Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Jesus Belong To All Of Us.
Jesus is not a republic or democrat. He is not a sole Muslim or Christian. He belongs to all of us. His message is clear is to win the world by love. His enemies were strong and their wickedness was huge. God could have destroyed all his enemies but his salvation timed to God's wisdom and will and not us. The message of the Jesus is that of justice and equality. His message is all about humanity. It transcends through all ages and to all people. Islam is very pro-Christ and we believe our salvation is through his teachings. Muhammad carried the same message with different approach. If you study religion you find prophets that never fought and others were ordered to fight for their religions. In history like in Noah God destroyed humans in few hours or days. Islam is a practical religion. He does not order you to love your enemy but to try to win him with logics and find a way of peaceful existence whenever possible. Good government does not only provide good living to all its citizens including your enemies but it can unite people with the baseline of their religions: humanity, the common good and morals. For Jesus to come back we have to be ready to receive him. For sure he would not come in the same situation as his first coming otherwise people may consider crucifying him. This is why many prophecy writers in Christianity and Islam believe in the time of tribulation. It is hard time to all people and God wants us to go back with our hearts and minds to him. Our salvation is in our hands we deserve Christ when we are ready for him Muslims, Christians or others.
Accepting Islam: The Proper Way
By Mufti Taqi Usmani, Albalagh E-zine
The basic beliefs one is required to accept while entering into Islam are the following:
(i) God is One. He has neither a partner, nor a son or daughter. He is One in the true sense of the word that has no room for the concept of trinity, or for any other form of camouflage monotheism or a disguised polytheism.
(ii) The Holy Prophet Muhammad, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is the last Messenger of Allah after whom no messenger or prophet of Allah (in any sense of the word) will come.
(iii) The Holy Qur'an is the last of the divine books revealed on the Holy Prophet, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and all its contents are true.
(iv) The life Hereafter is the eternal life one has to live after his death where he will have to face the fate of his good and evil deeds.
(v) All the teachings given by the Holy Qur'an or by the Holy Prophet, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, in absolute and unambiguous terms are true and acceptable.
Once a person accepts all these fundamental beliefs as true, both verbally and in his heart, he becomes a Muslim.
Conversion to Islam has no particular procedure, like baptism, etc. As soon as a person accepts the aforementioned beliefs with his heart and soul and professes them verbally, he enters the fold of Islam. It is not necessary that he seeks the mediation of a saint or priest, nor is it a prerequisite to go to a mosque or to an institution for accepting Islam. One can accept Islam on his own. However, it is advisable to go to a learned Muslim who can inform him about the basic beliefs of Islam and can teach him the concise and comprehensive words to express his acceptance of those beliefs.
Normally following sentences are used for that purpose:
"I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger."
"I have believed in Allah and His angels and His book (as they were originally revealed on His prophets) and in His messengers and in the Last Day and in the fact that all the good and bad destinies come from Allah and in being raised alive after death."
A further requirement for a convert Muslim is to free himself from those beliefs of his former faith or religion which are not in line with the Islamic beliefs. For example, a Christian must proclaim that he does no more believe Jesus Christ as the son of God or a part of Godhood. Instead, he accepts that he was a revered Messenger of Allah (GOD), and was no more than a messenger, having all the human attributes.
The basic beliefs one is required to accept while entering into Islam are the following:
(i) God is One. He has neither a partner, nor a son or daughter. He is One in the true sense of the word that has no room for the concept of trinity, or for any other form of camouflage monotheism or a disguised polytheism.
(ii) The Holy Prophet Muhammad, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is the last Messenger of Allah after whom no messenger or prophet of Allah (in any sense of the word) will come.
(iii) The Holy Qur'an is the last of the divine books revealed on the Holy Prophet, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and all its contents are true.
(iv) The life Hereafter is the eternal life one has to live after his death where he will have to face the fate of his good and evil deeds.
(v) All the teachings given by the Holy Qur'an or by the Holy Prophet, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, in absolute and unambiguous terms are true and acceptable.
Once a person accepts all these fundamental beliefs as true, both verbally and in his heart, he becomes a Muslim.
Conversion to Islam has no particular procedure, like baptism, etc. As soon as a person accepts the aforementioned beliefs with his heart and soul and professes them verbally, he enters the fold of Islam. It is not necessary that he seeks the mediation of a saint or priest, nor is it a prerequisite to go to a mosque or to an institution for accepting Islam. One can accept Islam on his own. However, it is advisable to go to a learned Muslim who can inform him about the basic beliefs of Islam and can teach him the concise and comprehensive words to express his acceptance of those beliefs.
Normally following sentences are used for that purpose:
"I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger."
"I have believed in Allah and His angels and His book (as they were originally revealed on His prophets) and in His messengers and in the Last Day and in the fact that all the good and bad destinies come from Allah and in being raised alive after death."
A further requirement for a convert Muslim is to free himself from those beliefs of his former faith or religion which are not in line with the Islamic beliefs. For example, a Christian must proclaim that he does no more believe Jesus Christ as the son of God or a part of Godhood. Instead, he accepts that he was a revered Messenger of Allah (GOD), and was no more than a messenger, having all the human attributes.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Freedom From All Oppression.
Oppression is the worst abuse humans can suffer. For a lot of people death can be preferred over oppression. There are a lot of faces for oppression:
1- Occupation.
2- Tyrant political regimes.
3- The tyranny of bureaucratic governments that make laws without considering peoples opinions.
3- Oppression against women.
4- Oppression against minorities.
5- Discrimination (oppression or passive neglect) with all its forms: race, color, gender, sexuality...
6- Oppression by Poverty and feel of deprivation.
7- Oppression by Sins.
8- Oppression by fear of self security, loss of possessions: second to tyranny, high crime rates, absence of health and long term security, sins...
9- Oppression by families and foster homes: physical and sexual abuse,
10-oppression by Debts.
11- Religious oppression to people with different faith or no faith.
As you see to liberate the human mind and spirit there are a lot of things that need to be done. The UN and world leaders both political and religious have to work it out to liberate the human soul and mind. This can be done with a lot of politics and not wars. There is no absolute evil and good. Many times people against us are not our enemies but the other side. If every one is to be fair and put his foot on other person shoe we will have a lot of understanding and we can change the world. People who follow prophecies think the world will change only through the tribulation that God will inflict on humans. I do not know, I keep reading prophecies, meanwhile we have to use the sound politics and judgment to change the world. Prophecies ultimately reflects our judgments and actions.
1- Occupation.
2- Tyrant political regimes.
3- The tyranny of bureaucratic governments that make laws without considering peoples opinions.
3- Oppression against women.
4- Oppression against minorities.
5- Discrimination (oppression or passive neglect) with all its forms: race, color, gender, sexuality...
6- Oppression by Poverty and feel of deprivation.
7- Oppression by Sins.
8- Oppression by fear of self security, loss of possessions: second to tyranny, high crime rates, absence of health and long term security, sins...
9- Oppression by families and foster homes: physical and sexual abuse,
10-oppression by Debts.
11- Religious oppression to people with different faith or no faith.
As you see to liberate the human mind and spirit there are a lot of things that need to be done. The UN and world leaders both political and religious have to work it out to liberate the human soul and mind. This can be done with a lot of politics and not wars. There is no absolute evil and good. Many times people against us are not our enemies but the other side. If every one is to be fair and put his foot on other person shoe we will have a lot of understanding and we can change the world. People who follow prophecies think the world will change only through the tribulation that God will inflict on humans. I do not know, I keep reading prophecies, meanwhile we have to use the sound politics and judgment to change the world. Prophecies ultimately reflects our judgments and actions.
Dead Sea Scrolls - Isaiah 53
The Dead Sea Scrolls have provided phenomenal evidence for the credibility of biblical scripture. Specifically, the nearly intact Great Isaiah Scroll is almost identical to the most recent manuscript version of the Masoretic text from the 900's AD. (Scholars have discovered a handful of spelling and tense-oriented scribal errors, but nothing of significance.) In light of Isaiah's rich Messianic prophecy, we thought it would be rewarding to reproduce a portion of the English translation of the actual Hebrew text found in the Great Isaiah Scroll. Specifically, the following corresponds to Isaiah 53 in today's Old Testament. Remember, this text was dated 100 to 335 years before the birth of Jesus Christ!
Translation of the actual Great Isaiah Scroll (Isaiah 53), beginning with line 5 of Column 44:
5. Who has believed our report and the arm of YHWH to whom has it been revealed And he shall come up like a suckling before him
6. and as a root from dry ground there is no form to him and no beauty [+to him+] and in his being seen and there is no appearance
7. that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and knowing grief
8. and as though hiding faces from him he was despised and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he
9. is bearing and our sorrows he carried them and we esteemed him beaten and struck by God
10. and afflicted. and he is wounded for our transgressions, and crushed for our iniquities, the correction
11. of our peace was upon him and by his wounds he has healed us. All of us like sheep have wandered each man to his own way
12. we have turned and YHWH has caused to light on him the iniquity of all of us He was oppressed and he was afflicted and he did not
13. open his mouth, as a lamb to the slaughter he is brought and as a ewe before her shearers is made dumb he did not open
14. his mouth. From prison and from judgment he was taken and his generation who shall discuss it because he was cut off from the land of
15. the living. Because from the transgressions of his people a wound was to him
16. And they gave wicked ones to be his grave and [a scribbled word probably accusative sign "eth"] rich ones in his death
17. although he worked no violence neither deceit in his mouth And YHWH was pleased to crush him and He has caused him grief.
18. If you will appoint his soul a sin offering he will see his seed and he will lengthen his days and the pleasure of YHWH
19. in his hand will advance. Of the toil of his soul he shall see {+light+} and he shall be satisfied and by his knowledge shall he make righteous
20. even my righteous servant for many and their iniquities he will bear. Therefore I will apportion to him among the great ones
21. and with the mighty ones he shall divide the spoil because he laid bare to death his soul and with the transgressors
22. he was numbered, and he, the sins of many, he bore, and for their transgressions he entreated.
from: www.allaboutarcheology.org
Translation of the actual Great Isaiah Scroll (Isaiah 53), beginning with line 5 of Column 44:
5. Who has believed our report and the arm of YHWH to whom has it been revealed And he shall come up like a suckling before him
6. and as a root from dry ground there is no form to him and no beauty [+to him+] and in his being seen and there is no appearance
7. that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and knowing grief
8. and as though hiding faces from him he was despised and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he
9. is bearing and our sorrows he carried them and we esteemed him beaten and struck by God
10. and afflicted. and he is wounded for our transgressions, and crushed for our iniquities, the correction
11. of our peace was upon him and by his wounds he has healed us. All of us like sheep have wandered each man to his own way
12. we have turned and YHWH has caused to light on him the iniquity of all of us He was oppressed and he was afflicted and he did not
13. open his mouth, as a lamb to the slaughter he is brought and as a ewe before her shearers is made dumb he did not open
14. his mouth. From prison and from judgment he was taken and his generation who shall discuss it because he was cut off from the land of
15. the living. Because from the transgressions of his people a wound was to him
16. And they gave wicked ones to be his grave and [a scribbled word probably accusative sign "eth"] rich ones in his death
17. although he worked no violence neither deceit in his mouth And YHWH was pleased to crush him and He has caused him grief.
18. If you will appoint his soul a sin offering he will see his seed and he will lengthen his days and the pleasure of YHWH
19. in his hand will advance. Of the toil of his soul he shall see {+light+} and he shall be satisfied and by his knowledge shall he make righteous
20. even my righteous servant for many and their iniquities he will bear. Therefore I will apportion to him among the great ones
21. and with the mighty ones he shall divide the spoil because he laid bare to death his soul and with the transgressors
22. he was numbered, and he, the sins of many, he bore, and for their transgressions he entreated.
from: www.allaboutarcheology.org
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Satan Existence: Proofs
Satan Existence: Proofs
It may not sound scientific and very commonly not mentioned in politics the word Satan. Commonly people mention God though a lot of them in real life are very faithful students to Satan. He is actually the greatest world politician and the Prince of our world. It is very easy to make this conclusion by studying the world affairs. Let me list below the proofs of existence of Satan:
1- Greed: you find the rich people controlling the world and doing very little to combat the severe poverty around the globe. For many good people who enjoy being generous it makes them see the strong control of Satan to people desire for giving the poor. The same people may spend a lot of wasted money in their pleasure with no regret while the poor are dying of hunger. That equally speaks of Satan control.
2- Wickedness: you hear a lot of people even politicians and religious leaders speak the word of God and the teachings of the prophets meanwhile do the exact opposite. Their tongues do not speak their hearts or their minds. You may be lucky to be able to read them but commonly they are used to deceive and lie all their lives that it is very difficult to read them.
3- Not appreciating feeling wicked: Evil people like Saddam and Hitler do not feel they are wicked on the other hand they feel they are the gift of God to the human history. This proves very well that behind these wicked beings are a master who is more wicked than them. The good in their heart is slim that Satan can easily deceive them.
3- Evil look and evil face: some people you can read the evil in their face they simply say hi we are giving you signs that Satan behind our looks fool.
4- Tyrants and Mass Killers: Hitler and Saddam are good example of how the evil exceeds every one imagination that one have to believe Satan is behind their acts.
5- The evil in all earth and its magnitude everywhere speaks of the Prince of our world Satan. It is like we all in a silent passive praying and obeying to Satan. Very few voice are screaming load to change the wrong direction of humanity. If you are a doctor it is better to have more of sick people for your practice, if you are a lawyer it is better to have people fighting so you have more cases and if you are manufacture weapons it will be more profitable to have wars. We lost the collective conscience of seeing where is the humanity is going and how we can change its direction.
6- Enjoying evil: though enjoying good is better and more rewarding in earth and the after-life people choose more the evil which speaks well of the strong control of Satan of human behavior. A common case in the American media where a man killed his beautiful pregnant wife with his child for no good reason. Satan outsmarted him and he lost everything. 7- Which Craft: It is becoming more common and some people instead of praying to God they seek witch crafting with Satan to control their affairs it may work shortly but not always and God punish them severely in the day of judgment.
8-Worshiping statues, stones, animals and other creation. So for common sense the created can not be the creator, this gives you cut clear evidence of Satan influence in human thoughts. Other idols include leaders, movie stars, money, gold, silver and so forth. The God who create us all and gave us enormous gifts only have few minutes a day from us or we use his name when we try to express our a feeling of surprise. The God of Quran wants all our life to be for him and when this happened will be united on his love and creating the righteous human unity that will be our joy and salvation.
9-Atheists: not even to recognize existence of God is a strong argument for existence of Satan. See under existence of God proofs in my web to appreciate that mind, heart and spirit prove God's existence.
10-Divisions of religions: the presence of a lot of religions and the presence of a lot of sects of every religions is used by atheists to attack religions. In fact that is the warning of God of Satan attempt and promise to do that and he succeeded. God wants us to have a common dominator which is being righteous and to argue pleasantly in debating religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam each was one religion and after the prophets we divided each on sects and each rejected and despised the other sect and even war ignited between them. This is a strong evidence that Satan even achieve his goals through religions.
11-Animosity and wars: the presence of war all over the human history despite what peace can do to humanity speaks well of Satan control of the world. God is willing to help us and provide us with salvation if to follow his path and being righteous. We are however faithfully obeying Satan.
It may not sound scientific and very commonly not mentioned in politics the word Satan. Commonly people mention God though a lot of them in real life are very faithful students to Satan. He is actually the greatest world politician and the Prince of our world. It is very easy to make this conclusion by studying the world affairs. Let me list below the proofs of existence of Satan:
1- Greed: you find the rich people controlling the world and doing very little to combat the severe poverty around the globe. For many good people who enjoy being generous it makes them see the strong control of Satan to people desire for giving the poor. The same people may spend a lot of wasted money in their pleasure with no regret while the poor are dying of hunger. That equally speaks of Satan control.
2- Wickedness: you hear a lot of people even politicians and religious leaders speak the word of God and the teachings of the prophets meanwhile do the exact opposite. Their tongues do not speak their hearts or their minds. You may be lucky to be able to read them but commonly they are used to deceive and lie all their lives that it is very difficult to read them.
3- Not appreciating feeling wicked: Evil people like Saddam and Hitler do not feel they are wicked on the other hand they feel they are the gift of God to the human history. This proves very well that behind these wicked beings are a master who is more wicked than them. The good in their heart is slim that Satan can easily deceive them.
3- Evil look and evil face: some people you can read the evil in their face they simply say hi we are giving you signs that Satan behind our looks fool.
4- Tyrants and Mass Killers: Hitler and Saddam are good example of how the evil exceeds every one imagination that one have to believe Satan is behind their acts.
5- The evil in all earth and its magnitude everywhere speaks of the Prince of our world Satan. It is like we all in a silent passive praying and obeying to Satan. Very few voice are screaming load to change the wrong direction of humanity. If you are a doctor it is better to have more of sick people for your practice, if you are a lawyer it is better to have people fighting so you have more cases and if you are manufacture weapons it will be more profitable to have wars. We lost the collective conscience of seeing where is the humanity is going and how we can change its direction.
6- Enjoying evil: though enjoying good is better and more rewarding in earth and the after-life people choose more the evil which speaks well of the strong control of Satan of human behavior. A common case in the American media where a man killed his beautiful pregnant wife with his child for no good reason. Satan outsmarted him and he lost everything. 7- Which Craft: It is becoming more common and some people instead of praying to God they seek witch crafting with Satan to control their affairs it may work shortly but not always and God punish them severely in the day of judgment.
8-Worshiping statues, stones, animals and other creation. So for common sense the created can not be the creator, this gives you cut clear evidence of Satan influence in human thoughts. Other idols include leaders, movie stars, money, gold, silver and so forth. The God who create us all and gave us enormous gifts only have few minutes a day from us or we use his name when we try to express our a feeling of surprise. The God of Quran wants all our life to be for him and when this happened will be united on his love and creating the righteous human unity that will be our joy and salvation.
9-Atheists: not even to recognize existence of God is a strong argument for existence of Satan. See under existence of God proofs in my web to appreciate that mind, heart and spirit prove God's existence.
10-Divisions of religions: the presence of a lot of religions and the presence of a lot of sects of every religions is used by atheists to attack religions. In fact that is the warning of God of Satan attempt and promise to do that and he succeeded. God wants us to have a common dominator which is being righteous and to argue pleasantly in debating religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam each was one religion and after the prophets we divided each on sects and each rejected and despised the other sect and even war ignited between them. This is a strong evidence that Satan even achieve his goals through religions.
11-Animosity and wars: the presence of war all over the human history despite what peace can do to humanity speaks well of Satan control of the world. God is willing to help us and provide us with salvation if to follow his path and being righteous. We are however faithfully obeying Satan.
More Converts To Islam.
By Amira Al-Shariff
Yemen Observer
Oct 27, 2005 - Vol.VIII Issue 43
SANA’A - The number of foreigners who come to Yemen to convert to Islam is increasing, according to Abdul-Karim Al-Kohali, the Media Director of the Cultural Center for Foreigners’ Call. He said that 120 foreigners have converted to Islam from the center in the past two years alone.
He said increasing numbers of people decide to convert to Islam as they believe being a Muslim results in a meaningful life. The center helps prepare foreigners to convert to Islam, providing lessons on the Holy Qur’an, Arabic and the Islamic way of life.
Mohammed Abdullah, an American at the center, says he decided to convert after reading the Holy Qur’an. "I converted to Islam, after I had completed studies of my own religion, Christianity, and found many areas to be missing," he said. "So I began to ask a brother in Alaska about Islam, and became convinced that Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) is the one guide. He gave me the Holy Qur’an and I read it. Then I converted to Islam."
Haron, a convert also from America, said he became interested in Islam after talking to a friend when in prison. "I got into trouble and was sent to jail, where I made a friend who was a Muslim. He told me the positive things about Muslims, as well as telling me that having a girlfriend was not allowed. I thought about Islam, making comparisons between the Bible and the Qur’an and the differences between Christians and Muslims. Slowly I came to believe that the arguments I read in the Holy Qur’an were right." Haron says that being a Muslim has taught him exactly how he should conduct his life. "It told me what to do to be a good person. I had read stories in the Bible but it never taught me why I have to be good," he said. "But the Qur’an told me exactly what to do to be a good person. It also taught me about how I should act towards my wife and in business."
Naeem Harry, also from America, says he decided to convert to Islam while playing basketball. "I embraced Islam when I was in college playing basketball. I used to memorize the Bible, but sometimes I found I had difficulties in understanding parts because I thought there were contradictions. I would ask my preacher if it was a mistake, but he said I just had to believe. It made me question many parts of my life." It was then Naeem started to turn Islam instead. "I started studying the Holy Qur’an and converted to Islam. What amazed me about Holy Qur’an is that any question a person has, the answer is in the Holy Qur’an," he says. "That was the main reason that encouraged me to convert to Islam. One of the other things that amazed me in my college was that Muslims didn’t have mosque to pray in. Instead they prayed in the snow. I asked why they did so, and one replied that it was their duty to pray together. He gave me a book about monotheism, and I read it three or four times in a month. After that I told him I wanted to be a Muslim."
"I remember watching a TV debate between Muslims and Christians," Naeem continues, "where a man called Ahmed called people to Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) and said Islam had an answer to every question. One member of the audience asked him what answer Islam gave to what God was going to do with all the excess women in the world. He replied that because in Islam men can marry more than one woman, that was is one way to solve the problem." His friend Waseem, from the United Kingdom, converted to Islam four years ago. "When I was teenager I spent time in prison, where I heard about Islam," he said. "It made me think, and I decided I needed to follow it. Now I thank God who gave me this religion and changed my life, as I believe a life without Islam is meaningless."
Source: http://www.yobserver.com/cgi-bin/yobserver/exec/view.cgi/1/8535
© Copyright 2003-2004, Yemen Observer
Yemen Observer
Oct 27, 2005 - Vol.VIII Issue 43
SANA’A - The number of foreigners who come to Yemen to convert to Islam is increasing, according to Abdul-Karim Al-Kohali, the Media Director of the Cultural Center for Foreigners’ Call. He said that 120 foreigners have converted to Islam from the center in the past two years alone.
He said increasing numbers of people decide to convert to Islam as they believe being a Muslim results in a meaningful life. The center helps prepare foreigners to convert to Islam, providing lessons on the Holy Qur’an, Arabic and the Islamic way of life.
Mohammed Abdullah, an American at the center, says he decided to convert after reading the Holy Qur’an. "I converted to Islam, after I had completed studies of my own religion, Christianity, and found many areas to be missing," he said. "So I began to ask a brother in Alaska about Islam, and became convinced that Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) is the one guide. He gave me the Holy Qur’an and I read it. Then I converted to Islam."
Haron, a convert also from America, said he became interested in Islam after talking to a friend when in prison. "I got into trouble and was sent to jail, where I made a friend who was a Muslim. He told me the positive things about Muslims, as well as telling me that having a girlfriend was not allowed. I thought about Islam, making comparisons between the Bible and the Qur’an and the differences between Christians and Muslims. Slowly I came to believe that the arguments I read in the Holy Qur’an were right." Haron says that being a Muslim has taught him exactly how he should conduct his life. "It told me what to do to be a good person. I had read stories in the Bible but it never taught me why I have to be good," he said. "But the Qur’an told me exactly what to do to be a good person. It also taught me about how I should act towards my wife and in business."
Naeem Harry, also from America, says he decided to convert to Islam while playing basketball. "I embraced Islam when I was in college playing basketball. I used to memorize the Bible, but sometimes I found I had difficulties in understanding parts because I thought there were contradictions. I would ask my preacher if it was a mistake, but he said I just had to believe. It made me question many parts of my life." It was then Naeem started to turn Islam instead. "I started studying the Holy Qur’an and converted to Islam. What amazed me about Holy Qur’an is that any question a person has, the answer is in the Holy Qur’an," he says. "That was the main reason that encouraged me to convert to Islam. One of the other things that amazed me in my college was that Muslims didn’t have mosque to pray in. Instead they prayed in the snow. I asked why they did so, and one replied that it was their duty to pray together. He gave me a book about monotheism, and I read it three or four times in a month. After that I told him I wanted to be a Muslim."
"I remember watching a TV debate between Muslims and Christians," Naeem continues, "where a man called Ahmed called people to Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) and said Islam had an answer to every question. One member of the audience asked him what answer Islam gave to what God was going to do with all the excess women in the world. He replied that because in Islam men can marry more than one woman, that was is one way to solve the problem." His friend Waseem, from the United Kingdom, converted to Islam four years ago. "When I was teenager I spent time in prison, where I heard about Islam," he said. "It made me think, and I decided I needed to follow it. Now I thank God who gave me this religion and changed my life, as I believe a life without Islam is meaningless."
Source: http://www.yobserver.com/cgi-bin/yobserver/exec/view.cgi/1/8535
© Copyright 2003-2004, Yemen Observer
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Jesus: The great Prophet.
Quran 5:75 The Christ, son of Mary, was but an apostle: all [other] apostles had passed away before him; and his mother was one who never deviated from the truth; and they both ate food [like other mortals]. [89] Behold how clear We make these messages unto them: and then behold how perverted are their minds!
Jesus ate food as all humans. He had like all of us human anatomy and physiology. Among the human physiological functions is eating, digesting and absorbing. Unlike us he was in the five top of prophets who suffered most: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. His birth was a miracle and he carried many dazzling miracles and despite that people rejected him. In his second coming he will be the king of kings and his kingdom will be run by the saints of God. His life and ours will be much less of suffering. It will be a kingdom of righteousness and peace.
Jesus ate food as all humans. He had like all of us human anatomy and physiology. Among the human physiological functions is eating, digesting and absorbing. Unlike us he was in the five top of prophets who suffered most: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. His birth was a miracle and he carried many dazzling miracles and despite that people rejected him. In his second coming he will be the king of kings and his kingdom will be run by the saints of God. His life and ours will be much less of suffering. It will be a kingdom of righteousness and peace.
What Islam And Judaism have in Common?
Both two religions have many in common:
1- Both believe in the same God of Abraham and Israel.
2- Both are against any idols with God.
3- Their believe in God has no mystery. Plainly one God and prophets he send to us. No divine son. God can not be a man.
4- Ten commandments are the basis of both religions.
5- There are laws in both religions. But teachings of morality, justice and wisdom make people much less to need laws.
6- Spirituality is high in both religions.
7- Fear of God and considering ourselves servants to God are more used in both religions.
8- Secular, conservative and ultraconservative present in two religions. Like in Islam people have to work together to accommodate all of them.
9- Both religions do not believe in oppressing or discriminating any group of people. Humanity plays a great role in both religions.
10- They have same messiahs: Ben Joseph and Ben David.
11- Both religions admire the teachings and the love message of Christianity.
1- Both believe in the same God of Abraham and Israel.
2- Both are against any idols with God.
3- Their believe in God has no mystery. Plainly one God and prophets he send to us. No divine son. God can not be a man.
4- Ten commandments are the basis of both religions.
5- There are laws in both religions. But teachings of morality, justice and wisdom make people much less to need laws.
6- Spirituality is high in both religions.
7- Fear of God and considering ourselves servants to God are more used in both religions.
8- Secular, conservative and ultraconservative present in two religions. Like in Islam people have to work together to accommodate all of them.
9- Both religions do not believe in oppressing or discriminating any group of people. Humanity plays a great role in both religions.
10- They have same messiahs: Ben Joseph and Ben David.
11- Both religions admire the teachings and the love message of Christianity.
How We All To Think Religion?
We all should think religion in a scientific way:
1- Is their God: see under my blog the case for God is very compelling.
2- Every thing is equally right or wrong. So what ever your religion is go to the zero line where every thing could be right or wrong.
3- At zero line start by Islam (Quran) for a simple reason it you are studying in branch in science you will be doing the same going to the most recent book. Besides no single letter has changed.
4- Study Islam: in a scientific way: any possibility the messenger of Islam was lying, it was a deceive from Satan or inspired from God see about 16 parts in my blog to answer this question.
5- Study the contradictions in Quran in my blog to be sure that we made the case clear that there is no contradictions. So you feel strongly that Quran is from God.
6- Be your own judge run the verses in your mind and think why a human would right that and why thousands of people pray behind him and follow him everywhere and 1.3 billion Muslim will continue to believe him 1426 years later.
7- Learn about the God of Quran and see if you feel he is the powerful God who created all the universe and will be able to recreate us again and decide for us our eternity according to our faith and deeds.
8- Learn the miracles of the Quran in my blog and find out how a human 1426 ago has all of these recent scientific facts.
9- Read the stories of the prophets almost the same as the bible and find the power of a God and how he revenge for his prophets and he always win in this life or the hereafter.
10- Try to find any weakness, hesitations, politics or regrets that make you feel that a human and not a God who created the Quran.
11- Feel the power of this God over his universe, creations. Prophets and all people.
12- Christians will still have their belief that Jesus is a son of God. They have it in their heart since their childhood. We Muslims love Jesus and his Mother Mary and the Quran put them in a very high place. However, if Quran is from God he is the one who corrects to us the reality of Jesus we have to read what God sayth. One has to start at point zero where everything is possible like I did with the Quran myself in rethinking my faith and in continuing to be a believer.
1- Is their God: see under my blog the case for God is very compelling.
2- Every thing is equally right or wrong. So what ever your religion is go to the zero line where every thing could be right or wrong.
3- At zero line start by Islam (Quran) for a simple reason it you are studying in branch in science you will be doing the same going to the most recent book. Besides no single letter has changed.
4- Study Islam: in a scientific way: any possibility the messenger of Islam was lying, it was a deceive from Satan or inspired from God see about 16 parts in my blog to answer this question.
5- Study the contradictions in Quran in my blog to be sure that we made the case clear that there is no contradictions. So you feel strongly that Quran is from God.
6- Be your own judge run the verses in your mind and think why a human would right that and why thousands of people pray behind him and follow him everywhere and 1.3 billion Muslim will continue to believe him 1426 years later.
7- Learn about the God of Quran and see if you feel he is the powerful God who created all the universe and will be able to recreate us again and decide for us our eternity according to our faith and deeds.
8- Learn the miracles of the Quran in my blog and find out how a human 1426 ago has all of these recent scientific facts.
9- Read the stories of the prophets almost the same as the bible and find the power of a God and how he revenge for his prophets and he always win in this life or the hereafter.
10- Try to find any weakness, hesitations, politics or regrets that make you feel that a human and not a God who created the Quran.
11- Feel the power of this God over his universe, creations. Prophets and all people.
12- Christians will still have their belief that Jesus is a son of God. They have it in their heart since their childhood. We Muslims love Jesus and his Mother Mary and the Quran put them in a very high place. However, if Quran is from God he is the one who corrects to us the reality of Jesus we have to read what God sayth. One has to start at point zero where everything is possible like I did with the Quran myself in rethinking my faith and in continuing to be a believer.
Canadian Islam gets media savvy
MICHAEL VALPY
It's the savvy new face of Canadian Islam: Prominent Muslim organizations in the media room of Parliament's Centre Block yesterday applauding the country, its mainstream media and political leaders for their response to the cartoon controversy.
They issue a statement praising "the values that we share as one nation -- values that bind us together in citizenship and common humanity." They declare that "Canadians have collectively responded to the publication of the offensive caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in a manner that has strengthened our nation."
The savvy face is visible the same day in Toronto: Another national Muslim organization condemning the "irresponsible, dangerous" actions of a Pakistani Islamic cleric who calls for the death of the artist who drew the cartoons published in a Danish newspaper.
At the same time, the organization, the Canadian Islamic Congress, is careful to explain that what the cleric is saying is against the Koran's teaching.
Around the world the past several days, demonstrations against the cartoons have been violent and destructive. In Canada, where demonstrations have happened at all, they've been peaceful and small with community leaders preferring to appear on national radio and in major newspapers to offer insights.
There even was talk at the Parliament Hill event that the Muslims -- so accustomed in the past to thinking of themselves as Canada's alien "others" -- are starting to become as effective as Jewish organizations in getting their message out.
"I'd like to think we're getting better at it," said University of Ottawa engineering professor Tyseer Aboulnasr, who put together the Parliament Hill news conference.
"Over time, you start to learn how the system works."
She spoke of being overwhelmed by how enthusiastically so many Islamic groups -- nominally at arm's-length from one another over differing religious interpretations of their faith -- banded together for the event.
Her first goal, she said, was to bring Muslims together to speak with one voice. Her second was to demonstrate that Muslims can legitimately complain when things go wrong but they also should speak up when things go right.
From www.globeandmail.com
It's the savvy new face of Canadian Islam: Prominent Muslim organizations in the media room of Parliament's Centre Block yesterday applauding the country, its mainstream media and political leaders for their response to the cartoon controversy.
They issue a statement praising "the values that we share as one nation -- values that bind us together in citizenship and common humanity." They declare that "Canadians have collectively responded to the publication of the offensive caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in a manner that has strengthened our nation."
The savvy face is visible the same day in Toronto: Another national Muslim organization condemning the "irresponsible, dangerous" actions of a Pakistani Islamic cleric who calls for the death of the artist who drew the cartoons published in a Danish newspaper.
At the same time, the organization, the Canadian Islamic Congress, is careful to explain that what the cleric is saying is against the Koran's teaching.
Around the world the past several days, demonstrations against the cartoons have been violent and destructive. In Canada, where demonstrations have happened at all, they've been peaceful and small with community leaders preferring to appear on national radio and in major newspapers to offer insights.
There even was talk at the Parliament Hill event that the Muslims -- so accustomed in the past to thinking of themselves as Canada's alien "others" -- are starting to become as effective as Jewish organizations in getting their message out.
"I'd like to think we're getting better at it," said University of Ottawa engineering professor Tyseer Aboulnasr, who put together the Parliament Hill news conference.
"Over time, you start to learn how the system works."
She spoke of being overwhelmed by how enthusiastically so many Islamic groups -- nominally at arm's-length from one another over differing religious interpretations of their faith -- banded together for the event.
Her first goal, she said, was to bring Muslims together to speak with one voice. Her second was to demonstrate that Muslims can legitimately complain when things go wrong but they also should speak up when things go right.
From www.globeandmail.com
Antisemitism is Racism: Harun Yahya.
Antisemitism is Racism Totally Contrary to Islam
HARUN YAHYA (with some modifications):
In the 20th century, antisemitism has signed its name to great disasters, one of the most horrible being the cruelty and murder inflicted by the Nazis on the Jews. Besides this, in many countries authoritarian regimes have targeted Jews and subjected them to cruel treatment. Fascist organizations have harassed Jews and arranged bloody attacks against them.
In our times antisemitism is still an ideology which threatens world peace and targets the well-being and security of innocent people.
So, how should a Muslim regard antisemitism?
The answer is obvious. Every Muslim must oppose antisemitism as he would oppose every other racist ideology; he must resist this ideology of hatred and defend the rights of Jews as he would defend the rights of all other people. Every Muslim must recognize and defend the rights of Jews whether in Israel or in the diaspora to live in peace, to worship, to protect their identity and to express themselves.
Antisemitism: The Product of Neo Paganism
A basic fact that must be appreciated about antisemitism is that it is a pagan creed that no Muslim could ever espouse.
In order to make this clear, we must examine the roots of Antisemitism. This term is generally understood as meaning "anti Jewish," but its basic meaning is a "hatred of Semitic peoples". The Semitic peoples are basically made up of Arabs, Jews and a few other Middle Eastern ethnic groups. There is a great similarity between the languages and cultures of the Semites; for example, Arabic and Hebrew are much alike.
The second largest linguistic and racial group in the world is the Indo-European community of nations. Most of the countries of present day Europe have Indo-European roots.
The pagan war god Wotan, one of the symbols of pagan barbarism and bigotry.
All these various civilizations have had their prophets who proclaimed the existence and the unity of God and made His commands known. But when we examine recorded history, we see that Indo-European peoples from ancient times always believed in paganism. The Greek and Roman civilizations, the Teutons, Vikings and other Barbarian peoples living in southern Europe at that time were all polytheistic pagans. For this reason, these communities remained completely without moral guidance. Violence and savagery were regarded as praiseworthy; homosexuality and adultery were widely practiced. (The most important historical representative of Indo-European civilization was the Roman Empire, and we must not forget that it was a savage society that delighted in seeing people torn apart in the arenas.)
These peoples who ruled Europe encountered monotheism through Jesus Christ, a prophet sent to Semitic people. Sent as a prophet to the children of Israel, the teaching of Jesus spread throughout Europe in the course of time and all the formerly pagan peoples gradually accepted Christianity.
But in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the weakening of Christianity and the growth of ideologies and philosophies that promoted the rejection of religion, a strange current of thought circulated in Europe- Neo-Paganism. The leaders of this movement claimed that European societies must reject Christianity and return to ancient pagan beliefs. According to the adherents of Neo-Paganism, the way European societies understood morality in ancient pagan times (i.e., a warlike, pitiless, bloodthirsty, unbounded barbarous morality), was much superior to the morality they adopted when they accepted Christianity (i.e., a humble, compassionate, peace-loving and religious morality).
Nietzshce was an antisemite, because he sympathized with the pagan culture of violence and hated Theistic religions.
One of the most important representatives of this trend is also one of the greatest theorists of Fascism- Friedrich Nietzsche. He hated Christianity; he believed that it had destroyed the warlike spirit of the German people, that is, it's very essence.
The adherents of Neo-Paganism were hostile to Christianity; at the same time, they adopted a great hatred for Judaism which they saw as the source of Christianity. Indeed, they saw Christianity as the disseminator of Jewish ideas throughout the world and regarded it as a kind of Jewish plot.
So, this Neo-Paganism, on the one hand incited hostility against religion and, on the other, gave birth to fascism and antisemitism. Especially when we look at the foundations of the Nazi ideology, we can see clearly that Hitler and his confreres were, in fact, pagans.
Nazism: 20th Century Paganism
One of the greatest roles in the development of the Nazi ideology was played by a thinker by the name of Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels. Lanz fervently believed in the ideas of Neo-Paganism. He was the first person to find in ancient sources the swastika which was later to become the symbol of the Nazi party. The Ordo Novi Templi (Order of the New Temple), an organization founded by Lanz, devoted itself totally to the rebirth of paganism. Lanz freely proclaimed that he worshiped Wotan, the imaginary "War God" of the ancient German people. He thought that the worship of Wotan was the true religion of the German people and that Germans could be saved only by returning to this religion.
Nazi ideology developed on the road prepared for it by Lanz and other devotees of Neo-Paganism. One of the most important Nazi ideologues, Alfred Rosenberg, thought that Christianity could not provide the spiritual energy needed by the new Germany being established by Hitler, and declared openly that the German people must return to their ancient pagan religion. According to Rosenberg, when the Nazis came to power, religious symbols in churches should be removed and replaced by swastikas, a copy of Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle) and swords symbolizing German invincibility. Hitler adopted the views of Rosenberg but, thinking it would cause too much of a reaction among the people, he did not put this new theory of German religion into effect. [1]
Nazis were neo-pagans who sought to destroy the Judeo-Christian ethics and convert the German society to pagan barbarism.
Nevertheless, during the Nazi regime, some important practices of Neo-Paganism were instituted. Shortly after Hitler came to power, the holy days and feasts of Christianity began to be suppressed and replaced by the holy days of pagan religions. At weddings, oaths were sworn to such imaginary gods as "Mother Earth" and "Father Sky". In 1935, students in schools were forbidden to say Christian prayers and later, lessons with any Christian content were completely discontinued.
Hitler once revealed his attitude toward Christianity when he bluntly stated that religion is an:
…organized lie [that] must be smashed. The State must remain the absolute master. When I was younger, I thought it was necessary to set about [destroying religion] …with dynamite. I've since realized there's room for a little subtlety …. The final state must be … in St. Peter's Chair, a senile officiant; facing him a few sinister old women… The young and healthy are on our side … Our peoples had previously succeeded in living all right without this religion. I have six divisions of SS men absolutely indifferent in matters of religion. It doesn't prevent them from going to their death with serenity in their souls. [2]
As we can see, Hitler saw only one idea as having importance in the spiritual realm: the idea that would lead people to "go to their death with serenity in their souls". He found it in abundance in such pagan concepts as "the German spirit" and "honor in battle". He saw monotheistic religions as beliefs that must be "destroyed with dynamite" but, for political reasons, he acted more moderately.
The Nazi hatred for Jews was a part of this anti-Theistic ideology. Nazis who hated Christianity saw it as a "Jewish plot." That Jesus Christ, a prophet of Israeli origin, should be loved and revered by Germans, who regarded themselves as the "master race", was for them unthinkable. For the Nazis, it was not a prophet of Israeli origin that would be a guide for Germans, but the barbarous and cruel warriors of pagan German culture.
So, this is the real truth about Nazism and antisemitism in general. Today, the leaders of antisemitism are various Neo-Nazi and Fascist groups. If we look at them, we see immediately that every one of them has an anti-religious ideology and what they say is based on pagan ideas.
Antisemitism And Every Kind Of Racism Is Contrary To Islam
From the facts that we have examined so far, the following is clear:
Antisemitism is an anti-religion ideology that has its roots in Neo-Paganism. Therefore, it is unthinkable that a Muslim would espouse antisemitism or feel sympathy for this ideology. Anti-Semites have no respect for Abraham, Moses or David who were blessed prophets chosen by God to be examples for humanity.
Antisemitism and other kinds of racism (eg. prejudice against Blacks) have no place in true religion; they are perversions arising from various ideologies and superstitions.
Furthermore, when we examine antisemitism and other forms of racism, we see clearly that they promote ideas and a model of society that is totally contrary to the moral teachings of the Qur'an, For example, at the root of antisemitism lie hatred, violence, and lack of compassion. An anti-Semite may be so cruel as to support the murder of Jewish people without distinguishing between women, children and the aged, and condone their being subjected to torture. However, the moral teaching of the Qur'an enjoins love, compassion and mercy for all people. It also commands Muslims to show justice and be forgiving even to their enemies.
According to the Qur'an, Muslims, Jews and Christians Must Live in Friendship
Jews and Christians (called in the Qur'an the "people of the book") are much closer to Muslims than idolaters (pagans or the atheists). The people of the book, like Muslims, believe in one God and are subject to His commands.
In the Qur'an, there is a significant difference between the people of the book and the idolaters. This is especially emphasized in the area of social life. For example, it is said concerning the idolaters: "(they) are unclean, so after this year they should not come near the Masjid al-Haram." (Surat at-Tawba: 28) Idolaters are people who know no divine law, have no moral precepts and who can commit every kind of degrading and perverse deed without hesitation.
But the people of the book, while they rely basically on God's revelation, have moral precepts and know what is lawful and what is not. For this reason, if one of the people of the book cooks some food, it is lawful for Muslims to eat it. In the same way, permission has been given to a Muslim man to marry a woman from among the people of the book. On this subject God commands:
Today all good things have been made lawful for you. And the food of those given the Book is also lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. So are chaste women from among the believers and chaste women of those given the Book before you, once you have given them their dowries in marriage, not in fornication or taking them as lovers. But as for anyone who disbelieve, his actions will come to nothing and in the hereafter he will be among the losers. (Surat al-Mai'da: 5)
These commands show that bonds of kinship may be established as a result of the marriage of a Muslim with a woman from the people of the book and that those on each side of the union can accept an invitation to a meal. These are the fundamentals that will ensure the establishment of equitable human relationships and a happy communal life. Since the Qur'an enjoins this equitable and tolerant attitude, it is unthinkable that a Muslim could take an opposing view.
Monasteries, Churches And Synagogues Must Be Respected
Temples that deserve respect: A church...
Another important fact we learn from the Qur'an is that Muslims must respect Jewish and Christian places of worship. In the Qur'an, the places of worship of the people of the book, ie. monasteries, churches and synagogues, are mentioned as places of worship protected by God.
"…if God had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. God will certainly help those who help Him - God is All-Strong, Almighty." (Surat al-Hajj: 40 )
This verse shows to every Muslim the importance of respecting and protecting the holy places of the people of the book.
... and a synagouge.
Indeed, in the Qur'an, God commands Muslims not to harbor any enmity toward any people. In many verses, friendship is recommended even with the idolaters. God even refers to the idolaters at war with Muslims like this: "If any of the idolaters ask you for protection, give them protection until they have heard the words of God. Then convey them to a place where they are safe." (Surat at-Tawba: 6)
Jews and Christians, however, are much closer to Muslims than idolaters. Each of these religions has its book, that is, they are subject to a book sent down by God. They know what is right and what is wrong, what is lawful and what is unlawful. They know they will give an account to God and they love and revere His prophets. This shows that Muslims and the people of the book can live easily together.
Conclusion
In a Muslim's outlook on the world, one of his basic criteria is justice. No matter whom he may oppose, he cannot depart from justice. He acts not according to his feelings, but with his reason and conscience. He removes himself from fanaticism and bigotry, and makes his decisions according to wisdom.
What God teaches us in the Qur'an about different peoples and creeds is clear:
1. The morality of the Qur'an excludes every kind of racism.
2. It is commanded in the Qur'an that, so long as they show no hostility to Islam or Muslims, a tolerant and friendly attitude must be maintained toward other religions.
Our wish is that a world will be established in which people will be able to live together in peace no matter to what race or religion they belong, in which every racist perversion will be rejected, everyone's rights will be regarded and everyone will be respected.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
1- Michael Howard, The Occult Conspiracy: The Secret History of Mystics, Templars, Masons and Occult Societies, 1.b., London: Rider, 1989, p. 130
2- Hitler, A., Hitler's Secret Conversations 1941-1944, With an introductory essay on The Mind of Adolf Hitler by H.R. Trevor-Roper, Farrar, Straus and Young, New York, p. 117
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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HARUN YAHYA (with some modifications):
In the 20th century, antisemitism has signed its name to great disasters, one of the most horrible being the cruelty and murder inflicted by the Nazis on the Jews. Besides this, in many countries authoritarian regimes have targeted Jews and subjected them to cruel treatment. Fascist organizations have harassed Jews and arranged bloody attacks against them.
In our times antisemitism is still an ideology which threatens world peace and targets the well-being and security of innocent people.
So, how should a Muslim regard antisemitism?
The answer is obvious. Every Muslim must oppose antisemitism as he would oppose every other racist ideology; he must resist this ideology of hatred and defend the rights of Jews as he would defend the rights of all other people. Every Muslim must recognize and defend the rights of Jews whether in Israel or in the diaspora to live in peace, to worship, to protect their identity and to express themselves.
Antisemitism: The Product of Neo Paganism
A basic fact that must be appreciated about antisemitism is that it is a pagan creed that no Muslim could ever espouse.
In order to make this clear, we must examine the roots of Antisemitism. This term is generally understood as meaning "anti Jewish," but its basic meaning is a "hatred of Semitic peoples". The Semitic peoples are basically made up of Arabs, Jews and a few other Middle Eastern ethnic groups. There is a great similarity between the languages and cultures of the Semites; for example, Arabic and Hebrew are much alike.
The second largest linguistic and racial group in the world is the Indo-European community of nations. Most of the countries of present day Europe have Indo-European roots.
The pagan war god Wotan, one of the symbols of pagan barbarism and bigotry.
All these various civilizations have had their prophets who proclaimed the existence and the unity of God and made His commands known. But when we examine recorded history, we see that Indo-European peoples from ancient times always believed in paganism. The Greek and Roman civilizations, the Teutons, Vikings and other Barbarian peoples living in southern Europe at that time were all polytheistic pagans. For this reason, these communities remained completely without moral guidance. Violence and savagery were regarded as praiseworthy; homosexuality and adultery were widely practiced. (The most important historical representative of Indo-European civilization was the Roman Empire, and we must not forget that it was a savage society that delighted in seeing people torn apart in the arenas.)
These peoples who ruled Europe encountered monotheism through Jesus Christ, a prophet sent to Semitic people. Sent as a prophet to the children of Israel, the teaching of Jesus spread throughout Europe in the course of time and all the formerly pagan peoples gradually accepted Christianity.
But in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the weakening of Christianity and the growth of ideologies and philosophies that promoted the rejection of religion, a strange current of thought circulated in Europe- Neo-Paganism. The leaders of this movement claimed that European societies must reject Christianity and return to ancient pagan beliefs. According to the adherents of Neo-Paganism, the way European societies understood morality in ancient pagan times (i.e., a warlike, pitiless, bloodthirsty, unbounded barbarous morality), was much superior to the morality they adopted when they accepted Christianity (i.e., a humble, compassionate, peace-loving and religious morality).
Nietzshce was an antisemite, because he sympathized with the pagan culture of violence and hated Theistic religions.
One of the most important representatives of this trend is also one of the greatest theorists of Fascism- Friedrich Nietzsche. He hated Christianity; he believed that it had destroyed the warlike spirit of the German people, that is, it's very essence.
The adherents of Neo-Paganism were hostile to Christianity; at the same time, they adopted a great hatred for Judaism which they saw as the source of Christianity. Indeed, they saw Christianity as the disseminator of Jewish ideas throughout the world and regarded it as a kind of Jewish plot.
So, this Neo-Paganism, on the one hand incited hostility against religion and, on the other, gave birth to fascism and antisemitism. Especially when we look at the foundations of the Nazi ideology, we can see clearly that Hitler and his confreres were, in fact, pagans.
Nazism: 20th Century Paganism
One of the greatest roles in the development of the Nazi ideology was played by a thinker by the name of Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels. Lanz fervently believed in the ideas of Neo-Paganism. He was the first person to find in ancient sources the swastika which was later to become the symbol of the Nazi party. The Ordo Novi Templi (Order of the New Temple), an organization founded by Lanz, devoted itself totally to the rebirth of paganism. Lanz freely proclaimed that he worshiped Wotan, the imaginary "War God" of the ancient German people. He thought that the worship of Wotan was the true religion of the German people and that Germans could be saved only by returning to this religion.
Nazi ideology developed on the road prepared for it by Lanz and other devotees of Neo-Paganism. One of the most important Nazi ideologues, Alfred Rosenberg, thought that Christianity could not provide the spiritual energy needed by the new Germany being established by Hitler, and declared openly that the German people must return to their ancient pagan religion. According to Rosenberg, when the Nazis came to power, religious symbols in churches should be removed and replaced by swastikas, a copy of Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle) and swords symbolizing German invincibility. Hitler adopted the views of Rosenberg but, thinking it would cause too much of a reaction among the people, he did not put this new theory of German religion into effect. [1]
Nazis were neo-pagans who sought to destroy the Judeo-Christian ethics and convert the German society to pagan barbarism.
Nevertheless, during the Nazi regime, some important practices of Neo-Paganism were instituted. Shortly after Hitler came to power, the holy days and feasts of Christianity began to be suppressed and replaced by the holy days of pagan religions. At weddings, oaths were sworn to such imaginary gods as "Mother Earth" and "Father Sky". In 1935, students in schools were forbidden to say Christian prayers and later, lessons with any Christian content were completely discontinued.
Hitler once revealed his attitude toward Christianity when he bluntly stated that religion is an:
…organized lie [that] must be smashed. The State must remain the absolute master. When I was younger, I thought it was necessary to set about [destroying religion] …with dynamite. I've since realized there's room for a little subtlety …. The final state must be … in St. Peter's Chair, a senile officiant; facing him a few sinister old women… The young and healthy are on our side … Our peoples had previously succeeded in living all right without this religion. I have six divisions of SS men absolutely indifferent in matters of religion. It doesn't prevent them from going to their death with serenity in their souls. [2]
As we can see, Hitler saw only one idea as having importance in the spiritual realm: the idea that would lead people to "go to their death with serenity in their souls". He found it in abundance in such pagan concepts as "the German spirit" and "honor in battle". He saw monotheistic religions as beliefs that must be "destroyed with dynamite" but, for political reasons, he acted more moderately.
The Nazi hatred for Jews was a part of this anti-Theistic ideology. Nazis who hated Christianity saw it as a "Jewish plot." That Jesus Christ, a prophet of Israeli origin, should be loved and revered by Germans, who regarded themselves as the "master race", was for them unthinkable. For the Nazis, it was not a prophet of Israeli origin that would be a guide for Germans, but the barbarous and cruel warriors of pagan German culture.
So, this is the real truth about Nazism and antisemitism in general. Today, the leaders of antisemitism are various Neo-Nazi and Fascist groups. If we look at them, we see immediately that every one of them has an anti-religious ideology and what they say is based on pagan ideas.
Antisemitism And Every Kind Of Racism Is Contrary To Islam
From the facts that we have examined so far, the following is clear:
Antisemitism is an anti-religion ideology that has its roots in Neo-Paganism. Therefore, it is unthinkable that a Muslim would espouse antisemitism or feel sympathy for this ideology. Anti-Semites have no respect for Abraham, Moses or David who were blessed prophets chosen by God to be examples for humanity.
Antisemitism and other kinds of racism (eg. prejudice against Blacks) have no place in true religion; they are perversions arising from various ideologies and superstitions.
Furthermore, when we examine antisemitism and other forms of racism, we see clearly that they promote ideas and a model of society that is totally contrary to the moral teachings of the Qur'an, For example, at the root of antisemitism lie hatred, violence, and lack of compassion. An anti-Semite may be so cruel as to support the murder of Jewish people without distinguishing between women, children and the aged, and condone their being subjected to torture. However, the moral teaching of the Qur'an enjoins love, compassion and mercy for all people. It also commands Muslims to show justice and be forgiving even to their enemies.
According to the Qur'an, Muslims, Jews and Christians Must Live in Friendship
Jews and Christians (called in the Qur'an the "people of the book") are much closer to Muslims than idolaters (pagans or the atheists). The people of the book, like Muslims, believe in one God and are subject to His commands.
In the Qur'an, there is a significant difference between the people of the book and the idolaters. This is especially emphasized in the area of social life. For example, it is said concerning the idolaters: "(they) are unclean, so after this year they should not come near the Masjid al-Haram." (Surat at-Tawba: 28) Idolaters are people who know no divine law, have no moral precepts and who can commit every kind of degrading and perverse deed without hesitation.
But the people of the book, while they rely basically on God's revelation, have moral precepts and know what is lawful and what is not. For this reason, if one of the people of the book cooks some food, it is lawful for Muslims to eat it. In the same way, permission has been given to a Muslim man to marry a woman from among the people of the book. On this subject God commands:
Today all good things have been made lawful for you. And the food of those given the Book is also lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. So are chaste women from among the believers and chaste women of those given the Book before you, once you have given them their dowries in marriage, not in fornication or taking them as lovers. But as for anyone who disbelieve, his actions will come to nothing and in the hereafter he will be among the losers. (Surat al-Mai'da: 5)
These commands show that bonds of kinship may be established as a result of the marriage of a Muslim with a woman from the people of the book and that those on each side of the union can accept an invitation to a meal. These are the fundamentals that will ensure the establishment of equitable human relationships and a happy communal life. Since the Qur'an enjoins this equitable and tolerant attitude, it is unthinkable that a Muslim could take an opposing view.
Monasteries, Churches And Synagogues Must Be Respected
Temples that deserve respect: A church...
Another important fact we learn from the Qur'an is that Muslims must respect Jewish and Christian places of worship. In the Qur'an, the places of worship of the people of the book, ie. monasteries, churches and synagogues, are mentioned as places of worship protected by God.
"…if God had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. God will certainly help those who help Him - God is All-Strong, Almighty." (Surat al-Hajj: 40 )
This verse shows to every Muslim the importance of respecting and protecting the holy places of the people of the book.
... and a synagouge.
Indeed, in the Qur'an, God commands Muslims not to harbor any enmity toward any people. In many verses, friendship is recommended even with the idolaters. God even refers to the idolaters at war with Muslims like this: "If any of the idolaters ask you for protection, give them protection until they have heard the words of God. Then convey them to a place where they are safe." (Surat at-Tawba: 6)
Jews and Christians, however, are much closer to Muslims than idolaters. Each of these religions has its book, that is, they are subject to a book sent down by God. They know what is right and what is wrong, what is lawful and what is unlawful. They know they will give an account to God and they love and revere His prophets. This shows that Muslims and the people of the book can live easily together.
Conclusion
In a Muslim's outlook on the world, one of his basic criteria is justice. No matter whom he may oppose, he cannot depart from justice. He acts not according to his feelings, but with his reason and conscience. He removes himself from fanaticism and bigotry, and makes his decisions according to wisdom.
What God teaches us in the Qur'an about different peoples and creeds is clear:
1. The morality of the Qur'an excludes every kind of racism.
2. It is commanded in the Qur'an that, so long as they show no hostility to Islam or Muslims, a tolerant and friendly attitude must be maintained toward other religions.
Our wish is that a world will be established in which people will be able to live together in peace no matter to what race or religion they belong, in which every racist perversion will be rejected, everyone's rights will be regarded and everyone will be respected.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
1- Michael Howard, The Occult Conspiracy: The Secret History of Mystics, Templars, Masons and Occult Societies, 1.b., London: Rider, 1989, p. 130
2- Hitler, A., Hitler's Secret Conversations 1941-1944, With an introductory essay on The Mind of Adolf Hitler by H.R. Trevor-Roper, Farrar, Straus and Young, New York, p. 117
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Building Abrahamic Partnerships (DI-650)
Building Abrahamic Partnerships (DI-650)
Winter/Spring 2006
This eight-day intensive training program offers a practical foundation for mutual understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Participants learn about the tenets and practices of the three faiths, study texts from their respective scriptures together, attend worship at a mosque, synagogue, and church, and acquire pastoral skills useful in interfaith ministry. Combining the academic and the experiential, the course includes ample time for socializing over meals and during breaks. Building on Hartford SeminaryÂ’s strengths as an interfaith, dialogical school of practical theology, this team-taught program is a resource for religious leaders who are grounded in their own traditions while open to the faith orientations of other communities.
Hartford Seminary 77 Sherman Street Hartford, CT 06105 860-509-9500 info@hartsem.edu
As I always states we are not mixing religions or making new religions but we need to:
1- Debate religions politely.
2- Forget about our geopolitical anger when we discuss religion.
3- No compulsion in religion.
4- However to convert to another religion you have to do it very logistically. Debate, doubt, criticize and if very convinced convert.
5- Muslim advise you to submit to Islam even with no faith to Islam as a very last resort since submitting even with a little faith and good deeds quite possibly win you the great eternity and save you from hell fire. Even if it is like a bet I would bet on the thing that if does not make me win does not make loose.
6- If people kept their religions we can at least live in understanding and have peaceful coexistence. As well we use the basic human values of our religions instead of religious animosity, hate and wars.
Winter/Spring 2006
This eight-day intensive training program offers a practical foundation for mutual understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Participants learn about the tenets and practices of the three faiths, study texts from their respective scriptures together, attend worship at a mosque, synagogue, and church, and acquire pastoral skills useful in interfaith ministry. Combining the academic and the experiential, the course includes ample time for socializing over meals and during breaks. Building on Hartford SeminaryÂ’s strengths as an interfaith, dialogical school of practical theology, this team-taught program is a resource for religious leaders who are grounded in their own traditions while open to the faith orientations of other communities.
Hartford Seminary 77 Sherman Street Hartford, CT 06105 860-509-9500 info@hartsem.edu
As I always states we are not mixing religions or making new religions but we need to:
1- Debate religions politely.
2- Forget about our geopolitical anger when we discuss religion.
3- No compulsion in religion.
4- However to convert to another religion you have to do it very logistically. Debate, doubt, criticize and if very convinced convert.
5- Muslim advise you to submit to Islam even with no faith to Islam as a very last resort since submitting even with a little faith and good deeds quite possibly win you the great eternity and save you from hell fire. Even if it is like a bet I would bet on the thing that if does not make me win does not make loose.
6- If people kept their religions we can at least live in understanding and have peaceful coexistence. As well we use the basic human values of our religions instead of religious animosity, hate and wars.
Biblical Prophecies on the Advent of Muhammad (PBUH)
The Biblical prophecies on the advent of the Prophet Muhammad are evidence of the truth of Islam for people who believe in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 18, Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).1
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics:
1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth:
1) A prophet like Moses:
There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad . Both were given a comprehensive law and code of life. Both encountered their enemies and were victorious in miraculous ways. Both were accepted as prophets and statesmen. Both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlook not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well. These include the natural birth, the family life, and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus. Moreover Jesus was regarded by his followers as the Son of God and not exclusively as a prophet of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslims believe Jesus was. So, this prophecy refers to the Prophet Muhammad and not to Jesus, because Muhammad is more like Moses than Jesus.
Also, one notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist: “Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21). If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the words “the Prophet” occur in John 1:21, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18.2 We conclude from this that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
2) From the brothers of the Israelites:
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad , a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad .
3) God will put His words in the mouth of this prophet:
The words of God (the Holy Quran) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. God sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Quran) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad , and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Quran, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point, is that the Quran was revealed in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10).
Note that God has said in the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18, “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy, 18:19). This means that whoever believes in the Bible must believe in what this prophet says, and this prophet is the Prophet Muhammad .
Next: The Verses in the Quran That Mention Future Events Which Later Came to Pass
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) All of the verses on this page have been taken from The NIV Study Bible, New International Version, except where noted as being KJV which means King James Version.
(2) See the marginal notes in The NIV Study Bible, New International Version on verse 1:21, p. 1594.
From: www.islam-guide.com
In Deuteronomy 18, Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).1
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics:
1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth:
1) A prophet like Moses:
There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad . Both were given a comprehensive law and code of life. Both encountered their enemies and were victorious in miraculous ways. Both were accepted as prophets and statesmen. Both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlook not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well. These include the natural birth, the family life, and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus. Moreover Jesus was regarded by his followers as the Son of God and not exclusively as a prophet of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslims believe Jesus was. So, this prophecy refers to the Prophet Muhammad and not to Jesus, because Muhammad is more like Moses than Jesus.
Also, one notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist: “Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21). If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the words “the Prophet” occur in John 1:21, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18.2 We conclude from this that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
2) From the brothers of the Israelites:
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad , a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad .
3) God will put His words in the mouth of this prophet:
The words of God (the Holy Quran) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. God sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Quran) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad , and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Quran, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point, is that the Quran was revealed in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10).
Note that God has said in the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18, “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy, 18:19). This means that whoever believes in the Bible must believe in what this prophet says, and this prophet is the Prophet Muhammad .
Next: The Verses in the Quran That Mention Future Events Which Later Came to Pass
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) All of the verses on this page have been taken from The NIV Study Bible, New International Version, except where noted as being KJV which means King James Version.
(2) See the marginal notes in The NIV Study Bible, New International Version on verse 1:21, p. 1594.
From: www.islam-guide.com
Truth about Jesus Steven Johnson (Farukh Abdallah)
Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim Assalamu aleikum ( in the name of God) I am going to talk about the truth about Jesus (peace be upon him!).
In the first part of the lecture I would like to consider some of the so-called Christian evidence for the Divinity of Jesus and with the short response to what I consider the best evidence that the Christians would have and then to conclude with what Islam has to say about Jesus, insha Allah.
So first let us consider some of the best Christian so-called evidence for the Divinity of Jesus.
Of course one body of evidence that Christians have historically pointed to was evidence that Jesus (peace be upon him!) is God are the miracles of Jesus.
For example, they like to point to the virgin birth of Jesus. But it is the fact that Jesus had the human mother, but no father.
But of course for centuries the Jews and more recently the Muslims have counted that evidence by reminding the Christians that Adam had neither the mother of the father, and yet of course Christians never claim that Adam is Divine.
The physical state of affairs of a virgin birth as miraculous as it is not proof of Divinity.
For example, we read in the New Testatment that Hebrews (chapter 7, verse 3). It says that "without father, mother or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains the priest for ever".
It´s a very interesting verse, because that verse is not describing Jesus (peace be upon him!), rather if taken literally, as Christians take other verses in the Bible, it says that Melchizedek - an Old Testament figure - was without a father, without a mother, and that he is eternal.
So, using Christian logic, wouldn´t Melchizedek be God? And yet, no Christian says that Melchizedek is God. More often Christians would suggest, that since Jesus (peace be upon him!) had the power to cure the sick or even to raise the dead - that he must be God, because only God has power over life and death.
But the Bible itself demonstrates that claim is not logically founded.
For example, in the New Testament in the book of Acts (chapter 5, verse 15) we discover that families would bring their sick out into the street, so that the shadow of St.Peter could cast upon the sick people, and it says when the shadow of St.Peter was cast upon them - that they were cured.
Supposedly the mere shadow of Peter had the power to cure the sick.
In Acts (chapter 14, verse 10), Paul says to a crippled man: "Stand up upon your feet. And the man was cured".
And Paul did not mention the name of Jesus (peace be upon him!) in order to cure the man.
In Acts (chapter 9, verse 40) St. Peter raises Tabitha from the dead. And he did not mention the name of Jesus in order to raise Tabitha from the dead.
Of course Christians claim and they should claim if they are good Christians, that the apostles receive power for these miracles from Jesus.
But it is not understandable why they stop there, why do they not say that Jesus (peace be upon him!) receives his power from God.
For example, when we read John (chapter 5, verse 30 and chapter 6, verse 38). It says that Jesus was supposed to have said: "I can do nothing on my own initiative.
As I hear, I judge. And my judgement is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me".
So if Jesus, (peace be upon him!) cures it is because it is the will of the One who sent him. Because Jesus by his own admission can do nothing on his own initiative.
Clearly the will of Jesus (peace be upon him!) is subordinated to the will of God, which is inconsistent with any claim that Jesus is equal to the Father.
St.Paul himself subordinated Christ to God the Father in authority.
In his letter to the Corinthians I (chapter 11, verse 3) Paul says that Christ is the head of every man and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Another typical verse of Paul is Corinthians I (chapter 15, verse 25). It says: "And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him. That God may be all in all".
We also learn in the letter to Phillipians (chapter 2, verse 9) that God has highly exalted Jesus.
So if Jesus is subject to God and relies upon God to exalt him, then Jesus cannot be God, unless there are levels of being God.
At most Jesus could be aimed lower God and not equal to the Father.
But elsewhere in the Bible Jesus himself blatantly denies any kind of equality with God. For example, in the Gospel of John (chapter 14, verse 28) he says, "I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am".
In what sense can the Father be greater than Jesus ?
Christians view Jesus as perfect. Their line of argumentation is very simple. Since only God is perfect and Jesus is perfect, then Jesus must be God.
In logic we dismiss that kind of an argument, we say it is the fallacy of the undistributed middle term.
Let me give you an example of that, to show you how illogical it is. If I said that Begin is tired and Reigan is tired then I would have to conclude that Begin is Reigan.
So obviously it is an illogical kind of argument. It is the same kind of argument that we find there. You don´t even have to be a Major in logic to see that that is illogical.
If you look to the Bible itself in the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew (chapter 5, verse 48), Jesus supposedly commands us to "be ye therefore perfect, as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect".
Again Jesus of course was paraphrasing the Torah. We find those words in Leviticus (chapter 19, verse 2).
But by commanding us to be perfect, or holy as it is said in Leviticus, to Jesus and God it means to indicate that we all have the potential to be God.
Well of course no orthodox Christian would make such a claim. The fact is that if Jesus lived a perfect life, then he was a perfect man, but a perfect man is not God.
Jesus was simply following the commandment revealed by God to Moses.
But whatever Jesus´s perfection in the New Testament is, he is always characterised or described as lower or subordinate to God the Father. And that subordinate role is seen in the fact that Jesus himself viewed himself as a messenger.
In Matthew (chapter 10, verse 40), and in John (chapter 5, verse 36) Jesus says, "...he who receives you, receives me and he who receives me, receives Him who sent me". That´s a very important verse, when it is considered along with verse such as John (chapter 12, verse 44). That says, "But Jesus cried out and said "he who believes in me, does no believe in me, but in Him who sent me"
. Also in John (chapter 13, verse 16) it says, "A slave is not greater than his master, neither a messenger - greater than the One who sent the messenger".
So Jesus is admitting both that he is a messenger and that the messenger is not as great as the One who send a messenger. It is very very clear.
Consistently the Gospel writers viewed Jesus as a human messenger, one mediator between God and man. That is evident in I Timothy (chapter 2, verse 5). Where Paul writes, "For there is one God, and also one mediator between God and men - a man Christ Jesus".
That whole doctrine was of course taken from file of Alexander. I don´t have time to go into that but if you have questions about it later I can go into it. So, I think we can see that if in some biblical verses Jesus is described as perfect, we can see from other verses that his perfection is only a human perfection. The Bible itself does not attribute perfect knowledge to Jesus.
Jesus freely admitted that there were things that neither he nor the Angels knew, but that only God knew.
For example, talking about the day of judgement, Jesus says in the Gospel of Mark (chapter 13, verse 32). He says that "of that day or hour no one knows, neither the Angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father".
And there is a very curious verse in Luke (chapter 2, verse 52), that makes the following statement about Jesus.
It said and Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favour with God and men. If Jesus is God, then we would expect him to share in the omniscience and the all-knowingness of God and the All-knowing God cannot increase in wisdom.
Or returning to the issue of perfection. If Jesus is perfect, and how could he increase in favour with God. A very dangerous thing happened in Christian theology, when the theologians attempted to attribute Divinity to Jesus.
Paradoxically, human qualities were attributed to God.
That is seen very clearly in a passage from Ditrich Barnhafer "Letters and papers from prison". Let me read it: "God is teaching us that we must live as men who can get along very well without him.
That we should be able to get along without God. The God who is with us is the God who forsakes us, the God who makes us live in this world. Without using him as a working hypothesis is the God before whom we are ever standing, before God and with Him we live without God.
God allows himself to be edged out of the world and onto the cross. God is weak and powerless in the world. And that is exactly the way, the only way in which he can be with us and help us".
Barharfer describes God as weak and powerless in the world, that he can be edged out of the world and nailed onto a cross. What a short step it is from describing God as weak and powerless in the world to some other words that are even worse
. Neichure wrote: "Where has God gone - he cried. I shall tell you. We have killed Him. You and I. We are all His murderers. God is dead. God remains dead and we have killed Him."
If Christians call Barnhafer and Neitsche silly then they should remember that for two centuries after the council of Carsidn, their Fathers and faith debated about whether God could suffer
. These debates and paradoxes continue only substantiating the old claim that anything can follow from a contradiction.
Once you say that God can become man, then anything can happen. Then God can be even called weak and powerless or God can even die, if God can become a man.
Many Christians claimed that the greatest single piece of evidence that Jesus is God is the empty tomb. The Resurrection of Jesus. In fact Paul says that if Jesus did not raise from the dead, the Christian faith is worthless.
That it is completely empty. But unfortunately for the Christian the only evidence for the Resurrection is found in the Bible; and those Resurrection stories, those Resurrection narratives are extremely inconsistent on the details of the event.
For example, try to use the biblical narratives to determine which of Jesus´s followers actually came to the tomb and found that the tomb is empty. In Matthew (chapter 28, verse 1) we learn that Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary came to the tomb.
Whereas in Mark (chapter 16, verse 1) it says that Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome were present.
Whereas in Luke (24:10) it says that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of Jesus and other women were present.
Finally in John (chapter 20, verse 1) - it suggests that Mary Magdalene was all alone at the tomb.
There is no consensus on who actually saw Jesus in the empty tomb, or who actually saw the empty tomb. And of course although Christians refer to the empty tomb they do not actually mean that the tomb is completely empty when the individuals went there. According to Christians there was an angelic presence at the tomb
However the Gospels of Mark and Luke differ on how many angels were actually present at the tomb.
Mark (16:5) has one young male angel in the tomb. Luke (24:4) has two male angels in the tomb.
Another question that fundamentalist Christians, that evangelical type often pose is who moved the stone (as if this is a terribly important question).
I must confess that even as a Christian I couldn´t envision a more irrelevant question.
First, what difference does it make who moved the stone. Just give him a name - Bernish Warts.
What difference does it make?
What does it prove?
The issue was not who moved the stone, but whether the Bible is free from inconsistencies, such that it is even possible to determine the answer to that question.
In fact, the Bible equivocates on who moved the stone. In Matthew (28:2) one reads that when Mary Magdalene and Mary arrived at the tomb, an angel approached, rolled the stone away and then sat upon the stone.
In Mark (16:4) and in Luke (24:2) one discovers that when the women arrived at the tomb, the stone was already moved. Another very interesting question is where was Jesus before the empty tomb was being visited. Supposedly at some point to be for Easter, Jesus ascended into Heaven, because in Luke (23:43) he promises the thief on the cross that the thief would be with Jesus that day in Paradise. That Day would be - on Good Friday.
However in John chapter (20, verse 17), Jesus tells Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday not to touch him, because He has not yet ascended to the Father.
According to these verses Jesus would either be unfortunately (I would not say this, but according to the verse Jesus was either lying to the thief or to Mary Magdalene! Astagfir Allah!)
Because he promised to see that thief in Heaven on Friday, but on Sunday He had not yet ascended to the Father, he had not yet gone to Heaven.
It is curious that according to the Bible Jesus changed His mind about being touched before his ascension because in Matthew (28:9) it says that both of the Maries grabbed Jesus´s feet before He ascended to the Father.
In the first part of the lecture I would like to consider some of the so-called Christian evidence for the Divinity of Jesus and with the short response to what I consider the best evidence that the Christians would have and then to conclude with what Islam has to say about Jesus, insha Allah.
So first let us consider some of the best Christian so-called evidence for the Divinity of Jesus.
Of course one body of evidence that Christians have historically pointed to was evidence that Jesus (peace be upon him!) is God are the miracles of Jesus.
For example, they like to point to the virgin birth of Jesus. But it is the fact that Jesus had the human mother, but no father.
But of course for centuries the Jews and more recently the Muslims have counted that evidence by reminding the Christians that Adam had neither the mother of the father, and yet of course Christians never claim that Adam is Divine.
The physical state of affairs of a virgin birth as miraculous as it is not proof of Divinity.
For example, we read in the New Testatment that Hebrews (chapter 7, verse 3). It says that "without father, mother or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains the priest for ever".
It´s a very interesting verse, because that verse is not describing Jesus (peace be upon him!), rather if taken literally, as Christians take other verses in the Bible, it says that Melchizedek - an Old Testament figure - was without a father, without a mother, and that he is eternal.
So, using Christian logic, wouldn´t Melchizedek be God? And yet, no Christian says that Melchizedek is God. More often Christians would suggest, that since Jesus (peace be upon him!) had the power to cure the sick or even to raise the dead - that he must be God, because only God has power over life and death.
But the Bible itself demonstrates that claim is not logically founded.
For example, in the New Testament in the book of Acts (chapter 5, verse 15) we discover that families would bring their sick out into the street, so that the shadow of St.Peter could cast upon the sick people, and it says when the shadow of St.Peter was cast upon them - that they were cured.
Supposedly the mere shadow of Peter had the power to cure the sick.
In Acts (chapter 14, verse 10), Paul says to a crippled man: "Stand up upon your feet. And the man was cured".
And Paul did not mention the name of Jesus (peace be upon him!) in order to cure the man.
In Acts (chapter 9, verse 40) St. Peter raises Tabitha from the dead. And he did not mention the name of Jesus in order to raise Tabitha from the dead.
Of course Christians claim and they should claim if they are good Christians, that the apostles receive power for these miracles from Jesus.
But it is not understandable why they stop there, why do they not say that Jesus (peace be upon him!) receives his power from God.
For example, when we read John (chapter 5, verse 30 and chapter 6, verse 38). It says that Jesus was supposed to have said: "I can do nothing on my own initiative.
As I hear, I judge. And my judgement is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me".
So if Jesus, (peace be upon him!) cures it is because it is the will of the One who sent him. Because Jesus by his own admission can do nothing on his own initiative.
Clearly the will of Jesus (peace be upon him!) is subordinated to the will of God, which is inconsistent with any claim that Jesus is equal to the Father.
St.Paul himself subordinated Christ to God the Father in authority.
In his letter to the Corinthians I (chapter 11, verse 3) Paul says that Christ is the head of every man and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Another typical verse of Paul is Corinthians I (chapter 15, verse 25). It says: "And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him. That God may be all in all".
We also learn in the letter to Phillipians (chapter 2, verse 9) that God has highly exalted Jesus.
So if Jesus is subject to God and relies upon God to exalt him, then Jesus cannot be God, unless there are levels of being God.
At most Jesus could be aimed lower God and not equal to the Father.
But elsewhere in the Bible Jesus himself blatantly denies any kind of equality with God. For example, in the Gospel of John (chapter 14, verse 28) he says, "I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am".
In what sense can the Father be greater than Jesus ?
Christians view Jesus as perfect. Their line of argumentation is very simple. Since only God is perfect and Jesus is perfect, then Jesus must be God.
In logic we dismiss that kind of an argument, we say it is the fallacy of the undistributed middle term.
Let me give you an example of that, to show you how illogical it is. If I said that Begin is tired and Reigan is tired then I would have to conclude that Begin is Reigan.
So obviously it is an illogical kind of argument. It is the same kind of argument that we find there. You don´t even have to be a Major in logic to see that that is illogical.
If you look to the Bible itself in the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew (chapter 5, verse 48), Jesus supposedly commands us to "be ye therefore perfect, as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect".
Again Jesus of course was paraphrasing the Torah. We find those words in Leviticus (chapter 19, verse 2).
But by commanding us to be perfect, or holy as it is said in Leviticus, to Jesus and God it means to indicate that we all have the potential to be God.
Well of course no orthodox Christian would make such a claim. The fact is that if Jesus lived a perfect life, then he was a perfect man, but a perfect man is not God.
Jesus was simply following the commandment revealed by God to Moses.
But whatever Jesus´s perfection in the New Testament is, he is always characterised or described as lower or subordinate to God the Father. And that subordinate role is seen in the fact that Jesus himself viewed himself as a messenger.
In Matthew (chapter 10, verse 40), and in John (chapter 5, verse 36) Jesus says, "...he who receives you, receives me and he who receives me, receives Him who sent me". That´s a very important verse, when it is considered along with verse such as John (chapter 12, verse 44). That says, "But Jesus cried out and said "he who believes in me, does no believe in me, but in Him who sent me"
. Also in John (chapter 13, verse 16) it says, "A slave is not greater than his master, neither a messenger - greater than the One who sent the messenger".
So Jesus is admitting both that he is a messenger and that the messenger is not as great as the One who send a messenger. It is very very clear.
Consistently the Gospel writers viewed Jesus as a human messenger, one mediator between God and man. That is evident in I Timothy (chapter 2, verse 5). Where Paul writes, "For there is one God, and also one mediator between God and men - a man Christ Jesus".
That whole doctrine was of course taken from file of Alexander. I don´t have time to go into that but if you have questions about it later I can go into it. So, I think we can see that if in some biblical verses Jesus is described as perfect, we can see from other verses that his perfection is only a human perfection. The Bible itself does not attribute perfect knowledge to Jesus.
Jesus freely admitted that there were things that neither he nor the Angels knew, but that only God knew.
For example, talking about the day of judgement, Jesus says in the Gospel of Mark (chapter 13, verse 32). He says that "of that day or hour no one knows, neither the Angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father".
And there is a very curious verse in Luke (chapter 2, verse 52), that makes the following statement about Jesus.
It said and Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favour with God and men. If Jesus is God, then we would expect him to share in the omniscience and the all-knowingness of God and the All-knowing God cannot increase in wisdom.
Or returning to the issue of perfection. If Jesus is perfect, and how could he increase in favour with God. A very dangerous thing happened in Christian theology, when the theologians attempted to attribute Divinity to Jesus.
Paradoxically, human qualities were attributed to God.
That is seen very clearly in a passage from Ditrich Barnhafer "Letters and papers from prison". Let me read it: "God is teaching us that we must live as men who can get along very well without him.
That we should be able to get along without God. The God who is with us is the God who forsakes us, the God who makes us live in this world. Without using him as a working hypothesis is the God before whom we are ever standing, before God and with Him we live without God.
God allows himself to be edged out of the world and onto the cross. God is weak and powerless in the world. And that is exactly the way, the only way in which he can be with us and help us".
Barharfer describes God as weak and powerless in the world, that he can be edged out of the world and nailed onto a cross. What a short step it is from describing God as weak and powerless in the world to some other words that are even worse
. Neichure wrote: "Where has God gone - he cried. I shall tell you. We have killed Him. You and I. We are all His murderers. God is dead. God remains dead and we have killed Him."
If Christians call Barnhafer and Neitsche silly then they should remember that for two centuries after the council of Carsidn, their Fathers and faith debated about whether God could suffer
. These debates and paradoxes continue only substantiating the old claim that anything can follow from a contradiction.
Once you say that God can become man, then anything can happen. Then God can be even called weak and powerless or God can even die, if God can become a man.
Many Christians claimed that the greatest single piece of evidence that Jesus is God is the empty tomb. The Resurrection of Jesus. In fact Paul says that if Jesus did not raise from the dead, the Christian faith is worthless.
That it is completely empty. But unfortunately for the Christian the only evidence for the Resurrection is found in the Bible; and those Resurrection stories, those Resurrection narratives are extremely inconsistent on the details of the event.
For example, try to use the biblical narratives to determine which of Jesus´s followers actually came to the tomb and found that the tomb is empty. In Matthew (chapter 28, verse 1) we learn that Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary came to the tomb.
Whereas in Mark (chapter 16, verse 1) it says that Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome were present.
Whereas in Luke (24:10) it says that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of Jesus and other women were present.
Finally in John (chapter 20, verse 1) - it suggests that Mary Magdalene was all alone at the tomb.
There is no consensus on who actually saw Jesus in the empty tomb, or who actually saw the empty tomb. And of course although Christians refer to the empty tomb they do not actually mean that the tomb is completely empty when the individuals went there. According to Christians there was an angelic presence at the tomb
However the Gospels of Mark and Luke differ on how many angels were actually present at the tomb.
Mark (16:5) has one young male angel in the tomb. Luke (24:4) has two male angels in the tomb.
Another question that fundamentalist Christians, that evangelical type often pose is who moved the stone (as if this is a terribly important question).
I must confess that even as a Christian I couldn´t envision a more irrelevant question.
First, what difference does it make who moved the stone. Just give him a name - Bernish Warts.
What difference does it make?
What does it prove?
The issue was not who moved the stone, but whether the Bible is free from inconsistencies, such that it is even possible to determine the answer to that question.
In fact, the Bible equivocates on who moved the stone. In Matthew (28:2) one reads that when Mary Magdalene and Mary arrived at the tomb, an angel approached, rolled the stone away and then sat upon the stone.
In Mark (16:4) and in Luke (24:2) one discovers that when the women arrived at the tomb, the stone was already moved. Another very interesting question is where was Jesus before the empty tomb was being visited. Supposedly at some point to be for Easter, Jesus ascended into Heaven, because in Luke (23:43) he promises the thief on the cross that the thief would be with Jesus that day in Paradise. That Day would be - on Good Friday.
However in John chapter (20, verse 17), Jesus tells Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday not to touch him, because He has not yet ascended to the Father.
According to these verses Jesus would either be unfortunately (I would not say this, but according to the verse Jesus was either lying to the thief or to Mary Magdalene! Astagfir Allah!)
Because he promised to see that thief in Heaven on Friday, but on Sunday He had not yet ascended to the Father, he had not yet gone to Heaven.
It is curious that according to the Bible Jesus changed His mind about being touched before his ascension because in Matthew (28:9) it says that both of the Maries grabbed Jesus´s feet before He ascended to the Father.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Russia’s Chief Rabbi Predicts Imminent Coming of a Messiah
Moscow, August 9, Interfax - Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar believes the Earth will soon see the coming of Messiah to reward everyone according to his deserts.
‘We know that he (Messiah - IF) is very near at hand, but he needs not only to be born but also to come. The Messiah may well have been born already, but unless he is ordered by God he cannot reveal himself with God’s help and change the world for the better’, the rabbi said in an interview published by the Gazeta daily on Tuesday.
Lazar explained his assumptions about the imminent coming of a Messiah by the fact that “the world today is in a state described by our sages as ‘hevley mashiah’, that is, labour that precedes the coming of a Messiah’.
‘It is a time’, he explained, ‘when many good things are created in the world and the progress of science and technology has made it possible to solve many human problems, to overcome diseases, famine, etc., on one hand. On the other hand, it is for the first time since God created human beings that humans have taken hold of such means of destruction that the whole of our race and even the globe itself can be destroyed instantly’.
‘We are living on the verge of history; it can be felt everywhere’, Rabbi Lazar is convinced. Recalling the comparison made by philosopher Maimonides who likened the world to scales, Lazar assumed that ‘perhaps God is waiting for only one deed to be put on the good scale to order the Messiah to reveal himself’.
Speaking about it, Russia’s chief rabbi called upon everyone ‘to add this good deed as one’s contribution may prove decisive’.
‘We know that he (Messiah - IF) is very near at hand, but he needs not only to be born but also to come. The Messiah may well have been born already, but unless he is ordered by God he cannot reveal himself with God’s help and change the world for the better’, the rabbi said in an interview published by the Gazeta daily on Tuesday.
Lazar explained his assumptions about the imminent coming of a Messiah by the fact that “the world today is in a state described by our sages as ‘hevley mashiah’, that is, labour that precedes the coming of a Messiah’.
‘It is a time’, he explained, ‘when many good things are created in the world and the progress of science and technology has made it possible to solve many human problems, to overcome diseases, famine, etc., on one hand. On the other hand, it is for the first time since God created human beings that humans have taken hold of such means of destruction that the whole of our race and even the globe itself can be destroyed instantly’.
‘We are living on the verge of history; it can be felt everywhere’, Rabbi Lazar is convinced. Recalling the comparison made by philosopher Maimonides who likened the world to scales, Lazar assumed that ‘perhaps God is waiting for only one deed to be put on the good scale to order the Messiah to reveal himself’.
Speaking about it, Russia’s chief rabbi called upon everyone ‘to add this good deed as one’s contribution may prove decisive’.
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