christian?"... and after establishing that he was a Muslim, he asked me; "so what is the difference between Christians and Muslims?"

It's amazing how open people here are to listen to explanations... and I can't wait to make these explanations in Bahasa.. but on this day, we shared in broken English and broken Bahasa Indonesia.

I explained works-based ideology compared to the faith of Christians in what Jesus has done FOR us. I concentrated as much as possible on the hope we have of eternity with our sins wiped away by the blood of Christ.

I shared an illustration:  If you have a bowl of pork, could you eat it? (The answer is no, of course not, it is not allowed to eat pork). Then I asked - what about a bowl of rice, with a single piece of pork in the bottom. (He is supposed to answer, 'no' because the pork makes the whole bowl unclean.  However he answered 'YES, I'd eat that!'....  Oops!  Illustrations don't always work.

Anyway - We had a long conversation about the many differences between Christianity and Islam... at the end of which he said "Wow, you are blowing my mind up because of what you have said.  I cannot believe.... (I was really excited at this point...)

... how similar Islam and Christianity are.  They are the exact same.

Sharing fail.  I was completely deflated.  Maybe he wasn't listening?  Maybe he didn't understand the explanations I just gave?  Maybe the language barrier was greater than I thought?

But I asked if we could meet and talk again... and he said yes, he would love it.  So would I.  I look forward to getting to know him better, and as the Holy Spirit provides, sharing more of the Gospel and the DIFFERENCES between our faiths.