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World History Truth...Reader comment on item: The Danger Within Submitted by Anthony (United States), Dec 9, 2007 at 09:38 Please do not rewrite history. It's interesting that you speciously attach the one incident in U.S. history that resembles true terrorism, civilian killing civilian innocent. Then, you relate his Christianity to his actions as if somehow the Injil - Gospels was the underlying motive. FYI: at this timeframe of his life the OK bomber, Timothy McVeigh, was involved with a white separatist group - far from Jesus and the Christian faith. Also, using sophistic methods, you blatantly relate WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq to political religious wars. WWI & WWII history had nothing to do with religion. Aside from the Nazi hatred of the Jews, one may consider the fact the emperor of Japan declared himself a god. Upon surrender to the U.S. he was forced to admit he was no god to the Japanese masses, hence the end of shintoism. The Crusades are a horrible fact of Christian history that began in the 11th century A.D. They were "so-called" followers only, and not of Jesus Christ's gospel. There is not one word or verse in the gospels (injil) that instructs Christians to harm or kill in the name of Jesus Christ - God. History fact: islam was created in the 7th century A.D. Prior to islam, the following geography was Christian: Jerusalem, Egypt, Yemen, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy and even Arabia had Christian sects known as Ebionites and Nestorians during muhammads' time. While they called themselves Christians, they also denied Jesus was the Son of God. Ironically, muhammad married his first wife khadija in an Ebionite church, by khadija's first cousin, Ebionite pastor Waraqa bin Neufel. According to islamic history, they essentially had a Christian type wedding in the largest church in mecca at the time, around 595 A.D. It is hear where the Ebionite Christian pastor, Waraqa, becomes muhammad's mentor and teaches him about Christianity, including the Torah=Tauret, Psalms=Songs of David, and the book of Matthew Gospel=Injil, about 610 A.D. So we see he's not versed on "all" the books of the Bible. In 620 A.D. muhammad's uncle, abu talib, and his wife, khadija dies. It is here where muhammad creates an alliance with two warrior tribes from medina, aous and khazraj, and so begins the spread of islam. First the "Battle of Badr" 624 A.D., then the "Battle of the Trench" in 627 A.D. After this battle, muhammad supposedly receives new revelation from the angel Gabriel to spread islam by force, surah 8:38, 39, 41, 45, 60, 65. Shortly hereafter, Jewish assassinations take place, Jewish tribes near medina are attacked and massacred, the men are all killed, women and children taken as slaves. islamic historical writings verify Christianity's presence in Arabia, the middle east and mediterranean region. With the abovementioned chronologically recorded revelation to spread islam by force, we see the beginning of "jihad" - holy war. This brings us historically back to the Christians, existing ~600 years before the rise of islam. By the 11th century A.D., the middle east was conquered by the muslims (turks). The Crusades are a barbaric tragedy of Christian history, that's accepted fact. Will muslims honestly acknowledge the origins of there religion and history, as a religion of compulsion? Ironcally, the qur'an states, "there is no compulsion in religion - surah 2:256. However, in islamic states, anyone who decides to leave islam would surely be persecuted, even death. This breaks the law of non-contradiction, and therefore cannot be an absolute truth in principle. Is islam playing with words? We cannot look at the followers of each faith to determine what Christianity or islam teaches. It doesn't matter if Crusaders call themselves Christians, or if terrorists call themselves muslims. Instead, we must look at the teachings and actions of Jesus and muhammad as recorded from the most reliable sources. There's a major difference between verifying sources for yourself versus listening to someone else's interpretation of what those sources say. Though I may not agree with islam, I have been reading the qur'an to educate myself. Maybe you can read the Bible to educate yourself. I suggest starting with the New Testament - John 1:1. Continuing, In WWI the assasination of Austro-Hungrian Archduke Ferdinand (prince) launched the war between Austria and Serbia. Footnote: the Ottoman Turks (muslims) chose the wrong side of history, hence the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In WWII the Nazis invaded Poland. Hitler and the Nazis were not Christians as you insinuate. Hitler was a humanist-existentialist. He adopted the "higher men" theory from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (he despised Christianity). The Nazis identified their Aryan race as the "supreme race" of the world - higher men. This lead to a Nazi fascist dictatorial regime. The movement was political and race oriented, but not in the name of Jesus Christ as you falsely allude. This was the Nazi war of the "Supreme Race." Simply, fascism is more relevant to islam than Christianity, e.g. totalitarian leadership = mullahs; forcible suppression of opposition = qur'an, morality police, jizya tax, etc. You can find no comparison in democratic western societies; unlike in the middle east where non-believers are forced to pay the special "jizya tax" to show submission. As a matter of fact, your clerics will admit that islam and democracy are not compatible. Just look at the hell that's currently going on in Iraq. Christian women are now being warned by muslim morality militia (can we say sharia law) in the shiite south, wear the "hijab" or face death. True freedom is being offered to them, and what do they get? Car and human suicide bombs in mosques, markets, schools, restaurants, oil pipelines and police stations. Mass beheadings and and so-called sectarian killings. All while hiding amongst civilians, women and children. In the real world of absolute truth, there is a human rights violation per the Geneva Convention. But in a relativistic world, my terrorist is your so-called freedom fighter. This is the core difference between Christianity and islam: God's true name revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai is "I AM", which is "The One Who Is". This is transliterated in the Hebrew tetragrammaton as YHWH = LORD (uppercase) in the Bible's Old Testament. God's true name is revealed in "Jesus" = "YHWH Saves", which is "LORD Saves". God's true name YHWH is revealed over 6600 times in the Bible, but not once in the qur'an. Why is that? As a matter of fact, there is no arabic word for YHWH. Think about it. The Korean (beginning of U.S. - Soviet Cold War), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Grenada and Panama were all ideological wars - the Communist wars of the Supreme Society: republic democracy vs. communist dictatorship. Republic - all men/women are created equal, endowed by our Creator, which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; freedom of religion, speech, press. Communism - single totalitarian rule controls all state property; no freedom of religion, speech, press. Remarkable how sharia law closely resembles communism, even though all communist governments are extreme atheists - no belief in God whatsoever. Ironically through history, even to this day, all islamic and communist states have very close ties, e.g. Russia, China, N. Korea = Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Lybia, terrorist groups hezbollah and hamas. Classic - the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Interestingly enough, this alliance and final battle against Isreal is prophesied in the Bible. Finally, the Iraq & Afghanistan wars. In this popular age of humanism, existentialism and postmodernism, the world finds itself searching for tangible evidence for truth. We tend to justify ourselves by contrasting ourselves with someone worse. Every belief system must answer four aspects of truth: origin, morality, meaning and destiny, which must correspond and cohere to reality. The reality in the middle east is that truth must stand. As Edmund Burke said, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing. This war on islamic fascism is a just war. Though by todays current media one could never make this absolute truth claim. The prevelance of communist (now marxist-socialist) semantics and political sophism in media and acedemic institutions has redefined truth, good, bad and evil: e.g. America = imperalist = evil; islamist = peace = good. Fact is, America is the only world power in world history that has never taken foreign land after world conflicts, e.g. Europe, Germany, Italy, Japan, S. Korea and the Phillipians. There are some that make headlines, and there are some that make history. I believe God blessed this Christian nation for a reason. So with great responsibility comes courage to do what's right in this evil world. As our country motto says, E. Pluribus Unum, "From many - one". And "In God We Trust". Lastly, the core doctrine of the qur'an teaches against everything holy to the Jews and Christians, especially against Jesus Christ. muslims claim Jesus was not the Son of God, did not die on the cross, hence muslims do not have to explain Jesus' resurrection. Fine, is there factual proof? Here's the core issue with muslim claims and logic. The circular reasoning used by muslims would not stand in a scholarly arena of logic. Example, muhammads' prophethood confirms the qur'an and the qur'an confirms muhammad as prophet. No Christian arguement could counter this logic because the claim itself is self-revolving with no verifiable foundation. However, the Bible makes an absolute-truth claim chronologically, historically, prophetically and empirically. The qur'an teaches the Bible is corrupt. All muslims claim the Bible is corrupt because the scriptures were written after Jesus' death & resurrection ~32 A.D. True, written all before 100 A.D. But, the qur'an & hadith were written over 250-300 years after muhammads' death, real name ubu'l kassim. Also, the Bible teaches Christians to prove all things, hold fast that which is good. To ask critical questions of islam is not to offend, but for proof of truth. Remember, muslims know that the qur'an doesn't teach they are 100% assured your sins are forgiven and will go to heaven, not even muhammad knew, it's inshallah, God willing. Right? In islam, you are asked to give your life for allah to go to heaven. In Christ, Jesus (YHWH = God) gave His sinless life for all, and by His grace alone forgiveness and eternal life is given freely. Again, please find truth for yourself and read the Bible. Start with the New Testament book of John 1:1. God Bless. Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments". << Previous Comment Next Comment >> Reader comments (185) on this item
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