Jesus, Islam, and False Advertising
A new Islamic advertising campaign in Sydney will seek to convince non-Muslims that Jesus is a messenger of Islam. In today’s press we find this story: “Christians in Sydney will have their core beliefs challenged by provocative advertisements due to appear on billboards and buses in the next month.
“The ads, paid for by an Islamic group called MyPeace, will carry slogans such as ‘Jesus: a prophet of Islam’, ‘Holy Quran: the final testament’ and ‘Muhammad: mercy to mankind’. A phone number urges people to call to receive a free Koran and other Islamic literature.
“The organiser of MyPeace, Diaa Mohamed, said the campaign was intended to educate non-Muslims about Islam. He said Jesus was a prophet of Islam, who was to come before Muhammad. ‘The only difference is we say he was a prophet of God, and they say he is God,’ Mr Mohamed said. ‘Is it thought-provoking? Yes, it is. We want to raise awareness that Islam believes in Jesus Christ,’ he said.
“Mr Mohamed said he hoped the billboards would encourage Christians and Muslims to find common ground. They were not intended to downgrade the significance of Jesus. ‘We embrace him and say that he was one of the mightiest prophets of God.’ MyPeace plans to extend the campaign, funded by private donations, to television.”
Talk about truth in advertising, or the lack thereof. This is a deliberate and malicious assault on the core teachings of Christianity. Indeed, at the very heart of Christianity is the belief that Jesus is God, and is the unique and sole way to becoming restored to the Father.
Imagine the uproar if Christians took out ads on buses and TV saying something like this: “Muhammad: a false prophet”. There would be blood on the streets. Simply try running an ad in a Muslim-majority country seeking to state the truth of Christianity. It simply would not happen.
Indeed, do you think Saudi Arabia would allow such billboards in order to “encourage Christians and Muslims to find common ground”? Of course not. The truth is, they see no common ground. They regard Islam as the final and full revelation of God, and they regard the Christian Scriptures as being corrupted.
Muslims believe that the Koran annuls all of these previous revelations. They see the Koran as the final, perfect, and universal message of God. And they believe that any conflicts between the Bible and the Koran are due to tahrif, that is, Jewish and Christian alterations and corruptions of the Biblical text.
It is hard to find “common ground” with Muslims given how they view Christianity and the Bible. And it is certainly difficult to find common ground with Muslims given how they understand the central figure of Christianity. So just how does Jesus stack up in these two religions? In Islam Christ is indeed revered as a prophet. In fact, he is seen as one of many prophets.
Islamic tradition states that there are 124,000 prophets, while the Koran mentions some 28 prophets by name (or perhaps 25, depending on how we read and understand the Koran). Islam also believes that these prophets are sinless (although there is debate as to how exactly we are to understand that).
While Jesus is mentioned around 97 times in the Koran, his divinity is vigorously denied. He was a mere man, only a messenger of Allah created by God. He was born of the virgin Mary, performed some miracles, and yet disclaimed any divine honours.
Since it was unjust for the innocent and sinless Christ to die a criminal’s death, an “appearance” or a substitute was crucified on the cross, while Christ ascended to heaven where He now occupies an inferior station. One day He will return as one of Muhammed’s caliphs to help establish Islam as the world’s one true religion. He will break the cross and destroy all religions except Islam.
On the side of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem it says in Arabic, “God has no son”. Contrast this with Matt 3:17: “This is my Son, whom I love”. Indeed, in biblical Christianity Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, God’s final and perfect word to man. He came not just as God’s messenger, but as God incarnate, as Saviour and Lord.
He is eternal and without sin, (and, since the incarnation) fully God and fully man, two complete natures in one person. He died on the cross for man’s sin and rose again on the third day, ascending to heaven. As predicted in the Old Testament, He will one day come again as Israel’s Messiah to set up His kingdom on earth and to subdue His enemies. Jesus Christ is the culminating thought of the Old Testament and the chief subject of the New Testament. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords to whom every knee will one day bow.
And consider the role of Jesus in salvation. In Islam there is no Saviour. Confession of the Creed (“There is no God but Allah…”) brings one into the Islamic community, wherein one seeks to earn his salvation by performing the religious duties and doing good works. At the Judgement Day men’s good deeds and bad deeds will be weighed, although ultimately, forgiveness is based on the arbitrary will of Allah. Allah saves those whom he chooses to save, and damns those whom he chooses to damn, with little or no moral basis for such choices.
In Christianity it is God’s desire that all men be delivered from the power and penalty of sin, and be restored to a right relationship with Himself. Man by his own efforts is unable to please God or undo the effects of sin. Therefore God became man and lived a sinless life, and through His death on the cross fulfilled the demands of the law upon sinners, taking their penalty for sin upon Himself.
Thus by His death He conquered sin, and by His resurrection He conquered death. God is now, on the basis of Christ’s substitutionary atonement, able to receive us unto Himself, when we turn from our sin and commit our lives to the Lord Jesus. By grace we are saved through faith. Good works do not procure our salvation but follow as an evidence of it.
Thus just in terms of the person and work of Christ alone, there are huge and insurmountable differences between Islam and Christianity. Jesus Christ is not the prophet of Allah. Muhammad, a mere man, is indeed a false prophet, whereas Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, and it is to Jesus that every knee will bow.
In a free country Muslims have the right to make use of public advertising. But one can ask whether they should be challenged on the grounds of false advertising.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/hes-not-the-son-of-god-just-the-support-act-20110527-1f8j2.html
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I think what’s good for the goose is good for the gander and feel another campaign coming on…perhaps something like ‘Muhammad: Why he can’t be a prophet at all’ – that might look good on buses too!
Vickie Janson
Thanks Vickie
You raise a good point. While Muslims seem to be able to get away with this unchallenged, what if Christians did it? I bet they would be hauled up to the religious vilification tribunal in no time – and Muslims would be the ones lodging the complaints!
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Not a lot I can agree with in this article. We live in a country where religious freedom is a key tenet. We dont live in Saudia Arabia , yes and we dont want such a society where one group is banned from speaking out what they believe. By suggesting that Muslims cannot have such a campaign suggests to me, you want to move us to a less tolerant society along the lines of a “Christian’ version of it. NB In many Muslim empires in the past, the muslims were more tolerant than the prevailing “Christian” empires of the time.
Nonsense to say they are false advertising. These guys are simply advertising what they believe. If you want to sue everyone for false advertising about Jesus, why not start with the Mormons who believe Jesus was one son of one god. They claim there are multiple worlds with multiple gods and humans can be god. Thats to my mind blasphemy over God but I dont see Christian hysteria over the Mormons on bicycles who teach this. Or what about the Hare Krishnas who see Jesus as a spiritual teacher or the new age books who believe Jesus was a reincarnation or the Jehovahs Witnesses who deny his divinity?
Instead of attacking people from one religion, why dont Christians calmly speak the truth about Jesus and show love. Jesus would ask us to speak words of love to all people not blanket negative fearmongering. That doesn’t win souls with anyone.
Martin J Cowling
Thanks Martin
Not a lot I can agree with in your comment. Please tell us where exactly I said this advertising should be banned Martin. Nothing like shooting down a straw man and then feeling good about yourself for doing so. And spare us this nonsense about Muslim tolerance. If you want to be an apologist for Islam fell free, but not here thanks.
And of course if JWs or others took out bus ads saying Jesus was not God I would also write an article on them as well – whether or not you approve.
And please tell us how pointing out the clear differences between these two religions is “attacking” them, “blanket negative fearmongering” and not ‘calmly speaking the truth’. Do you always use ad hominem attacks and mud-slinging when you disagree with others?
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Maybe start a counter campaign:
“Jesus: More than a Messenger, More than Messiah…”
Or:
Muhammad: “Fight them until there is no more persecution”.
Jesus: “Blessed are the persecuted…”
Richard Bath
Thanks Richard
Yes having ads with contrasting viewpoints is a good idea. Another one might be:
-Muhammad was a prophet of war
-Christ is the Prince of Peace
Or simply quoting from Islamists such as UK Muslim leader Anjem Choudary: “You can’t say that Islam is a religion of peace because Islam does not mean peace. Islam means submission. So the Muslim is one who submits. There is a place for violence in Islam. There is a place for jihad in Islam.”
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Martin, another big difference between Islam and those sects/heresies you quote is that those heretics don’t go about threatening or delivering violent responses / active opposition to those they disagree with.
And when Frances McNab advertised his church’s modern views on the Ten Commandments, Scots Church put up a counter-advert. There was no violent response from St Michaels.
Please ensure that you don’t perpetuate myths.
John Angelico
The reason why Jesus will say to Muslims, “I never knew you” is precisely because they believe Jesus Christ is no more than a prophet of Islam. Their advertising shows how lost they are.
Des Morris
Thanks Bill for telling it as it is! What double standards we tolerate in Australia today!
Sonja Couroupis
Martin, Bill,
It’s tricky. If, say, we took these folk to court for false advertising, would we get a win? Nope, I doubt it. And then when some atheist somewhere takes ‘us’ to court for some perceived false advertising, could we expect a secular judge to get it right. I don’t think so.
However I agree with Bill. Having had some experience with Muslims I would assert that “Jesus was a prophet of Islam” does not carry into any kind of understanding of the historical Jesus or even any kind of respect for Christians. I suspect talk of common ground is a cover for distributing Korans as a proselytic activity. However, some Christian organisations have done a similar bait and switch. Come to this seminar on parenting and… we’ll tell you the gospel. I now try to be very up front about what we are doing and how much gospel we put in. If it’s a parenting course, we will stick to parenting, but we will be clear from the start that it’s in a Christian foundation and that will come up.
Anyhow, I think the only solution is to engage. I honestly don’t see the Koran as a big selling point for Islam. The more people who read it the better. In fact read it for yourself. It’s only when they dissimulate that they can make it make sense or be appealling. Martin, I’d like to know where these tolerant muslims were, I’ve heard that, but I’ve not yet seen any compelling evidence that it really existed.
Truth in advertising, it’s not going to happen. The reality is money talks and very few argue. Advertising drives public opinion because nearly all forms of media are prostituted to advertising. The net worst of all. Papers, TV, Internet. How are they funded?? Ads.
Michael Hutton
I see it really as an opportunity for Christians to be clear on how it differs from Islam, and get encourage Muslims to find more information on Jesus (from the Bible)
I guy called Sam Green has been doing this for a while in Australia.
Malcolm Davey
This Muslim campaign is a challenge to us because they are saying what they believe and not directly criticizing Christianity. We do need to respond. I like “Jesus, more than a prophet” because it makes a statement of truth without directly attacking the Muslims. Or “Jesus the only true Saviour”, or something else that confronts the Muslims’ claims with NT truth. Unless we Christians do a lot better at communicating with our culture, the Muslims and humanist atheists will be squabbling over our bones. But if we pray and evangelize….
Jon Newton
Lets have a look at the grave of Muhammad. It is there for all to see. Lets have a look at the grave of Jesus. It is not there because He is risen, just as He said! Hallelujah!
Manfred Sollorz
Thanks, Bill.
When we have billboard ads like the ones you mention, and then the disingenuous defence of Muslim taqiyya from Martin Cowling we know we are in a fight against the grossest ignorance, and Muslim propaganda is playing on this ignorance. The ignorance is on two fronts:
1 Biblical ignorance. Muslims trade on Christian ignorance of their own Scriptures. The Muslim line is, “Jesus never said, ‘I am God. .Worship me.'” This goes back to Ahmed Deedat, the Muslim apologist who died a couple of years ago, but whose line for years was along this track. Of course, while Muslims misconstrue the whole NT testimony by demanding that Jesus should make claims only in the way they specify, they nevertheless ignore such vital Scriptures as John 5:18; 8:58; 10:36, the whole thrust of Jesus’ argument over the paralytic in Mark 2:5-12. And as to worship there is Mat.14:33, where Jesus accepts both the disciples’ worship and their acknowledgment of Him as the Son of God. Then there is Thomas’ worship as recorded in John 20:27-28, and the combined worship at the Ascension in Luke 24:52.
2. Theological and Historical ignorance. Professing Christians don’t know the great theological formulations of the great creeds and confessions, and the heresies which gave rise to them. The Trinitarian controversies and Christological controversies of the early centuries they neither know nor care about them. These people are easy pickings for Muslim apologists and their propaganda. I once heard Waleed Aly (“Mr Forked-tongue” I call him) assert that Islam acknowledges Jesus, so what is the fuss about between the two creeds? But the question “Acknowledge Him as what?” was not raised, let alone answered. Of course, the Muslim answer is that they acknowledge Him as a prophet, who forecast Islam, is left unsaid. The dish of Islam is cleverly served to entice unwary Christians that all is well; that they both really believe the same thing etc. etc.
The standard claim of Islam is that Isaiah 9:6; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8-11 etc forecast Muhammad, and that Jesus was really a Muslim, and taught Islam. This sort of claim violates any rational principle of exegesis, and is good only for a horse laugh. Moreover, it is a cultic claim: Islam is NOT a religion in its own right, but is a Christian heresy, what with all its partial affirmations of Christ, of the Bible and the Gospel, and its incorporation into the Qur’an of excerpts of the Old and New Testaments, plus excerpts of apocryphal material from the early centuries, eg. from the Protoevangelium of James, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. It is a cult on as large scale, analogous to Mormonism or Christadelphianism (particularly the former), and should be treated as such.
Murray R. Adamthwaite
Thanks Murray
Yes you are quite right about how “Muslims trade on Christian ignorance of their own Scriptures”. Unfortunately far too many Christians really are unable to state what they believe and why, and therefore would be hard-pressed to know how to debate a Muslim on the key differences between the two faiths. As you note, Muslims, cultists and others are all happy to prey on such undiscerning and biblically illiterate Christians.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Bill, I guess you would have some sympathy with Orthodox Jews who are offended by what they see as the Christian conversion of Jehovah as the one true God into the Trinity. They find it abhorrent when God is said to have a Divine Son, so they must wince at every blasphemous advertisement of Jesus as the Son of God.
Angela Pollard
Thanks Angela
It is not clear if you are putting yourself in this camp. But either way, Jesus of course was a Jew, and he came to bring to completion and fulfilment all that we find in the Hebrew Bible. Of course truth always offends those who will not receive it, so whether a person is a Jew, a Muslim, an atheist, or what have you, the claim that Jesus is the son of God and the only way to be reconciled with God will always offend some people. It is called the offence of the cross in the Greek Bible. For various reasons people reject the truth claims of Christ and what he did for us on the cross. Fortunately millions of people have recognised Jesus the Messiah, including many Jews, even today.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Mohamed, blessings and peace be upon him, was I can promise you, one true messenger of Allah, whose embraces and kisses I have felt often and who gives hope to the whole world. All this is revealed through careful study of Qu’ran, only perfect, perfect book.
This is no false advertising. All shall submit to Allah, even you, Bill, on the sad day of reckoning. I pray for Allah to bless you.
Mahboob Hasan, UK
Thanks Mahboob
But of course Allah cannot and will not bless me, since I am a kafir (infidel) in the view of your religion, and as you should know Allah orders his followers to disassociate themselves from, and even wage jihad against, such people (eg., sura 3:28, 56; 5:51, 72; 9:123, etc).
As a Christian however I can ask that Jesus Christ reveals himself and his great love to you. Many thousands of Muslims every week are coming to see Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. So that is my prayer for you.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Mahboob, I’m sure the families of victims of the 9/11/01 attacks really felt those embraces and kisses from Allah’s messengers, and are profoundly thankful for the blessings Allah brings!!! Yeah, sure!
How can the Qur’an be a perfect book when in Sura 2:256 says there should be no compulsion in religion, then Sura 9:5 tells Muslims to slay the idolaters wherever you find them? Answer: the doctrine of abrogation, where a later “revelation” alters or abrogates an earlier one. This can only mean that the earlier one was either imperfect or plain wrong. Either way, we have in Allah a limited god who cannot get things right first time. And the example I cited is only one of many.
I believe in a God who does not change (Malachi 3:6), and whose Word abides forever (Isaiah 40:8). Muhammad’s book is full of contradictions, corrections, invitations/commands to atrocity, a god who cannot be known, and a Jesus (Isa) who is not a real living person but an idea – an intellectual construct.
You are welcome to your so-called “holy” book. I will never renounce my life-transforming Bible for its meagre offerings. That would be to sell my birthright for a mess of pottage.
Murray R. Adamthwaite
Another area of cultural ignorance between Islam and Christianity is the current secular (and MSM) view of the God of the Bible.
Many secularists see him as an impersonal, distant, god. A god who is not known as a God of love; a god who cannot be known; a god who is not a ‘Father’ in the purest sense; an unjust god who lacks justice; an immoral god who would arbitrarily tip the scales and send a good believer to hell; a god who wages war on all the unbelievers.
Hang on! That’s not the God of the BIBLE, that’s Allah from the Koran.
The Bible tells us that God is loving, knowable, relational, a Father to Jesus Christ (and His followers), that He seeks to give you spiritual rebirth, that He can indwell you as the Holy Spirit, He is just, moral, righteous, pure, perfect, above all false gods, and that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The Koran does not tell us any of these things, because it is not from God and is not about God. It is however a religion many are leaving as they discover the God of the Bible. Death threats or not, Muslims are now ‘submitting’ to the One and Only Triune God of the Bible.
May Jesus (‘Isa’) reveal himself through dreams, visions and miracles to the many Muslims who will receive Him as Lord and Saviour and God Almighty.
Shalom.
Michael Evans
As I posted on FB, and in support of Manfred’s comment, this kind of billboard puts the contrary view:
Mohammed: died June 8, 632
Jesus: alive forever more!
John Angelico
This is an opportunity. We could turn it around. We can use it as an opportunity to offer all muslims in Australia the New Testament–the account of Jesus’ life and teaching.
Tas Walker
I believe that this billboard ad is a part of Islam’s campaign to eventually convert the whole globe to Allah. They lie when they say they are seeking common ground, but the Koran instructs that one is allowed to lie if it assists in promoting the religion of Islam. It is unfortunate that this country is so blind to what’s actually happening. The majority are more interested in proclaiming “oi oi oi” and engaging in discussions about their preferred sporting team, TV and entertainment. We need to see gigantic billboards that read “WAKE UP AUSTRALIA !!!!”
Roulf Commandeur
I hope the advertising influences citizens to read the Koran and selections from the Hadith. They can then weigh the character of Mohammed and see him for what he is. Unfavourable character comparisons with Jesus would be inevitable.
What we need is a citizens’ handbook exposing the propaganda methods of Islamists. I see “News Weekly” is advertising a book called “Muslim Mafia” which blows the whistle on the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). We in the West have an advantage over most Moslem countries: we have freedom of speech. So let’s use it unrelentingly on the subject of Islam.
John Snowden
What a big load of taqiya: http://www.mypeace.com.au/Religious-Tolerance.pdf
All the rest of the propaganda at http://www.mypeace.com.au borders on ludicrous.
I suggest people would learn more about the religion of peace at: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
John Miller
“You shall know them by their fruits” – I don’t see Muslims forgiving their enemies as Jesus commanded. Maybe the ad should say Muslims ignore Christ at their peril. Maybe Proclaim Israels’ right to exist and stop the violence…probably not in our lifetime.
Peter Brien
I am Allah’s most humble servant. There is no much violence. Islam is a religion of peace. Holy Qur’an is how our creator Allah wishes us to live. There need be no other books, no other instructions. Everything is in Holy Qur’an.
I pray you see the truth in the Phrophet’s words. Jesus and Mary revered and rightly so as great Holy people, but what difference there is between Christian scripture and Islam is as a result of Allah sending his messnenger to make clear his Holy purpose.
Mahboob Hasan, UK
Thanks Mahboob
Yes having read the Koran I know how Allah wants us to live – that is why I reject Islam. I reject his calls for all non-Muslims to convert or die. I reject his calls for jihad against unbelievers. I reject his calls for death to the infidels. I reject his dark, bleary and enslaved world of everyone submitting to him in fear and desperation.
I prefer the love relationship with God through Christ, and the ability to call God father, something I could never do in Islam. I prefer knowing that there is a Savior who has dealt with my sin, and I can find complete forgiveness, true peace with God, and a new life in Christ. I prefer a risen Christ to a dead Muhammad. I prefer a Jesus who says love your enemies to a Muhammad who says slay your enemies. I prefer Christ the Prince of Peace to Muhammad the prophet of war.
If you really are humble and a seeker, then Christ can review himself to you as he has to so many other Muslims who have come into the joy and peace of a love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Mahboob Hasan, do you really believe what you say “no violence in Islam. Islam is a religion of peace”? Can you please explain then why there has been over 17,500 major Islamic attacks from this religion of peace since 9/11?
Ilona Sturla
It wasn’t that long ago when the Atheists demonstrated a similar campaign with derogatory slogans on Billboards and on buses in the UK November 2009. The Atheist Bus Campaign message read: “THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.” The campaign ended up raising over £150,000 – enough to support buses all across the UK, including adverts on two animated screens in Oxford Street and on the London Underground.
Now we are witnessing a similar revival but this time with Islam. Jesus said in Luke 16:8 …”For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light”. In other words, the people of this word (inc Islam) are wiser, more prudent and more passionate about their beliefs, than the children of light.
If there is anyone who is interested and able to fund a Christian advert on a Billboard or on a bus, then I am happy and willing to offer my senior graphic design skills to draft the artwork with no charge. Jesus commissioned us to be the Salt and Light, let’s make Him proud – and let the world know that Jesus is LORD!
Panage Kontos
Good stuff, Bill.
Ross McPhee
Thanks Panage
Yes I wrote the atheist bus ad campaign up here:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2008/10/22/here-come-those-pesky-atheist-evangelists-again/
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Well Mahboob the injured, maimed and murdered Australians as a result of the Bali bombing aren’t convinced by your words. As I said, we are looking at the fruit and we are not seeing the fruits of the prince of peace in muslim behaviour.
Peter Brien
When we see the Muslims prosylysing in the city, we should contradict their inaccuracies about Jesus. They use Swanston Street, and also outside the Public Library.
We are too coy about standing up for our Christianity.
Don’t have to get into a big debate. Just correct their inaccuracies i.e. Jesus said “Allah”…. one man was telling a listener. I said Jesus said “Abba – Father” not Allah, and walked on.
Lorraine Twentyman
Keep up the good work Bill.
Lorraine Twentyman
Thanks Lorraine
Yes we need to show the same conviction and passion for our faith that others do about their faith.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
I looked at the three links included by John above, thanks for including them!!!!
The Muslim cleric in the link stated that the word “Islam” means, “submission to God’s will”
God’s Will is His legally binding contract = the WORD of GOD = JESUS = the WORD of GOD incarnate = in the flesh = JESUS = God manifest in the flesh!!!
I found it particularly interesting that one of the arguments of Islam is that it is a religion!!!
No where in the Bible did Abraham or others in the Old Testament talk of religion – there are many verses that say “obey His voice” = hear intelligently, “keep my covenant”, “obey the commandments of the LORD your GOD”, Deuteronomy 11:27
LORD = self existent / eternal
GOD = El – o – him; used in the plural ; Supreme God
Commandments = law, ordinances, precepts.
Muslims make a huge point of the fact that “Islam” = submission to God’s Will – JESUS is the only one who ever fully submitted His will to that of His Father – Our Father in Heaven, when He paid the penalty for the sins of mankind by becoming the sacrifice for our sins – His death and resurrection were witnessed by many witnesses (at least 500 it states in one verse)
Muhammad never ever submitted his entire will to God the God of Creation; If he (Muhammad) had, his teaching would have been in complete UNITY with JESUS, who FULFILLED all scripture, all prophesy and psalms known in the Ancient near east!
IF Muhammad were a true Prophet of God, his teaching should be in absolute accord / unity with Jesus, as God’s Word warns of false prophets – Jesus Himself warned of false prophets, and that was way before Muhammad was born!!!
No where in scripture did Jesus exhort His followers to kill Jews or non Jews!!! Rather, He exhorted His disciples to go preach the good news of salvation through Jesus sacrifice on the cross and of God’s Will for mankind, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Barb Hoc
.
There is only one word to describe the Qu’ran and Muslim religious leaders and that is liars. How can they hypocritically call Jesus a holy prophet when they know fully well that the claims He made about Himself do not allow them to say this. For them, Jesus has to be either a liar, a mad man, or both. The only other solution is for them to say that that the Qu’ran is a corrected version of a corrupt and outdated Bible. Their aim is to appropriate, change and finally discard it completely.
However, when we gaze on the character of the founder of every Islamic country, Mohammed, we see exactly why the migration is away and not towards them.
Gert Wilders says,
“Muhammad is a narcissist, a paedophile, a mass murderer, a terrorist, a misogynist, a lecher, a cult leader, a madman, a rapist, a torturer, an assassin and a looter. The historical Muhammad was the savage leader of a gang of robbers from Medina. Without scruples they looted, raped and murdered. The sources describe orgies of savagery where hundreds of people’s throats were cut, hands and feet chopped off, eyes cut out, entire tribes massacred. An example is the extinction of the Jewish Kurayza tribe in Medina in 627. One of those who chopped off their heads was Muhammad. The women and children were sold as slaves. Confronted with the lunacy of Islamic terrorists today, it is not hard to find out where the lunacy comes from.”
http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/op-ed/time-to-unmask-muhammad-an-article-by-geert-wilders/
David Skinner, UK
Bill: faithful, inspiring preaching in this article. The powerful truth about Jesus in a ‘nutshell’. Thanks.
(and amen, Roulf).
Terry Darmody
Yes Bill, the Bible and the Koran are indeed utterly incompatible. Although perhaps too wordy for the side of a bus but nevertheless true:
THE KORAN: “Christians call Christ the Son of God. Allah’s curse be on them! (surah 9:30)
THE BIBLE: “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. (1 John 2:22)
Paul Reid
Good one Paul.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Mark chapter 8: 31 “He [Jesus] then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
It is my hope that Muslims will actually read the Injil and listen to Jesus speak. They might also go back to the Torah at Isaiah 53:3 to 6. “He was wounded for our transgressions”. Praise God for redemption guaranteed.
Ken Brookes
Jesus died on the Cross for our sins and to save us from hell; Mohammed didn’t. Jesus is the son of God the Father, the 2nd Divine person of the Blessed Trinity; Mohammed isn’t part of the Trinity.
Maybe we could send a copy of the Bible to Diaa Mohamed so he can discover that Jesus wasn’t just ONE of the mightiest prophets of God, He was God made man.
Madge Fahy
You say come to Christ. I say which Christ? There are so many. The Catholic Pope says he is right and all else wrong, the other Christians say Pope wrong and their way right. Lots of violence and killing between all the different groups. Which Christ is the right one?
In Islam, all equal. As soon as whole world embraces last true Prophet then eternal peace. Imagine! I know this is what Allah wants. Read Holy Qur’an.
Muslim and Christian have more common than athiest who say Jesus was not divine at all. Muslim and Christian agree Allah creates world and man, not Darwin. We agree on many things. That is message here.
Mahboob Hasan, UK
Thanks again Mahboob
There is only one Christ, and every true Christian recognises Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the only Saviour of mankind. All true Christians completely agree on this.
If a Christian kills in the name of Christ as a religious duty, he is doing so against the express teachings and example of Jesus, and the New Testament. If a Muslim kills in the name of Allah as a religious duty, he is doing so in accord with the express teachings and example of Muhammad, and the Koran.
And as I keep saying, I have read the Koran, which is why I reject Islam. The question is, have you actually read your Koran? And more importantly, have you read the New Testament? I challenge you to.
And while we both agree in a creator God, we disagree as to who this God is. Allah is not the God of the Bible. But I have dealt with all this quite often elsewhere. See these articles for example:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/16/what-to-make-of-allah/ https://billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/19/no-we-do-not-worship-the-same-god/ https://billmuehlenberg.com/2008/11/21/jesus-muhammad-and-violence/ https://billmuehlenberg.com/2008/02/13/islamisation-versus-christendom/
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Mahboob asks in his post, which Christ? Jesus, the ONLY begotten Son of God, warned His disciples that there would be false christ’s – just as there are false gods!
I ask Mahboob, there are many Islam varieties – with many fighting each other – which is the real Islam??
There is only TRUTH or LIE, there is UP or DOWN, Black or White!!
The GOD of CREATION, the great “I AM”,YAHWEH, JEHOVAH, ADONAI, ELOHIM is TRUTH, is LIGHT, is LIFE and His only Son, Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father but by me” John 14:6
Muslims say Muhammad is the last prophet. GOD warns of FALSE prophets, in His WORD, the BIBLE, and Jesus emphasizes the fact that there will be false prophets.
2 Peter 1:20, 21 talks of Prophecy coming by the power of Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth – who cannot lie)
Given that the Bible = the infallible Word of God is God breathed / inspired Word of God, and God cannot lie, and there are included in the Bible, writings of true Prophets of God, recognized historically!
Each of those Prophets has a message in line with all other Biblical scripture.
God spoke of the Jewish people as His special people they were to be a blessing to the other nations of the world.
IF the Koran is true, and is superior to the Bible, then Muslims are rejecting historical Biblical truth and the words of recognized prophets!!!
To believe that Muhammad is a true prophet of God, how did he become a prophet? The Bible clearly states prophesy is given by the power of the Holy Spirit (who cannot lie), thus to believe that then you have to ask how is it that the Koran does not line up with the TRUE, INSPIRED WORD of GOD???
Barb Hoc
Mahoob, where did you get that there are so many different Christs? Certainly not from the Bible. The famous debate between Josh McDowell and Ahmed Deedat, concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ would suggest that this diversity comes from Islamic writers. If I wanted to know what an author thought I would listen to him and not the opinions of others. Homosexuals are also fond of dictating to Christians the diverse Jesuses that come in all shapes and sizes, but none of them bear any resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdF4tvSIXZM&feature=related
David Skinner, UK
Interesting post, Bill.
I find it important to draw the distinction between Muslims in general who include great doctors, scholars and people just trying to get by in the third world and the radical fundamentalists. In the same way I’d hope that people draw a distinction between the majority of good and great Christians and the Westboro Baptist Church or Robert Camping. Just as we allow women to speak in Church, in spite of Paul, I believe most Muslims interpret jihad as a struggle against man’s inner nature.
We can be grateful that we’ve had 500 years of social development and economic growth spurred by everyday people who were Christian (and even, dare I say it, some humanists) that allow everyone to make these statements.
Let’s set the record straight recognising that each has their own strongly held beliefs, even if they’re not true, and then act in accordance with Jesus’ teachings of turning the other cheek and being Good Samaritans.
Alex Huth
Thanks Alex
A few words in reply if I may. I don’t doubt that perhaps most Muslims may not like all that the jihadists are up to. But still: why are they not speaking out more about this then? Their silence is often deafening. And more importantly, the issue is not whether there are peaceful Muslims. The issue is really whether Islam itself is peaceful. A good case can be made that it is not:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2010/09/13/violence-in-the-bible-and-the-koran/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2008/11/21/jesus-muhammad-and-violence/
And respectfully, what you seem to be giving us here is just more unhelpful moral equivalence: “Yes Islam has a few bad eggs, but so too does Christianity.” I am not buying that. The two are diametrically opposed, and one is inherently problematic when it comes to religious violence, as I argue here:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2004/11/25/a-closer-look-at-religion-and-violence/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2006/09/24/islam-vs-christianity/
As to turning the other cheek, I have dealt with that elsewhere as well:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2011/04/20/difficult-bible-passages-matthew-539/ https://billmuehlenberg.com/2011/05/04/the-death-penalty-justice-and-the-gospel/
This was a personal ethic about putting up with a personal insult. It had nothing to do with the need to protect the innocent and maintain justice in the fallen world. The prisoners at Auschwitz were not saved by turning the other cheek, but by Allied tanks. God has ordained the state to wield the sword to punish wrongdoers. If a person wishes to passively sit by as more airplanes fly into Western buildings, that is up to him or her. But I will promote the just use of force to stop the jihadists from slaughtering more innocent men, women and children.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
I hope that lots of people wil take the opportunity to obtain and read a free copy of the Koran. There is tremendous ignorance of the horrible things that this book teaches and I am sure that reading it would open the eyes of many. I was given a copy by a Muslim friend in exchange for a Bible and I was truly shocked when I read what it had to say. Violent jihadis are the Muslims who have read and put into practice what the Koran says.
Jane McIntosh
Yes quite right Jane. I am with you.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
I will read now most Holy New Testament of Jesus. But do not say false advertising. This is most hurtful. We believe as passion as you believe, we are the same. You say you have read Holy Qur’an. Why then, you must see such Holiness as is written. Many, many read, see truth and follow.
Not so many Muslim change to Jesus. Islam grows, and Christianity wanes. You may have reason for this (athism) but to me, Allah has willed it so.
Mahboob Hasan, UK
Thanks Mahboob
We will keep you in prayer as you read it, that Christ and his love will be revealed to you in a personal and powerful way.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Start the advertising campaign bill, I am 100% right behind you.
Fivos Panayiotou
Mahboob Hasan
I have also read the quran, and in the section which falls in the cow section, it mentions how a disobedient wife must be beaten and sent to bed without eating.
I find it just as offensive and makes me rather angry the muslims are false advertising against my beliefs.
The muslims are also waning, christianity is still the largest followed faith in the world at current.
The holiness you speak of in the quran is also tainted with many speaks of violence and harsh teachings.
I have challenged many muslims with each to their depth of knowledge and on every account they are left speechless and begin to show signs of aggression or at the very least ask me to come and have a chat with their sheikhs at the local mosque.
i am only to happy to do so, but the facts are I too will bring friends as I will not step foot alone.
The quran mentions jesus as does the likes of buddhism, and all other religious beliefs.
Ironically jesus never once mentions any others unto only himself.
Jesus is recognised by all messengers of other religions, but he pays no recognition to them.
That speaks volumes.
Fivos Panayiotou
Mahboob Hasan
Over three hundred prophesies in the Old Testament foretold of the coming Messiah Jesus (Isa), the anointed One, Son of God, the miraculous conception – His birth and the cross, and Jesus Christ fulfilled all of them. There was not one prophesy in the Old Testament that prophesized about Muhammad as God’s last messenger, his birth nor his mission.
Muhammad foresaw nothing about his final death and had no power to stop it. Jesus knew exactly when His death would eventuate, how it would occur and the events leading up to it. Yet, He freely chose to lay down His life for his friends – He surrendered the power he had over His own death in obedience to the Holy Father, for the sake of all humanity’s sins.
Jesus died to give us freedom – freedom from sin, freedom from oppression and freedom from bondage. And through the shedding of Jesus’ blood, believers can approach God through a tangible experience that no other religions offer. That is the beauty about Christianity. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is our personal Saviour, who loves us and is willing to have an intimate and personal relationship with those who, by faith, comes to the Holy Father through Him. Islam is a religion of oppression that seeks to take away the freedom of individuals, cultures, societies and countries and forcefully make people submit to Islam.
Unlike the Qur’an, Jesus’ ministry continually demonstrated God’s love, mercy, reconciliation, restoration, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, healing, equality and freedom – Jesus offered the world peace.
Mahboob, you’re in my prayers, and I too pray that God will touch your heart in a mighty and powerful way, and that God may reveal his love and His presence to you. God Bless you. In the meantime, you may be interested in watching this short film based on a former Hezbollah Soldier – who was once a devout servant of Allah.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5jprDjTPpU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Panage Kontos
Bill,
Why not try to look at positive ways to promote the faith? I do detect a note in your post and some who commented that doesn’t square with what I think we should be doing. The Mormons do this kind of thing all the time but there’s no need to get hysterical but to get active in constructive ways. I often think of how the town clerk in Ephesus was able to say that Paul had not blasphemed their goddess. If you want to polarise Muslims then be negative toward them.
Rowland Ward
Thanks Rowland
But I am not sure how simply comparing Islamic teachings with Christian teachings on the person and work of Christ makes me “hysterical, “negative, and ‘blasphemous’. And I am not sure how Acts 19 bears on this discussion. Are you telling us that believers should never say anything to Muslims that might upset them, such as Jesus is God, God is triune, or Jesus is God’s Son? All three statements are true and core Christian beliefs, but all three would be considered blasphemous by a devout Muslim. So do we simply never mention these topics?
And of course the town clerk was seeking to put a positive spin on an explosive situation, and the townsfolk certainly did not see things his way.
Also, telling an atheist that God exists may not be blasphemous but will be highly offensive. Telling a Hindu there is just one God (in three persons) may well offend him. Telling a JW that Jesus is God will offend him. So what do you propose we do when you witness to nonbelievers? Just talk about the weather?
And of course Jesus polarised (your term) people all the time. Was he being negative, hysterical and the like? So I have to take a different approach to this than you do. I guess we may have to agree to disagree here to some extent. But thanks for writing in.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
The Christian Democratic Party is investigating advertising on Melbourne public transport, a message declaring Jesus: the only way to God (or something similar). This would be an non-political advert all Christians could support. Any who can help fund this might let the CDP know.
Dallas Clarnette
Jesus is a Prophet against Islam.
David Alston
I will gladly be part of the process that helps this campaign. In all honesty we as Christians do not take offense to the other religious leaders and believers when they tell us their faith is the way and only way to be in this life.
I would as much as take the spray can in my bedroom and spray the walls of many parks with the clear message that Jesus is lord and savior.
After all Jesus proclaimed who he was to the religious leaders of his time, stating who he was, daring to be the rebellious one who would stand against all that was evil and immoral.
Jesus has no contest in the face of muhommad, how can one even compete with the commandments of the one who says
“forgive your enemies”
“love your enemies”
How can allah be a merciful and compassionate, noble and fair god when he has his commandments based on anger, hatred and violence smeared with evil acts of vengeance.
There is no comparison, its ridiculous to state otherwise.
Jesus is lord, god and savior and above all else, King.
Fivos Panayiotou
These ads have ruffled a few feathers Bill looking at the response here. Islamists certainly have front, and its all one way, theirs. In the States Islamists run some adds criticising Israel. Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs has had a hard time getting adds approved in support of Israel. In the end the anti Israel adds were removed. She has also been trying to get adds up promoting a help line for those who wish to leave Islam. Even though she has won in the courts she still has not had them displayed on the busses. On a more positive note Muslims are coming to Christ here in Australia. I’m meeting up with 6 of them at a concert on Saturday evening. I’m looking forward to it very much.
Keith Lewis
I can’t say that I’ve studied the Qur’an; I’ve read it twice and it was a difficult read. It is a very unattractive piece of literature, exceedingly repetitive, ambiguous at best, contradictory at worst, meandering and most of all, leaving me with absolutely no hope of salvation. You see Mahboob, I know myself pretty well after 61 years and I can tell you that I have no possibility of gaining forgiveness from God by any of my own efforts or powers of persuasion. I need someone, who is capable enough to do it for me and I have found that someone in the Old and New Testaments and through 25 years experience, known in English as “Jesus the Christ”; not a prophet but the Lord God Himself, who made me out of the dust of the earth. I pray that you shall also find him, know him and allow him to be your own personal saviour.
Col Maynard, Sydney NSW
If you were a judge, who would you believe?
1. 11 men who were witnesses to an event so monumental that they were willing to die before denying that event in question occurred.
or
2. 1 man who lived around 600 years after the event who experienced “visions” that claimed the event didn’t occur as the original witnesses specified? (Be sure to take into account that this person also told his wife upon explaining his first vision that he believed that he had been the victim of Jinns [ie. devils]).
Open and shut case.
Mario Del Giudice
Mahboob Hasan, you are either a fake or one of the most ignorant Muslim I’ve ever met, and I had lived in a de-facto Muslim country, Malaysia, for 40+ years, and read most of the Koran! Almost everything you say about Islam is absolutely foreign in Islamic nations! No justice, only deceptions, oppression, suppression, killings and inflicting all kinds of pain and injustice against the non-Muslims. Can you really denied the facts staring at your face! Mahboob, count yourself blessed to have read Bill’s column here and come face to face with the truth, which I hope you would meditate on – no cunning twist and turn!
About Islam growing, in all my 40+ years in Malaysia I have not met one person who have converted to Islam by conviction except by way of marriage (no option) or for benefits in business, charity or scholarships. Islam in Malaysia is growing as fast as the Muslims can breed – and that’s very fast!
Richard Chieng
Dear Bill,
The provocative billboards put up by some Muslims give us a fantastic opportunity to expose the lies or cunning deceptions.
I thought your forum would be a great place to do a fund raising campaign to put up billboards to expose the lies, such as “Abraham, Moses, Noah, Jesus born long before existence of Islam”, ” ‘Jesus’ in the Koran is not the JESUS of the Bible”, “God of the Koran is not the God of the Bible, Koran and the Bible are two worlds apart”, “Koran, the final testament? Koran has other testaments? What nonsense”, etc.
What do you think, Bill? I can keep the fund-raising rolling by committing $500.
God bless!
Richard Chieng
Sadly I think a lot of us here are missing the point
As a devout, passionate follower of Christ, I believe that Matthew 5:16 says “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven”. Meaning that through my actions people should be able to see that I am a Christian; I don’t need to speak anything at all. That does not mean I turn a blind eye to insults hurled at my Saviour from opposing religions, but I don’t choose to fight fire with fire.
I do not think it is right to blame the Islamic community for acts of terrorism, because as I’m sure many of us Christians would conveniently forget, Hitler was a confessing Christian, even the KKK were founded by a biblical verse. So the problem does not come down to religion; the problem is a corrupt heart. As Ephesians 6:12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm”. Meaning that we would more than likely tire ourselves out with the theological debate, because what good is it to infect a mind with the goodness of Christ if the heart has not been surrender also. Some of us Christians need to put more into the spiritual battle; start breaking down strongholds in the spiritual, actually pray out of love and deep conviction for our fellow brothers and sisters who are not following Christ
As for my fellow brother Mahboob, he (nor his religion) is to blame for the actions of a select few that happen to represent what he believes. Just like I don’t represent the child molesting priests or the adulterous pastors that represent Christ. The problem comes down to the heart, which can ONLY be transformed by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Maybe we Christians are to blame for acts of terrorism and religious groups wanting to plaster buses and billboards with demeaning statements…maybe we have failed in our evangelism. It’s just like Jon Newton said previously…if we only prayed and evangelized….
Mark Gooneratne
Thanks Mark
I don’t disagree with you on the importance of the gospel. But I do disagree if you are implying that this is our only task, and we should never seek to defend our freedoms against totalitarian ideologies. And you help no one by rather foolishly parroting the phony atheist claim that Hitler was a confessing Christian. He of course was nothing of the sort, but just used Christianity (which he hated) to promote his political agenda.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Mark, I bet my bottom dollar you have very shallow knowledge of Islam and no exposure to Islamic laws/rulerships – barely wetting the sole of your feet! KNOW your spiritual enemy before you kneel to PRAY, dare to TALK, then pull your resources to ACT!
I recommend you and others to visit Geert Wilders Website – at the very least read his latest speech at Cornerstone Church, Nashville, 12 May 2011.
I have no doubt that it’s the arm-chair prayer warriors, the indifferent and the ignorant who are giving way for the devious advance of Islam in Europe – hopefully not Australia!
Richard Chieng
Hello Bill.
I am greatly heartened by your/this site.
As a Christian I feel we must all make a stand against Islam. Jesus laid down his life for us, and allowed us the freedom to choose righteousness, and virtue by following him back to our heavenly father; or not.
Islam offers us no such freedom, in fact enforces it’s beliefs with deadly effect.
I am not as well versed theologically as many contributors, and have a lot of reading to do to fully appreciate their contributions. Neverheless I would like to express my appreciation for your efforts, and look forward to studying your links further.
James Wheeler