Islam believes in the Angels. Old Testament prophets including Adam/Noah/David/John the Baptist/ and Jesus as a prophet. But God's final message is revealed to Muhammad through Gabriel.

 

At the age of 40 is when this was revealed to him. It continued for 23 years. This is their Quran.

 

So they believe that the Angel was very important in giving instructions to Muhammad, where we believe the Angel gave instructions to certain different people. And of course Jesus was not the Messiah. This is a huge difference.

There were many who told me that. I realize I'm an idealist, but I refuse to think badly of an entire group of people because of the actions of a radical element. I know it may not be the wisest choice to many, but I refuse to live my life fearing everyone who may fit a certain general description (meaning race, religion, geographic location, etc).

 

The book I read gave me pause, but it also made me consider how I want to approach my fellow man...in fear, or in trust. I choose trust, because the alternative is too disheartening for me to consider. I may be the next victim, but if so, I will know I tried to treat all people equally, with an open and honest attempt at comradarie...not fear of them or what they may believe. I am idealistic enough to believe that the way to change the heart of someone who hates me, is by allowing them to know me, and to honestly attempt to know them.

 

I don't think badly of all Muslims. I didn't intend to give that impression (but I can see how that conclusion could be drawn).

 

I'm aware that there is a large number of the Muslim population who teach peace and are peaceful themselves.

 

I part ways with mass opinion when they try to claim that Islam is a peaceful religion and the violent divisions of the religion are distorting the teachings of the Koran. I believe the commands for violence are in there and the people who carry it out are merely obeying their holy book.

 

Another thing that's curious to me is how reluctant Muslim teachers are to condemn terrorists acts. If that violence is, as they claim, against what the religion teaches, it seems like condemning the acts would be a no-brainer. I'm aware that some do, but not nearly as many as should.

 

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert on Islam. At some point, I'll probably read a little more about it and maybe I'll change my opinion on this. But, as for now, that's the way I see it.

From what I understand, following the teachings of the Prohpet Muhammad are what will yield a place in what we call heaven. There IS a personal relationship to Allah, in that they do pray to him. But their teaching is that everything Muhammad teaches in the Qu'ran must be adhered to in order to see Allah.

 

The teachings are especially restrictive and harmful to women, if you believe in any sort of value of women. Female circumcision is common to prevent the possibility of a woman feeling lust. Women are considered the vessel of the sin of lust, and the sight of a woman's hair, fetures, or skin, could be an invitation to a man to sin. Often women who are raped are killed because they caused a man to sin, or conversely, because they are no longer chaste.

 

The male is the owner of women, in all reality. Her future and her well being are completely in the hands of her father/brothers/husband/other male relatives.

 

The teachings of worship are so specific as to teach which hand is washed first in preparation for prayer, which hand can be used when using the bathroom (left), etc. A left handed child will be 'tortured' to ensure he/she learns to be right handed.

 

Those are some things I've gleaned from recent books I've read by authors who were raised Muslim and have left their countries and either are no longer Muslim, or do not practice as they were taught. One was male, one female.

 

Now that's a religion of peace and equality.

There were many who told me that. I realize I'm an idealist, but I refuse to think badly of an entire group of people because of the actions of a radical element. I know it may not be the wisest choice to many, but I refuse to live my life fearing everyone who may fit a certain general description (meaning race, religion, geographic location, etc).

 

The book I read gave me pause, but it also made me consider how I want to approach my fellow man...in fear, or in trust. I choose trust, because the alternative is too disheartening for me to consider. I may be the next victim, but if so, I will know I tried to treat all people equally, with an open and honest attempt at comradarie...not fear of them or what they may believe. I am idealistic enough to believe that the way to change the heart of someone who hates me, is by allowing them to know me, and to honestly attempt to know them.

 

I enjoyed Morgan Freeman's character on Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Other than that, I've never trusted a Muslim in my entire life.

I enjoyed Morgan Freeman's character on Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Other than that, I've never trusted a Muslim in my entire life.

 

:laugh:

 

"Is there no cursed Sun in this country!!"

 

"How did your uneducated kind ever take Jerusalem?"

"God Knows."

 

I enjoyed Morgan Freeman's character on Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Other than that, I've never trusted a Muslim in my entire life.

 

Perhaps consider broadening your horizons.

In a nutshell...there is but one God. As Christians, we believe this. The common thread of ALL Deistic religions is that there is but one God.

 

Every document: the various Biblical interpretations, the Torrah, the Qu'ran...they are the writings of men who were inspired by God. The writings, however are each writer's interpretation of Divine Inspiration.

 

The main sticking point between Christians and non-Christians is not which God is worshipped, but whether Jesus Christ is accepted as the SON of God. Even Jewish and Islamic religions believe that Jesus was among the holiest of men, they believe he was a prophet. But they stop short as accepting Him as the Son of God.

In a nutshell...there is but one God. As Christians, we believe this. The common thread of ALL Deistic religions is that there is but one God.

 

Every document: the various Biblical interpretations, the Torrah, the Qu'ran...they are the writings of men who were inspired by God. The writings, however are each writer's interpretation of Divine Inspiration.

 

The main sticking point between Christians and non-Christians is not which God is worshipped, but whether Jesus Christ is accepted as the SON of God. Even Jewish and Islamic religions believe that Jesus was among the holiest of men, they believe he was a prophet. But they stop short as accepting Him as the Son of God.

 

:thumb: Exactly

In a nutshell...there is but one God. As Christians, we believe this. The common thread of ALL Deistic religions is that there is but one God.

 

Every document: the various Biblical interpretations, the Torrah, the Qu'ran...they are the writings of men who were inspired by God. The writings, however are each writer's interpretation of Divine Inspiration.

 

The main sticking point between Christians and non-Christians is not which God is worshipped, but whether Jesus Christ is accepted as the SON of God. Even Jewish and Islamic religions believe that Jesus was among the holiest of men, they believe he was a prophet. But they stop short as accepting Him as the Son of God.

 

Right. It's still the same God/Creator in all three religions. We, as Christians, however take a different view of God's Nature (i.e., the Trinity).

 

And to those others in this thread who say Muslims and Christians/Jews believe in a different God, how do you reconcile the fact that Muslims also pray to the God of Abraham, the God of Moses?

I had a Muslim roommate for a semester at Morehead. Very nice guy. When we bought a dozen eggs and only had room for 6 in the little dorm-sized fridge, he volunteered to keep his eggs in the closet; telling me that "they keep two, three week." I told him that we would get along just fine if we never got our eggs commingled.

 

And we did.

 

I genuinely feel sorry for folks who paint an entire race/religion with a huge brush.

I had a Muslim roommate for a semester at Morehead. Very nice guy. When we bought a dozen eggs and only had room for 6 in the little dorm-sized fridge, he volunteered to keep his eggs in the closet; telling me that "they keep two, three week." I told him that we would get along just fine if we never got our eggs commingled.

 

And we did.

 

I genuinely feel sorry for folks who paint an entire race/religion with a huge brush.

 

They certainly miss out on some great people.

They certainly miss out on some great people.

 

 

Precisely.

 

I'm thinking that one of these days I might even run into a resident of say, Trimble County.

Precisely.

 

I'm thinking that one of these days I might even run into a resident of say, Trimble County.

 

Ha, ha...I hope so!

In a nutshell...there is but one God. As Christians, we believe this. The common thread of ALL Deistic religions is that there is but one God.

 

Every document: the various Biblical interpretations, the Torrah, the Qu'ran...they are the writings of men who were inspired by God. The writings, however are each writer's interpretation of Divine Inspiration.

 

The main sticking point between Christians and non-Christians is not which God is worshipped, but whether Jesus Christ is accepted as the SON of God. Even Jewish and Islamic religions believe that Jesus was among the holiest of men, they believe he was a prophet. But they stop short as accepting Him as the Son of God.

 

I'm fairly certain you didn't intend it this way, but that almost comes off as if its viewed as a minor hurdle to clear in reconciling the two faiths (Christianity and Islam). Jesus Christ is the very foundation of our faith and redemption. To deny His divinity is to deny the entire religion. Any similarities between Christianity and Islam are irrelevant because they disagree on this. If you believe one is right, then by default you have to believe the other isn't. I certainly wouldn't expect a Muslim to tell me that my beliefs about God and Christ were correct.

 

I do not believe Muhammad was inspired by God. He clearly denies the divinity of Christ. A man inspired by God would never do that.

 

The difference in the three...

 

Judaism - The Old Testament was written by men inspired by God. The problem comes from those who refuse to believe the truth written in it. The majority of Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah, choosing to create alternate explanations for the passages that point to His coming. That doesn't make the scripture wrong, merely the people interpreting it.

 

Christianity - Uses both the Old and New Testament, both written by men inspired by God. In both cases, people can and do misinterpret what was written, but it doesn't mean what was written was wrong. That is evident in the unity and consistency of the central message of the Bible, Jesus Christ and the redemption of a fallen world through Him. If not inspired by God, I find it hard to believe that a minimum of 40 authors over a period of 1500 years could have pulled off a compilation as unified as the Bible. That fact alone is a tremendous witness to the divine inspiration of the Bible. Are there some contradictions/tough passages to reconcile with each other? Sure. But, they don't call into question the central theme of redemption through Christ.

 

Islam - The message is different in the Koran. Muhammad is the greatest prophet. Salvation is obtained by obeying rules and doing good works. Jesus Christ is just a prophet, not God in the flesh. They pick the parts of the Bible (old and new) that can be integrated into their religion, and discard the parts that conflict and can't be reconciled. For example, they would be all for the Sermon on the Mount, but completely discount any passages where Christ claims divinity. The denial of Christ's divinity is explicit in the Koran. There is no room for interpretation. Again, by default, both can't be correct, thus both cannot be inspired by God. God is not a God of confusion...He's not going to deliver conflicting messages.

:laugh:

 

"Is there no cursed Sun in this country!!"

 

"How did your uneducated kind ever take Jerusalem?"

"God Knows."

 

 

"Where I come from, we talk to our women. We do not drug them with plants. "

 

"No man controls my destiny... especially not one who attacks downwind and stinks of garlic."