By Melissa Martin

What might happen when Jews, Christians, and Muslims interact and mingle in three adjacent buildings connected by one raised garden in Abu Dhabi?  

This is the world’s first religious center where Judaism, Christianity and Islam will share the same campus. A learning center is in the middle of the three buildings. Will the Torah, the Bible and the Koran be studied? 

Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is found in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Persian Gulf. 

A church and a mosque and a synagogue will be housed side by side on a property in three different buildings in the middle east with a grand opening date in 2022. It’s called The Abrahamic Family House – an interfaith complex. The names of the three houses of worship recognize the work of the Grand Imam, Pope Francis, and Moses Ben Maimon. 

The Abrahamic Family House derives its name from the Old Testament biblical figure, Abraham, who is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims, according to a 2021 article in the Vatican News. Visit www.vaticannews.va.

According to a 2019 article, the Catholic-Muslim Interfaith Council was created by Pope Frances. And he announced 2022 as the opening for a One World Religion headquarters in the city of Abu Dhabi. Pope Francis and Sunni Muslim leader, Sheikh Ahmen al-Tayeb signed a global peace covenant called the Document of Human Fraternity for World Peace. Visit www.believersportal.com. 

Read the Declaration document in its entirety at https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-02/pope-francis-uae-declaration-with-al-azhar-grand-imam.html. 

The Higher Committee for Human Fraternity includes 7 males and 0 females. See a photograph at www.foxnews.com. I guess no women are allowed in a fraternity brotherhood on religion and peace.  

“The stated purpose of the Abrahamic Family House is to bring understanding and tolerance among the faiths, but there are a couple of notable challenges. First, Abu Dhabi is a part of the UAE where it is illegal for Christians to proselytize and conversion from Islam is prohibited. The Pope represents Roman Catholicism where Christians are free to convert to Islam, but citizens of Abu Dhabi are not free to choose Christ.” Visit https://backtojerusalem.com/one-world-religion-headquarters-set-to-open-next-year/. 

So, my assumption is that no person can share his/her faith while on this property. No debates. No discussions. No exchange of religious doctrinal conversations. What would the Apostle Paul do? His lips would not be silenced.  

But wait. Christians believe in Jesus as the only way to God, and as the one and only God. The trinity consists of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit – three in one.   

And even Catholic Christians have some doctrinal issues of disagreement as do dominations of Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Non-Denominational, and the list goes on. Visit the Gospel Coalition website for a Quick Guide to Christian Denominations. Visit www.thegospelcoalition.org. 

Some Christian denominations teach that Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, and the Church of Scientology are cults. There are churches that accept homosexuality, gay marriage, and transgenderism – and churches that don’t.  

Can Orthodox Judaism and Messianic Judaism play nice? I’ve known several Jews in the U.S. that converted to Christianity and were shunned by their Jewish families.  

Since its declaration of independence in May 1948, the State of Israel has fought eight recognized wars with neighboring Arab states. And the Jewish people yearn to rebuilt their own temple in Israel.  

Muslims believe in one God, Allah. For Muslims, Prophet Muhammad is the most revered of all men. Do non-Muslim women need to wear a scarve in this mosque and pray in rooms separate from the men? 

Neither Jews nor Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah. Christians believe Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead and they study both the Old Testament and the New Testament books of the Bible.  

Can non-Catholics take communion with the Catholics? Can Muslims attend the Jewish holiday services? What about religious symbols? Would security guards be present during religious services to keep the peace or to squash conflict? 

Could it be that religious people can converse on commonalities and ignore religious theology? Kisses and hugs for all over a cup of tea in the garden after services. Forgive and forget the decades of bloody wars fought over religious differences. Walk the pathway to utopian Shamballa hand-in-hand.  

Of course, I want members of all religions to stop the hatred and the fighting. Read your history books – I don’t believe The Abrahamic Family House project will fare well. And if it does, will the New World Order have initiated three watered down versions of three unique religions? Or does a New World Order desire a one world religion, and this is just the starting point of indoctrination, programming, and control?  

“A wolf is no less a wolf because he’s dressed in sheepskin and the devil is no less the devil because he’s dressed as an angel.” –LeCrae 

About the Author:

Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is a syndicated opinion-editorial columnist. She lives in USA.