Look at it this way: there’s a great big hodge-podge of religious beliefs, bumping up against one another, each catching the religious residue of its neighbor.

Chrislam, Conservadox, and Cashews are just some of the oxymorons that make up this interesting and often humorous mix of religions.

Chrislam is a sect where followers recognize both the Bible and the Qur’an as holy texts. Apparently this religion values the written word. Chrislam is like the nerdy over-achiever, who reads text books for fun even though the teacher is not giving extra credit.

Conservadox is the new name for Jews whose beliefs and practices place them somewhere between the more liberal conservative Jewish practices and the stricter Orthodox Jewish practices. You know the type; they find the loopholes. The Conservadox Jew will eat “trayf” (non-kosher food) on paper plates or watch a football game on the Sabbath if the T.V happens to be already turned on.

Religious Humanism rejects biblically revealed knowledge, theism-based morality and miracles. Yet, it’s nothing short of miraculous to watch a Humanist pray, without mentioning God!

Messianic Jews blend evangelical Christian theology with elements of Jewish terminology and ritual. They consider themselves Jewish, yet believe that Jesus is the Messiah. When I think Jews for Jesus, I think of the joke; “What’s the first question a Jew asks the Messiah when redemption comes? ‘…So, you been here before?’ ”

Cashews –A person or couple who is half Catholic and half Jewish. This religious merger has a corner on the guilt market. There are endless possibilities for new stereotypes of Cashews. The book; Eat, Pray, Love, takes on a whole new meaning when Jewish cooking and Catholic prayer get together in “Cashew Love.”

Whether it’s a hybrid religion like Chrislam, or one that’s as pure as the heavens above, it’s not an oxymoron to respect the beliefs of another. It seems clear, we honor our Creator by honoring all of His creations. We are the hodge-podge God made.

Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe? No soul can believe, except by the Will of God.
Qur’an 10.99-100