Casanova Lopez was born and raised in a very devout Protestant family. In his family there are several pastors, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. His parents wanted to be a leader Christian Lopez. Therefore, since childhood he was put in special schools to study the Bible.
However, God gave him guidance. In the course of studying the Bible, Lopez finds Islam. He also embraced the religion of Allah brought by Prophet Muhammad as the final religion.
"I'm grateful to be born in a religious Protestant family that would allow studying the Bible. If not, I may not be able to understand the message of Islam, "he said.
Lopez became a Muslim because of the trust and belief in God."That which is then made to admit the validity of Islam as the religion of God."
Then, how his spiritual journey in discovering Islam?
although Lopez grew up in a religious family, in California, United Serikatia hanging out with Christian friends of the sector or a variety of denominations. He is also friends with those who are religious Jews, also a Jehovah's Witness. "I never judge what they believe and I have no interest in any religious group,''he said.
According to him, Christian nondenominasi like him always taught that, "If you believe in Christ, you are a Christian, and we are all equal in the eyes of God, whatever denomination that set us apart."
Along the way Lopez would be faced with an uncertainty of their religion. "I do not know how long the Bible has been altered and modified. Each class in a Christian group has always claimed that they are correct, others wrong. "
But deep down, Lopez has always believed that there is only one God.
He first heard the name "God" from teaching in Bible schools."The Chinese pray to Buddha, and the Arabs pray to God." At that time, he concluded that God is the name of an idol.
Studying international business make Lopez feel the need to master a foreign language to support his career in the future. On the advice of a fellow student, Lopez studied Arabic.
"My friend reasoned, any country which has a population of Muslims using Arabic because it is the native language of the Koran," he said.
At that time, in 2006, Lopez heard the word "Koran" for the first time. In Arabic classes he attended, Lopez knows a lot of Muslim students. They generally Middle Eastern descent who were born and raised in the U.S..
The first class he took in 2006 coincided with Ramadan. Lopez was impressed with the practice of fasting Muslims do my friends. He sees as a form of submission slaves before their Lord.
Lopez had tried fasting, not interested in being a Muslim, but merely to express ketundukannya as devout Christians. "That, too, because fasting is also present in Christianity. Jesus had fasted for 40 days, "he said.
In the month of Ramadan, a Muslim friend gave him a piece of Islamic literature and compact disk (CD) which he declined. He remembered his mother saying, "All religions are wrong is right according to their books." Lopez was tempted to get to know Islam, foreign religion is wrong in his eyes.
Convert 55 thousand people in a week
Summer of 2008, Lopez joined the Christian missionaries and traveled to Jamaica for a mission of Christianization. He and his team help the poor people there. He and his team and managed to convert about 55 thousand people in a week.
Coming home from Jamaica, Lopez prayed for guidance. He wants to do more devotion to God. "His request was answered with a Muslim friend gave me," he said.
He several times took his Muslim friends to church and think that his friend will be affected and become a Christian like him.
One time, his friend said that the church is a great place, but he regretted the trust which trust jamaatnya Trinity.
"Unfortunately, my friend describes one notion of the Trinity. I just laughed and corrected him, "said Lopez.
He had time to think about how fatal if he does the same thing. To comment about other religions that are not well understood is something that is regarded as the less educated speech.
He then decided to learn the basics about Islam. Lopez began to find similarities between Christianity and Islam. It happened when he find out that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share the stories and the prophets and keti ganya traceable origins Ingga met in the same genealogical history.
"Actually, more similarities between Christianity and Islam than the difference between the two," said Lopez.
One day, he was impressed with his Muslim friends who are not ashamed to pray and pray in public places, with knees and head on the floor. "Meanwhile, I even sometimes embarrassed to simply bowed his head, closing her eyes (prayer) when they want to eat in public places."
Feeling 'strange' when he heard the verse of the Qur'an
Another day, re-join his Muslim friends go to church with Lopez. In the middle of the journey by car, his friend asked permission play CD Quran in his car because he was preparing himself for prayers.
"To be polite, I let him. Furthermore, I just went to listen and listen, "said Lopez.
This unexpected happened. He still remembers how the verses of the Koran was hearing coming up with a strange feeling. The feeling was mingled with the confusion that could not be explained.
"I can not understand why I could experience such feelings toward something outside of Christianity," he said.
After a while it felt inner turmoil. Lopez finally decided to get to know much about Islam. However, until the big day, she still had feelings of fear. Until now driving his car, he prayed, "Lord, I'd rather die and close to thee than live for one day, but it far from thee."
Lopez thought, when a car crashed into the Islamic Center of San Diego for bersyahadat is to prove the wrong choice. However, he arrives at the destination safely, and pledged his Islam in public.
Friday, August 28, 2008, a few days before Ramadan, Islam embraced Lopez. "Since then, I was a Muslim a happy, loving prayer and fasting. Both taught me discipline as well as submission to God, "he said. (Source: Republika)
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