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Comparison of
Christianity and Islam
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History & Stats
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Christianity
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Islam
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Date
founded
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c.
30 AD
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622
CE
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Place
founded
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Palestine
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Saudi
Arabia
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Founders
& early leaders
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Jesus,
Peter, Paul
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Muhammad
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Original
languages
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Aramaic
and Greek
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Arabic
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Major
location today
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Europe,
North and South America
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Middle
East,
Southeast Asia
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Adherents
worldwide today
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2
billion
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1.3
billion
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Adherents
in USA
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159
million
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1.1
million
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Adherents
in Canada
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21
million
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500,000
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Adherents
in UK
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51
million
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1.6
million
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Current
size rank
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Largest
in the world
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Second
largest in the world
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Major
branches
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Catholic,
Orthodox, Protestant
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Sunni,
Shiite
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Religious
Authority
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Christianity
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Islam
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Sacred
text
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Bible
= Old Testament (Jewish Bible) + New Testament
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Qur'an
(Koran)
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Inspiration
of sacred text
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Views
vary: literal Word of God, inspired human accounts, or
of human origin only
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Literal
Word of God
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Status
of biblical prophets
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True
prophets
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True
prophets
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Status
of Jewish Bible
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Canonical
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Non-canonical
but useful as a (corrupted) inspired text
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Status
of Jewish Apocrypha
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Canonical
(Catholic);
useful but non-canonical (Protestant)
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Non-canonical
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Status
of New Testament
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Canonical
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Non-canonical,
but used as a (corrupted) inspired text
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Summaries
of doctrine
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Apostle's
Creed, Nicene Creed
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Six
Articles of Faith
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Religious
law
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Canon
law (Catholics only)
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Sharia
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Other
written authority
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Church
fathers, church councils, ecumenical creeds (all
branches);
papal decrees, canon law (Catholics only)
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Hadith
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Beliefs
& Doctrine
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Christianity
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Islam
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Ultimate
reality
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One
creator God
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One
creator God
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Nature
of God
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Trinity
- one substance, three persons
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Unity
- one substance, one person
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Other
spiritual beings
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Angels
and demons
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Angels,
demons, jinn
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Revered
humans
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Disciples,
Apostles, church fathers
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Prophets,
imams (especially in Shia Islam)
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Identity
of Jesus
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Son
of God, God incarnate, Savior of the world
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One
of many accepted prophets of God, but not the son of
God and not the savior of mankind.
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Birth
of Jesus
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Virgin
birth
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Virgin
birth
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Death
of Jesus
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Death
by crucifixion
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Did
not die, but ascended bodily into heaven (a disciple
died in his place)
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Resurrection
of Jesus
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Affirmed
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Denied,
since he did not die
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Second
coming of Jesus
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Affirmed
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Affirmed
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Mode
of divine revelation
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Through
Prophets and Jesus (as God Himself), recorded in Bible
under the anointing and guidance of God
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Through
Muhammad, but rewritten by numerous authors as recorded in Qur'an
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Human
nature
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"Original
sin" inherited from Adam - tendency towards evil
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Equal
ability to do good or evil. God plays no part in man's
choices.
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Means
of salvation
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Faith
in and acceptance of Jesus as the only sacrifice given
by God for forgiveness of our sins.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
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Correct
belief, good deeds, death defending Islamic beliefs,
killing non-Islamic believers, Five Pillars
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God's
role in salvation
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Forgiveness
is available solely by His love and Grace toward us
through His Son Jesus
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Predestination
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Good
afterlife
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Heaven;
which is existence in the eternal presence and loving
care of God. Our purpose; to Glorify God
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Eternal
paradise:
In Islam Paradise is the place where a Muslim will be reclining, eating meats and delicious fruits, drinking exquisite wines, and engaging in sex with beautiful women
and young boys.
"As to the righteous, they will be in gardens and in happiness (to them will be said:) "Eat and drink ye, with profit and health, because of your (good) deeds "They will recline (with ease) on thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and we shall join (marry) them to companions with beautiful big and lustrous eyes... And we shall bestow on them, of fruit and meat, anything they desire. They shall there exchange, one another, a cup free of frivolity, free of all taint of ill. Round about them youth (handsome) as pearls well-guarded." Surah 52:17, 19, 20 & 22-24
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Evil
afterlife
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Eternal
hell, which is separation from God with full awareness
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Eternal
hell
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View
of the other religion
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Author's
view of Islam from a Christian standpoint;
Islam
is a corrupted religion based upon vain and self-serving imaginations of the man Muhammad
of which in part the Judaic Old Testament and
Christian New Testament were re-written to fit the personal,
social, and political ambitions of Muhammad and since
by his followers.
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Christians
are respected as "People of the Book," but
they have mistaken beliefs and only partial revelation.
Jesus was a prophet, but not the son of Allah.
The
Old Testament prophecies of, and fulfilled by, Jesus,
were mere coincidence.
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Rituals
& Practices
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Christianity
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Islam
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House
of worship
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Church,
chapel, cathedral, basilica, meeting hall,
private home, all the earth where fellow Christians
gather together in the name of Jesus
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Mosque
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Day
of worship
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Sunday
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Friday
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Religious
leaders
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Priest,
bishop, archbishop, patriarch, pope, pastor, minister,
preacher, deacon, Spirit filled laymen
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Imams
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Major
sacred rituals
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Baptism,
communion (Eucharist)
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Five
Pillars: prayer, pilgrimage, charity, fasting,
confession of faith
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Head
covered during prayer?
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Generally
no
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Yes
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Central
religious
holy days
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Lent,
Holy Week, Easter
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Eid-al-Fitr,
Eid-al-Adha, month of Ramadan
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Other
holidays
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Christmas,
saints days
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Mawlid,
Ashura
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Major
symbols
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Note;
symbols or icons representing God, Jesus,
the Holy Spirit, Heaven, or Christianity, are NOT Biblically
proscribed, but instead were condemned by God. See:
Exd 20:4, Lev 26:1, Deu 4:16, Deu 4:23, Deu 5:8,
However, many still use the following symbols: Cross,
crucifix, dove, anchor, fish, alpha and omega, chi rho,
halo
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Crescent,
name of Allah in Arabic
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Christianity
vs. Islam Continued
Similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam
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Doctrine
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Christianity
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Islam
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The
Religion
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Christian
= Disciple of Jesus Christ. "A living sacrifice".
Children of the living God. Eternal existence after death
with God through the sacrifice of God's Son Jesus
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"Islam"
= Submission (to God).
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Names
of God
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Father,
YHWH = "Eternal", Almighty, Healer, Lord of Hosts,
King of Kings.
Additionally See:
Sacred
Name of God
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"Allah"
= "The God", Forgiving, Merciful, Wise,
All-knowing, Mighty, Helper, Protector, etc.
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Nature
of God
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God
is our Father, our Creator. Jesus is His physically and spiritually
begotten divine Son. God existed before all creation. He has
no beginning and no end. God is a Spirit.
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Allah
is one. He begets not and He is not begotten and there is
none like unto Him. (The term "Father" is never
used in the Qur'an of God.)
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God
in 3 words
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God
the Father
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"Allah
akbar": God is great
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God's
purpose and plan
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God
so loved the world (His creation) that he gave his only begotten
Son (Jesus), that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
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Allah
does as He pleases.
"Allah has created mankind primarily so that they may
know their creator through his creations." No
particular plan for mankind, no revealed purpose.
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Is
God a Spirit?
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God
is the "Holy Spirit".
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth.
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No,
an angel can be a spirit. God is not spirit.
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Can
God suffer?
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God
suffers with His creation. Jesus expressed this suffering
when He wept concerning the impending destruction of Jerusalem
and in compassion for the grief suffered by people with deceased
loved ones.
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God
is merciful and compassionate [but does that mean He shares
our passions?
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God's
Spokesmen
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Old
Testament Prophets, Jesus followed by the apostles.
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OT
Prophets, Jesus, culminating in Muhammad. Muhammad was the final
prophet of God
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Who
is Jesus Christ?
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The
only begotten son of the Supreme God, born of the woman
Mary, begotten by the Holy Spirit. Jesus descended from
Heaven, became human and died for us as God's required
sacrifice for the sins of this world, so demonstrating God's
love for us. We now can only come to the Father through
Jesus the Son, for God can not allow sin to approach Him, as
He is without sin.
Also
see: Who Is Jesus?
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A
prophet of God, born of Virgin Mary, by the word of the God
as told to Mary by Angel Gabriel. He was taken up by Allah,
but a phantom was crucified in his place.
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God's
Written Communication
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The
Bible (Books) of 66 Old Testament books in Hebrew and
Aramaic and 27 New Testament books in Greek, composed by
numerous authors across many centuries under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit. Written in the dialect of the common people
as to bring the light of God's Word into the Spiritual
darkness of this world.
For
more about the
Holy Bible please see:
Old
Testament
New
Testament
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Al
Qur'an (the recitation) of 114 suras (units)
supported by many volumes of hadith (traditions).
The Qur'an was dictated to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel in
pure Classical Arabic. It is our link to God.
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Nature
of Man
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Born
under the curse of the original sin from Adam and Eve.
Natural enmity towards God. Only through the drawing of
mankind to God by Himself and through the empowerment of His
Holy Spirit can humans turn from their evil ways and become
holy as He is Holy
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Sinless
at birth with capacity for unlimited moral and spiritual
progress through belief in God and faithful adherence to the
teachings of Muhammad.
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Personal
accountability
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All
have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and God being unapproachable
by sin filled humans, our wages of sin is death. God calls on
humans though their God given free will to choose life and
depart from evil. Only after repentance, accepting the
sacrifice offered to us through Jesus, and being re-born in
the Holy Spirit can we become children of The Resurrection.
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The
activities of the wicked and of the saint, of the generous
and of the grasping, are all Allah's creation. Allah may
give up to seven spirits to a man. But those who choose good
will be rewarded, and evil punished.
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Believers
are:
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"The
children of God"
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"My
slaves"
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Concept
of Success
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"Love
God with all your heart, mind, and soul.
Love your neighbor as yourself".
Accept Jesus as your savior and Lord in its truest
meaning.
Obey God.
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"We
hear and we obey"
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Life
after death
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All
will be resurrected unto final judgment. The
righteous will rule with Jesus in God's eternal kingdom when
the dwelling of God will be with men. Those who, during
life, reject God's offer of forgiveness through the sacrifice
paid by His Son Jesus will spend eternity in separation from
Him which is known as hell.
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At
the Resurrection, righteous go to the
Garden
of
God, but do not see God. Wicked dwell forever in fire.
Especially righteous do not need to await the Resurrection.
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Martyrdom
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"They
shall put you out of the synagogues (churches) yea, the time
comes,
that whosoever kills you will think that he does God
service." (John 16:2) (consider the beheadings
of Christians being done by
Muslims today)
"I say unto you, He that hears my (Jesus) word, and
believes on Him (God) that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation (at death); but is passed from death unto life. John 5:24
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"Call
not those who are slain in the way of Allah `dead.' No, they
are living, only ye perceive it not." (2:154)
"those who are slain in the way of Allah .. bring them
into the Garden [
Paradise
]." (47:4-6)
(Each martyr has 72 virgins waiting for him in
Paradise
: Sermon at Al-Aqsa Mosque 9-20-2001 cf. 56:37)
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Enemies
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"But
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
(Mat.
5:4 Words of Jesus)
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants
fight." (John 18:36)
Upon
His soon return this world will be His kingdom, and then, we
His servants will fight for that which is rightfully His. Judges 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints.
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"Fight
in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but
begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. And
slay them wherever ye find them." (2:190)
"O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight." (8:65)
"O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who
are near you, and let them find harshness in you."
(9:123)
"Lo! Allah loveth those who battle for His cause in
ranks, as if they were a solid structure." (61:4)
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Prayers
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"But
thou, when you pray, enter into your prayer closet, and when
you have shut the door, pray to your Father which is in
secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward
you openly." (Matt. 6:6)
Pray without ceasing.
(1Th 5:17)
1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior;
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(Ob'adah-b-Swa'met
reported that Muhammad had said: Five prayers [i.e., times
of prayer] - the Almighty Allah made them obligatory.)
"When the call is heard for the prayer of the day of
congregation, haste unto remembrance of Allah" (62:9)
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Modesty
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"In
like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided
hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;" (1 Tim.
2:9)
Authors note: Any type
or style of dressing that draws attention to oneself is a
form of self pride, self worship, and the desire to have
others worship oneself. Christians should dress humbly and
without ornate or flashy styles.
Examples
of lack of modesty are common in many of today's Mega Churches
where women are seen wearing mini-dresses, 3 inch heels, and exposed
cleavage while attending Sunday (self) worship services.
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"Tell
the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, ...
and to draw their veils over their bosoms ... let them not
stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their
adornment." (24:31)
"Tell thy wives and thy daughters to draw their cloaks
close round them ..." (33:59)
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Criminal
Justice
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"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the
evil ... But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for
he (authority) beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of
God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil." (
Rom.
13:3-4)
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"Retaliation
is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered."
(2:178)
"As for the thief, both male and female, cut off their
hands." (5:38)
"The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one
of them with a hundred stripes." (24:2)
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Women
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"There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in
Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:280
Note: The term 'weaker
vessel" was not used in a negative manner in 1Peter
3:7, but referred to the tender and sensitive nature
that God has given woman. It also refers to the position of
care that God has placed man unto a woman. I see this as
comparing the less sensitive handling that a man may have of
a male friend or brother in Christ (a clay pot) as to the
way he must relate to a woman or sister in Christ (delicate
vase). The bible speaks of woman being created as man's help
mate. In the eyes of God and according to Jesus, the one
among us who serves is the most blessed and the one to be
honored.
Also the reference to "that your prayers be not
hindered" is very
clear that if there is enmity or discord between a man and
his wife, then it is possible that his prayers are being
hindered. God desires for a man to be at peace with everyone
including his wife before approaching His throne of Grace.
God's entire plan of procreation is exercised and fulfilled through
the marriage of man and woman.
Husbands, honor your wife.
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"Men
are the managers of the affairs of women for that God has
preferred in bounty one of them over another, and for that
they have expended of their property. Righteous women are
therefore obedient, guarding the secret for God's guarding.
And those you fear may be rebellious admonish; banish them
to their couches, and beat them. If they then obey you, look
not for any way against them." (Sura 4:38)
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Consider:
Which of these two religions, Christianity or Islam, would you risk your eternity
to?
Setting
aside the belief that there is a heaven or hell, but only the here
and now; through its teachings which religion is more beneficial to
mankind? Which
religion teaches love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and
faith, honoring of womanhood and of parents, and an unchanging
foundation of Truth delivered to us by an unchanging eternal God?
(See Gal 5:22) Which
religion teaches war, slaughter, beheadings, cutting off of hands,
abuse, beating and exploitation of women and children, political unrest for
gain of personal power, gluttony, intemperate desire and fulfillment of
perverse sexual lust, adultery, polygamy, pedophilia, and a doctrine and
god that are ever changing at the whim of the next ill-informed
author/biographer?
Christian New Testament Bible, Book of Revelations 20:4
(Vision of the Christian martyrs)
And I saw thrones, and they
(Christians) sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and
I saw the souls of them (Christian martyrs) that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of
God (not Allah), and which had not worshipped the beast
(anti-Christ), neither his image, neither had received
his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Do
Moslems realize that the beheadings they do in the name of Allah
was prophesied in the New Testament as being not of God, but part of the work of
the end-time anti-Christ? Any
teaching that is not of God is of darkness. Islam was
created by a man, not by a Prophet of God. Islam denies the deity
of Christ and in so doing Islam is against Christ or anti-Christ.
Christian
New Testament Bible
1John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that
denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that
denies the Father and the Son.
1John 4:3 And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit
speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Mathew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Should Islam be accepted or tolerated by
Christians?
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Jesus
expressed His feelings toward lukewarm Christians in
such a way to mean that on the Day of Judgment He would be
so disgusted with them that He would vomit when they came to
Him claiming to be His own. Very harsh words from the King
of Kings and Lord of Lords:
Rev 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would
you were cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because you art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
you out of my mouth. No, we should not accept Islam. Islam is an anti-Christ religion and is
sending people to eternal damnation. Islam should be
refuted at every opportunity. "Political
correctness" and "religious tolerance"
have no place being weighed in the balance of people's eternal
souls. As a Christian you are either for Christ
completely or you are anti-Christ. Which are you?
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