Can we distinguish between Islam and Christianity

Recently, Franklin Graham, son and religious successor to the legendary Billy Graham, caused a furor when he said: "We're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion."

The politically correct and the multiculturalists became unhinged. They criticized him and everything he stands for, from every direction. Of course, relatively few people are qualified to make such comparisons, and I am not one of them. You need not be a divinity scholar, however, to see th at the actions, beliefs and proclamations of Muslims are in no way similar to the beliefs of Judeo-Christians, and particularly those of the United States.

Our nation was founded by WASPs, white, Anglo Saxon Protestants. They were initially from England, and were followed by Irish, Scots, French and others from western Europe. Their ideas were in conflict with the official religions of their country of birth, so they fled to North America where they believed they would be free to exercise their Judeo-Christian beliefs.

From the very beginning, political as well as religious leaders, spoke and wrote about the God they believed in. The United States was founded by these men, and there is abundant documentary evidence to support this

The Pilgrims were Protestants, who rejected the institutional Church of England. They believed that the worship of God must originate in the inner man, and that forms of worship prescribed by man interfered with a true relationship with God. The Separatists used the term "church" to refer to the people, the Body of Christ, not to a building or institution. As their Pastor John Robinson said, "(When two or three are) gathered in the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in all the way of God known unto them as a church ."

"That all the People may with united Hearts on that Day express a just Sense of His unmerited Favors: --Particularly in that it hath pleased Him,by His over ruling Providence to support us in a just and necessary War for the Defense of our Rights and Liberties; ...by defeating the Councils and evil Designs of our Enemies, and giving us Victory over their Troops --and by the Continuance of that Union among these States, which by his Blessing, will be their future Strength & Glory." --Samuel Adams on behalf of the Continental Congress, November 3, 1778, calling for a day of Thanksgiving during our Revolutionary War

"The Pilgrims came to America not to accumulate riches but to worship God, and the greatest wealth they left unborn generations was their heroic example of sacrifice that their souls might be free." --Harry Moyle Tippett

The first national Thanksgiving Proclamation, issued by the revolutionary Continental Congress on November 1, 1777, expressed gratitude for the colonials' October victory over British General Burgoyne at Saratoga. It was authored by Samuel Adams, the man the other Founders turned to for reasoned statements of liberties as God's blessings, its one sentence of 360 words read in part: "Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received...together with penitent confession of their sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor; and their humble and earnest supplications that it may please God through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance...it is therefore recommended...to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feeling of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor... acknowledging with gratitude their obligations to Him for benefits received....To prosper the means of religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth 'inrighteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost'."

When independence from England was achieved, and a Constitution written and ratified, freedom of religion was included. It was clearly stated in the First Amendment to the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

At the time the Constitution was written, I doubt that there were any people in the United States who called themselves Muslims. In fact, very few if any even knew there were such people. There were still very few until WW II, when American military men were stationed, and fought all over the globe.

After that war the influx of Muslims, Buddhists, Confucians, and a host of other people with other religions started to immigrate to the United States, in ever increasing numbers. The Constitution guaranteed their religious freedom, and slowly but surely, they started to impose.

Muslims come to the schools in the United States by tens of thousands a year. I would imagine that the number of Americans who go to an Arab country to study could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Simultaneously, they say and do things which clearly show that they, as Muslims, have an inherent hatred of America and Americans. What benefit do we derive from this exchange?

The Muslims who come to the United States as immigrants, and those who become citizens, have no intention of integrating into the existing society They demand special considerations and special privileges - and usually get what they want. Americans have been taught that to do otherwise might be considered racist, and there is nothing worse than that.

No person can live in the United States and not be constantly reminded that we were founded as a Christian nation, and we remain one. You need money to live, and the dollar bill is a constant reminder. Benjamin Franklin believed that no man could create a nation alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything. "IN GOD WE TRUST" is on our currency. The Latin above the pyramid on the dollar, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, "God has favored our undertaking." The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, "a new order has begun."

I have not read the Koran, and I doubt that I will, but there are enough quotes easily available to provide an overview. I think that Franklin Graham said it very well: "The God of Islam is not the same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion."

Actually, Patria, it doesn't help at all. According to what I've been told on here, and from what I've read, Christ was an apostle to allah, nothing more. He was not the Son of God, He was just a prophet. A special prophet, but a prophet all the same.

The god I read about when reading about Islam is a fickle god, a trickster. He is a false god, nothing more, nothing less. Islam was a means for Mohammed to gain political and military power...in the beginning, at his weakest was he at his friendliest towards the non-Moslems. Later, as his power increased, so did his hostility towards anything and anyone non-Moslem, until eventually, Islam was to be spread on the point of the sword.

Again, how many times do "fight" and "kill" appear in Mohammed's writings?

Where are the out and out condemnations of the Taliban for their actions? Or against Bin Laden for his? There have been small voices speaking out against his actions...but what about the major voices? What about the Moslem ruled nations? When will they condemn the actions of the Taliban? Not just in their sheltering of Bin Laden, but for their treatment of their citizens? Where is the outrage for that? Or are they just sitting on the sideline, waiting to see which way the wind blows??

Why, Patria, are these people that are so open-minded to Christianity so busy jailing the Christian missionaries that come to their country? I'm not talking about Afghanistan here. I'm talking about Dubai, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Moslem nations...an "open-minded and benevolent" government, jailing people for preaching the word of Christ.

Post all you want about what they say the believe. They worship a false god, and practice a false religion. Seems to me that L. Ron Hubbard wasn't the first to invent one as a means to an end.

In effect, Mohammed (was charged by God to bring, or) brought a version of Judaism (with acceptance of Jesus the Messiah) to the idol worshippers of Arabia. He had a hell of a time surviving the idol worshippers, and therefore is seen as war-like.

This reading allows for a co-existence between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. I just wonder which sects within Islam are most open to this view. It seems to require the view that the Qu'ran is not, as Fundamentalists suppose, the inimitatable Word of God but a kind of development or completion of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures as a kind of "Third" Testament.

God teaches us throughout the Quran that there are righteous Jews and Christians. So, if we think we are righteous, and they are righteous, what could possibly be the problem between us, or obstacle for us to be friends?

Romans 3:10-- "As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one."

Romans 3:23-24 -- "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

This is not about being good and being friends. Our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior is about that which is true and eternal. Isaiah 64:6-- "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

Christianity at its foundational core differs markedly from Islam at its foundational core. No amount of sophistical arguments or wishful thinking will make this otherwise. A true believer in Christ believes in Christ the Son of God, crucified and resurrected for the remission of the sins of all mankind. Period.

Sihill, there is no doubt that modern day Jews have generally a much more benign attitude toward Christians than do the Islamic heretics.

But face it: When "Jews for Jesus" became an organized group, it was largely vilified by American Jewry, and any Jew who joined up was likely to be disparaged.

I have personally known several Jews who, although they would never have attacked me personally, made no bones about their attitudes, under situations calling for ethical judgments, toward "dirty Christian tricks."

I as a Christian understand that Jews are still God's Chosen, and am only a graft on the tree.

But yes, if you want to get categorical about it , lots of Jews are "anti-Christian."

Christ never said he was the Son of God...

You really are just ignorant. You should have spent less time reading Thomas Jefferson's views of religion and more time reading the New Testament.

You sound like one of those unruly boys who got whacked by a nasty preacher or nun or someone, and has been taking it out on God ever since.

It's OK, Hogwaller, your old man wasn't really being a good Christian when he slapped you aound up there in thet thar trailer--God understands--and He is patient--because He has a lot more time left than you do.

Good Muslims, like good libs, are quick to say "Oh yeah, that Jesus guy was a good teacher. . . ," but unlike libs, Muslims cannot even bring themselves to admit that Christians believe in something they cannot fathom and will never fathom until they begin to see Christ as God rather than as prophet.

Is it any wonder that Islam swiftly took up the sword to convert Christians. Is it any wonder that Christians are still being killed, today, rather than renounce their faith?

It would also require Christians to stop believing that The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God.

Ain't gonna happen.

This reading allows for a co-existence between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

At its core, Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is God. At its core, Islam denies that any man who ever lived is or can be God or equal to God.

Islam may be a demonically-inspired religion but it is very clear on this point.

You do a disservice to both religions when you suggest the two religions can be reconciled.

Do you really believe that Islam equates to Mormonism? If so, you truly need to be educated in the facts and soon. Good grief, how in the hell can you clump a group of persecuted people forced to flee from the United States of America in the 1800s to the far west and who fiercely love the USA, revere the Constitution of the United States as a divine document with a bunch of SOB terrorists 'er a Muslims? Please, know that there is a monumental distinction between the two beliefs.

"Peace."

Good Muslims, like good libs, are quick to say "Oh yeah, that Jesus guy was a good teacher.

What is really important and revealing is what Muslims can't bring themselves to say about Jesus Christ--what they threaten others with death for proclaiming about him.

Yet, what Muslims despise about the Christian confession of Jesus Christ is the very thing that distinguishes him from the idols of the world and their false prophets--the Buddhas, the Muhammads, the Krishnas, and the Gaias.

No other truth is as important. The fact that they rage against this truth is indisputable proof of its importance.

You waste a lot of space showing that islam is monotheistic, but you totally fail to grasp that the Christian Three-in-One has always been (forgive me for having to point this out,) the Monotheistic God of Abraham.

The mystery of that is what separates the Christian from the pagan, moslem, atheist, agnostic, Jeffersonian Deist, whatever form of ignorance and faithlessness you choose to identify with. This is the simple rock that trips up shallow infidels like a_Turk. And you, I guess.

You hit it right on the button. Islam is not tolerant of other religions in Islamic based countries you mentioned including the Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Some awful stories of persecution in the book "Their Blood Cries Out" for those interested.
A good way to tell the difference between what a man says and what he really believes is by his fruit. Based on what I've reading about recently in these countries there is a great disconnect between saying Islam is tolerant and actually being tolerant.

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