Islam is like all religions?

Submitted by Bill Sweeney (United States), Sep 29, 2004 at 15:35

Mr. Pipes:

In your article titled, "Islam is what its followers make of it," you made a statement that, as a devout Christian, I found troubling. You wrote, "...Islam - like all religions - is whatever believers make of it." I won't get into a long theological debate over this, but aren't you painting with a broad brush here? Obviously many have perverted the Christian faith, but it's almost always (unlike Islam) the vast majority of true Christians that point out their heresy. Believers in the Bible, know that (like the verse that you quoted from the Koran), we can't form doctrine from a single verse, especially if that verse is taken out of context. We believe, as Peter wrote - "...know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation..." (2 Pet 1:20) We can see this "reinterpretation of scripture" occurring right now regarding homosexuality.

Unlike Islam, we debate and argue over chapter and verse. In fact there was really no single "Reformation," the Christian church is constantly reforming itself, constantly denouncing and casting out apostates as we're commanded to do - "If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person. For people like that have turned away from the truth. They are sinning, and they condemn themselves." (Titus 3:9-11) The Bible is so clear about what constitutes right and wrong, good and evil... that (for example), homosexuals are reduced to inane arguments like, "those verses are outdated..."
I'm sorry if it seems that I've been overly-defensive, but I'm fed-up with moral-equivalence (i.e., "The Israelis are no better than the PLO," "Christianity is no better than Islam...")

I still look forward to your very insightful articles, thank you.

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