08-07-2006, 02:36 PM
First off, thanks for being open to me about what you believe. When I started here I knew very little about Islam. I don't claim to know everything about it now by any stretch, but I do have an understanding of Islam's core beliefs. I would encourage anybody I know who wants to know what Muslims believe to come to this website and engage in discussion with you kind folks.
I do not, however, believe anything about Islam to be true.
I reject the notion that Allah is the God of Abraham.
Taking the moongod of Arabic paganism and grafting him onto some Jewish History and Law, does not make him Jehovah and does not make him the Father of Christ. The two faiths share a history, because Judism and Christianity predate Islam and their well-documented histories were easily "borrowed," but in a heretical, pick-and-choose manner. If the natures of God and Jehovah are different, even if they share some law and history, how can they be the same immutable God?
Yet further, one can compare "Allah" to the God of the bible and notice marked difference.
Where in Islam is the Grace of the Judeo-Christian God?
Without Grace His Truth cannot be His Truth because He kept Grace and Truth in perfect balance. Truth without Grace deteriorates into self-righteous legalism (manner in which nails are clipped for example) and a prideful false doctrine of works, in which mankind delusion ally believes that he has the power to save himself. Who masquerades as an angel of light to create fog by mixing Truth with confusing lies? Islam meets the description of the Biblical "Doctrine of Demons." Christ, Paul, Peter, and John warned us about such false prophecy.
I also think that the life of your Prophet Mohammed was rather deplorable and in my opinion the biggest obstacle Islam presents to the Western free-thinker.
Many Americans wonder if Islam is inherently violent. Our media and government tells us that Islam is peaceful. George Bush even tells us that Islam is the religion of Peace. I believe that many Muslims are peaceful but I reject the notion that Islam itself is peaceful. How can it be? Look at the life of Mohammed.
It seems that we can determine whether Islam is inherently violent by looking at Mohammed's life, actions, and teachings. There is uncontested early historical record <i>from Muslims</i> that Mohammed typically ordered the assassination of his critics and praised the assassins for their work. The early Muslim records also mention him ordering torture, massacre, enslavement of the conquered, and granting permission for his troops to rape their female captives (though the Muslims, to be fair, do not see this as rape, since they do not believe that female war captives have the right of refusal, but are part of the booty distributed to the conquerors along with the gold and crops).
Religion of peace? When the early Muslim biographer Ibn Ishaq summed up Mohammed's career, he made a tally of how many raids and battles and other military campaigns Mohammed had either ordered or participated in. Why would someone say that Islam is a religion of peace? I don't believe that Islam is peaceful.
The early Muslim records do mention Mohammed lying about his intended target of attack so as to be sure no warning was given his intended targets, and allowing his followers to lie in order to achieve access to an assassination target. Mohammed's hadiths include this: "Warfare is deceit."
The teachings of Mohammed are so far removed from the teachings of Christ that it is impossible that they are both "prophets" from the same God.
I liken Islam to another false religion called Mormonism. Mormonism is false. We BOTH agree about that. Yet the Mormon Church is growing every year. Worldwide there are already 13,000,000 members or so and this religion only started in the late 1800s. Both religions were delivered to a man from an "angel." Both religions claim to be the last revelation from God to mankind. Both "prophets" Mohammed and Joseph Smith are controversial figures whose lives didn't seem to mirror the laws which they gave to their followers. Joseph Smith and Mohammed both crafted special rules for themselves regarding plural marriage.
Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, Christian Science and such are exaclty what Paul was warning against in Galatians as I have posted below.
I want to reiterate that I do appreciate your time with me. I'll continue to pray that you to find the grace and truth that is Jesus Christ.
With that I say goodbye.
Source: Sirat Rasul Allah (earliest full-length Muslim bio of Mohammed available in English translation as Guillaume's Life of Mohammed, Oxford University Press). Don't take my word for what the early Muslim sources say, see it for yourself.