Posted on 10/26/2005 6:52:39 AM PDT by WJHII
Questioning Islam in a politically correct world. By William John Hagan
Houston Home Journal
10/26/2005
It may not be politically correct to point out the obvious, but why should reality be hog-tied by political correctness? As Americans we have become so multiculturally sensitive that even the US Postal Service now issues a yearly stamp celebrating the Islamic holy days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Preposterously, the first EID stamp came out just ten days before the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
The stamp which, in part, commemorates the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has received the full support of President George W. Bush. The President is the last person whom I would expect to get caught up in the world of pro-Islamic political correctness, especially since he claims to be an evangelical Christian. However, in a statement released by the White House, Bush declares: “Ramadan commemorates the revelation of God's word in the holy Koran to the prophet Mohammed”. As an evangelical Christian, Bush’s declarative statement trumpeting “the revelation of God’s word in the holy Koran” strains credulity. If a statement must be released, a polite comment such as “Ramadan commemorates what the followers of Islam believe is the revelation of God’s word” would be far more appropriate.
I can only assume that the President is completely unaware of what the Koran teaches about his beloved Jesus Christ or he is more concerned with appeasing the Islamic world than proclaiming his true values. I can only hope that the latter is true because, while Islam is respectful of the personage of Jesus, the teachings in the Koran regarding Christ are in complete conflict with mainstream Christianity.
It is evident that Bush believes in the divinity of Christ, however, the Koran teaches: “Those that claim that God is One of three have lied and committed unbelief. There is no God but Allah, the One…The Messiah, son of Mary, is only a prophet, one among many prophets who preceded him. His mother was a faithful believer but a human like him. (Q, 5:73-75)” Does Bush truly believe that such a statement is the “revelation of God’s word”? Does any Christian? Or does he find it as offensive as the following verse from the Koran regarding what should befall the followers of Jesus: “Their punishment shall be a scorching fire, a fire branding their foreheads, sides and backs (Q, 9:29, 34-35)”?
The Koran also teaches that one of the most basic tenants of Christianity is false. The Islamic faith instructs that Jesus did not die on the cross. The popular belief among Muslims is that Simon of Cyrene took Christ’s place. Certainly, even the most politically correct Christian cannot believe what the Koran says of the crucifixion: “They did not kill him, but he was counterfeited to them. They did not kill him certainly. (Q, 4:154)” This is in direct conflict with the non-biblical and non-Christian historical accounts of Christianity, written by contemporaries of Christ. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote: “Christus…suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of . . . Pontius Pilatus”. The Jewish historian Josephus also makes reference to the cruxificftion of Christ when he wrote: “About this time lived Jesus, a man full of wisdom, if indeed one may call Him a man. For He was the doer of incredible things, and the teacher of such as gladly received the truth. He thus attracted to Himself many Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ. On the accusation of the leading men of our people, Pilate condemned Him to death upon the cross; nevertheless those who had previously loved Him still remained faithful to Him. For on the third day He again appeared to them living, just as, in addition to a thousand other marvelous things, prophets sent by God had foretold. And to the present day the race of those who call themselves Christians after Him has not ceased.”
Both of these non-Christian accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus were written in the first century, as opposed to the sixth century writings found in the Koran. Unless one truly believes that the Koran is the word of God, transmitted to Muhammad by the Archangel Gabriel, it would then be advisable to believe historical accounts written during the early days of the Christian faith. Neither Romans nor Jews saw fit to insult the martyrdom of Jesus, but Islam does.
The Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, which celebrates God preventing Abraham from sacrificing his son, and the Koran itself, may reveal the true origin of the Islamic Koran. The Koran teaches that Satan tricked Abraham into offering his own son as a sacrifice to God. (Q, 37:107) In the Koran, it is taught that God chastised Abraham for not recognizing Satan’s attempt to impersonate God: “You believed the dream…God never advocates sin”. (Q, 7:28) Ironically, the Muslims believe that it was Gabriel who, at the last moment, substituted Abraham’s son with a lamb and thwarts Satan’s plot against Abraham. The Koran, therefore, makes it clear that Islam teaches that Satan can even trick God’s greatest prophets. If one were to be undiplomatic, it could be speculated that the role of Gabriel, as the messenger of God to the prophet Mohammed as elucidated in the story of Eid al-Adha, could be an allegory for the true origin of the Koran.
Letters to the editor of The Houston Home Journal may be e-mailed to: hhj@evansnewspapers.com (Please Include Your Name and Location)
William John Hagan can be contacted directly by e-mail at: William_Hagan@excite.com
No. In fact, the radicals are continuing the legacy of their prophet. Whoever told you otherwise is incorrect.
I believe that also. Those voices Mohammed heard in the cave, the ones which he at first believed to be evil spirits, but which his wife encouraged him to listen to...
"Isn't the current problems with terrorism related to misinterpretations of the Islam faith by extremists?"
I believe, from what I have read, that the extremists are the ones interpreting Islam correctly. Any 'religion' that one can not come to freely is not a religion, but a cult of ideology. Conversion by the sword is the only way Islam has propagated itself. If these people would come to a period of enlightenment as did the Christians, the world would be a better place. As it is now, Islam cannot co-exist with western society. As it is now, Islam is not deserving of respect.
With all due respects, the barbarians were at the gates. Either contain it or be overrun by it. The Crusades if nothing else helped to contain it at the time.
To say Islam is voilent doesn't make a person a bigot or a racist, it makes them an historian.
Guess it all boils down to what the definition of sin is...
Frankly, I believe that Muhammed was a genius with a severe personality disorder. It is obvious that he was a narcissist who married for money and status which would give him the power he craved and the "love" of his wife would have given him the confidence to carry out the ideas he had. A personality disorder would have been enough to cause his desire to spend time alone in the caves and there is a good chance that the voices he supposedly heard were nothing more than his own thoughts. And yes, I do believe Satan has worked through him throughout the centuries.
"As it is now" is all it will ever be.
And, by the way, keep in mind that one of the hallmarks of a personality disorder is the compulsion to lie.
What better type to use as a tool? What better plan than to overrule Judaism and Christianity with unalterable words from "God's final prophet?" What more fitting reward for its fanatics than a paradise of carnal delights?
Hi, the link provided does not link to the original article. I searched the HHJ site, but couldn't find this article there anywhere. Can you double-check the source? Thanks
Thereby proving my case for me.
Let 'em bring it.
Because it is the most intolerant, and aims to convert the whole world by whatever means necessary. And once you have accepted it, you can't change your mind, because the penalty is death. (read it, it's in the book.)
Isn't the current problems with terrorism related to misinterpretations of the Islam faith by extremists?
No, the problem is that the extremists have interpreted it literally, such as when it says to "strike the heads off the unbelievers."
How did the Bible ever justify the Crusades?
It didn't. Self-defense justified them.
A good source of information on Islam:
http://muhammadanism.org/Canon_Sell/default.htm
Precisely. Islam does not allow scrutiny of the life of Muhammed for this reason. Imams continue to subtly turn the discussion away from the prophet, knowing that if his life and his actions were put under the microscope, they would lose their power and control. Examination of Muhammed's life would strip away any religious aspects of Islam and expose it for the corrupt political ideology that it truly is.
The whole thing creeps me out. Then I calm down and my blood begins to boil...
Excellent article.
Man, all your descriptions are starting to sound like Clinton.
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