Islam and Christianity – WHO IS "THE REAL, THE TRUE, THE LIVING" JESUS?

“Whilst we can (and should) celebrate our differences (unique), let not our varying beliefs divide us, but let the Spirit of our shared humanity be what defines and unites us all as common citizens of our planet.”

“Instead of the limits of borders (of countries and of our minds) let us and our leaders expand our sense of possibility… and together let’s look at building bridges to distant horizons, far and great. Lord, help us all lift our eyes a little higher.”

from http://www.craigsquotes.wordpress..com

and http://www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com

“Together, one mind, one heart, one life, one small step at a time, let’s link hands and march into a new tomorrow, a better and brighter future. TOGETHER we can do it”

Rise and shine, sunshine”

from

www.awritersdreams.wordpress.com

A Book “Review”: Building Bridges: Christianity and Islam (by Fouad Elias Accad)

What are Some Key Similarities between Christianity and Islam?

“Whilst we can (and should) celebrate our differences, our unique cultures, let not our different beliefs set us apart as human beings, but rather let our shared humanity be what defines and unites us as common citizens of our planet.”

– me

“Peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”

– author unknown

“Instead of the limits of borders (of countries and of our minds) let us and our leaders expand our sense of possibility… and together let’s look at building bridges to distant horizons, far and great. Lord, help us all lift our eyes a little higher.”
– craig

What are Some Key Similarities between Christianity and Islam?

Article Title: What are Some Key Similarities between Christianity and Islam?
Shared by: Craig Lock

Category (key words): Christianity, Islam, religion, faith, beliefs, peace, spiritual, spiritual unity, breaking down barriers, building bridges

Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock&sort=relevance&ie=UTF8&qid and http://goo.gl/vTpjk

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com

www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com

www.sharefaith.wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com

http://religiousunity.wordpress.com

http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)

Publishing Guidelines:
All my writings may be freely published, electronically or in print.
# #

WHAT ARE SOME KEY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM?

Submitter’s Note:
Craig is studying the teachings of different religions (to find ‘common ground’/principles/ and as he learns from his research, is sharing these notes in an attempt to ‘enlighten’ (himself and perhaps others) regarding ‘eternal and universal truths.’ These notes form part of Craig’s new novel set in the Middle East, titled ‘A New Dawn: Let the Journey Begin’. Hope this piece may be of interest to you too.
*
INTRODUCTION

The issue of RELIGION throughout history of mankind and today evermore plays a vital part in many conflicts around the world. Religion is (and was) often blamed as the cause of the conflicts; whereas it is/was people misusing religion for their own ends (often taking particular and significant interpretations out of context) that have shaped societies and cultures. I truly believe it’s critically important to emphasize the common values shared by different religions to drastically reduce tensions around the globe. So that religion (and it’s beliefs) can be turned around from being part of the conflict to be part of the SOLUTION. Instead of focusing on the differences between people, in this ‘battle of ideas/ideologies” we should focus far more on what we have in common.

So what are the foundations, what is the frame-work of the respective beliefs?

Most religions of the world espouse (nice word, eh!) good moral values as a code of conduct: the virtues of passion for liberalism, tolerance, compassion, decency and generous ideals. However, there is a fundamental doctrinal incompatibility between the major faiths of Islam and Christianity (though together with the Jews, they worship the God of Abraham). These three major religions share the common truth of the Old Testament, having many prophets in common and consequently have many “shared values” that have shaped societies over the past two millennia.

Whilst there are some major differences between Islam and Christianity, from my research (fascinating and mainly online) some of the fundamental similarities in beliefs between these two main religions (as well as Judaism) are as follows:

ISLAM

The main beliefs:

* There is only One True God: the Sovereign Ruler of the universe…
and has full control over our lives (and will meet all of our needs)

* God (Allah) is the Creator of everything and central to Muslims lives. Allah is simply beyond human thought and understanding.

* True believers are not to worship any other gods

* Allah’s goodness and benevolence is seen everywhere, because He is compassionate and merciful.

* Many Old Testament prophets were from God (ie. were sent by God as messengers to the world)

* Jesus’s strong sense of mission, unity and sense of purpose.
He was sent by God to serve humanity and being divinely inspired was a great moral teacher and prophet.

* God gave the Torah, the prophets, the Koran and the Gospel to guide our lives. ( I don’t know enough about Mohamed and his “divine destiny” to pass comment on his “mission”).

* We are to obey God’s words (as in the first five books of the Old Testament, the ‘Pentitukes’- spelling?)

* We should surrender/sacrifice ourselves fully to God
(in fact, the word ‘Islam” means ‘full submission to God’s will’)

* Jesus will return to earth one day (though in which form is uncertain). Though Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah…
and I’m not sure on that point with Islam.

* Humans have free will and exercise a choice between doing good or evil in their daily lives.

* Humans only live once on this earth, then face judgment:
One day there will be a day of Judgment for how we’ve lived our lives.

* Believers who die will go to ‘heaven’ and live forever (though the concept of heaven is not precisely defined).

* Disbelievers will go to ‘hell’ (or suffer torment, which is ‘separation from God’ forever). Heaven or hell are written about in the Qur’an in poetic terms, ie. symbolic rather than actual places.

* It is important to pray to God frequently (Muslims do it five times a day) and attend a congregation at least once a week (usually mid-day on Fridays)

* We should have a spirit of charity and help the poor and those in a less fortunate position to ourselves (with money and/or works)

* A person’s allotted time on earth is predestined.

* All people are equal before the law.

and finally

* We should respect our differences and Christians, Jews, and Muslims should never be killed purely on account of their faith.

#
CHRISTIANITY

Christianity and Islam are both missionary religions. Both faiths believe they have a monopoly over the truth. Both want to share their version of truth with others and both compete in seeking converts. I am motivated to share these “truths” with others, so people may benefit and enhance their lives in a meaningful way…if they so CHOOSE.

There IS a significant difference from Islam: Christianity exists solely on the basis that Jesus Christ is the ‘son of God’ (ie. the fact is taken literally); whereas the faith of Islam exists purely on the basis that God dictated his laws to Mohammed and that the Koran contains God’s actual words. Most “informed” Christians, however, do not believe the Koran is the un-intermediated word of God. Most followers of Christ know very little about Mohammed being perceived as a ‘messenger of God.’ They can, therefore, only think that Mohammed was deluded, if not a liar. (Of course, most Christians are far too polite to say such a thing!).

The Bible teaches that Jesus is the son of God/God incarnate (“the human face of God”) and that he dies on a cross to reconcile mankind and God. Then he was resurrected after three days and now lives in heaven. The gospel message teaches that reconciliation with God is to be found through the redemptive work of Jesus only.

Good works as “entry” to heaven count for nothing, in the absence of acceptance of Jesus.

And as regards Christianity, it’s the notion of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit as one), which rationalists find to be the most implausible aspect of Christianity. If Jesus was not the Son of God, then he too was deluded, crazy … or perhaps even a “liar”. And if he – as opposed to He – was either of those things, then the Resurrection is also a lie and Christianity, as a faith rather than as a philosophy is utterly null and void.

Christianity is based on the concept of FAITH and God’s Infinite Grace. We are “saved for eternity” (so our soul lives on) through our faith in Jesus and are not solely judged for the ‘hereafter’ by our good works during our lifetime. (And these good works are inspired by our faith and the ‘divine spirit’ at work through God’s Infinite Grace). This is a battle of ideas. Cardinal Ratzenberger: “Islam simply does not have the separation of the political and religious spheres which Christianity had from the very beginning. The Koran… insists that the whole order of life be Islamic (ie. no separation of religion/church and state). One must understand that Islam is not simply a denomination that can be included in the free realm of a pluralistic society.”

True Muslims cannot accept either the separation of powers or the freedom under the law (ie. “democracy”), which are the hallmarks of Western civilization.

* extracted from an article (excellent) in ‘The Independent’ by Dominic Lawson.

As we are what we believe yourself to be (You are what YOU believe), I believe that Jesus genuinely believed himself to be a ‘Son of God’, divinely ordained with a specific mission, a unique purpose which he CHOSE to fulfil in his short life. Christians say that the tradition of Jesus of Nazareth points us to a new life and new thoughts, as well as new possibilities… as a community and as a nation. Still you may or may not CHOOSE to believe in Jesus Christ and follow his teachings as YOUR pathway to connect to God, a Higher Power, ‘the Ground of all Being, the Essence of Existence’, your spiritual self.
#

Whilst we can celebrate our differences, we should love God (whatever we understand the concept to be) with all our hearts, minds and souls and our neighbour as we love ourselves (common teachings from both faiths of Islam and Christianity). Simple, eh!

It’s not such a matter of conflicting ideologies, the great ‘battle of civilizations’ is it?

So
Isn’t WHAT UNITES US IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT DIVIDES US!

and

God’s greatest gift to us is allowing us to find, then choose to follow our own truths.

Craig Lock

Former Archbishop in South Africa Desmond Tutu: “We have come to a time in the history of the world, where we need to rediscover the path to peace, and the path to peace can never be war. This pathway is lined with the concept of co-existence and co-inhabitance of the world.”

“A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long supressed, finds utterance.”
– J.Nehru, first Prime Minister of India

“It is time for people of good will from every faith, culture and nation to recognise that a terrible danger threatens humanity. We must set aside the partisan bickering between nations and join together to confront the danger that lies before us. Let us seek common ground between peoples around the globe…
because what unites us is far more important than what divides us.

In our own little ways in our individual lives we can touch so many others and share our common humanity. And in so doing we can illuminate the hearts and minds of humanity. We must offer a compelling alternate vision for the world: a bright future of justice, tolerance, respect for other traditions and values and especially a vision of goodness and hope fuelled by the flame of love – one that banishes the fanatical ideology of intolerance and hatred to the darkness from which it emerged.”
– craig (as inspired by and adapted from the words of Abdurahman Wahid, former President of Indonesia)

“What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light.”

“What we believe is not nearly as important as how we relate, interact with each other… and how we live. Only when we can say, ‘I am first and foremost a human being, and second a Jew, Muslim, Shi’ite, a Sunni, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu ,or a Sikh…’ will we progress and break down barriers between peoples, nations and cultures, both east and west. Let not our beliefs , but our shared humanity (ALL of us) define who we really are. “

“Let us build bridges rather than barriers, openness rather than walls. Rather than borders, let us look at distant horizons together…in the common spirit of the value and dignity of a shared personhood – our common humanity as citizens of planet earth.”

– craig

“God’s greatest gift to us is allowing us to find, then choose to follow our own truths.”

“Let not our different beliefs set us apart as human beings, but rather let our shared humanity be what defines and unites us as common citizens of our planet.”

– me

About the submitter:
Craig is “a passionate ‘extremist’ about respect for religious tolerance and moderation”. In his various writings little by little, one mind, one heart, one soul, one small step at a time, Craig hopes to promote better understanding across countries and cultures, striving in some small way to break down economic, social, cultural, religious and political barriers. He truly believes that whilst we should celebrate our differences, what we share in the form of our common humanity is way more important than what divides us. http://www.craiglockbooks.com http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/craig_lock.html

Craig’s new manuscript ‘A New Dawn’ is set in the Middle East: In it he attempts to find ‘common ground’/principles between different religions and cultures and to try to make some difference in building bridges in an ever more dangerous, turbulent and uncertain world. A passionate story of inspiration: hope, faith, peace and especially love.

Craig’s booklet ‘Jesus Meets Muhammad’ is available at http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Meets-Muhammad-Real-ebook/dp/B005H86TPU/

The various books* that Craig “felt inspired to write” (including his books on Jesus and his numerous e-books on “the spiritual journey”) are available at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock&sort=relevance&ie=UTF8&qid and http://goo.gl/vTpjk

“The world’s smallest and most exclusive bookstores”

“A good book should take you from your everyday life to another place entirely.”

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com

www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com

www.sharefaith.wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com

http://religiousunity.wordpress.com

http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

“Whilst we can (and should) celebrate our differences, let not our different beliefs set us apart as human beings, but rather let the Spirit of our shared humanity be what defines and unites us as common citizens of our planet.”

-me

Together, one mind, one heart, one life at a time, let’s plant the seeds, the hope of a better and brighter future.

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED, electronically or in print

“Peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
– author unknown

“Whilst we can celebrate our differences, let not our varying beliefs divide us, but let the Spirit of our shared humanity define and unite us.”

– me

from http://www.jesusmeetsmuhammad.wordpress.com

My Take: Why evangelicals should stop evangelizing

My Take: Why evangelicals should stop evangelizing

November 15, 2011

My Take: Why
evangelicals should stop evangelizing

From
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/24/my-take-why-evangelicals-should-stop-evangelizing

…

Comments (3,783 comments)

Key words (tags):

Jesus, Jesus Christ, Muslims, Islam, Christianity,
evangelicals, CNN, building bridges, breaking down barriers

Editor’s Note:

Carl Medearis is an international expert in Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations and is author of the book’ Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism’.

By Carl Medearis, Special to CNN

Let’s do an exercise. I want you to fill in the blank on
what you think you know about me based on what I’m about to tell you.

Here goes: Twenty years ago, I became a missionary. My wife
and I left our home in Colorado Springs, Colorado to move to Beirut, Lebanon.
Our job description was to plant churches and evangelize to Muslims.

Based on what I just said, Carl Medearis is a ______________
.

Depending on your background, the blank may look something
like this:

Carl Medearis is a… hero of the Christian faith, a saintly
super-man willing to sacrifice the comforts of home in order to share the love
of Jesus Christ with those who have never heard the gospel.

Or this:

Carl Medearis is a… right-wing extremist who destroys
cultures, tears apart families and paves the way for neo-colonialist crusaders
to invade, occupy and plunder the resources of local populations.

Quite a range, isn’t it?

For one group of people, the words “evangelist” and
“missionary” bring to mind pious heroes performing good deeds that are
unattainable for the average Christian. For another group, those same words
represent just about everything that’s wrong with the world.

I understand the confusion.

Based on my experiences of living and travelling around the
world, I know that religion is often an identity marker that determines
people’s access to jobs, resources, civil liberties and political power.

When I lived in Lebanon I saw firsthand how destructive
an obsession with religious identity could be. Because of the sectarian
nature of Lebanese politics, modern Lebanese history is rife with coups,
invasions, civil wars and government shutdowns.

When I tell my Christian friends in America that some of the
fiercest militias were (and are) Christian, most are shocked. It doesn’t fit
the “us-versus-them” mentality that evangelism fosters, in which we are always
the innocent victims and they are always the aggressors.

This “us-versus-them” thinking is odd, given that Jesus was
constantly breaking down walls between Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, men
and women, sinners and saints. That’s why we have the parable of the Good
Samaritan.

Jews in Jesus’ day thought of the Samaritans as the
violent heretics, much the same way that Christians think of Muslims today.
The idea that a Samaritan could be good was scandalous to first century Jews.

Jesus was the master
of challenging religious prejudice and breaking down sectarian walls. Why do so
many Christians want to rebuild those walls?

Even the Apostle Paul
insisted that it’s faith in Jesus that matters, not converting to a new
religion or a new socio-religious identity.

What if evangelicals
today, instead of focusing on “evangelizing” and “converting” people, were to
begin to think of Jesus not as starting a new religion, but as the central
figure of a movement that transcends religious distinctions and identities?

Jesus the uniter of
humanity, not Jesus the divider. How might that change the way we look at others?

This is more than just a semantic difference.

When I used to think of myself as a missionary, I was
obsessed with converting Muslims (or anybody for that matter) to what I thought
of as “Christianity.” I had a set of doctrinal litmus tests that the potential
convert had to pass before I would consider them “in” or one of “us.”

Funny thing is, Jesus never said, “Go into the world
and convert people to Christianity.” What he said was, “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Encouraging anyone and everyone to become an apprentice of
Jesus, without manipulation, is a more open, dynamic and relational way of
helping people who want to become more like Jesus — regardless of their
religious identity.

Just because I believe that evangelicals should stop evangelizing
doesn’t mean that they should to stop speaking of Jesus.

I speak of Jesus everywhere I go and with everyone I meet.

As founder and president of a company called International
Initiatives, my work is aimed at building relationships among Christian leaders
in the West and among Muslim leaders in the Middle East.

It may come as a surprise to many Christians that Muslims are generally open to studying the
life of Jesus as a model for leadership, because they revere him as a prophet.

But now that I’m no longer obsessed with converting people
to Christianity, I’ve found that talking about Jesus is much easier and far
more compelling.

I believe that doctrine is important, but it’s not more important than following Jesus.

Jesus met people
where they were. Instead of trying to figure out who’s “in” and who’s
“out,” why don’t we simply invite people to follow Jesus — and let Jesus run
his kingdom?

Inviting people to love, trust, and follow Jesus is
something the world can live with. And since evangelicals like to say that it’s
not about religion, but rather a personal relationship with Jesus, perhaps we
should practice what we preach.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those
of Carl Medearis.

www.carlmedearis.com

The
Editors – CNN Belief Blog

Filed under: Christianity • Evangelical • Interfaith issues
• Opinion

Sourced from From
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/24/my-take-why-evangelicals-should-stop-evangelizing

Plenty of comments there….some
very funny!

Shared by craig

“It is time for people of good will from every faith, culture and nation to recognise that a
terrible danger threatens humanity. We must set aside the partisan bickering
between nations and join together to confront the danger that lies before us.
Let us seek common ground between peoples around the globe… because what unites
us is far more important than what divides us.”

“There is neither east nor west, tribe nor ethnicity, male or female, Muslim, Hindu,
Buddhist. Christian nor Jew. There is only a God-filled humanity.”

“Let each one of us build bridges rather than barriers, openness rather than walls. Let us
look at distant horizons together in a spirit of acceptance, helpfulness,
co-operation and peace. Let our leaders look
at the future with a vision – to see things not as they are, but what they
could one day become.”

Let us build bridges rather than barriers, openness rather than walls. Rather than borders,
let us look at distant horizons together…in the common spirit of the value
and dignity of a shared personhood – our common humanity as citizens of planet
earth.”

– craig

“Nothing that I can do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my
voice I can help the greatest of all cause – goodwill among men and peace on
earth.”

“What we believe is not nearly as important as how we relate, interact with each
other… and how we live. Only when we can say, ‘I am first and foremost a
human being, and second a Jew, Muslim, Shi’ite, a Sunni, Buddhist, Christian,
Hindu, or a Sikh …’ will we progress and break down barriers between peoples,
nations and cultures, east and west. Let not our beliefs , but our shared
humanity (ALL of us) define who we really are.”

– craig

“When people’s hearts are full of love, the world is filled with hope.”

“With passion and purpose in our individual lives we can touch others and in so doing illuminate the hearts and
minds of humanity to make a better world (through helping raise the ‘collective
consciousness’). Let us encourage our leaders towards an alternate vision for
the world to embrace: one that banishes the fanatical ideology of intolerance
and hatred to the darkness from which it emerged. Each one of us in our own
little ways can offer (and most importantly, LIVE) this compelling new horizon:
a bright future of justness and justice, tolerance, respect for other
traditions and values. Especially a vision of hope and thoughts of peace
fuelled by the eternal flame of love, which can light the darkest night… always”

– me

“God, The Essence of Life, the Ground of All Being, is leading us to the light. What we

learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light.”

About
the submitter:

In his various
writings, little by little, one mind, one soul, one life at a time, Craig
strives in some small way to break down social, cultural, religious and economic barriers through
sharing information and “planting, then watering uplifting ideas and seeds of
hope”. He truly believes that whilst we should celebrate our differences, what
we share as ‘human beans’ is way more important than what divides us.

Craig’s new manuscript, ‘A New Dawn’
is set in the Middle East: In it he attempts to find ‘common ground’/principles
between different religions and cultures and to try to make some difference in
building bridges in an ever more dangerous, turbulent and uncertain world. A
passionate story of inspiration: hope, faith, peace and especially love.

The various books* that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://www.creativekis.com/amazon.html and http://goo.gl/vTpjk

All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children –
MINE!

Craig’s book ‘Jesus
Meets Muhammad’ is available at http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Muhammad-Christianity-Spirit-ebook/dp/B0066QLVNC/ref=sr_1_59?ie=UTF8&qid=1321230423&sr=1-59

Craig’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com .wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com

www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com

http://religiousunity.wordpress.com

www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com

http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

* “Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”

~ Franz Kafka

“Together, one mind, one heart, one life at a time, today let’s plant the seeds, the hope of a
better and brighter future (for tomorrow)”
from http://agoldendawn.wordpress.com/

“Whilst we can (and should) celebrate our differences *, let not our beliefs divide us, but rather let the Spirit of our shared humanity be what defines and unites us… as citizens on and sharing planet earth.”

* after all, it’s what makes us unique, as individuals, nations and cultures!

“THE RELIGION OF ISLAM”: A Comparison Of Islam And Christianity

To end off… I love these inspiring words, so will share with you…

“It is time for people of good will from every faith and nation to recognise that a terrible danger threatens humanity. We must set aside our international and partisan bickering and join to confront the danger that lies before us. Our goal must be to illuminate the hearts and minds of humanity, and offer a compelling alternate vision for the world: a bright future that banishes the fanatical ideology of intolerance and hatred to the darkness from which it emerged.”

– Abdurrahman Wahid, former President of Indonesia, in the ‘Wall Street Journal’

Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu: “We have come to a time in the history of the world, where we need to rediscover the path to peace, and the path to peace can never be war. This pathway is lined with the concept of co-existence and co-inhabitance of the world.”

“A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long supressed, finds utterance.”

– Jahrulal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India (1947)

I hope that this information may be of interest to you (as it is to me)…
Those of us who long for (and are passionate about) the ideals of moderation and religious tolerance will continue to hope for a better understanding of complex issues between people of different cultures and faiths through reasoned and ‘informed’ dialogue in a spirit of mutual tolerance and respect. God’s greatest gift to us is to find, then follow our own truths. We can ALL nurture the real values common to ALL humanity: those highest ideals of tolerance, righteousness, justice, mercy and respect for all of life must surely triumph.

“Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.”

– John F. Kennedy

With UNDERSTANDING comes TOLERANCE and with TOLERANCE comes MORE UNDERSTANDING.

So Let each one of us in our own ‘little ways’ attempt to build bridges rather than barriers, openness rather than walls. Let us look at distant horizons together in a spirit of openness, acceptance of our differences, helpfulness, co-operation, mutual tolerance, respect, trust, peace and especially in a spirit of love, the most powerful force in existence. Let our leaders and each ONE of us look at the future with a vision – to see things not as they are, but what they could one day become. What divides us as fellow citizens on planet earth is not nearly as powerful as the force, the divine spirit that UNITES us: The Spirit of God, the Ultimate Source that let’s us accept and even celebrate our differences … and let’s the Love of humanity within EACH one of us to conquer anything at all.

“People fight and die for religion but they seldom LIVE for religion”.

– Jahrulal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India”

“God’s greatest gift to us is allowing us to find, then choose to follow our own truths.”

“The greatest good we can do for others is reveal the rich treasure inside themselves; so shine your own bright light on an often darkened world… with the highest level of humanity …and have great fun along the journey of life.”

“Peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
– author unknown

“There is neither east nor west, tribe nor ethnicity, male or female, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist. Christian nor Jew. There is only a God-filled humanity.”

“Let each one of us build bridges rather than barriers, openness rather than walls. Let us look at distant horizons together in a spirit of acceptance, helpfulness, co-operation and peace. Let our leaders look at the future with a vision – to see things not as they are, but what they could one day become.”

“When people’s hearts are filled with love, the world is full of hope” – craig

“Let not our different beliefs set us apart as human beings, but rather let our shared humanity be what defines and unites us as common citizens of our planet.”
“Instead of the limits of borders (of countries and of our minds) let us and our leaders expand our sense of possibility… and together let’s look at building bridges to distant horizons, far and great. Lord, help us all lift our eyes a little higher.”

Together, one mind, one heart, one life at a time, let’s plant the seeds, the hope of a better and brighter future.

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED, electronically or in print

“God is leading us to the light. What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light

May the Grace of our loving Creator care for and watch over you all… always

Article Title: “THE RELIGION OF ISLAM”: A Comparison Of Islam And Christianity
Submitted by: Craig Lock
Category (key words/tags): Islam, The Koran, Christianity, religion(s), faith, beliefs, religious tolerance, spiritual unity, unity of religions

Web site: http://executableoutlines.com/islam/islam_05.htm

Submitter’s web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 and http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html
Craig’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com .wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com http://religiousunity.wordpress.com www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

Publishing Guidelines:
All my articles may be freely published. If tghis article is published, please acknowledge the source, thanks. As I share, I learn myself.

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

“THE RELIGION OF ISLAM”

A Comparison Of Islam And Christianity

Sourced from: http://executableoutlines.com/islam/islam_05.htm

INTRODUCTION

1. In previous studies, we have directed our focus on Islam…

a. The beginnings and early history of Islam

b. The origin, importance and content of the Qur’an

c. The faith and practices of Islam

d. The issue as to whether Islam is a religion of peace

2. It may be beneficial to look at Islam in comparison with Christianity…

a. What might they have in common?

b. How do they differ on fundamental issues?

[In this study, we shall consider what the two religions believe on various issues as we seek to gain a better understanding of Islam. We begin with…]

I. GOD

A. ISLAM…

1. Teaches there is one God – Qur’an 3:64

2. Rejects the concept of the Trinity

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Teaches there is one God – 1Co 8:6

2. Reveals that the Godhead is composed of three distinct personalities – Father, Son, Holy Spirit; one in essence and substance – cf. Jn 1:1-5; Php 2:5-8; 2Jn 9; Mt 28:19

[Closely related to any concept of God is one’s view regarding…]

II. JESUS

A. ISLAM…

1. Considers Jesus a prophet, like Noah, Abraham, Moses (and Muhammad)

2. Rejects the divinity of Jesus, denies his pre-existence – Qur’an 4:171

3. Believes in the virgin birth, however

4. Does not believe Jesus died on the cross nor was raised from the dead – Qur’an 4:157

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Declares that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God – Mt 16:13-18

2. Teaches the pre-existence of Christ – Jn 1:1-5; Col 1:16-17

3. Proclaims that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and was raised from the dead

[What one believes regarding Jesus certainly has a bearing on one’s understanding of…]

III. SALVATION

A. ISLAM…

1. Salvation comes by works

2. Personal righteousness is weighed against personal sin, which ever is greater determines salvation – Qur’an 23:101-103

3. A Muslim can be forgiven by repenting of sin – Qur’an 39:53-54

4. Paradise is assured for one who dies as a martyr for Islam

5. One becomes a Muslim by confessing “There is no other god but God; and Muhammad is the Prophet of God” (la ilaha ill’Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah) from the heart

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Salvation is by grace through an obedient faith – Ep 2:8-9; Ti 3:4-7

2. Jesus died on the cross as atonement for our sins – Ro 3:21-26

3. He is the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him – He 5:9

4. Those whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life will be spared condemnation – Re 20:11-15

5. One becomes a Christian by:

a. Believing that Christ died for your sins – Jn 8:24; Ro 10: 9-10

b. Repenting of your sins – Ac 2:38; 17:30-31

c. Confessing your faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God – Mt 10:32,33; Ro 10:9-10

d. Being baptized into Christ for the remission of your sins

– Mt 28:19; Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38; 22:16; Ro 6:3-6; Ga 3:27;

Col 2:11-13; Tit 3:5; 1Pe 3:21

[Doctrines pertaining to salvation are naturally related to views pertaining to…]

IV. ETERNAL JUDGMENT

A. ISLAM…

1. Believes in a resurrection of the dead and judgment at the Last Day

2. Paradise for the faithful, served by beautiful virgins – Qur’an 56:1-38

3. Hell for unbelievers, with eternal torment – Qur’an 56:39-56

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Believes in a resurrection of the dead and judgment at the Last Day

2. The eternal City, New Jerusalem, in the new heavens and new earth for those whose name is in the Lamb’s book of life

– Re 21:1-7,9-27; 22:1-5

3. The lake of fire for the unbelieving and wicked – Re 20:15; 21:8

[What one believes about God, Jesus, salvation and the judgment depends heavily upon what one considers to be…]

V. THE WORD OF GOD

A. ISLAM…

1. Believes in 4 inspired books – the Torah (5 books of Moses),

Zabur (the Psalms), lnjil (the Gospel), and Qur’an

2. The first three have been corrupted; the Qur’an provides the final revelation of God’s Word

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Believes Old and New Testaments contains the revelation of God’s Word – 2Ti 3:16-17

2. Believes that God’s Word cannot be corrupted, but is preserved

– 1Pe 1:23-25; Mt 24:35; Isa 40:8

3. Believes that revelation of God’s Word is fully and finally revealed – 2Pe 1:3; Jude 3

[It is of interest to note some of the differences in the two religion regarding…]

VI. PRAYER, FASTING, AND WORSHIP

A. ISLAM…

1. Has set times to offer prayers (five times per day)

2. Has set periods and procedures in which to fast (the month of Ramadan)

3. Places emphasis on ceremonial rituals such as washings, posture in prayer

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Calls for fervent and steadfast prayer, with no set times proscribed – 1Th 5:17; Col 4:2

2. Has a place for fasting, but left up to the individual – Mt 6:

16-18; Ac 13:2-3; 14:23

3. Places emphasis upon the spiritual aspect of worship – Jn 4:

23-24; Ep 5:19; Col 3:16

[A major difference between Islam and Christianity in spreading their faiths involve the issues of…]

VII. WAR AND VENGEANCE

A. ISLAM…

1. Allows war and vengeance for self-defense against persecution

2. Allows use of war in promoting the faith against unbelievers and idolaters

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Forbids war and vengeance when persecuted for righteousness’ sake – Mt 5:10-12,38-48

2. Forbids use of war to promote the cause of Christ and the gospel – 2Co 10:3-5

[Some other differences between the two faiths relate to…]

VIII. MORALS

A. ISLAM…

1. Forbids alcohol and gambling – Qur’an 5:93-94

2. Forbids eating pork

3. Allows up to four wives, may divorce and remarry them twice – Qur’an 2:229

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Forbids drunkenness, covetousness, and other “works of the flesh” – Ga 5:19-21

2. Allows all foods, if received with thanksgiving and prayer

– 1Ti 4:4-5 (with the exception of drinking blood and eating animals that were strangled, Ac 15:20,29; 21:25)

3. Teaches monogamy, divorce only for fornication – Mt 19:9; 1Co 7:2

[Both religions distinguish between the role of men and women, though with important differences…]

IX. TREATMENT OF WOMEN

A. ISLAM…

1. Men have more rights than women – Qur’an 2:228

2. Women do not attend public prayers at the Mosque

3. A husband may punish a wife by withholding what is due, and then beat her if necessary – Qur’an 4:34

B. CHRISTIANITY…

1. Men and women are fellow heirs of the grace of life – 1Pe 3:7; Ga 3:28-29

2. Women do not have leadership roles in the church – 1Co 11:3; 14:34-37; 2Ti 2:11-12

3. Forbids withholding what is due, and requires treating the wife with tenderness and understanding – 1Co 7:3-5; 1Pe 3:7

CONCLUSION

1. This has not been an exhaustive comparison between Islam and Christianity…

a. It has been a simple examination at some of the more notable features of comparison

b. Undoubtedly, many other similarities and differences could be noted

2. In considering such comparisons, one should note the following caveat…

a. Islam contains many different sects; not all professing Muslims might agree with some of the representations of Islamic beliefs made in this comparison

b. In a similar vein, not all professing Christians may agree with what has been offered as that which Christianity teaches

But perhaps this comparison can serve as a starting point in identifying key issues for discussions between Muslims and Christians who seek to better understand one another’s faiths….

Sourced from http://executableoutlines.com/islam/islam_05.htm

To end off… I love these inspiring words, so will share with you…

– Abdurrahman Wahid, former President of Indonesia, in the ‘Wall Street Journal’

“A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long supressed, finds utterance.”

– Jahrulal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India (1947)

“Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.”

– John F. Kennedy

With UNDERSTANDING comes TOLERANCE and with TOLERANCE comes MORE UNDERSTANDING.

Shared by craig (“Information and Inspiration Distributer, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder… and a ‘passionate moderate’ for religious tolerance”)

“People fight and die for religion but they seldom LIVE for religion”.

– Jahrulal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India”

“God’s greatest gift to us is allowing us to find, then choose to follow our own truths.”

“Peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
– author unknown

“There is neither east nor west, tribe nor ethnicity, male or female, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist. Christian nor Jew. There is only a God-filled humanity.”

“When people’s hearts are filled with love, the world is full of hope” – craig

About the submitter:
In his various writings Craig strives in some small way to break down and economic, social, cultural and religious barriers. Craig believes that whilst we should celebrate our differences, what we share in the form of our common humanity is way more important than what divides us.

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books/74-craigs-books http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock + www.lulu.com/craiglock

Craig is currently writing true stories of life in the Middle East. And as he writes, is posting extracts on his new WordPress blogs.

Craig’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com .wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com http://religiousunity.wordpress.com www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

“The world’s smallest and most exclusive bookstores”

“Let not our different beliefs set us apart as human beings, but rather let our shared humanity be what defines and unites us as common citizens of our planet.”

Together, one mind, one heart, one life at a time, let’s plant the seeds, the hope of a better and brighter future.

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED, electronically or in print

“God is leading us to the light. What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light

May the Grace of our loving Creator care for and watch over you all… always

What are Some Key Similarities between Christianity and Islam?

“What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light.”

– craig

Article Title: What are Some Key Similarities between Christianity and Islam?
Shared by: Craig Lock

Category (key words): Christianity, Islam, religion, faith, beliefs, peace, spiritual, religious unity, spiritual unity

Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://goo.gl/vTpjk http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com.wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com

http://religiousunity.wordpress.comwww.peacepursuit.wordpress.com http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)