Replies

“The five oldest and most trusted Islamic sources don’t portray Muhammad as a great and godly man. They reveal that he was a thief, liar, assassin, mass murderer, terrorist, warmonger, and an unrestrained sexual pervert engaged in pedophilia, incest, and rape. He authorized deception, assassinations, torture, slavery, and genocide. He was a pirate, not a prophet. According to the Hadith and the Qur’an, Muhammad and his henchmen plundered their way to power and prosperity. And by putting the Qur’an in chronological order and correlating it with the context of Muhammad’s life as it was reported in the Sira, Sunnah and Hadith, we also find that Allah mirrored his prophet’s character. Muhammad’s god condoned immoral and criminal behavior. Allah boasts about being a terrorist. He claims to have deceived men, to have stolen their property, to have enslaved women and children, to having committed acts of murder, genocide, and sadistic tortures.”

- from “Prophet of Doom”, free online version at

http://www.prophetofdoom.net

This potential for violence is reigned in, though, by the fact that Judaism is a religion for just one ethnic group confined to one territory.

This doesn't make sense when you look carefully at the Old Testament and the role of Israel in being a witness among the nations. From http://www.spearministries.com/articles/tolerance03.htm ...

Exclusivity and inclusivity in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament portion of the Bible, the nation of Israel and the Jewish people are said to be God’s chosen people. Access to God could only be gained by associating with the Jewish nation. Although God revealed himself to the Jews and instituted the priestly caste among one of the tribes of Israel, this access was open to all nations and was not exclusive for the Jews only.

The nation of Israel was not to compromise their faith by the influence of other religions which were found among the nations at that time. Much is said in the Old Testament of how Israel was not to associate with the other nations because of the danger of the Jews being influenced by their religions and being turned away from God.

However, the nation of Israel was expected to be a light to the other nations about the one true God.

Solomon mentioned this inclusion of the nations in worship during his prayer of dedication for the temple in Jerusalem. (1 Kings 8:43)

The Psalms of David are filled with references of God’s glory among the nations and their worship of him.

· All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before Thee. Psalms 22:27.

· God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us-- Selah. That Thy way may be known on the earth, Thy salvation among all nations. Psalms 67:1-2.

· Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For Thou wilt judge the peoples with uprightness, And guide the nations on the earth. Selah. Psalms 67:4.

· All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; And they shall glorify Thy name. Psalms 86:9.

· Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. Psalms 96:3.

· So the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory. Psalms 102:15.

· Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! Psalms 117:1

The nation of Israel in the Old Testament was exclusive in its adherence to the revelation of God while inclusive of anybody from any ethnic group or nation who wanted to join with Israel in the worship of God.