Islam vs Christianity: no contest

I started out writing a Lite News column today, but the more that I wrote, the more the stark differences between Islam and Christianity peered back at me from the text. So I started over again.

In the latest ridiculous tit-for-tat offering from the muslim world, an Azerbaijani weekly publication has published cartoons that include Jesus and Mary. I am glad that they did this, and I hope that many more follow suit, because it is a stark illustration as to why I now fully agree with any form of press that publishes the cartoons of Mohammed that many have found to be offensive.

While many would cry that this is not a time to inflame the sensitivities of muslims, I would disagree. Many more still will state that we should respect people of other faiths. With that, I will also disagree. Keep reading, and perhaps by the time you get to the end of this column, you will understand my point.

Yesterday in Pakistan, a large group made up mainly of easily persuadable youth stormed into a secured area of Pakistan and proceeded to destroy icons of western civilization, including the complete gutting of a McDonald's restaurant. Other targets included a Citibank and a Kentucky Fried Chicken. Three more people, including a child, lost their lives in the senseless violence that some in the muslim community feel the need to encourage.

I stated that I hope that many more muslim countries print what they deem offensive comics aimed at the West. I believe that these acts highlight a few points much better than any western writer could. For one, it shows the complete hypocrisy of those publishers, who, on a normal day, will call themselves muslims. You see, for the last two weeks, we have been told that the real issue here is the West's intolerance and disrespect for Islam. We have been accused of publishing and republishing the cartoons of mohammed (small 'm' on purpose) to intentionally slight those of the islamic faith.

As part of their outrage, muslims have stated that any depiction of the prophets of their faith is blasphemy. We are also told that they consider Jesus a prophet. How then is it that a muslim publisher can publish images of Jesus? Is there no one who will point out this blatant act of blasphemy back to this bunch?

I don't know what response those who published the cartoons is expecting, but I can guarantee a few things. Westerners will not throttle muslims in response. We will not burn down the Azerbaijani embassy. We will not run out and burn our neighbors' cars. Do you know why? Because our nation follows a different code of ethics. Our nations are based on the Scripture of the Hebrew prophets, whose underlying message was love and hope, not despair and hate.

That is the starkest difference yet between the Middle East and the West. Muslims seem bent on our destruction and ultimately that of their own. Our goals? For the most part, westerners, people like you and me, have always strived to help those who had less, but it is becoming more and more apparent that this is a futile act.

The West has become one of the greatest civilizations to ever live on this planet, and it isn't because we are mighty. It is because of our religious foundation. Christianity preaches love, forgiveness, and tolerance; and our religious leaders, for the most part, preach the same. I have never heard a pastor suggest that his followers resort to violence. I have never heard a Christian leader suggest that believers in Christ should dole out violence to those of other faiths. In fact, we are commanded to reach out and pray for those people.

There have been infamous Christian characters through the ages, but Christians aren't cowered by them. Instead, we stand up and point them out. We separate ourselves from them and label them as false prophets.

On the flip side, muslims constantly chant "Death to the West" and "Death to America." Their imams are heard in fervent tirades commanding their followers to kill westerners and to help destroy the great Satan. For the most part, muslims are too scared and unable to disassociate those leaders, or are simply unwilling to. How else could one explain a 'peaceful' islam tolerating those who call for evil?

It is no wonder most of the middle east is embroiled in conflict and that most of their peoples live in poverty. They are backwards nations who wade through the currents of hate on a daily basis. They seek to divide and conquer instead of coming together to excel.

On the issue of free speech, I am with the majority, that being that freedoms must be used wisely and not simply exercised because they are there. This issue, however, is bigger than that and also involves freedom of religion.

For the most part, the founders of western civilization were fleeing religious persecution. They were tired of being told what to believe. They had their own beliefs and faith, a faith that was undeniable and one that stood out. One that was real enough to convince them to get on a boat, travel for weeks in rough seas, and to go to a land with nothing waiting for them once they arrived. No stores, no support, no civilization, no Wal-Mart, and no mercy.

Why? Because they wanted religious freedom. Freedom from being told what to believe, and from being told what was acceptable to dispute. Many gave their lives to stand up to what they believed were false religions and false practices.

Now, once again, we have a religious sect, radical islam, telling us what we can and cannot say, what we can and cannot do. They are telling this to us in our own land. I say that we must resist these restrictions that some wish to impose on us with the threat of violence. We must stand up and unequivocally restate our freedom of speech and religion. We have done it before and we must do it again.

We must stop confusing tolerance and appeasement. We must stop apologizing for the fact that we have a different set of beliefs. We must stop trying to be everything to everyone. We must once again stand up and state that islam is not our choice, nor are we constrained by its commandments.

We have rejected it and chosen another path, a path that has led us to the wonderful life that we now enjoy. Simply look at the difference between us and them. Success vs failure. Greatness vs mediocrity. Much vs nothing. Health vs sickness. Freedom vs tyranny. Happiness vs bitterness.

Mohammed is a false prophet (Islam a false religion) denying the diety of Christ and reducing Him to just a prophet and good man. 1 Peter 1:16-18 refers to the Transfiguration when His glory and diety were revealed. The test of a prophet demands that all prophesy come to pass as it was spoken by God and that it does not contradict what has already been spoken by God through other prophets.

1 Peter 1:16 - 16We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."[a] 18We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 2:1-22 - 1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,[a] putting them into gloomy dungeons[b] to be held for judgment; 5if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.[c] 10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature[d] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.

13They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.[e] 14With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit,"[f]and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

When the RoP call for elements of sharia in the west to protect "blasphemy," bear in mind what they consider blasphemy and "offensive to islam":

Koran, (YUSUFALI)
005.017: In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who then hath the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all every - one that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things."
005.051 : O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.
005.072 YUSUFALI: They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.
005.073 : They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.
009.030 : The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!

The slippery slope into dhimmitude...

MEMRI, September 26, 2002

Al-Rahmah mosque in Mecca, Sheikh Marzouq Salem Al-Ghamdi spoke against interreligious harmony:
"For some time, we have been hearing calls for bringing the religions together, and for unification of the religions. This call is aimed at uniting falsehood with truth, good with abomination… The Jews and Christians are infidels, enemies of Allah, his Messenger, and the believers. They deny and curse Allah and his Messenger… How can we draw near to these infidels?… They deny even the messengers sent to them. They do not believe in Moses, they do not believe in Jesus - because if they really believed in them, they would join Islam, because every prophet heralded to his nation the coming of the Prophet Muhammad and the need to believe in him …"
"If the infidels live among the Muslims, in accordance with the conditions set out by the Prophet -there is nothing wrong with it provided they pay Jizya to the Islamic treasury.Other conditions are… that they do not renovate a church or a monastery, do not rebuild ones that were destroyed, that they feed for three days any Muslim who passes by their homes… that they rise when a Muslim wishes to sit, that they do not imitate Muslims in dress and speech, nor ride horses, nor own swords, nor arm themselves with any kind of weapon; that they do not sell wine, do not show the cross, do not ring church bells, do not raise their voices during prayer, that they shave their hair in front so as to make them easily identifiable, do not incite anyone against the Muslims, and do not strike a Muslim… If they violate these conditions, they have no protection."

Note this is no maverick, he's a State approved imam in one of islams holiest places.

Saudi Arabia is the epicenter of islamic evil, where the koran is their constitution.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.