Re: The Islamic and Christian views of Jesus: a comparison

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:10:55 -0800 (PST), small giant
<mutawafayez@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The person of Jesus or Isa in Arabic (peace be upon him) is of great
significance in both Islam and Christianity. However, there are
differences in terms of beliefs about the nature and life occurrences
of this noble Messenger.

Source of information about Jesus in Islam

Most of the Islamic information about Jesus is actually found in the
Quran.

The Quran was revealed by God to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him), and memorized and written down in his lifetime. Today,
anyone who calls him or herself a Muslim believes in the complete
authenticity of the Quran as the original revealed guidance from God.

Source of information about Jesus in Christianity

Christians take their information about Jesus from the Bible, which
includes the Old and New Testaments.

These contain four biblical narratives covering the life and death of
Jesus. They have been written, according to tradition, respectively by
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are placed at the beginning of the
New Testament and comprise close to half of it.

We also have the letters of Paul, Peter, Jude, and the writer of
Hebrews (probably Paul or one of his disciples).


Encyclopedia Britannica notes that none of the sources of his life and
work can be traced to Jesus himself;

Sorry, Bud, but the Encyclopaedia Britannica is NOT a "Christian
source-book." We certainly do not accept any such dung as proof of
His Life or Messiahship.

NOR is the Kuran a "Christian Source book." Additionally, even the
Kuran is NOT a "contemporary account of His life, death, and
resurrection." It was written down around AFTER the birth (and
probably the death) of Mohammed.


he did not leave a single known
written word.

Nor did Mohammed.

Also, there are no contemporary accounts written of his
life and death. What can be established about the historical Jesus
depends almost without exception on Christian traditions, especially
on the material used in the composition of the Gospels of Mark,
Matthew, and Luke, which reflect the outlook of the later church and
its faith in Jesus.

And where are the "contemporary accounts written of Mohammed's life
and death" (outside the Kuran). And by the way, Mohammed died. Jesus
was raised bodily from the Grave on the day after the Sabbath ended.

Also, the Gospels reflect the then-CONTEMPORARY beliefs of the Church,
as well as the beliefs of the Church since the resurrection of Jesus,
down to Today.

The Gospels have remained substantially the same since they were first
codified. (probably almost within a few years of the events.) Luke
even claims to have interviewed the Mother of the Son of God Himself.
Additionally, the writers of the New Testament were ALL contemporaries
of Jesus, and EYEWITNESSES to the events it reports.

What can Islam say about that? ONLY that "the gospels were perverted
by Constantine during the 1st Council of Nicea", where the Godhead of
Jesus was codified by the ENTIRE CHURCH (exept for Arius the heretic,
of course). Of course, they offer NO PROOF of this lie, since that is
just what it is: A DAMNABLE LIE!!!


Below are the views of Islam and Christianity based on primary source
texts and core beliefs.


ISLAM
It's ONLY "source texts"? The CHRISTIAN BIBLE, and the Kuran.

While the Bible is acceptable, the Kuran is definitely NOT accepted as
a "primary source text" by ANYONE but Islamists.




1. Do Muslims believe he was a Messenger of One God? YES

Half the Truth does NOT make a Truth. While Jesus IS a MEssenger of
the ONE GOD (The Father, the Son, and their Spirit), Mohammed is NOT.

Belief in all of the Prophets and Messengers of God is a fundamental
article of faith in Islam. Thus, believing in Prophets Adam, Jesus,
Moses, and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them) is a
requirement for anyone who calls him or herself a Muslim. A person
claiming to be a Muslim who, for instance, denies the Messengership of
Jesus, is not considered a Muslim.

The Quran says in reference to the status of Jesus as a Messenger:

"The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before
whom many Messengers have passed away; and his mother adhered wholly
to truthfulness, and they both ate food (as other mortals do). See how
We make Our signs clear to them; and see where they are turning
away!" (Quran 5:75).

Any quote from the Kuran is unacceptable, since it is nothing but a
collection of aphorisms and half-truths, along with bold-faced lies.

2. Do Muslims believe he was born of a Virgin Mother? YES

Like Christians, Muslims believe Mary, Maria in Spanish, or Maryam as
she is called in Arabic, was a chaste, virgin woman, who miraculously
gave birth to Jesus.

"Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her
family,

This is obviously untrue. The "Book" (the Bible of Christians) relates
nothing of the sort. Mary ("Miryam" in Hebrew and Arabic, not
"Maryam") went with her HUSBAND, Joseph, to Bethlehem, where Christ
was born. They did NOT go there to avoid their families. In fact,
the odds are good that both their families went also, though not
necessarily together, since they were ALL the sons and daughters of
David.

There, the Son of God was born to Miryam. But NOT to Joseph, who was
NOT His father by blood.

to a place in the East. She screened herself from them; then
We sent to her Our spirit (angel Gabriel) and he appeared before her
as a man in all respects. She said: I seek refuge from you in God Most
Gracious (come not near) if you do fear God. He said: Nay, I am only a
Messenger from your Lord, to announce to you the gift of a pure son.
She said: How shall I have a son, when no man has ever touched me, and
I am not unchaste? He said: So it will be, your Lord says: 'That is
easy for Me; and We wish to appoint him as a sign unto men and a Mercy
from Us': It was a matter so decreed" (Quran 19:16-21).

You will ONLY find this "narrative" in the Kuran, since it has no
sourdce in Truth. (it is a bold-faced lie, like the rest of that
Demonic book.)


3. Do Muslims believe Jesus had a miraculous birth? YES

The Quran says:

"She (Mary) said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has
touched me.' He (God) said: 'So (it will be) for God creates what He
wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: 'Be!'- and
it is" (3:47).

Obviously this WAS taken from Christian sources, since PART of it DOES
come from the Narrative of Gabriel's visit to Miryam.

Miryam DID say to Gabriel, "Oh Lord, How shall I have a son when no
man has touched me? But the rest was created from whole-cloth by
whoever it was who wrote this Sura.

It should also be noted about his birth that:

"Verily, the likeness of Jesus in God's Sight is the likeness of Adam.
He (God) created him from dust, then (He) said to him: 'Be!'-and he
was" (Quran 3:59).

This is an absolute lie. Not a word about this in the New Testament.
IN fact, it probably comes to Muslims from Arius, the Heretic, who
taught exactly the same. It is HIGHLY HERETICAL, and grounds for
being disassociated from the Church, until repented of. Those who
hold such a belief can NEVER receive the Body and Blood of the Savior
until the heresy is removed from their hears and minds.

4. Do Muslims believe Jesus spoke in the cradle? YES

Not a word about this in the Bible. It probably comes from one of the
rejected gospels (there were thousands of them contemporeneous with
Mohammed circulating around).

"Then she (Mary) pointed to him. They said: 'How can we talk to one
who is a child in the cradle?' He (Jesus) said: 'Verily! I am a slave
of God, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;
" (19:29-30).

Another lie, not included in the Christian Bible.
NOTE That this was first written down AFTER Mohammed died, and there
was NO original source text for it. It is ONLY taught by Islam in
their "unholy book, the Kuran".


5. Do Muslims believe he performed miracles? YES

Even the Devils "believe in the Power of God" , friend, and they
tremble.

Muslims, like Christians believe Jesus performed miracles. But these
were performed by the will and permission of God, Who has power and
control over all things.

"Then will God say: 'O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favor to you
and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit
(the angel Gabriel)
Gabriel was NOT "the Holy Spirit", though HE SPOKE for Him. The
ANGELS are ALL created beings, while the Spirit of God is God Himself,
and uncreated. Additionally, the Angels are all spirits, but NOT gods
in any sense of the word.

so that you did speak to the people in childhood
and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and
the Gospel. And behold: you make out of clay, as it were, the figure
of a bird, by My leave, and you breathe into it, and it becomes a bird
by My leave, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers by My
leave. And behold! you bring forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I
did restrain the children of Israel from (violence to you) when you
did show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said:
'This is nothing but evident magic' (5:110).

Again, a narrative from a forbidden gospel, which was rejected by the
Church because of its reference to Jesus as a created being.


6. Do Muslims believe in the Trinity? NO

So true. This is for a simple reason: Muslims do not worship the God
of the Bible, even though they say they do.

Muslims believe in the Absolute Oneness of God, Who is a
Christians would not use an article to refer to the Eternal, uncreated
and ONLY Supreme Being.

free of human limitations, needs and wants. He has no partners in His
Divinity. He is the Creator of everything and is completely separate
from His creation.

While this is partially true, it leaves our salvation up to ourselves,
and keeps HIM out of it completely. Christ is our savior, not we.

God says in the Quran regarding the Trinity:

"People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in
your religion, and attribute to God nothing except the truth. The
Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of God, and His
command that He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe
in God and in His Messengers, and do not say: 'God is a Trinity.' Give
up this assertion; it would be better for you.

Right on, they say "it would be better for you" for a simple reason:
They prefer to unjustly tax Christians who say such things, or murder
them outright instead.

It is not for nothing that Muslims who are baptized as Christians in a
Muslim nation must many times be HIDDEN or removed altogether, so they
will not be MURDERED immediately.

God is indeed just One
God. Far be it from His glory that He should have a son. To Him
belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. God is sufficient
for a guardian" (Quran 4:171).


7. Do Muslims believe that Jesus was the son of God? NO

This ONE statement makes ALL MUSLIMS who actually BELIEVE this lie
ANTICHRISTS, the ENEMIES OF CHRIST, not His FRIENDS.

"Say: "God is Unique! God, the Source [of everything]. He has not
fathered anyone nor was He fathered, and there is nothing comparable
to Him!" (Quran 112:1-4).

They neglect to add, "or die, Christian dogs!!!" THAT is the choice
they gave the Christians when they defeated them.

The Quran also states:

"Such was Jesus, the son of Mary; it is a statement of truth, about
which they vainly dispute. It is not befitting to the majesty of God,
that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a
matter, He only says to it, 'Be' and it is" (Quran 19:34-35).


8. Do Muslims believe Jesus was killed on the cross then resurrected?
NO

""They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought
they did." (Quran 4:156) "God lifted him up to His presence. God is
Almighty, All-Wise" (Quran 4:157) .

This belief is held for a simple reason: Muslims do NOT believe that
it was Jesus Himself Who was crucified on the Cross.

Again, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Gospel narrative, or
Christianity, and is nothing but a lie (or actually a lie of the
Romans, who, in order to explain his missing Body, made up a story
claiming the Disciples took His Body down before He expired.

I'm sure the "Dan Brownians" also believe this lie.




CHRISTIANITY


1. Do Christians believe Jesus was a human being and Messenger of God?
YES & NO

With the exception of Unitarian Christians, who like all the early
followers of Jesus, still do not believe in the Trinity, most
Christians now believe in the Divinity of Jesus, which is connected to
the belief in Trinity. They say he is the second member of the Triune
God, the Son of the first part of the Triune God, and at the same time
"fully" God in every respect

This is because Christians do NOT believe God is "made up of three
parts". God has NO "parts". He is a SINGLE GOD, appearing in THREE
PERSONALITIES, one of whom is the Son, Jesus.

Also, ALL Christians do NOT believe in the Trinity. ONLY heretical
"christians" reject His Eternal Godhead , and we would NEVER call them
"Christians".


2. Do Christians believe he was born of a Virgin Mother? YES

A chaste and pious human woman who gave birth to Jesus Christ, the
second member of the Trinity, the Son of God, and at the same time
"fully" God Almighty in every respect.

The first member is of course, the Father, the Source of All. The
second is the Son, Who laid aside His GLORY as God, and became a man
of flesh and blood, while at the same time maintaining His nature as
Almighty God, the Son of His Father.

But Muslims are MISSING the ENTIRE Christian understanding of the
Godhead. They "know of Jesus", but have NEVER met Him. Therefore,
they can NOT truly UNDERSTAND what they refer to.


Christians believe however, that while she was a virgin, she was
married to a man named Joseph (Bible: Matthew:1:18). According to
Matthew 1:25, Joseph "kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son;
and he called His name Jesus".

This is certainly true.



3. Do Christians believe he had a miraculous birth? YES

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary
had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found
to be with child by the Holy Spirit" (Bible: Matthew 1:18)

NOTE that Jesus was NOT begotten according to the FLESH (through a
normal conception requiring a seed from both the mother and father).

The Godhead HImself caused her womb to bear a child WITHOUT human
intervention. This is why it says "she was found to be with child by
the Holy Spirit."


4. Do Christians believe he performed miracles? YES

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to
speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretches out thy hand to
heal, and sign and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy
servant Jesus (Bible: Acts 4:30).

Christians believe that Jesus performed these miracles because he was
the Son of God as well as the incarnation of God.

NOT quite: WE do believe He performed the miracles because of HIs
relationship with His Father. But, HE HIMSELF tells us, "I do what I
see MY FATHER DOING", and "I do not do these things of Myself, but the
FATHER WITHIN ME does them, and I report what I see My FATHER doing."



5. Do Christians believe in the Trinity? YES

With the exception of the Unitarian Christians, who do not believe in
the Divinity of Christ, the Trinity, according to the Catholic
encyclopedia, is the term used for the central doctrine of the
Christian religion. The belief is that in the unity of the Godhead
there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
These three Persons or beings are distinct from each another, while
being similar in character: uncreated and omnipotent.

The First Vatican Council has explained the meaning to be attributed
to the term mystery in theology. It lays down that a mystery is a
truth which we are not merely incapable of discovering apart from
Divine Revelation, but which, even when revealed, remains "hidden by
the veil of faith and enveloped, so to speak, by a kind of
darkness" (Const., "De fide. cath.", iv). The First Vatican Council
further defined that the Christian Faith contains mysteries strictly
so called (can. 4). All theologians admit that the doctrine of the
Trinity is of the number of these. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes
that of all revealed truths, this is the most impenetrable to reason.

Since the VAtican does NOT speak for Eastern Christians (Orthodox
Christians), MANY do NOT accept the Roman Catholic teachings.



6. Do Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God? YES

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent
the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world
might be saved through Him (Bible: John 3:16).

The BIBLE, as well as the Church, says "...HE gave His only begotten
son..."

However, it is interesting to note that the term "son of God" is used
in other parts of the Bible to refer to Adam (Bible: Luke 3:38),
Israel (Bible: Exodus 4:22) and David (Bible: Psalms 2:7) as well. The
creatures of God are usually referred to in the Bible as children of
God.

Christ is certainly NO "creature", but God HImself in the Flesh.



The role of Paul of Tarsus in shaping this belief and the belief in
Trinity

The notion of Jesus as son of God is something that was established
under the influence of Paul of Tarsus (originally named Saul), who had
been an enemy of Jesus, but later changed course and joined the
disciples after the departure of Jesus.

Later, however, he initiated a number of changes into early Christian
teachings, in contradiction, for instance, to disciples like Barnabas,
who believed in the Oneness of God and who had actually lived and met
with Jesus.

NOTE that Paul was CONTEMPORANEOUS with Jesus, not "AFTER He
Departed." How do we know this: Because he reports that he was
complicit in the death of the first Christian Martyr, Stephen, who was
murdered only a few years after Christ was assumed into the Presence
of His Father.


Paul is considered by a number of Christian scholars to be the father
of Christianity due to his additions of the following ideas:

"Paulicans" are also heretics, friend. Paul was the last Apostle of
Christ, and taught ONLY what Christ HIMSELF taught Him through His
Spirit, Who resides in all Christians.


that Jesus is the son of God,

the concept of Atonement,

the renunciation of the Law of the Torah.

Paul does NOT in ANY WAY "renounce the Law of God". Rather, He
teaches of its FULFILLMENT in Christ, and OUR ability to OBEY this
Law, through His Spirit Who resides in us.

Jesus HImself tells us, "Do NOT THINK that I have come to ABOLISH the
Law or the Prophets: Rather, I come to FULFILL them."

Paul himself tells us, "The Law is GOOD, and RIGHTEOUS, IF used
RIGHTEOUSLY."


Paul did these things in hopes of winning over the Gentiles (non-
Jewish people). His letters are another of the primary sources of
information on Jesus according to the Christian tradition.

The original followers of Prophet Jesus opposed these blatant
misrepresentations of the message of Jesus. They struggled to reject
the notion of the Divinity of Jesus for close to 200 years.

The ONLY one who "struggled" to reject the notion was ARIUS and his
bishops. EVERY OTHER bishop accepts the Divinity of Jesus.


One person who was an original follower of Jesus was Barnabas. He was
a Jew born in Cyrus and a successful preacher of the teachings of
Jesus. Because of his closeness to Jesus, he was an important member
of the small group of disciples in Jerusalem who had had gathered
together following the disappearance of Jesus.

The question of Jesus's nature, origin and relationship with God was
not raised amongst Barnabas and the small group of disciples. Jesus
was considered a man miraculously endowed by God. Nothing in the words
of Jesus or the events in his life led them to modify this view.

The Gospel of Barnabas was accepted as a Canonical Gospel in the
Churches of Alexandria till 325 CE Iranaeus (130-200) wrote in support
of pure monotheism and opposed Paul for injecting into Christianity
doctrines of the pagan Roman religion and Platonic philosophy. He
quoted extensively from the Gospel of Barnabas in support of his
views. This indicates that the Gospel of Barnabas was in circulation
in the first and second centuries of Christianity.

In 325 (CE), a council of Christian leaders met at Nicaea and made
Paul's beliefs officially part of Christian doctrine. It also ordered
that all original Gospels in Hebrew script which contradicted Paul's
beliefs should be destroyed. An edict was issued that anyone in
possession of these Gospels would be put to death.

Another lie, meant for a single purpose: To discredit St. Paul.


The Gospel of Barnabas has miraculously survived though.


7. Do Christians believe he was killed on the cross? YES

This is a core Christian belief and it relates to the concept of
atonement. According to this belief, Jesus died to save mankind from
sin. However, this is not stated explicitly in the four gospels which
form the primary source texts of Christianity. It is found, however,
in Romans 6:8,9.

The ENTIRE CHRISTIAN BIBLE is the "primary source text" of
Christianity. We hold the ENTIRE BIBLE, including the Hebrew text as
well as the Greek text, to be the "primary Source text" for our
belief, since we see both the Hebrew as well as the Christian texts to
be an organic whole.


Christians believe Jesus was spat on, cut, humiliated, kicked, striped
and finally hung up on the cross to endure a slow and painful death.

According, to Christian belief, the original sin of Adam and Eve of
eating from the forbidden tree was so great that God could not forgive
it by simply willing it, rather it was necessary to erase it with the
blood of a sinless, innocent Jesus.

Not true at all.

It was NOT the "size" of their sin which "made it necessary", but its
very existence which made the Blood Atonement necessary. This sin
existed much longer before Humanity came on the scene. So His
Atonement is NOT just for Humanity, but the ENTIRE UNIVERSE.

Satan will be cast forever into the Pit of Fire, along with all
unrepentant sinners and antichrists (including all Muslims). Christ's
Death was only the BEGINNING of the Atonement (which is actually a
compound word, "At-one-ment", meaning "a state of being at one with
God." The finishing of the "at-one-ment" will occur when Satan and
all his angels and the antichrists are cast alive into the pit of
Fire.



Resurrection

The four Gospels and the Epistles of St. Paul are the main sources of
Christianity which discuss the Resurrection of Jesus after his
crucifixion. According to St. Matthew, Jesus appeared to the holy
women, and again on a mountain in Galilee. Mark's Gospel tells a
different story: Jesus was seen by Mary Magdalene, by the two
disciples at Emmaus, and the Eleven before his Ascension into heaven.

Luke's Gospel says Jesus walked with the disciples to Emmaus, appeared
to Peter and to the assembled disciples in Jerusalem. In John's
Gospel, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the ten Apostles on
Easter Sunday, to the Eleven a week later, and to seven disciples at
the Sea of Tiberias.

Another account of the resurrection by St. Paul is found in Bible:
Corinthians 15: 3-8.

According to Christian belief, Resurrection is a manifestation of
God's justice, Who exalted Christ to a life of glory, as Christ had
humbled himself unto death (Phil., 2: 8-9). This event also completes
the mystery of Christian salvation and redemption. The death of Jesus
frees believers from sin, and with his resurrection, he restores to
them the most important privileges lost by sin (Bible: Romans 4:25).

More importantly, the belief in the resurrection of Jesus indicates
Christian acknowledgment of Christ as the immortal God, the cause of
believers' own resurrection (Bible: I Corinthians 4: 21; Phil.,
3:20-21), as well as the model and the support of a new life of grace
(Bible: Romans 4: 4-6; 9-11).

Donald L McDaniel
.

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