Posted on 06/23/2017 8:04:50 AM PDT by Kaslin
The essential difference between Christianity and Islam is the difference between Jesus and Muhammad. Jesus was a spiritual leader who laid down His life to save the world. Muhammad was a spiritual leader, who became a political leader, then a violent military leader. Jesus accomplished His mission by dying on the cross. Muhammad accomplished his mission (at least in large part) by ruling by the sword.
There are, of course, great similarities between the world’s two largest religions. Both point to a holy book, allegedly inspired by God, for faith and practice. Both call for high moral standards and serious personal commitment. Both share common traditions, since Muhammad learned from Jews as well as Christians. And both have a vision to spread their faith around the world.
But this is where the two faiths diverge. One follows the example of a crucified and risen Savior. The other follows the example of a prophet and military leader.
And so, the biblical verses of violence (as in, “Kill the Canaanites”) were limited to a specific place and time, and no such commands are found on Jesus’ lips. The Quranic verses of violence (as in, “Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them”) do not have such obvious limitations. And so, while many Quranic interpreters and Islamic jurists claim that those verses cannot be applied indiscriminately today, others differ, proudly citing them in their jihadi manuals.
Again, the difference is that of the cross vs. the sword. That’s why Jesus and His followers never established the death penalty for leaving the faith. Muhammad established it once he assumed military dominance. And the death penalty for apostasy from Islam remains in force in a number Islamic countries today.
In the same spirit, Muhammad beheaded some of his enemies. Jesus forbade His followers from taking up the sword in His defense. The differences are glaring and clear.
Just compare the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels with those of Muhammad in the Hadith. Jesus never calls for violent acts against enemies of the faith; Muhammad often does. That’s why there’s no gospel (or apostolic) equivalent to the lengthy collection of Muhammad’s military raids.
Accordingly, the most tolerant expressions of Islam are found when: 1) Muslims are the minority in a country, as in America; or 2) the Muslim-dominated country is quite secular, as in Indonesia. In contrast, in strictly observant Muslim countries, there is limited tolerance for non-Muslims.
If you don’t believe me, try setting up a public Christian mission to Muslims in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or Afghanistan or Iran. Tell me how many minutes it lasts.
I do commend those Muslims who call for a more tolerant expression of their faith, and they abhor the terrorism carried out in the name of their religion. But if they are honest, they will have to admit that violent Islam has a long and rich history.
To quote the noted Catholic scholar of Islam Samir Kahlil Samir, “I speak about the violence expressed in the Qur’an and practiced in Muhammad’s life in order to address the idea, widespread in the West, that the violence we see today is a deformation of Islam. We must honestly admit that there are two readings of the Qur’an and the sunna (Islamic traditions connected to Muhammad): one that opts for the verses that encourage tolerance toward other believers, and one that prefers the verses that encourage conflict. Both readings are legitimate.”
Thus, acts of violence carried out to advance the Christian faith are the extreme exception to the rule. Acts of violence carried out to advance the Islamic faith are all too common.
When it comes to freedom of religion, a country like America, founded on Judeo-Christian principles, has allowed this essential liberty from the start. And in a country like England, which also has a rich Christian history (despite its current backslidden state), Muslims can practice their religions freely, even proselytizing non-Muslims. In contrast, if Muslims became the majority religion in England, non-Muslims would become second-class citizens, with limited freedoms (like Christians in Pakistan), unless they converted to Islam.
It is true that both faiths seek to spread their message by disseminating information. And both faiths point to the sublime message of their founders. But the message of Jesus leads to liberation while the message of Muhammad leads to subjugation.
Again, I know there are moderate Muslims who seek to reform their faith, and many of them are honorable people. And I know that some of them believe they are being true to the real spirit of their faith.
But there’s a reason that, generally speaking, true Christians are persecuted by true Muslims rather than true Muslims persecuted by true Christians. It is the difference between the cross and the sword.
islam is a totalitarian death cult founded by a child rapist.
the difference ?
My God sent his only Son to die for me.
Their god wants me to send my only son to die for him.
I think three other things distinguish Christianity and Islam: grace, mercy and forgiveness
Islam began with a man who went to violent war against his enemies.
Christianity began with Yeshua, who would not allow his followers to pick up the sword in his defense, nor would he prevent his murderers from crucifying Him.
The differences begin at the beginning.
Very simple, and your post spells it out very plainly...
“It is the difference between the cross and the sword.”
Violence and compulsion are the essence of Islam...Love is the essence of Christianity...
Christianity was founded by the Son of God Himself, who came down from Heaven to save us from death, and to make it possible for us to live with Him forever in Paradise!!!!
islam was founded by a pedophile warlord, and is a totalitarian political movement that spreads slavery and death wherever it goes!!!!
Any questions? Phooey, really!!!!
Islam was created specifically to take advantage of Christian forgiveness.
Mohammad saw an opportunity and took it.
hum... thought Mohammad ... you mean that Christian “must” turn the other cheek and forgive.. no matter what? Great! I will create a religion of war that will take advantage of that by war, terror and forced conversions! And there is nothing any true Christian can do to stop me! It was a good plan.. and it almost worked until the Christian of Western Europe woke up and decided forgiveness had limits when dealing with evil.
It was not a holy angel who whispered in Mohammed’s ear.
First, I agree, sort of. We have Jesus. They have Mohammed. The founder of our religion gave us the example of not resisting but giving up his life to save the world. The founder of their religion began the armed conquest of what would become the Islamic World.
But, on the second point, I disagree. We have the Bible. It is written by men inspired by God. They have the Koran, dictated by God. The difference is profound. There are many aspects of the Bible open to interpretation, even to arguments over transcription and translation. The Koran is taken to be literally true for all time. To illustrate, there are Islamic scholars even today who insist the world is flat because that is said in the Koran. (We have known the world is a globe since ancient Egypt.)
Related to this difference, is that our traditions are one of a continuing development of the separation of church and state, the scientific method, and the interplay of individual freedom and the rule of law. We are essentially libertarian (small “l”). Law and morality are two different things.
They are essentially authoritarian. While they had a period of tolerance and embrace of reason along with revelation, eventually revelation as determined by scholars with the power of the state won out. In their system, if something is moral, it is compelled by law. And, if something is immoral, it is forbidden by law.
Now, let’s consider the progressive socialists. Notice that they’re not libertarian. In their view, law should compel acceptance of behavior allowed by the government. If you think, just keep your perverted sexual behavior in the closet and keep your hands off the children, you’re a Christian libertarian. But, if you think like a progressive socialist, because we don’t regulate people’s private sexual behavior, therefore it must be moral, therefore acceptance of it should be forced on all people.
So, as between the competing authoritarians of the world, we Christians are the truly tolerant. We would like the maximum of human interaction while recognizing that people differ. We follow Jesus in his teaching of the wheat and the tares, putting our trust in God to save those not completely lost among us.
Jesus was, and is, God.
I question the statement that both promote moral living. According to what I observe, it seems that the ‘moral living’ clause only applies to the servant class, i.e. the women.
Of course, Muslims define morality differently than do Christians. But Muslim males are allowed all sorts of immoral actions against anyone whom they deem to be inferior. So, murder and rape, etc. are allowed to the men and they do not see this as immoral.
In Islam women, gays, non-Muslims, etc. are all fair game for hunting Muslim men.
Correct, but I think the author meant when Jesus was on earth
There is no comparison between Christianity and Islam.
There are comparisons between Judaism and Islam.
Judaism is a religion with more rules than any Jew can possibly comply with but comply they must. The Old Testament for the Hebrews compares to the Islamic teachings.
Islam is a religion with more rules than any Muslim can possible comply with but comply they must. The Quran for the Muslims compares to the Old Testament teachings for the Hebrews.
Christianity is a religion with rules Christians can comply with.
Re: But there’s a reason that, generally speaking, true Christians are persecuted by true Muslims rather than true Muslims persecuted by true Christians. It is the difference between the cross and the sword.
Good point
I wish well-meaning but ill-informed people would stop trying to find "similarities" where there are none of any real consequence.
“Their god wants me to send my only son to die for him.”
You may have overlooked, “and to reward those that make him die because of his choice not to be a murderer.”
rwood
worshiping God vs worshiping satan
Stopped reading there.
Christians worship the Lord. Muslims have been fooled by Satan
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