St. John of Damascus’s Critique of Islam

Orthodoxinfo ^ | 794 | Saint John of Damascus

[kosta50]

Interesting take on nascent Islam as seen by one of Christianity's last Desert Fathers, +John of Damascus.

[kosta50]

Orthodox and Catholic ping!

[Kolokotronis]

See what happens when you make up a religion? There's nothing new under the sun is there?!

[The_Reader_David]

It should also be pointed out that St. John of Damascus was well familiar with the Islam as it existed in his day, having served as the Vizier of the Caliph of Damascus (during one of those brief periods when the Muslims got pragmatic, on which the myth of their 'tolerance' is largely based).

[catholicfreeper]

To read later

[Honorary Serb]

....a forerunner of the Antichrist....[also translated as precursor of the Antichrist]

From Muhammad the false prophet to Muhammad the conquerer of Constantinople to Soros and the New World Order/Gobal Union, humanity has had precursors of Antichrist from time to time, and perhaps in every generation. But I believe that it was John of Damascus who first used that term.

From the reaction to the Pope's misunderstood (with the help of the New York Times, of course) quote from one of the Palaeologoi about islam by all our peaceniks and "human rightsers", I am sure that if anyone would publish in the popular press quotes from this essay by John of Damascus, these cheerleaders for the caliphate would go balistic!!!! So, of course, would the islamists who are plotting to establish the worldwide caliphate. The two feed off of each other!

[lightman]

Thanks for the ping.

I am absolutely convinced of the truth of +John's statement that Isalm is "God's judgement on an unfaithful church".

[Pyro7480]

Ping!

[Cookie123]

St. John wrote the wrods to my all-time favorite Easter Hymn - "The Day of Resurrection."

The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad;
the Passover of gladness,
the Passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
from earth unto the sky,
our Christ hath brought us over,
with hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil,
that we may see aright
the Lord in rays eternal
of resurrection light;
and listening to his accents,
may hear so calm and plain
his own "All hail!" and, hearing,
may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful!
Let earth her song begin!
The round world keep high triumph,
and all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen
their notes in gladness blend,
for Christ the Lord hath risen,
our joy that hath no end.

To listen to this beautiful hymn, go to: http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t111.html

[GoLightly]

Interesting read. Thanx for posting it.

[Dajjal]

Excellent!!!

[Kolokotronis]

Here's a little something from Holy Tradition you guys might like! :)

[ArrogantBustard]

I am sure that if anyone would publish in the popular press quotes from this essay by John of Damascus, these cheerleaders for the caliphate would go balistic!!!!

Publish away! I always enjoy watching looney leftists' heads explode. Better'n fireworks on the fouth of July ...

[ArrogantBustard]

And 1200 years later, not a whole lot has changed ... except that not all the muzzies are Arabs, now. Their spiritual poison has spread to Africa, Europe, southeast Asia, and the Americas.

[wmfights]

"Here's a little something from Holy Tradition you guys might like! :)"
________________________________

Interesting read. When did this John live?

[wmfights]

Oops. I see the date now. 749 AD

[kosta50]

See what happens when you make up a religion?

You get a lot of copy-cats?

[kosta50]

It should also be pointed out that St. John of Damascus was well familiar with the Islam as it existed in his day, having served as the Vizier of the Caliph of Damascus (during one of those brief periods when the Muslims got pragmatic, on which the myth of their 'tolerance' is largely based)

That is a good point.

[kosta50]

But I believe that it was John of Damascus who first used that term

It could be. Given the strong Gnostic streat in Islam, namely the denial that Christ died on the Cross, it is understable.

[kosta50]

I am absolutely convinced of the truth of +John's statement that Isalm is "God's judgement on an unfaithful church"

I don't see that quote in his text. Where are you getting that from? Besides, corrupt human nature does all the work of corruption, not God.