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Thursday, January 11, 2007

Religion of Peace?

Religion of Peace? by Andrew McCarthy

3 comments:

  1. The author of this article seems to be non-Christian but there is problems with this for the Christian posting this.

    Khadija's age is often mentioned as though to impugn the morality of Muhammed but for the bible Ruth was much younger than Boaz. Also many men in the Christian/jewish bible had many wives.

    Then also much is made of attacks on Medina and in Badr. But the Christian and the Jew have in the bible report of the people of Canaan being wiped out, also women and children. All this genocide because god was to give them land! And torah has many wars and slaughters beside this.

    and then it speaks condescendengly on the Qu'ran, "Allah transformed the Sabbath-breaking Jews into pigs and monkeys.” But the Christian Jesus has many claims just as fantastic, changing water into wine and conjouring food and drink out of nothing.

    There is too much double standard here.

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  2. qudamah said...
    "The author of this article seems to be non-Christian but there is problems with this for the Christian posting this.Khadija's age is often mentioned as though to impugn the morality of Muhammed but for the bible Ruth was much younger than Boaz."

    The problem is not with Khadija's age, but Aisha's.

    "Also many men in the Christian/jewish bible had many wives."

    You need to understand something about narrative theology. It scores and underscores its points by showing rather than telling. The patricidal and fratricidal consequences of polygamy and concubinage (due to incest, sibling rivalry, and parents who play favorites) is a running theme of the OT, from the patriarchal narratives through the divided monarchy.

    "Then also much is made of attacks on Medina and in Badr. But the Christian and the Jew have in the bible report of the people of Canaan being wiped out, also women and children. All this genocide because god was to give them land! And torah has many wars and slaughters beside this."

    I've addressed that comparison elsewhere:

    http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2004/04/jihad-or-holy-war.html

    "And then it speaks condescendengly on the Qu'ran, 'Allah transformed the Sabbath-breaking Jews into pigs and monkeys.' But the Christian Jesus has many claims just as fantastic, changing water into wine and conjouring food and drink out of nothing."

    Two problems:

    i) In Scripture, miracles are purposeful events, not parlor tricks. The two miracles you mention are signs or enacted parables which illustrate the person, work, and teaching of Christ. The miracle at Cana (Jn 2:1-11) foreshadows and symbolizes the New Birth (3:1-21) while the multiplication of food (6:1-15) foreshadows and symbolizes the role of Christ as the bread of life (6:22-65).

    ii) The idea of turning Jews into pigs is a classic example of the venomous and virulent Jew-hatred among Muslims. Pigs are unclean animals. To turn Jews into pigs would rend them ritually impure. So this is a stereotypical example of how Muslims defame and demonize the Jews.

    "There is too much double standard here."

    Only from your insular and warped perspective.

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  3. Just for the record - Christians and Jews do not regard the Patriarchs, nor do Christians regard the Apostles, as moral exemplars. King David, for heavens' sake! They delivered revelation by their words: they didn't always model it in their lives. Only One did that.

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